Tokyo + Kyoto + Nara — 7 days

The soul of Japan in one week. Day-by-day itinerary: Arrival in Tokyo; Tokyo; Tokyo → Kyoto (Shinkansen); Fushimi Inari & Arashiyama.

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival in Tokyo

08:00 — Arrival at Narita
10:00 — Limousine bus — Narita → Shinjuku
13:00 — Hotel in Shinjuku
19:00 — Neighbourhood izakaya — Shinjuku

Day 2 — Tokyo

08:30 — Tsukiji Outer Market — Tsukiji
Metro to Ginza/Toyosu — Tsukiji → Ginza / Toyosu
11:00 — Ginza & teamLab — Ginza / Toyosu
Metro to Asakusa — Ginza / Toyosu → Asakusa
15:00 — Asakusa + Sensō-ji — Asakusa
19:00 — Tempura dinner — Asakusa

Day 3 — Tokyo → Kyoto (Shinkansen)

09:00 — Shinkansen Nozomi Tokyo → Kyoto — Tokyo Station
Metro to Gion — Tokyo Station → Gion, Kyoto
11:30 — Ryokan check-in in Kyoto — Gion, Kyoto
Walk to Gion — Gion, Kyoto
14:00 — Gion district — Gion
Bus to Kinkaku-ji — Gion → North Kyoto
16:00 — Kinkaku-ji — Golden Pavilion — North Kyoto
Bus back to the ryokan — North Kyoto → Ryokan
19:30 — Kaiseki dinner at the ryokan — Ryokan

Day 4 — Fushimi Inari & Arashiyama

07:00 — Fushimi Inari at sunrise — Fushimi Inari
Walk to the market — Fushimi Inari → Fushimi market
10:00 — Inari-sushi breakfast — Fushimi market
Train to Arashiyama — Fushimi market → Arashiyama
12:00 — Arashiyama Bamboo Grove — Arashiyama
14:00 — Tenryū-ji temple + Zen garden — Arashiyama
16:00 — Sagano tofu cuisine — Arashiyama
Walk to the Ōi River — Arashiyama → Ōi River
18:00 — Riverside stroll at sunset — Ōi River
Train to central Kyoto — Ōi River → Central Kyoto
20:00 — Nishiki Market + dinner — Central Kyoto

Day 5 — Nara

09:00 — Train Kyoto → Nara — Kintetsu Line
Arrival in Nara — Kintetsu Line → Nara Kōen
10:00 — Nara Deer Park — Nara Kōen
Walk to Tōdai-ji — Nara Kōen → Nara
11:00 — Tōdai-ji — Great Buddha — Nara
Walk to central Nara — Nara → Central Nara
13:00 — Kakinoha-zushi lunch — Central Nara
15:00 — Back to Kyoto then Osaka — Kyoto → Osaka
Walk to the hotel — Namba, Osaka
17:00 — Hotel check-in in Osaka — Namba, Osaka
Walk to Dōtonbori — Namba, Osaka → Namba
19:00 — Dōtonbori at night — Namba
Walk to Dōtonbori — Namba → Dōtonbori
20:00 — Takoyaki + okonomiyaki — Dōtonbori

Day 6 — Free Day in Osaka

09:00 — Osaka Castle — Osaka-jo
To Shinsekai — Osaka-jo → Shinsekai
11:00 — Shinsekai — retro district — Shinsekai
13:00 — Kushikatsu at a popular spot — Shinsekai
Train to Universal Studios — Shinsekai → Osaka
15:00 — Universal Studios Japan — Osaka
20:00 — Last evening at an izakaya — Osaka

Day 7 — Return

07:00 — Train Osaka → Kansai Airport — Haruka Express
11:00 — Return flight from KIX — Kansai International Airport