10 Days
Best for: Couple
Cherry Blossom Japan: 10 Days in Spring
A spring route timed to peak sakura season through Tokyo, Nikko, Kyoto & Osaka
#Mid-Range
From$2,800/person
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Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara & Hiroshima: The Complete 14-Day Route
Japan's five essential cities in one two-week grand tour
14 DaysBest for: First-TimeFrom $3,600/personSpring/Autumn
ExploreJapanDaily Editorial TeamEditorially reviewedUpdated July 6, 2026Verified July 6, 202621 min read
Duration: 14 DaysDestinations: Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, HiroshimaBudget: Mid-RangePace: Moderate
This is the most complete first-timer route we publish: Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, and Hiroshima in a single two-week loop, covering modern Tokyo, historic Kyoto and Nara, food-obsessed Osaka, and Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park and Miyajima, all connected by Shinkansen with no domestic flights.
Where the classic Golden Route stops at Osaka, this itinerary continues west to Hiroshima and Miyajima, adding a historical and emotional dimension that rounds out the trip. It's a genuinely full two weeks, four nights in Tokyo, four in Kyoto (with Nara as a linked day trip), three in Osaka, and three in Hiroshima.
This is the itinerary for travelers who've decided this might be their only trip to Japan for a while and want to see the full range the country offers, from Shibuya's neon to Miyajima's floating torii gate.
⚡Quick Answer
What you need to know: 14 Days, $3,600-$9,200 per person, best in Spring or Autumn, covering Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima with a Japan Rail Pass covering every inter-city leg.
💡Good to Know
- •Walking level: Moderate
- •Japan Rail Pass recommended: Yes
- •Family-friendly: Not specifically designed for young children
- •Travel entirely by JR train between Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima. A Japan Rail Pass covers every inter-city leg.
Your Route
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What's Included in This Itinerary
🗼
Tokyo's Contrasts
Shibuya neon, Asakusa temples, and Akihabara pop culture.
⛩️
Fushimi Inari & Kinkaku-ji
Kyoto's most iconic torii gates and gold-leaf pavilion.
🦌
Nara's Deer Park
A day trip woven seamlessly into the route toward Osaka.
🕊️
Hiroshima & Miyajima
The Peace Memorial Park and the floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine.
Your Complete 14 Days Plan
Every day. Every stop. Real costs, real transport times, honest opinions.
TokyoDays 1–4
Stay: ShinjukuCost: $70–$110/dayEat: Yakitori at Omoide Yokocho
DAY 1Arrival & Shinjuku
ShinjukuMORNING
Arrival
Land, clear immigration (Visit Japan Web pre-registration helps), and take the airport express into Shinjuku.
Time: 2–3 hoursTransport: Narita Express or Haneda monorailCost: ¥3,000–¥4,000 (~$20–$27)
AFTERNOON
Shinjuku Gyoen
Ease into the trip with this expansive national garden, one of the finest in Tokyo.
Time: 2.5 hoursTransport: Walk from hotelCost: ¥500 (~$3.50)
EVENING
Omoide Yokocho
Yakitori stalls in this narrow post-war alley behind Shinjuku Station.
Time: 1.5 hoursTransport: Behind Shinjuku StationCost: ¥2,000 (~$13)
Don't Miss Eating
Yakitori at Omoide Yokocho
Charcoal-grilled chicken skewers.
Daily spend estimate: $70–$110/personTransport today: $20Walking: ~13,000 steps
DAY 2Shibuya & Harajuku
ShibuyaMORNING
Meiji Shrine
A forested shrine complex minutes from Harajuku's crowds.
Time: 1.5 hoursTransport: Yamanote Line to HarajukuCost: Free
AFTERNOON
Takeshita Street & Omotesando
Youth fashion energy contrasted with upscale boutique streets.
Time: 2.5 hoursTransport: Walk from Meiji ShrineCost: Variable
EVENING
Shibuya Crossing & Shibuya Sky
Watch the crossing at street level, then head up for sunset views.
Time: 2.5 hoursTransport: Yamanote Line to ShibuyaCost: ¥2,200 (~$15)
Check Shibuya Sky tickets →Don't Miss Eating
Harajuku crepe
A sweet crepe from any Takeshita Street stand.
Daily spend estimate: $70–$110/personTransport today: $10Walking: ~15,000 steps
DAY 3Asakusa & Akihabara
AsakusaMORNING
Senso-ji Temple
Tokyo's oldest temple, best by 8am before the crowds.
Time: 2 hoursTransport: Ginza Line to AsakusaCost: Free
AFTERNOON
Ueno Park
The park and Ameyoko Market, plus the Tokyo National Museum if time allows.
