Ten days in Japan is enough to do it properly - not every corner of the country, but the route that actually makes sense for a first visit. Tokyo to Osaka, stopping at Hakone, Kyoto, and Nara along the way. This is the route most people are looking for when they start planning, and for good reason: it covers the modern city, the mountain landscape, the cultural capital, and the food city, in that order, without doubling back.
What follows is a day-by-day Japan tour itinerary with the logic explained at each step. Not just what to do, but why it is scheduled when it is, how long it actually takes, and what to expect when you get there.
Why 10 Days and Not 7
The honest answer: Japan takes time to process. The first two days in Tokyo are spent figuring out the transit system, adjusting to the time zone, and realising that every neighbourhood looks completely different from the last. A 7-day itinerary means you are just starting to feel comfortable when it is time to leave.
Within 10 days, the arithmetic changes. Three full days in Tokyo without skipping anything significant. Hakone was an overnight rather than a rushed day trip. Two real days in Kyoto instead of one frantic one. Osaka at the end, with time to actually eat properly rather than squeezing in Dotonbori on the way to the airport.
Shorter itineraries work. But they tend to produce a highlights-only experience. 10 days gives you depth.
What is included in the tour
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9 nights accommodation in centrally located hotels (twin / double sharing basis, including Ryokan overnight in Hakone)
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Daily breakfast; Kaiseki dinner included in the Ryokan night
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Airport arrival and departure transfers
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All intercity transport, including Shinkansen tickets
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Local sightseeing transfers by private vehicle or coach
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English-speaking tour guide/escort on sightseeing days
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Entrance fees to all included attractions listed in the itinerary
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14-day Japan Rail Pass (or 7-day pass based on your routing)
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Pocket WiFi device for the full 10 days
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Pre-departure itinerary briefing with a practical Japan travel guide
What is NOT included in the tour
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5% GST
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International airfare (to Japan and return)
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Japan tourist visa fees, wherever applicable
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Alcoholic / Non-Alcoholic beverages
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Meals other than daily breakfast (and the included Ryokan dinner)
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Optional experiences not listed in the itinerary (teamLab, sumo match, sake tasting, etc.)
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Expenses caused by factors beyond our control, like rail and flight delays, roadblocks, vehicle malfunctions, political disturbances, etc.
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All personal expenses (shopping, laundry, tips, personal calls, souvenirs, etc.)
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Travel insurance
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Upgrades to accommodation, transport class, or any additional services requested during travel
Here’s what your journey can include:
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Tokyo city exploration
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Japanese Tea Ceremony
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Tokyo Skytree Observatory
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Mt. Fuji & Hakone excursion
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Owakudani Ropeway & Lake Ashi Cruise
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Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
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Shirakawa-go village
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Nabana no Sato illumination
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Kyoto temples & Bamboo Forest
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Hiroshima day trip (bullet train experience)
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Nara Deer Park
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Osaka city & shopping streets
Day 1: Tokyo Arrival
Land at Narita or Haneda. Clear immigration — this takes 30 minutes on a quiet day, longer on a busy one. Take the Narita Express (NEX) from Narita, or the Keikyu or Monorail line from Haneda, to central Tokyo. Check in. Walk your neighbourhood. Eat something close by — a convenience store bento, a ramen shop, whatever is easy. The first evening is not for sightseeing. Rest and adjust.
Day 2: East Tokyo: Asakusa, Akihabara, Ueno
Start at Senso-ji in Asakusa — Tokyo's oldest temple. Get there before 9 am, and it is genuinely peaceful. By 10 am, the tour groups arrive. Nakamise Street along the approach has the usual souvenir shops, but also a few spots worth stopping at. After Asakusa, the Tokyo Skytree is a ten-minute walk — observation deck views across the whole city are best in the morning before haze builds. Akihabara in the afternoon for electronics and the sheer visual density of it. Ueno Park is nearby if you want a quieter end to the day.
Day 3: West Tokyo: Shinjuku, Harajuku, Shibuya
Different Tokyo from Day 2. Meiji Shrine in Harajuku is a forested calm in the middle of the city - it takes maybe 45 minutes and is worth it. Takeshita Street is directly outside and is exactly what it sounds like: dense, loud, and interesting for about 20 minutes. Shibuya Crossing at dusk - go to the Starbucks or L'Occitane second floor window for the elevated view. Shinjuku in the evening: Golden Gai for tiny bars, Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane) for yakitori skewers and a drink.
Day 4: Tokyo: Flexible Day
Use this for what you missed or what you want more of. Odaiba is a waterfront district on a reclaimed island - futuristic, strange, good skyline views back toward central Tokyo. Roppongi has some of Japan's best contemporary art in the Mori Art Museum. teamLab Borderless or Planets (both in Tokyo) are immersive digital art experiences unlike anything else - they book out weeks in advance, so sort this before you travel. Alternatively, use Day 4 as a slower day: explore Yanaka, Shimokitazawa, or Koenji for a more residential, local side of the city.
Day 5: Day Trip: Kamakura or Nikko
Both are around an hour from central Tokyo by train. Kamakura has the Great Buddha (Kotoku-in), several excellent temples, and a beach town atmosphere that feels nothing like Tokyo. Hase-dera temple is the pick of the lot - a hillside garden with ocean views. Nikko is more ornate - the Tosho-gu shrine complex is UNESCO-listed and architecturally remarkable. Kamakura is the easier day trip; Nikko benefits from an early departure.
