Three days in Osaka planned by someone who eats first and sightsees second: the castle, Umeda, Kuromon, Dotonbori and Shinsekai, a Nara day trip, plus current fares, pass math and the bookings that matter.
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A practical 3-day Kyoto itinerary: Fushimi Inari and Gion, Arashiyama and Nijo Castle, then the Golden Pavilion and the Philosopher’s Path, with current fares, fees and where to stay.
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Ten days in Japan, planned day by day: four nights in Tokyo, three in Kyoto, two in Osaka and a Nara morning, with current fares, costs, where to stay and the tickets that sell out.
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A practical 5-day Tokyo itinerary for first-time visitors, with day-by-day routes, transit times, where to stay, costs, tickets to book ahead and a day trip to Kamakura.
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Japan is easy for first-time visitors once you understand three things: the rail network, the cash-and-card situation, and how to split time between Tokyo and Kyoto. Tokyo rewards a base near a good rail line, Kyoto needs early mornings to beat the crowds, and Osaka is the food stop.
This section includes the main city itineraries and a 10-day route that links them, with practical notes on rail passes, luggage forwarding and the seasons that work best.
A classic ten days is four in Tokyo, three in Kyoto, one in Osaka and the rest split between a day trip and slack. The Shinkansen links the big cities in two to three hours, and luggage forwarding makes hopping between hotels easy.
Cherry blossom in late March and early April and fall color in November are the busiest times, so book months ahead for those.
Start with: Tokyo itinerary, 10 days in Japan, Kyoto itinerary, Osaka itinerary
Part of Asia, Pacific & Global Destinations guides. Browse the other topics there to keep planning.