Time: 2.5 hoursTransport: Ginza Line to UenoCost: ¥1,000 (~$7) for museum
Check tickets and tours →EVENING
Akihabara Electric Town
Electronics stores, retro arcades, and anime shops.
Time: 2.5 hoursTransport: Yamanote Line to AkihabaraCost: Free to browse
Don't Miss Eating
Tonkotsu ramen
Rich pork-bone broth ramen near Akihabara.
Daily spend estimate: $60–$100/personTransport today: $8Walking: ~16,000 steps
DAY 4Tsukiji, Ginza & Shinkansen to Kyoto
GinzaMORNING
Tsukiji Outer Market
Fresh breakfast sushi before 9am, ahead of the crowds.
Time: 2 hoursTransport: Hibiya Line to TsukijiCost: ¥2,000–¥3,000 (~$13–$20)
AFTERNOON
Ginza & Shinkansen to Kyoto
A short Ginza walk, then board the JR Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo Station.
Time: 4 hours totalTransport: JR Tokaido Shinkansen (2h 15m)Cost: ¥13,320 (~$89)
Compare JR Pass and rail options →EVENING
Arrival & Gion Evening Walk
Check into your Kyoto hotel, then walk Gion as the lanterns come on.
Time: 1.5 hoursTransport: Walk from Kyoto Station areaCost: Free
Where to Stay Tonight
Kyoto Station or Gion
Central for the Kyoto and Nara days ahead.
Compare Tokyo hotels →Don't Miss Eating
Kaiseki-style small plates in Pontocho
A seasonal multi-course set menu.
Daily spend estimate: $60–$100/personTransport today: $100Walking: ~12,000 steps
KyotoDays 5–7
Stay: HigashiyamaCost: $70–$100/dayEat: Yudofu (hot tofu hotpot)
DAY 5Higashiyama: Kiyomizu-dera & Gion
HigashiyamaMORNING
Kiyomizu-dera
Arrive by 8:30am for sweeping views before the crowds.
Time: 2 hoursTransport: Bus 100 or 206 to Gojo-zakaCost: ¥400 (~$2.70)
AFTERNOON
Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka
Preserved stone lanes lined with traditional shops.
Time: 2.5 hoursTransport: Walk downhill from Kiyomizu-deraCost: Free
EVENING
Gion at Dusk
Kyoto's geisha district, walked as the lanterns come on.
Time: 1.5 hoursTransport: Walk from Yasaka ShrineCost: Free
Don't Miss Eating
Yudofu (hot tofu hotpot)
A traditional temple-district meal.
Daily spend estimate: $70–$100/personTransport today: $8Walking: ~15,000 steps
DAY 6Arashiyama & Kinkakuji
ArashiyamaMORNING
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Tenryu-ji
Arrive by 8am for the famous bamboo path before the crowds, then Tenryu-ji's Zen garden next door.
Time: 2.5 hoursTransport: JR Sagano Line to Saga-ArashiyamaCost: ¥500 (~$3.50)
AFTERNOON
Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
Kyoto's most photographed temple, reflected in its pond.
Time: 1.5 hoursTransport: Bus from Arashiyama areaCost: ¥500 (~$3.50)
EVENING
Nishiki Market
Graze Kyoto's covered food market for dinner.
Time: 2 hoursTransport: Bus/subway to Shijo/KawaramachiCost: ¥2,000 (~$13)
Don't Miss Eating
Matcha soft-serve
Kyoto has some of the best matcha desserts in the country.
Daily spend estimate: $60–$90/personTransport today: $12Walking: ~15,000 steps
DAY 7Fushimi Inari & Nijo Castle
FushimiMORNING
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Arrive by 7am to walk the thousands of torii gates without crowds.
Time: 2.5 hoursTransport: JR Nara Line to Inari StationCost: Free
AFTERNOON
Nijo Castle
A shogunate castle famous for its chirping 'nightingale floors.'
Time: 2 hoursTransport: Bus or subway to Nijojo-maeCost: ¥1,000 (~$7)
EVENING
Pack for Nara & Osaka
A lighter evening. Pack for tomorrow's move through Nara to Osaka.
Time: OpenTransport: N/ACost: Variable
Don't Miss Eating
Inari-zushi
Sweet fried tofu sushi pouches, sold near Fushimi Inari.
Daily spend estimate: $50–$80/personTransport today: $8Walking: ~17,000 steps
NaraDay 8
Stay: Nara ParkCost: $50–$80/dayEat: Kakinoha-zushi
DAY 8Nara Day Trip to Osaka
Nara ParkMORNING
Nara Park & Todai-ji
Travel from Kyoto to Nara by JR (leave bags at a station locker), then explore Nara Park's free-roaming deer and Todai-ji's Great Buddha Hall.