Day 6: Hakone
Leave Tokyo mid-morning and take the Romancecar from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto. From there, the Hakone Tozan Railway climbs through the mountains to Gora, and then a cable car connects to the Hakone Ropeway. The ropeway crosses directly over Owakudani - the active volcanic valley - with steam vents visible below and Mt. Fuji visible above on a clear day. Lake Ashi at the bottom for a boat crossing to Moto-Hakone.
Staying overnight here is the recommendation. A Ryokan with an onsen is the thing to do in Hakone. Tatami rooms, a multi-course Kaiseki dinner, and a private or communal hot spring bath. It is a different country from the Tokyo you just left. Most good Ryokans in Hakone book out a month or more in advance during peak season.
Day 7: Shinkansen to Kyoto
Check out of the Ryokan, take the Odakyu or Shinkansen connection back toward Tokyo and board the Tokaido Shinkansen to Kyoto. The journey from Tokyo Station to Kyoto Station is two hours and fifteen minutes on the Nozomi. Mt. Fuji is visible from the right side of the train (seats A and B, standard class) roughly 45 minutes after departure - look for it before you forget.
I arrived in Kyoto around lunchtime. Drop bags at the hotel, walk to Gion in the afternoon. Hanamikoji Street in Gion at dusk is the most photographed street in Kyoto for a reason. If you are lucky with timing, you might spot a maiko on her way to an appointment.
Day 8: Kyoto: Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama, Nishiki Market
Fushimi Inari first - the lower section is busy by 9 am, the upper section rarely is. The full trail through the torii gate network takes three to four hours and ends at a forest summit with city views. You don't have to go all the way up, but the further you go, the fewer people there are.
Arashiyama by mid-morning: the Bamboo Forest walk takes fifteen minutes and is genuinely impressive despite how many photos you have seen of it. Tenryu-ji Temple garden is directly adjacent and worth the entry fee. Lunch in Arashiyama, then back to central Kyoto for Nishiki Market - a narrow covered market known as Kyoto's Kitchen. Good street food, local pickles, tofu in every form. Pontocho Alley for dinner if you want lantern-lit riverside ambience.
Day 9: Nara + Osaka
Nara is 45 minutes from Kyoto on the Kintetsu Express. The deer in Nara Park are genuinely approachable - they will eat crackers from your hand and occasionally headbutt you for more. Todai-ji Temple houses Japan's largest bronze Buddha, and the building around it is the world's largest wooden structure. Give Nara three hours, then return to Kyoto to pick up luggage and take the Shinkansen to Osaka.
Osaka in the evening: Dotonbori is the obvious starting point - the neon, the canal, the mechanical crab, the food. Takoyaki (octopus balls), kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers), and negiyaki (spring onion pancakes). Osaka has a deserved reputation as Japan's food city. The evening here is one of the best of the trip.
Day 10: Osaka + Departure
Osaka Castle grounds in the morning — the castle exterior and the surrounding park are worth an hour. The interior is a museum about the castle's history; interesting if that appeals to you, skippable if not. Umeda Sky Building for the aerial view of the city before heading to the airport. Shinsaibashi for last-minute shopping if you need it.
Kansai Airport (KIX) is 75 to 90 minutes from central Osaka by the Haruka Express. Most international flights depart in the early afternoon or evening. Check your return flight time and work backwards — don't cut it closer than 90 minutes from hotel to gate.
Planning Notes for This Itinerary
JR Pass: A 7-day JR Pass covers the Shinkansen legs on this itinerary if you fly into Tokyo and out of Osaka. A 14-day pass is overkill for 10 days. Calculate whether the pass is worth it against individual ticket costs for your specific route — it is not always cheaper.
Advance Bookings: Ryokans in Hakone, popular Kyoto hotels, and teamLab tickets all need to be booked before you travel. Last-minute attempts at these, especially in April and October, will fail.
Best Seasons: Late March to early April for cherry blossoms. October to mid-November for autumn foliage. Both are in high demand. Book accommodation three to four months ahead for these windows, not three weeks.
Flexibility: Every day of this itinerary can be adjusted. If Tokyo is your priority, add a day there and cut the Osaka stay to one night. If Kyoto matters more, shift the Kamakura day to Kyoto. The structure above is a strong default - adapt it to what you actually want.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Is 10 days enough for Japan?
For a first visit covering Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka — yes, 10 days is the right amount. You will not see everything; nobody does on a first trip. But you will see the things that matter, at a pace that lets them register. People who come back for a second trip usually go to Hiroshima, Hokkaido, or the Japan Alps.
2) What is the best way to get between cities on this route?
The Shinkansen. Tokyo to Kyoto is two hours and fifteen minutes. Kyoto to Osaka is fifteen minutes. The network is punctual to the second — departure delays of more than a few minutes make national news. For shorter segments within cities, the metro in Tokyo and Osaka is excellent. Kyoto is best navigated by local bus and occasional taxi.
3) When is the best time to do this 10-day itinerary?
Spring cherry blossom season (late March to early April) and autumn foliage season (October to mid-November) are the most scenic, and also the most popular. Winter is underrated - fewer crowds, lower rates, and some of the most striking temple scenery happens under a light snow. Summer (July–August) is hot and humid; manageable, but not ideal.
4) What does a 10-day Japan trip from India typically cost?
For two people travelling from India, expect a total trip cost (excluding international flights) in the range of ₹4,00,000 to ₹6,50,000 per person. This varies based on hotel category, how many premium experiences you add, and your departure city. We give a full itemised breakdown after the initial consultation.
