10 day Japan travel itinerary for an epic trip in 2024
I’ve just finished a trip in Japan and it, quite frankly, is one of the most unique and wonderful places I’ve ever been to. Here is the ultimate 10 day Japan travel itinerary. There is so much to see and do whilst in Japan, you can be sure to have an incredible time; whether you’re hiking up Mount Fuji at sunrise, hiking across The Bridge of Dreams, one of the world’s best suspension bridges, a tea ceremony with a geisha, the famous incredible bowing deer of Nara, or visit the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing; the infamous Shibuya crossing in Tokyo.
In 10 days, it’s definitely worth visiting Tokyo, Kyoto and Nara; these are the most iconic sights for any first timer (or second timer) in Japan.
However you spend your time in Japan, you can be sure you’re going to have the most incredible time! For Japan travel tips, have a look at all my Japan travel guides here.
Quick links
| Here’s everything I use when I travel abroad: Tours – Compare tour prices on Viator and Get Your Guide Hotels – I always use Booking as the more hotels I book, I get a higher Genius discount. I also compare prices on Expedia. E-Sims – purchase an e-sim with Airalo on your phone so you can make calls and have mobile data abroad! There’s no need to remove your current sim card! Travel insurance – don’t ever go on vacation without travel insurance, you never know when you might need it! Travel essentials – have a look at a full list of travel essentials that I use, including the best power bank! |
10 day Japan travel itinerary
Use this as a rough guide to your 10 day Japan itinerary. There’s so much you must see and do in your 10 day itinerary, you’re totally spoiled for choice! For Japan travel tips, have a look at all my Japan travel guides here.
Japan Tours
10 day tours in Japan
There are a tonne of ready-made tours, have a look at the 6-14 day Japanese tours here:
1 & 2 day Japan tour
There are also a lot of generic tours you can view here, from sumo wrestling, tea ceremonies, Geisha performances and more.
How to Travel around Japan
- By train – Japan is known as the country of bullet trains. Buy the Japan Rail Pass if you’re on an extended trip in Japan. The train ride past Mount Fuji is incredible!
- Road trip & caravan – this is what we did and it was excellent! It meeant we could explore things at our leisure.
- Private tour – great for day trips to locations off the beaten path
Tokyo – 3 days
Tokyo is one of the major cities of the world and can be overwhelming at first. You could spend an entire 10 days in Tokyo if you wanted to, but there is so much more to visit outside Japan’s capital, so hit up the capital for at least 3 days before heading on on your 10 day Japan travel itinerary. From the famous Shibuya Scramble crossing, to the Tsukiji fish market, you are totally spoiled for choice.
Hotels in Tokyo:
Why not try some of the famous ryokans. A ryokan is type of traditional Japanese inn that typically features tatami-matted rooms, communal or private baths (onsens) and traditional Japanese dining.
Ryokan Asakusa Shigetsu – An incredible Ryokan with excellent reviews
Ryokan Sansuiso – in the south of Tokyo near Shibuya and Harajuku
Best activities & tours in Tokyo
| Tokyo Go Karting experience – if you’re after adrenaline adventure, this is for you! Sumo Wrestling – One of the most iconic experiences in Japan. Mount Fuji Day Trip – for an authentic Japanese experience Tokyo Private tour – the most scenic views around Tokyo! |
Shibuya Scramble Crossing
You cannot miss the world’s most famous crossing in Tokyo City on your 10 day Japan travel itinerary, the Shibuya Scramble Crossing! Get off at Shibuya station. Why is it famous? Because the Shibuya Crossing it is the world’s busiest crossing, with over 3000 people crossing at any one time and a total of 2.4 million people crossing every single day.
TIP: For the best view of Shibuya Crossing to the Starbucks, grab a seat upstairs and people watch for a few hours! It’s incredible. I had a great time. If Starbucks is full, there are plenty of other suggestions.
There are a lot of tours, from sumo wrestling, tea ceremonies, Geisha performances that you’ll want to fit into your 10 day Japan travel itinerary.
Here’s a video you might want to watch!
Tokyo Tower
Tokyo tower is one of the most iconic things to see when you’re in town, and is perfect for a day out. It is actually around 9 meters taller than the Eiffel tower in Paris and you’ll notice there are many similarities aside from the colour! Head to the park just in front of the tower, Shibakoen, and wander around the temple there and Zōjō-ji Temple. You can also watch a local buddhist monk ring the ceremonial bell at sunrise and sunset.
For Japan travel tips, have a look at all my Japan travel guides here so you can squeeze as much fun into your 10 day Japan travel itinerary.
Hie Shrine Tokyo
The Hie Shrine is truly a hidden gem in Tokyo; it’s still fairly unknown, and has a tunnel of red torii gates that are stunning to see. Walk around the temple grounds and have a look at the various temples and shrines. It’s also near the Harry Potter cafes, if you’re interested!
There are a lot of tours, from sumo wrestling, tea ceremonies, Geisha performances that you’ll want to fit into your 10 day Japan travel itinerary.
Harajuku Tokyo
Harajuku is an incredible region in Tokyo that you must visit on your 10 day Japan travel itinerary. Harajuku shot to fame and is well known for the ‘Harajuku girls’ that are popular for dressing extravagantly and expressively. Historically, Japanese women were expected to dress modestly and behave mobdestly, and the Harajuku girls are loud, vibrant and expressive.
The shops and community reflect this vibrant lifestyle, and you should absolutely visit! There’s also a lot of ‘kawaii’ teddy bears and souvenirs. Kawaii literally translates to ‘cute’ and you will enjoy sightseeing this district of Japan.
