2 Weeks in Japan: Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Beyond
Japan in two weeks is the trip most people describe as life-changing. Here is the itinerary that earns that description — planned by district, by shinkansen hop, and by the meal that will follow you home.
Japan is the most logistically forgiving country in Asia for first-time solo travellers — trains run to the second, signage is bilingual in every train station, and the social contract around public space is the most considerate on earth. Two weeks covers the essential Japan circuit: the chaotic magnificence of Tokyo, the shinkansen corridor through Hakone and Fujikawaguchiko, the temple-and-garden density of Kyoto, the sobering beauty of Hiroshima, and the loud, eating-obsessed energy of Osaka. It's a journey that most people describe, with some accuracy, as transformative.
The Japan Rail Pass: buy it or not
The Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) for 14 days currently costs approximately —70,000 (—440). Whether it pays off depends on your specific route. For the Tokyo–Kyoto—Hiroshima–Osaka circuit with a Hakone side trip: the Shinkansen-only fares total approximately €50,000–€55,000 for the same journeys. Adding the JR trains in Kyoto and Osaka brings the individual ticket total to approximately €60,000–€65,000 — meaning the 14-day JR Pass saves €5,000–€10,000 on this specific itinerary, depending on which Shinkansen speed you choose. Buy the JR Pass online before leaving home — it cannot be purchased at full face value in Japan (a limited domestic version exists at higher cost). Activate it on arrival at any JR station office.
Days 1–4: Tokyo (see the separate 5-day Tokyo guide)
Follow the Tokyo itinerary in our separate 5 Days in Tokyo guide for the most detailed day-by-day plan. For a 14-day Japan trip, four Tokyo days is the right allocation — covering Asakusa and the Skytree area, the Shibuya/Harajuku/Yoyogi showcase day, Tsukiji and Shimokitazawa, and a day trip (Nikko or Kamakura). Use your Tokyo base for the two nights around the Hakone side trip, then take the Shinkansen west.
Day 5: Hakone day trip
Hakone is 90 minutes from Shinjuku by the Romancecar express (—2,500 reserved seat, not covered by JR Pass — use the JR Odakyu route instead). The Hakone Open Air Museum (sculpture park, —30) is the most photogenic stop. The Owakudani ropeway cable car over volcanic terrain is dramatic and sulfurous. Mount Fuji is visible from Hakone on clear days — the Ubuyama viewpoint in the morning has the best composition. Stay one night in a ryokan (traditional inn with kaiseki dinner and communal onsen baths) — the Hakone Ginyu or Kansuiro are mid-range options that deliver the full ryokan experience. Book 6–8 weeks ahead.
Editor's tips
- Fuji is visible from Hakone only on clear days — check the weather forecast the day before
- Ryokan bookings should be made at least 6 weeks ahead, more for peak autumn-leaf and cherry-blossom seasons
- The Hakone Free Pass (—6,000) covers all local transport within the Hakone area — worthwhile for a full day
Days 6–9: Kyoto
Kyoto is Japan's cultural capital and its most densely temple-packed city. The correct approach is one neighbourhood per day rather than a list of 40 temples in no particular order. Day 6: Arashiyama — the bamboo grove (at 6am before the crowds), Tenryu-ji garden (UNESCO, —1,200), the monkey park viewpoint, and the Sagano scenic railway. Day 7: Higashiyama — Kiyomizudera temple (—500, famous for the wooden stage view), the preserved machiya townhouse lanes of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka, and Gion district in the evening (the geisha district, where you may see a maiko walking to an engagement around 6pm). Day 8: Fushimi Inari — the 10,000 torii gate path. Go at 5am. The full hike to the summit takes 2.5 hours; the first 30 minutes are the densest torii section. The Nishiki Market (the city's central food market, 100 vendors in a covered arcade) for lunch. Afternoon: Nijo Castle and the Philosopher's Path canal walk. Day 9: day trip to Nara — 45 minutes from Kyoto by JR or Kintetsu train. The Todai-ji Great Buddha (the largest bronze Buddha in Japan, in the world's largest wooden building) and 1,200 freely roaming deer in Nara Park. Return to Kyoto for a kaiseki dinner.
Day 10: Hiroshima and Miyajima
Hiroshima is 1.5 hours from Kyoto by Shinkansen. The Peace Memorial Park and Museum is essential — the museum is devastating, honest, and the most important historical site in modern Japan (—200, 2 hours minimum). The A-Bomb Dome opposite the museum is free and one of the most significant pieces of preserved architecture in the world. Miyajima Island is 30 minutes from Hiroshima by train and ferry — the floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine is at its most dramatic at high tide. Arrive in time for the sunset. Stay overnight in Miyajima if budget allows — the island after the last ferry is extraordinary quiet.
Days 11–14: Osaka
Osaka is the anti-Kyoto — where Kyoto is refined and architectural, Osaka is loud, eating-obsessed, and cheerfully commercial. Base in Namba or Shinsaibashi for the most concentrated restaurant access. Day 11: Dotonbori (the neon canal district — Kani Doraku the crab restaurant, Ichiran ramen, takoyaki everywhere), Kuromon Ichiba Market (the wholesale market where Osaka chefs shop). Day 12: Osaka Castle and the grounds, then the Umeda Sky Building for the best city panorama. Afternoon: Tsutenkaku Tower in the Shinsekai retro neighbourhood — bowling alleys, fugu (puffer fish) restaurants, and a 1960s time capsule. Day 13: day trip to Kobe (30 minutes from Osaka) — the best beef in Japan at Mouriya in the Kitano district, the Kitano Ijinkan foreigner quarter of Meiji-era Western houses, and the Meriken Park waterfront. Day 14: Namba's Den Den Town electronics district, final takoyaki and okonomiyaki (Osaka's signature savoury pancake), and the Kansai International Airport express.
Flights and Rail
Most international flights arrive at Tokyo Narita (NRT) or Haneda (HND). Fly out from Osaka Kansai (KIX) to complete a one-way route. Book the JR Pass before leaving home.
Book Experiences
Ryokan stays, tea ceremony experiences, Fushimi Inari guided dawn tours, and Hiroshima Peace Museum timed entries all benefit from advance booking.
Frequently asked questions
Two weeks covers the essential Japan circuit — Tokyo, the Shinkansen corridor, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Osaka — at a comfortable pace. It doesn't cover Hokkaido, Okinawa, or the Japan Alps, all of which merit return visits. Two weeks is the minimum for the country to feel genuinely experienced rather than rushed.
Japan's consistency is its secret weapon — the trains that arrive on time, the restaurant that has been serving the same bowl of ramen for 40 years, the station worker who walks you to the right platform rather than just pointing. Two weeks gives you enough of that consistency to understand what it feels like to live inside it rather than just observe it from outside.
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Marcus Chen
Hotels & Deals Editor · Based in New York City
Marcus reviews hotels for a living — and has slept in over 400 of them. Before TravelBuzzy, he ran the hotel desk at a major loyalty publication and consulted for two boutique hotel groups. He covers the Americas, Japan, and luxury travel.
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