When I was planning my trip to Japan, I had very clear that I wanted to visit: Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima and Miyajima. The rest of the cities or places were going to be secondary. Since it was my first long-distance solo trip and I didn’t want to overwhelm myself by following the typical itinerary recommended by many specialized Japan blogs.
This was a trip that I really wanted to do, but in which I wanted to enjoy the people, the food and the cities. So, I got in touch with Japanese co-workers and told them what I had in mind and they helped me to craft the itinerary for 15 days.
My itinerary around Japan is designed for solo travelers or couples who aren’t obsessed with visiting all the tourist spots in all cities. Travelers who want to enjoy the places through local people, food and specialty cafes or craft breweries.
Are you coming with me for 15 days around Japan?
Itinerary for 15 days in Japan
Day 1 – Departure from London
I was living in London in 2017, so my flight left from the British capital. I made a quick stop in Doha (Qatar) and from there, I headed to Tokyo.
Day 2 – Arrival to Narita Airport and first night in Tokyo
My flight arrived at night at Narita airport in Tokyo. From there, I took the subway to my hostel near Akihabara. I bought something for dinner at 7eleven and went to sleep.
Day 3 – Tokyo: Asakusa and Akihabara
My first day in Tokyo was marked by rain as a powerful typhoon was still hitting Japan. Despite the bad weather, I visited the Asakusa area and its wonderful traditional temple and the electronic city of Akihabara.
Día 4 – From Tokyo to Kyoto
After breakfast, I headed to Tokyo Station where I activated my Japan Rail Pass for 14 days. There, I presented all the documentation that I received in London plus my passport. After filling some forms, I got my Japan Rail Pass without any kind of problem.
The trip by shinkansen or bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto lasts approximately two hours and 40 minutes. Upon arriving in Kyoto, I went to the hostel to do my check in and afterwards, I went for a walk around Gion, the geisha neighborhood.
Day 5 – Nara
I took the train on my way to Nara from Kyoto station and the duration of the journey was around an hour and a half. The city of Nara has a spectacular historic site with different temples and shrines each one more interesting and impressive than the others. During your visit to Nara you will be surrounded by wild deers which are considered sacred animals sent by the Gods.
Day 6- Kyoto
I visited the Fushimi-Inari shrine, the Golden Pavilion and many of the most emblematic temples of Kyoto in one day. The only place that I couldn’t visit was the Bamboo Forest because when I arrived the doors were closing, but what are we going to do? I have the perfect excuse to come back to Kyoto.
Day 7- From Kyoto to Osaka
I still had the morning to visit the Kiyomizu-dera and its surroundings in Kyoto. What I liked most was seeing groups of girls dressed in traditional kimonos or yukatas, going to the temple to pray. After visiting this temple considered a World Heritage Site, I headed to Osaka.
Depending on the train you take, the trip from Kyoto to Osaka is quite fast and lasts about one hour. When I arrived in Osaka, I went for a walk in one of the most tourist areas of the city, Dotonbori.
Day 8 – Osaka
I started the day at Osaka Castle. Hours later, I went to Tennoji Park because I had a picnic with a group of Japanese people to practice English. Later, I went to the retro-futuristic neighborhood of Shinsekai. In the evening, I had dinner at an okonomiyaki restaurant and went out for drinks to get to know the nightlife of this city much better.
Day 9 – From Osaka to Hiroshima
After having breakfast in Osaka, I took the bullet train to Hiroshima. The duration of the trip was about two and a half hours. Once in Hiroshima, I went to the hostel to rest a little and when the night fell, I went for a walk to the Peace Memorial Park.
Day 10 – Hiroshima and ferry to Miyajima
In the morning, I visited Hiroshima Castle and the Peace Museum dedicated mainly to the atomic bomb that fell on Hiroshima in 1945. For me, it was very impressive to see unpublished images and testimonies of the destruction that this attack caused in this city and how its citizens have rebuilt this city from scratch.
In the afternoon, I headed to the island of Miyajima. First, I took a train for an hour and a half from Hiroshima and then, a ferry that connects the continent with the small island of Miyajima.
Day 11 – Miyajima and return to Tokyo
I spent the whole morning walking and taking beautiful photos of the island and its wonderful secret corners. Before lunch, I headed to Hiroshima and from there to Osaka. I ate at Osaka station and I continued on my way to Tokyo. The total time of the journey from Hiroshima to Tokyo was almost 5 hours. Please keep in my that this is a long trip because I crossed a good part of this country.
Day 12 – Tokyo
I visited the Tsukiji Market, Ginza, the Emperor’s Palace and I’ve also ascent to the Tokyo City Hall viewpoint. Also, I visited the Piss Alley and some izakayas in Shinjuku to see the culinary specialty, the yakitori or grilled skewers. Finally, I had dinner in Naka-meguro, one of my favourite neighborhoods in Tokyo.