Time: 3 hoursTransport: JR Nara Line, Kyoto to Nara (45 min)Cost: ¥720 (~$5)
AFTERNOON
Kasuga Taisha
A vermillion shrine famous for its thousands of lanterns, a short walk through the park.
Time: 1.5 hoursTransport: Walk through Nara ParkCost: ¥500 (~$3.50)
EVENING
Continue to Osaka
Rather than backtrack to Kyoto, continue directly on to Osaka by JR, checking into your Osaka hotel that evening.
Time: 1 hourTransport: JR Yamatoji Line, Nara to Osaka (45 min)Cost: ¥560 (~$4)
Don't Miss Eating
Kakinoha-zushi
Nara's specialty sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves. Good for the train ride onward.
Daily spend estimate: $50–$80/personTransport today: $10Walking: ~15,000 steps
OsakaDays 9–10
Stay: NambaCost: $60–$90/dayEat: Takoyaki
DAY 9Osaka Castle & Dotonbori
NambaMORNING
Osaka Castle
Osaka's iconic reconstructed castle and surrounding park.
Time: 2 hoursTransport: Subway to Tanimachi 4-chomeCost: ¥600 (~$4)
AFTERNOON
Kuromon Ichiba Market
Osaka's kitchen market, with wagyu skewers and fresh seafood stalls.
Time: 2 hoursTransport: Subway to NippombashiCost: ¥2,500–¥4,000 (~$17–$27)
EVENING
Dotonbori
Osaka's neon canal district, packed with street-food options.
Time: 2.5 hoursTransport: Walk from Kuromon MarketCost: ¥2,000–¥3,500 (~$13–$23)
Don't Miss Eating
Takoyaki
Osaka's signature octopus balls.
Daily spend estimate: $60–$90/personTransport today: $8Walking: ~13,000 steps
DAY 10Umeda & Shinkansen to Hiroshima
UmedaMORNING
Umeda Sky Building
360-degree city views from the Floating Garden Observatory.
Time: 1.5 hoursTransport: Walk or subway to UmedaCost: ¥1,500 (~$10)
AFTERNOON
Shinkansen to Hiroshima
Board the JR Sanyo Shinkansen at Shin-Osaka Station for the ride west.
Time: 1h 20mTransport: JR Sanyo ShinkansenCost: ¥10,750 (~$72)
Compare JR Pass and rail options →EVENING
Arrival & Atomic Bomb Dome
Check into your hotel, then walk to the Atomic Bomb Dome, preserved as it stood after 1945.
Time: 1.5 hoursTransport: Streetcar from Hiroshima StationCost: ¥190 (~$1.30)
Where to Stay Tonight
Downtown Hiroshima
Stay near Hondori arcade or Peace Park for easy streetcar access.
Compare Osaka hotels →Don't Miss Eating
Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki
Layered with noodles rather than mixed. Try it at Okonomimura.
Daily spend estimate: $60–$100/personTransport today: $85Walking: ~10,000 steps
HiroshimaDays 11–14
Stay: Peace ParkCost: $50–$80/dayEat: Tsukemen
DAY 11Peace Memorial Park & Museum
Peace ParkMORNING
Peace Memorial Museum
Allow at least 2-3 hours for this unflinching, essential museum documenting the 1945 atomic bombing and its aftermath.
Time: 3 hoursTransport: Walk within Peace Memorial ParkCost: ¥200 (~$1.30)
Check tickets and tours →AFTERNOON
Children's Peace Monument & Cenotaph
Walk the rest of the park at a slower pace, including the paper-crane-covered Children's Peace Monument.
Time: 1.5 hoursTransport: Walk within the parkCost: Free
EVENING
Hondori Arcade Dinner
Hiroshima's main covered shopping and dining street, good for a relaxed evening.
Time: 1.5 hoursTransport: Walk from Peace ParkCost: ¥2,000–¥3,000 (~$13–$20)
Don't Miss Eating
Tsukemen
A lighter, thin-broth noodle dish as a change of pace from okonomiyaki.
Daily spend estimate: $50–$80/personTransport today: $6Walking: ~12,000 steps
DAY 12Miyajima Island Day Trip
MiyajimaMORNING
Ferry to Miyajima
Take the JR train and ferry from Hiroshima to see Itsukushima Shrine's floating torii gate before the day-trip crowds.
Time: 1 hour transitTransport: JR + ferry from HiroshimaCost: ¥420 (~$3) round trip
AFTERNOON
Itsukushima Shrine & Mount Misen
Walk the shrine, then ride the ropeway up Mount Misen for views over the Seto Inland Sea.
