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At a glance
- Route: Tokyo → Nikko → Lake Kawaguchi → Kanazawa → Shirakawa-go → Takayama → Kyoto → Nara → Osaka → Hiroshima & Miyajima
- Overnight: Tokyo ×4 · Lake Kawaguchi ×1 · Kanazawa ×2 · Takayama ×1 · Kyoto ×3 · Osaka ×1 · Hiroshima ×1
- Best for: Travellers with two weeks who want old towns and mountain villages as well as big cities
🗓 Day-by-day plan
Day 1 · Asakusa and Tokyo Skytree
Overnight: Tokyo
Kaminarimon, Senso-ji and Nakamise, then Tokyo Skytree at dusk. Keep day one easy.
Day 2 · Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, Shibuya, Shinjuku
Overnight: Tokyo
Meiji Shrine, Harajuku and Shibuya Scramble; yakitori in Shinjuku's Omoide Yokocho at night.
Day 3 · Tsukiji, the Ghibli Museum, Akihabara
Overnight: Tokyo
Tsukiji Outer Market breakfast, the Ghibli Museum (timed tickets on sale on the 10th of the previous month), Akihabara at night.
Day 4 · Day trip to Nikko
Overnight: Tokyo
Tobu limited express from Asakusa to Nikko (about 2 h) for the lavishly carved Nikko Toshogu shrine; in autumn continue to Kegon Falls and Lake Chuzenji.
Day 5 · Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi
Overnight: Lake Kawaguchi
Highway bus from Shinjuku to Lake Kawaguchi (about 2 h); the Chureito Pagoda with Fuji behind it, and a night at a lakeside onsen hotel.
Day 6 · Hokuriku shinkansen to Kanazawa
Overnight: Kanazawa
Bus back to Tokyo, then the Hokuriku shinkansen to Kanazawa (about 2 h 30 min). In the evening wander the latticed streets of the Higashi Chaya district — try the gold-leaf ice cream.
Day 7 · Omicho Market and Kenroku-en
Overnight: Kanazawa
Seafood rice bowl at Omicho Market for breakfast, then Kenroku-en (one of Japan's three great gardens), Kanazawa Castle and the 21st Century Museum, all walkable.
Day 8 · Shirakawa-go's thatched farmhouses, then Takayama
Overnight: Takayama
Highway bus from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go (about 1 h 15 min) to see the World Heritage gassho-zukuri village from the lookout, then about 50 min on to Takayama. Dinner: Hida beef.
Day 9 · Takayama's morning market, then Kyoto
Overnight: Kyoto
Browse the Miyagawa morning market and old town, take the Hida limited express to Nagoya for hitsumabushi (grilled eel) at lunch, then the shinkansen to Kyoto (about 3 h 30 min in total).
Day 10 · Fushimi Inari, Nishiki Market, Kiyomizu-dera, Gion
Overnight: Kyoto
Fushimi Inari at dawn, Nishiki Market for lunch, Kiyomizu-dera and the Ninenzaka slopes in the afternoon, Gion at dusk.
Day 11 · Kinkaku-ji, Arashiyama and a kimono stroll
Overnight: Kyoto
Kinkaku-ji, then Arashiyama's bamboo grove and Togetsukyo bridge. Rent a kimono for the day, or detour to Uji, the home of matcha.
Day 12 · Nara's deer and Osaka's food
Overnight: Osaka
Kintetsu to Nara for the deer and Todai-ji's Great Buddha; Osaka's Dotonbori for street food in the evening.
Day 13 · Hiroshima Peace Park and Miyajima
Overnight: Hiroshima
Shinkansen to Hiroshima (about 1 h 20 min) for the Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Memorial Museum, then Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima in the afternoon. Okonomiyaki for dinner.
Day 14 · Himeji Castle on the way home
Overnight: —
Break the journey at Himeji to see the castle, then continue to Kansai Airport via Shin-Osaka, or about 3 h 30 min back to Tokyo for your flight.
💴 Budget estimate (per person, excluding international flights)
| スタイル | 1日あたり | × 14 | Long-distance transport (estimate) | 合計 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 節約 ホステル・カプセル、コンビニと食堂、各駅停車と高速バス | ¥10,000 | ¥140,000 | ¥75,000 | ¥215,000 |
| 標準 ビジネスホテル、居酒屋と名物料理、新幹線の普通車 | ¥25,000 | ¥350,000 | ¥75,000 | ¥425,000 |
| 贅沢 旅館・高級ホテル、懐石とコース料理、グリーン車・貸切・ガイド | ¥60,000 | ¥840,000 | ¥75,000 | ¥915,000 |
Daily costs (accommodation, food, local transport, admission) are estimated at ¥10,000 budget / ¥25,000 standard / ¥60,000 premium. Transport figures are typical 2026 off-peak fares — check official sites for exact prices.
💡 Tips for this route
- Long-distance travel adds up to about ¥75,000, close to a 14-day Japan Rail Pass (¥80,000) — choose the pass for convenience if you like, but highway buses are not covered.
- Many Shirakawa-go–Takayama buses require reservations; book as soon as your dates are fixed.
- Shipping luggage ahead makes bus legs and old-town walks far easier.
Other trip lengths
5 days · 7 days · 10 days · Japan itineraries · Japan itineraries
Frequently asked questions
What is a good 2-week Japan itinerary?
Four nights in Tokyo, one at Lake Kawaguchi, two in Kanazawa, one in Takayama, three in Kyoto, one in Osaka and one in Hiroshima gives you cities, Mount Fuji, old towns, mountain villages and the old capital.
Is the Japan Rail Pass worth it for two weeks?
On this route long-distance fares come to about ¥75,000, roughly the price of a 14-day pass (¥80,000). Pick the pass for flexibility or buy tickets separately to save a little.