Day 13 – Kamakura and partying in Golden Gai
Kamakura is a coastal city that is about an hour by train from Tokyo. It is very famous for its Bronze Buddha and different temples and shrines. I liked the city a lot, especially because it had the sea and that always gives a different touch to any city.
I came back to Tokyo, I went out to dinner at Roppongi and I ended up partying in the streets of the Golden Gai in Shinjuku.
Day 14 – Shopping morning and relaxing night in the sento
Aki, the owner of the Airbnb apartment where I stayed in Tokyo, took a day off to go shopping with me and showed me her favorite places in the city. Our first stop was the Tokyo station where I bought many souvenirs without taxes.
After shopping, we went to eat tonkatsu or pork battered at a restaurant within the same Tokyo station. When we finished our lunch, we returned home to leave the shopping bags and went to Naka-Meguro. There, we visited a specialty coffee place and a very nice bookstore.
Later, Aki ushered me to Roppongi because I had met with my Tokyo co-workers. We went out to dinner yakitori and we also went to a karaoke where I sang «Despacito» because it was the only song available in Spanish. When I got home, Aki was waiting for me to go to the public bath or sento.
Day 15 – Shibuya, Takeshita Street and last night in Japan
I left for the last day Takeshita Street and its underground stores, the commercial area of Omotesando and Harajuku. I loved this area because there are a lot of designer clothing stores, lots of coffee roasters and, of course, beautiful coffee shops.
After taking a good walk around this area, I went to Shibuya to eat the last Japanese sushi before returning to London. At night, I ate a spectacular tempura in a modern izakaya and then went to a concert with Aki’s friends. To close the night, she and I went for drinks at a place full of Japanese people to say goodbye to Tokyo and Japan.
Day 16 – Return to London
In the morning, I still had time to go around Shibuya and after lunch I headed to Narita airport. There, I bought last minute souvenirs because I wanted to spend my last Japanese yens.
If you want more detailed information, please have a look at all my Japan Guides: Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima and Miyajima.
Budget for 15 days in Japan
As you already know me, I’m not a person who plans her trips months and months in advance. In the case of Japan, I started planning the trip a month before, so I bought the flight at the end of September and, little by little, I booked the rest of things: hostels, Japan Rail Pass and the pocket Internet.
I always check the prices of the flights at Skyscanner or Hopper. In my case, the flight was from London to Narita and direct flights didn’t go down from €1,000 – € 1,500. So, I started looking for flights with a stop and found a flight of Qatar Airways that cost me €766 round trip with one stop in Doha (Qatar), both on the outbound and inbound.
The price of the flights will vary depending on when you have your vacations. Keep in mind that in the summer and spring, prices are higher because they’re the high seasons in Japan. Spring because there are many people visiting the country, due to the cherry tree blossoms and summer, because it’s the season when most people can take their vacations.
After purchasing the flights, I started to book the hostels, the Japan Rail Pass, the medical insurance and the portable Internet. Once in Japan, I would have to pay for food / coffees, tickets to temples or museums, subway trips and souvenirs.
Below, I give you the example of my basic expenses for my trip to Japan. I traveled alone and stayed, mainly, in hostels, except for the last days in Tokyo, where I stayed in an Airbnb and that’s why the cost of accommodation spiked a little more.
| Flights (return) | 766€ |
| Accommodation | 400€ |
| Japan Rail Pass | 350€ |
| Pocket Wifi | 64€ |
| International Health Insurance | 42€ |
| TOTAL | 1.622€ |
With respect to other expenses:
| Museums/Temples | 31€ |
| Food + Coffee | 250€ |
| Souvenirs | 140€ |
| Public Transportation | 80€ |
| TOTAL | 501€ |
To sum up, we can say that a 15-day trip through Japan would cost about € 2,000 – € 2,100 per person. Japan is not a cheap country and the total cost will depend entirely on your basic travel needs and what you want to visit. I know people who have spent much more than me and other people who have spent much less than me. It’s up to you!
How to economize in Japan?
I economized mainly in accommodation, since I stayed in hostels, and in daily meals. In the morning, I went from one temple to another and moved from one place to another, I always bought something in the combini or supermarket that is cheaper than eating in a restaurant. Although eating out in Japan is not as expensive as we imagine.
Regarding souvenirs, I didn’t buy a lot of things because I traveled only with a 30-liter backpack, so I had a fairly limited space for gifts and whims.
Okay. I could have bought the 7-day Japan Rail Pass, instead of the 14-day one, yes. But, I preferred to leave it that way in case it included any other city in my itinerary. In the end, I used the Japan Rail Pass many times to catch trains that were not part of the subway network in Tokyo.