Time: 3.5 hoursTransport: Walk + ropeway from the pierCost: ¥2,000 (~$13)
EVENING
Momiji Manju & Return
Grab Miyajima's signature maple-leaf cakes before the ferry back to Hiroshima.
Time: 1.5 hoursTransport: Walk near the pierCost: ¥500 (~$3.50)
Don't Miss Eating
Momiji manju
Miyajima's signature maple-leaf-shaped cake.
Daily spend estimate: $60–$90/personTransport today: $10Walking: ~16,000 steps
DAY 13Hiroshima Castle & Free Day
Castle DistrictMORNING
Hiroshima Castle
A reconstructed castle with a small museum covering the city's pre-war history.
Time: 1.5 hoursTransport: Streetcar + short walkCost: ¥370 (~$2.50)
Check tickets and tours →AFTERNOON
Shukkeien Garden
A compact Edo-period garden modeled on West Lake in Hangzhou.
Time: 1.5 hoursTransport: Short walk from the castleCost: ¥260 (~$1.75)
EVENING
Farewell Dinner
A final Hiroshima meal before packing for departure.
Time: 2 hoursTransport: Walk from downtownCost: ¥2,500 (~$17)
Don't Miss Eating
Hiroshima-style ramen
A final regional specialty near the station.
Daily spend estimate: $40–$70/personTransport today: $6Walking: ~10,000 steps
DAY 14Departure
DepartureMORNING
Final Souvenir Shopping
Hondori arcade for any last-minute shopping before checkout.
Time: 1.5 hoursTransport: Walk from hotelCost: Variable
AFTERNOON
Shinkansen to Osaka/Tokyo for Departure
Connect onward via Shinkansen to Kansai Airport (through Shin-Osaka) or Tokyo, depending on your international flight.
Time: 1.5–4 hoursTransport: JR Sanyo/Tokaido ShinkansenCost: ¥10,750–¥19,000 (~$72–$127)
Compare JR Pass and rail options →Where to Stay Tonight
Departure
Check out by late morning; Hiroshima Station has lockers for a same-day onward connection.
Compare Hiroshima hotels →Don't Miss Eating
Ekiben (station bento)
A final regional bento for the ride to the airport.
Daily spend estimate: $30–$60/personTransport today: $100Walking: ~4,000 steps
Transport Guide
Travel entirely by JR train between Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima. A Japan Rail Pass covers every inter-city leg.
| Route | Transport | Time | Cost | JR Pass? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo → Kyoto | JR Tokaido Shinkansen (Hikari/Kodama for full JR Pass coverage) | 2h 15m | ¥13,320 (~$89) | Yes |
| Kyoto → Nara | JR Nara Line (rapid), or Kintetsu Line | 45m | ¥720–¥1,160 (~$5–$8) | Yes |
| Nara → Osaka | JR Yamatoji Line, or Kintetsu Nara Line | 45m | ¥560–¥680 (~$4–$5) | Yes |
| Osaka → Hiroshima | JR Sanyo Shinkansen | 1h 20m | ¥10,750 (~$72) | Yes |
⭐Best For
A Japan Rail Pass is recommended for this route: most of the inter-city legs are covered.
See current JR Pass pricing →Estimated Trip Cost (USD, Per Person)
All figures below are per person, based on double-occupancy accommodation. Flights are from US/Canada.
| Category | Budget | Mid-RangeMost Popular | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights | $700 | $700 | $1,000 |
| Accommodation | $980 | $1,960 | $4,900 |
| Food & Drink | $490 | $700 | $1,400 |
| Local Transport | $280 | $280 | $400 |
| Activities & Entrance Fees | $250 | $350 | $700 |
| Total | $2,700 | $3,990 | $8,400 |
Last verified: 2026-07-06. Costs are estimates per person. Exchange rate used: JPY 150 = $1 USD.
The Nara-to-Osaka continuation (rather than backtracking to Kyoto) saves a full transit leg and a half-day of backtracking.
A 14-day Japan Rail Pass is close to break-even on this exact route given the Tokyo-Kyoto, Osaka-Hiroshima, and Hiroshima-departure legs. Compare against point-to-point pricing before buying.
The JR ferry to Miyajima is covered by the Japan Rail Pass. Use the JR West ferry, not the private competitor, if holding a pass.
Packing Tips
Pack for a moderate-walking trip in Spring or Autumn. See our full seasonal packing guide for a day-by-day checklist.
Full packing guide →Best Time to Visit
This route is built for Spring and Autumn (March, April, May, September, October, November).
Compare seasons →Need to Know Before You Go
Alternative Options
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Best for: Backpacker
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