If you have 10 days
Skip Kanazawa and give Tokyo, Takayama, Kyoto and Osaka 3, 2, 2 and 2 nights, for 9 nights in total. Go from Takayama to Kyoto by train via Nagoya, which takes about three and a half hours.
Trip itinerary · Japan
Japan in two weeks: Tokyo, the Alps, Kanazawa, Kyoto and Osaka by train and bus
Fly into Tokyo, fly home from Osaka, and trade a little speed for old wooden streets, mountain valleys and gardens on the way to Kyoto: five places in 13 nights, mostly by train.
See the routeThe route at a glance
- 1Tokyo4 nights
- About 4.5 hours
- 2Takayama2 nights
- About 2 hours
- 3Kanazawa2 nights
- About 2.25 hours
- 4Kyoto3 nights
- About 30 minutes
- 5Osaka2 nights
Why this route
Why this route
This route swaps the usual straight line down the bullet-train corridor for a detour through the mountains: Tokyo first, then the old wooden town of Takayama in the Japan Alps, the garden and samurai city of Kanazawa on the Sea of Japan coast, and finally Kyoto and Osaka. It is the same country, but a quieter, more traditional side of it, and Shirakawa-go’s thatched farmhouses sit on the way.
That scenery comes with more time on the move. The first leg is a long travel day, and one leg is by bus, so this trip suits people who enjoy the journey as much as the destinations. We only suggest ideas for each stop, so you decide how much to fit in.
The journey
Tokyo → Osaka
- Tokyo → TakayamaTrain · About 4.5 hours
- Takayama → KanazawaBus · About 2 hours
- Kanazawa → KyotoTrain · About 2.25 hours
- Kyoto → OsakaTrain · About 30 minutes
Why it is on the route
Four nights covers the highlights of a huge city without rushing: enough for several very different neighborhoods and a couple of unplanned wanders. Tokyo is easy to get around by train, so pick a base near a major station and let the rail network do the work.
Things you could do
- Sensō-ji temple and the old streets of Asakusa
- Meiji Shrine and the shops of Harajuku
- Shibuya Crossing and the view from above
- Shinjuku and its lively lanes of bars and restaurants
- The fish and food stalls of the Tsukiji outer market
- Ueno Park and its museums
Day trips
- Nikko, with its ornate shrines in the mountains
- Kamakura, a seaside town of temples and a giant Buddha
Getting to Takayama
Tokyo → TakayamaTrain · About 4.5 hours
Take a bullet train (shinkansen) from Tokyo Station to Nagoya, then a limited express train through the mountains to Takayama.
When to leave: Early morning after breakfast, so you reach Takayama in the early afternoon and still have time to wander the old town before dinner.
Other options
- Bus A direct highway bus runs from Shinjuku, but it takes about 5.75 hours and needs a reservation, so the train is the faster, more comfortable choice.
- This is the long travel day of the trip, so keep it free of other plans. Reserve your seat on both trains, and send large suitcases ahead by courier the day before if you want to travel light.
- The mountain section is scenic, so a window seat is worth it. Snow can delay this line in winter and early spring, so leave some slack.
Why it is on the route
Takayama is a small, well-preserved town in the Japan Alps, with old merchant houses, sake breweries and morning markets. Two nights lets you wander it at a slow pace, and Shirakawa-go’s thatched village is an easy stop on the bus onward to Kanazawa. It is a calm, walkable contrast with Tokyo.
Things you could do
- The old merchant streets of Sanmachi Suji
- The morning markets by the river and in front of the old government house
- Takayama Jinya, the old regional government building
- Hida Folk Village, an open-air museum of traditional farmhouses
- A visit to a sake brewery
Day trips
- Shirakawa-go, a village of steep thatched farmhouses, best as a stop on the bus to Kanazawa
- Hida-Furukawa, a quiet canal town
Getting to Kanazawa
Takayama → KanazawaBus · About 2 hours
Take a direct highway bus from Takayama to Kanazawa, which also stops at Shirakawa-go.
When to leave: Mid-morning, so you can stop at Shirakawa-go for lunch on the way if you wish and still reach Kanazawa by mid-afternoon.