I’ve could also purchased a SIM card, instead of renting the portable Internet device. But this option gave me more peace of mind because, as I have already mentioned, it was the first time I was traveling alone and I preferred to have my mobile phone without problems when exchanging SIM cards.
How to get around Japan: train, bus, subway, …
When I started planning my trip, I had clear that I wanted to travel through Japan with the famous bullet train or shinkansen. Then, I did a little research on how to get around Japan and discovered that the most used option by most tourists visiting Japan is the Japan Rail Pass. A kind of ticket that includes unlimited travel on certain public transport for a certain period of time.
However, this ticket is usually not cheap and there are times when it is not worth to buy it because there are other much cheaper options to go from one city to another. To know if it is worth buying the Japan Rail Pass or not, I recommend the following travel calculator.
How to know if it is worth buying the Japan Rail Pass?
I know that all this seems super messy but how about if I give examples to you? In the following screenshot you will see that if you’re planning an itinerary from Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka and back to Tokyo, what happens? Well, it’s not worth paying for the Japan Rail Pass because you will not pay off the price you have paid for the 7-day pass that is approximately 29,650 yen.
Now, we’re going to put my full 15-day itinerary through Japan. Starting from Tokyo, passing through Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima, Miyajima and a day trip to Kamakura. Also, from the round trip to Narita airport, what happens in this case?
In my case, as you can see in the calculator above, it was worth buying both, the 7-day Japan Rail Pass and the 14-day one. Finally, I decided to buy the 14-day one because I was not going with a 100% closed itinerary and it might include some other destination during my trip.
Advantages of the Japan Rail Pass
I paid for Japan Rail Pass € 350, although the price may vary depending on how your currency is compared to the yen at the time of purchase. In the end, I didn’t include any more stops on my initial itinerary, but the Japan Rail Pass didn’t only serve me to move between cities, it also helped me a lot to move, especially, inside Tokyo.
There were times that many trains/subways I took to move around the cities were part of the Japan Rail line and there was no need to use the subway card, so I didn’t pay extra for every trip I wanted to take.
Another advantage that I see about the Japan Rail Pass, apart from the monetary one, is the peace of mind it gives you when traveling. Why? In Japan it is still not very normal for people to speak fluent English. So, to avoid problems and be a little more independent when buying train tickets or any other public transport, the Japan Rail Pass seemed very convenient.
Once exchanged at the Tokyo station, they gave me a kind of cardboard with my name on it and that was the Japan Rail. It isn’t necessary that you pass it by any machine, the only thing that you have to do, it’s to show it to the man / woman who is in the lathes to enter to the train track and pass directly without giving explanations.
Where to buy the Japan Rail Pass?
I bought the Japan Rail Pass online and after a few days, I received all the documentation to my house. In the envelope, it was explained what were the next steps to be taken once arrived in Japan and what lines of trains, buses, ships, etc; that were included in the Japan Rail Pass.
Currently, you can buy the Japan Rail Pass in Japan too but it is much more expensive than if you buy it in your home country. So be forecasters and buy it before going to Japan.
Who can buy the Japan Rail Pass?
Everyone, except the Japanese or people from other countries residing legally and permanently in Japan. If you have a valid passport from anywhere in the world and do not live in Japan, you can benefit from the Japan Rail Pass.
How does the Japan Rail Pass work?
There are three types of passes: 7 days, 14 days or 21 days. That means that if you buy the 7-day pass, your Japan Rail Pass will expire seven days from the day of activation.
In my case, I bought the 14-day one and I activated it on my third day when I went to Kyoto. Why? Because I still had 14 full days left in Japan, including the return to Narita airport on my last day. If I had activated it on the first day, I would have fallen short of days and should have paid the Narita Express on the last day.
Basically, you have 7, 14 or 21 consecutive days to spend your Japan Rail Pass. It is not worth buying the pass for 7 days when you have planned a trip of one month and you want to use the Japan Rail Pass when you feel like it. Whenever you start using the Japan Rail Pass you have to think that the days are consecutive and that if you do not use them, the pass expires and you will have to manage life.
Essential apps for the Japan Rail Pass and for getting around Japan
To plan your journeys, it’s essential that you download the Hyperdia app, which will give you all the information about trains, schedules, platforms, etc. I used it all the time and the rest of the travelers I met on my trip also had it installed on their phones.
I’ve also used Google Maps and, the truth is that the information it showed me was very reliable: subway schedules, hostels addresses, shops and restaurants.
Other means of transport in Japan
Within the big cities, I used the subway and for that I paid with my Suica card which is the rechargeable public transport card that you can use in different cities of the country. I used this card in the Tokyo and Osaka metro and on the bus to get around Kyoto. To go to Miyajima I had to take a boat and that trip was included in the Japan Rail Pass.
