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A first trip to Japan usually starts in Tokyo and ends in Kyoto, and the train between them is half the fun. This route takes about a week at an easy pace and needs no car, no tour group and very little Japanese.
Days 1 to 3: Tokyo
Tokyo is less one city than a cluster of neighborhoods, each with its own pace. Base yourself near a major station on the Yamanote Line, such as Shinjuku, Shibuya or Tokyo Station, and almost everything is a short ride away.
Spend a morning at Senso-ji in Asakusa before the crowds arrive, an afternoon wandering the backstreets of Shimokitazawa or Yanaka, and an evening in the lights of Shinjuku. If you only have room for one museum, the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park covers more of Japanese art and history than anywhere else in the country.
For getting around, pick up a rechargeable IC card such as Suica or PASMO, or add one to your phone. Tap in and out at the gates and you never need to work out a fare. The same card works on buses, in convenience stores and in many vending machines.
Day 4: Hakone or Kamakura
Break the city stretch with a day trip. Hakone, in the mountains southwest of Tokyo, has hot springs, a lake cruise and, on a clear day, views of Mount Fuji. Kamakura, on the coast, is gentler: the Great Buddha, temple gardens and a walk to the beach. Both are easy to reach by train and worth an overnight stay if you can spare it.
If you stay at a ryokan, a traditional inn, dinner and breakfast are often included and served in your room or a private dining space. Bathe before dinner, wear the provided yukata around the inn, and leave your shoes at the entrance.
Day 5: The shinkansen to Kyoto
The Tokaido Shinkansen connects Tokyo and Kyoto in a little over two hours. Reserve a seat on the right side of the train heading west for the best chance of seeing Mount Fuji. Buy a bento at the station before boarding; eating on long-distance trains is perfectly normal.
Large suitcases need a reservation for the oversized luggage area on this line. Many travelers skip the problem entirely by sending bags ahead. Luggage forwarding services, available at hotels and convenience stores, will deliver a suitcase from your Tokyo hotel to your Kyoto hotel, usually by the next day, so you can travel with just a daypack.
Days 6 and 7: Kyoto
Kyoto rewards early starts. Fushimi Inari’s thousands of torii gates are quiet at dawn and crowded by mid-morning. Arashiyama’s bamboo grove works the same way. Save the afternoons for slower places: the moss gardens and small temples of northern Kyoto, or a walk along the Philosopher’s Path.
In the evening, walk through Gion and Pontocho, where narrow lanes of wooden townhouses glow under paper lanterns. Please remember these are residential streets: keep your voice down and don’t photograph people without asking.
If you have an extra day, Nara is under an hour away by train, with its giant bronze Buddha at Todai-ji and the deer that roam the surrounding park.
Before you go
- Stay connected: a travel eSIM or pocket Wi-Fi makes maps and train apps far easier to use.
- Carry some cash: cards are widely accepted, but small shops, shrines and rural stops can be cash only.
- Pack light: station stairs and crowded trains are easier with a small bag, and forwarding services handle the rest.
- Book the busy weeks early: cherry blossom season in spring and the autumn leaves fill hotels in Kyoto months ahead.