Great Itineraries in Japan

7 Days in Tokyo

Day 1

Start very early (5 am) with a visit to the Tokyo Central Wholesale Market (Tokyo Chuo Oroshiuri Ichiba) in the Tsukiji district to have the finest, freshest sushi for breakfast. Direct train service starts around 5 am from Shinjuku (Toei Oedo line) or Roppongi (Hibiya subway line) and gets you to Tsukuji or Tsukujishijo station respectively in under 20 minutes. Or take a taxi. Then use the rest of the day for a tour of the Imperial Palace and environs.

Day 2

Spend the morning at Senso-ji and adjacent Asakusa Jinja in Asakusa. If you're looking for souvenir gifts—sacred or secular—allow time and tote space for the abundant selection local vendors have to offer. From there go to Ueno for an afternoon of museums, vistas, and historic sites.

Day 3

Take a morning stroll through Ginza to explore its fabled shops and depato (department stores). Then hit a chic restaurant or café for lunch (more reasonably priced ones are found on the upper floor of most department stores). In the afternoon see the Shinto shrine, Meiji Jingu and walk through the nearby Harajuku and Omotesando fashion districts to the Nezu Institute of Fine Arts.

Day 4

Spend the morning browsing in Akihabara, Tokyo's electronics quarter, and see the nearby Shinto shrine Kanda Myojin. Spend the afternoon on the west side of Shinjuku, Tokyo's 21st-century model city; and savor the view from the observation deck of architect Kenzo Tange's monumental Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office; cap off the day visiting Shinjuku Gyo-en National Garden.

Day 5

Fill in the missing pieces: see the Buddhist temple, Sengaku-ji in Shinagawa; the remarkable Edo-Tokyo Hakubutsukan in Ryogoku; a tea ceremony; Kabuki play; or a sumo tournament, if one is in town. Or visit the Kokugikan, National Sumo Arena, in the Ryogoku district, and some of the sumo stables in the neighborhood.

Days 6 and 7

You can make Tokyo your home base for a series of side trips. Take a train out to Yokohama, with its scenic port and Chinatown. A bit farther is Kamakura, the 13th-century military capital of Japan. The Great Buddha (Daibutsu) of the Kotoku-in in nearby Hase is among the many National Treasures of art and architecture that draw millions of visitors a year.

Still farther off, but again an easy train trip, is Nikko, where the founder of the Tokugawa Shogun dynasty is enshrined. Tosho-gu is a monument unlike any other in Japan, and the picturesque Lake Chuzen-ji is in a forest above the shrine. Two full days, with an overnight stay, allows you an ideal, leisurely exploration of both. Yet another option is a trip to Hakone, where you can soak in a traditional onsen or climb to the summit of Fuji-san (Mt. Fuji).

Highlights of Central Japan

Yes, Japan is a modern country with its skyscrapers, lightning-fast train service, and neon. But it's also rich in history, culture, and tradition. Japan is perhaps most fascinating when you see these two faces at once: a 17th-century shrine sitting defiantly by a tower of steel and glass and a geisha chatting on a cell phone.

Day 1: Ise and Koya-san

Ise-jingu (Grand Shrines of Ise), with their harmonious architecture and cypress-forest setting, provide one of Japan's most spiritual experiences.

Day 2: Koya-san

More than 100 temples belonging to the Shingon sect of Buddhism stand on one of Japan's holiest mountains, 30 mi south of Osaka. An exploration of the atmospheric cemetery of Okuno-in takes you past headstone art and 300-year-old cedar trees.

Day 3: Nara

During the 8th century Nara was the capital of Japan, and many cultural relics of that period, including some of the world's oldest wooden structures, still stand among forested hills and parkland. Be sure to visit Nara's 53-foot-high, 1,300-year-old bronze Daibutsu (Great Buddha) in Todai-ji temple and to make friends with the deer of Nara Koen.

Days 4-6: Kyoto

For many visitors Kyoto is Japan, and few leave disappointed. Wander in and out of temple precincts like Ginkaku-ji, spot geisha strolling about Gion, and dine on kaiseki ryori, an elegant culinary event that engages all the senses. Outside the city center, day-trip to hillside Arashiyama, the gardens of the Katsura Rikyu, and the temple of Enryaku-ji atop Hiei-zan. With nearly 2,000 temples and shrines, exquisite crafts, and serene gardens, Kyoto embodies traditional Japan.

Day 7: Osaka

Although by no means picturesque, Osaka provides a taste of urban Japan outside the capital, along with a few traditional sights. The handsome castle Osaka-jo nestles among skyscrapers, and the neon of Dotombori flashes around the local Kabuki theater. Osakans are passionate about food, and you'll find some of the finest in the country here.

Day 8: Kobe

Kobe has recovered from the dark day in 1995 when it was struck by an earthquake that killed more than 5,000 people. Some of the first foreigners to live in Japan after the Meiji Restoration built homes in Kitano-cho, near the station, and the area retains an interesting mix of architectural styles.

Day 9: Himeji

The Western Honshu city's most famous sight, Himeji-jo, also known as the White Egret Castle (Shirasagi-jo), dominates the skyline. The castle takes only an afternoon to see, but museums near the train station are worthy examples of Japan's modern architecture. Kenzo Tange designed the informative Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History, and boxer-turned-architect Tadao Ando is responsible for the Himeji Museum of Literature, which is celebrated more for its unique minimalist exterior than for the exhibits inside.