The rest of the trip I walked and one day I shared a taxi with two more colleagues, but I don’t remember exactly how much it cost because one of them paid it.
How to have Internet in Japan?
I decided to rent a portable wifi to be connected to the Internet at any time and I rented it at Japan Wireless and it cost me a total of € 64 for 15 days.
In my case, I picked up the wifi pocket at the first hostel I stayed in Tokyo and returned it the last day at Narita airport. And the service was perfect during all my trip.
Having Internet at all times was very useful, especially, to find my hostels, to move around the cities (since the streets in Japan have no name like in Europe), to see the train schedules and to find restaurants and coffee shops. And of course, to be in touch with my family and friends.
However, I met people who preferred to buy a SIM card. Mainly because it was cheaper and they also had an Internet connection like me. But I was sure that I was going to rent the device because it seemed to me the easiest and most convenient option for me.
Five places you can’t miss in Japan
Although, it’s very difficult to pick 5 must places that you have to visit in Japan, here you have my favorite ones:
Visit the temple of Fushimi Inari and its more than 1,000 toriis in Kyoto
It was one of the places that impressed me not only for its more than 1,000 toriis or orange doors, but also for the enclave and dimension of this temple. Before visiting it, I imagined that I was going to find the toriis in a kind of plain avenue near the temple, but the reality is very different. The temple of Fushimi Inari is on a mountain and the toriis are scattered all over it. Wherever you walk you’ll find orange doors and small temples.
Kyoto Golden Pavilion
The Kinkaku-ji temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion, is another of the architectural wonders that you cannot miss from Japan. The place itself is not as magical as the Fushimi Inari because it is full of tourists and you cannot escape the crowds of people, but it is worth visiting it.
Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima
If you like History as much as I do, Hiroshima is a city that you have to include in your trip to Japan. I loved visiting the entire area of the Peace Memorial Park because I could imagine how an atomic bomb can change the direction of a city and its inhabitants. Hiroshima is a story of destruction and rebirth and, therefore, it is a mandatory stop on my first trip to Japan.
Tokyo and its eclectic neighborhoods
The capital of Japan is the most populated city in the world and, for this reason, there will be some who would hate it and others who would love it. If you are the type of person who is overwhelmed with the crowds and who does not enjoy big cities, you will most likely want to leave Tokyo as soon as possible. On the other hand, if you love cities, enjoying the different neighborhoods, its people, its shops and its coffee shops, Tokyo is the best city in the world.
Todaiji Temple and Nara Park
Nara is a historic city with many temples surrounded by a gigantic park where you will find wild deer everywhere. The most important temple is the Todai-ji, which houses the bronze statue of the Daibutsu or Great Sitting Buddha of Nara, 15 meters high and 500 tons in weight.
If you want more information about all my destinations, here you have my guides of: Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima and Miyajima.
What to eat in Japan?
If the places you visit are important in Japan, the food is even more important. The Japanese country can boast of having one of the richest cuisines in the world, so for my trip, food had an essential role. For that reason, below I leave a list with the dishes that you can not miss if you visit Japan:
Okonomiyaki: It is a typical dish from Osaka and Hiroshima. It’s a kind of pizza cooked on a griddle and it is made with cabbage, flour, water, bacon or seafood and egg. The Hiroshima style also has Japanese noodles in one of its layers.
Sushi: Sushi is the most widespread Japanese food worldwide. For that reason, it is impossible for you to leave Japan without at least trying this Japanese delight, because after all, in Japan they’re masters on this amazing food.
Ramen: Ramen is a soup with traditional Japanese noodles and, as you can imagine, it can be made in many different ways. My favorite ramens are usually those made with pork or miso broth with egg and cha-su or pork belly.
Tonkatsu: Traditional tonkatsu is a piece of battered pork accompanied with a cabbage salad, miso soup and white rice. The technique to make this delicious fried dish is spectacular because the meat stays in its perfect point and the batter is crispy, but without it being too fatty.
If you are interested in knowing more about Japanese food, here is my Japan’s Food Guide.
When to travel to Japan
Japan is a country made up of multiple islands each one with a very different weather from each other. But in general, the best months to visit Japan are: April-May and October-November.
During summer temperatures are very high and there’s usually a lot of humidity, which makes it difficult to enjoy a trip with these climatic conditions. In December, January and February, temperatures can touch 0ºC degrees in some regions and in Tokyo it can even snow.
From March until June, it’s especially nice to travel to Japan because it’s when the cherry trees bloom and there is a lot of international and local tourism. In autumn, there may be some cyclone days, however everything is under control, and when the storm passes, the landscapes are spectacular with trees dyed orange, brown and red.
And you, do you have any tricks about Japan that you want to share with us? Would you like to go to Japan? Leave your comments!