- Reserve your bus seat in advance, as the highway buses sell out in busy seasons. The bus to Shirakawa-go alone takes about 50 minutes, so decide whether you want to break the journey there, which means booking two separate buses.
- There are coin lockers at the Shirakawa-go bus terminal, but large ones are limited, so it is easier to send big suitcases ahead to Kanazawa by courier. Road works and snow can delay the buses, so check the bus company’s service information on the day.
Why it is on the route
Kanazawa escaped the wartime bombing that hit many Japanese cities, so it keeps old samurai districts and geisha quarters alongside one of the country’s great gardens. Two nights is enough for the garden, the old districts and the market, with time left for a long lunch.
Things you could do
- Kenroku-en, one of Japan’s three great gardens
- Kanazawa Castle Park beside the garden
- The Higashi Chaya geisha district
- The Nagamachi samurai district
- Omicho Market for seafood
- The D.T. Suzuki Museum, a calm modern building with a reflecting-pool courtyard, dedicated to the Zen thinker (closed Mondays)
Day trips
- The hot-spring town of Yamanaka Onsen
Getting to Kyoto
Kanazawa → KyotoTrain · About 2.25 hours
Take the Hokuriku bullet train from Kanazawa to Tsuruga, then change to a limited express train to Kyoto.
When to leave: Mid-morning after check-out, so you reach Kyoto around lunchtime and can drop your bags before check-in.
- The change at Tsuruga is quick, down two floors in the same building, but allow about 10 minutes and have seat reservations for both trains.
Why it is on the route
Three nights covers Kyoto’s headline sights, and the city is also a good base for a day in Nara. Its temples are spread across the city, so choose one or two areas a day rather than trying to see everything.
Things you could do
- Fushimi Inari shrine and its thousands of orange gates
- Kiyomizu-dera and the old streets of Higashiyama
- The Gion district and Hanamikoji street
- Arashiyama’s bamboo grove and riverside
- Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion
- Nishiki Market and a stroll through downtown
Day trips
- Nara, with its friendly deer and the great Buddha of Tōdai-ji
- Uji, a tea town known for matcha
Getting to Osaka
Kyoto → OsakaTrain · About 30 minutes
Take a fast local train (the JR special rapid service) from Kyoto Station to Osaka Station.
When to leave: Late morning after check-out, so you reach Osaka around lunchtime, can drop your bags and head straight into the food.
- Trains run often, so there is no need to reserve a seat. Send big bags ahead by courier if you like, and plan your day around Osaka’s food scene.
Why it is on the route
Osaka is more relaxed and more playful than Tokyo, and it is all about eating. Two nights gives you time to eat well and see the castle, and puts you close to Kansai airport for your flight home.
Things you could do
- Dotonbori and its glowing signs and canal
- Osaka Castle and its park
- Kuromon Market and the street food of Namba
- Shinsekai and Tsūtenkaku Tower
- The view from the Umeda Sky Building
Day trips
- Himeji Castle, Japan’s best-preserved castle, by bullet train
- Nara, if you did not go from Kyoto
With more or fewer days
If you have 3 weeks
Add two nights in Tokyo, a night each in Takayama and Kanazawa, two more in Kyoto and a night in Nara between Kyoto and Osaka, which makes 20 nights.
Before you book
- Train and bus times and frequencies change by season and day, and snow or typhoons can disrupt travel, especially in the mountains, so check the current timetable and service notices before you book. The durations here are approximate.
- Spring (late March to early May, with Golden Week from 29 April to 5 May the busiest) and autumn leaf season (October to early December) are the most beautiful and the most crowded times, so book places to stay and bus seats well ahead. Takayama’s spring and autumn festivals (14 to 15 April and 9 to 10 October) fill the town’s rooms months in advance. Winter brings deep snow to the Alps.
- Entry rules and online arrival forms for Japan change, so check what you need for your passport well before you travel.
- This is a route outline, not a day-by-day plan. Dayworthy can help you turn it into one that fits your dates and your pace.
Published: · Updated:
Dayworthy
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