There are a lot of tours, from sumo wrestling, tea ceremonies, Geisha performances that you’ll want to fit into your 10 day Japan travel itinerary.
Mount Fuji & Chureito Pagoda – 1 day
A visit to Mount Fuji literally can’t be missed in Japan. It’s only around 1 hour outside of Tokyo so it’s an easy day trip OR I would recommend staying at least 1 night if you can on your 10 day Japan travel itinerary.
Read the full guide to Chureito Pagoda here.
Read the full guide to Chureito Pagoda for your 10 day Japan travel itinerary.
Mount Fuji Glamping experience – Bubble tent
An absolute must for your 10 day Japan travel itinerary. We did an incredible Mount Fuji Glamping experience which I cannot recommend highly enough. We stayed 1 night in a bubble tent and we got to wake up to incredible views at sunrise. We went to visit Chureito Pagoda, you can’t miss it! It’s also famous during the cherry blossom season, the cherry blossoms here are unreal! There’s also a tonne of viewpoints around!
Mount Fuji Onsen Glamping
You MUST try an onsen at least once on your 10 day Japan travel itinerary. Onsens are essentially public baths or spas which are a traditional part of Japanese life, but make sure that you are aware of onsen etiquette, such as not wearing swimwear and adhering to specific rules in shared baths.
- Onsens are traditional Japanese hot springs, offer relaxation in mineral-rich waters, the decor is often very natural, mimicking the outdoors and rocky geothermal spas.
- Men and women are separated into two separate sections of the onsen.
- You are expected to enter the onsen naked. Nude. No clothes!
- Tattoos – this can be a bit contentious and you are unlikely to be allowed into an onsen with tattoos, unless. of course, it is a specific tattoo friendly onsen. Tattoos historically have been associated with gangs and gang violence. Onsens naturally wanted to avoid any fights inside, being local community areas, meaning most onsens will not allow you to enter if you have tattoos.
- These baths (onsens) are an integral part of Japanese culture and tradition, not only used to keep the body clean but also for the social aspect, the healing properties and soothing effects on both body and mind.
- There are plenty of different baths in the onsens and they can be steaming hot to warm, or ice cold. Heat therapy is great for the body!
- The mineral composition of each onsen water is meant to be unique, with therapeutic benefits.
- You are meant to properly scrub your skin thoroughly at the showers before entering the onsen, as a sign of respect and hygiene.
- Onsens often have indoor and outdoor baths, and when there is an outdoor section it is usually very scenic and beautiful; think Japanese gardens and rocky outcrops.
- Many onsens have saunas, relaxation areas, masseuses and even traditional Japanese meals.
- Onsen are found throughout Japan, with popular regions like Hakone, Beppu, and Kusatsu known for their hot springs.
- It’s generally pretty cheap. Most onsens cost between 1-5 GBP / 1.20-6 USD and are equal to some of the nicest spas I’ve been to around London and the UK.
For Japan travel tips, have a look at all my Japan travel guides here where you can squeeze as much Japanese experiences on your 10 day Japan travel itinerary.
Kyoto -4 days
Kyoto is the old capital of Japan and I’ve heard that a lot of people prefer Kyoto to Tokyo; this might be due to the fact that Kyoto has a very long history and there are a tonne of ancient temples and shrines to visit! It is probably one of my favourite places we visited on my 10 day Japan travel itinerary.
There’s a tonne of temples and some of which fall under the UNESCO world heritage site banner: Kinkaku-ji temple, Kiyomizu-dera, Higashiyama Jisho-ji, and Nijō Castle. If you’re in Kyoto, don’t forget you can also visit Osaka, Nara, and Lake Biwa which are all nearby.
Hotels in Kyoto
If you’re after hotels in Kyoto, why not try some of the famous ryokans. A ryokan is type of traditional Japanese inn that typically features tatami-matted rooms, communal baths and traditional Japanese dining.
Ryokan Ryokufuso – an incredibly authentic Japanese ryokan.
Kyoto Takasegawa Bettei – a traditional Ryokan with an onsen.
You should try to stay in at least one ryokan on your 10 day Japan travel itinerary.
Best tours in Kyoto
For Japan travel tips, have a look at all my Japan travel guides here where you’re bound to find some epic things to do on your 10 day Japan travel itinerary.
Fushimi Inari Shrine
The Fushimi Inari Shrine is probably the most iconic thing to see in Japan after mount Fuji and there’s no surprise there, and obviously a must for your 10 day Japan travel itinerary. The seemingly endless red torii gates are incredibly beautiful and should not be missed.
If you head here in the middle of the day you’ll find that there are a tonne of tourists, so if you fancy visiting this place when it is a bit quieter, head here first thing in the morning or head here after 4pm when most tourists have left for the day.
There are a lot of tours, from sumo wrestling, tea ceremonies, Geisha performances and more.
Kyoto Tea Ceremony with a Geisha
This is one of the most famous things to do whilst in Japan and I highly recommend it on your 10 day Japan travel itinerary!
Things to know…
Booking a tea ceremony with a Geisha is not the same as a generic tea ceremony. A Geisha takes years of training and with it comes a certain level of esteem and prestigious ceremony which a generic tea ceremony lacks, but it’s worth noting that it’s a lot more expensive.
For a similar experience, you might want to book a tea ceremony with a Geisha in training (called a Maiko) or a Geisha apprentice.
Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple Kyoto
The Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple in Arashiyama Kyoto is an absolute hidden gem and absolutely should not be missed when visiting Kyoto on your 10 day Japan travel itinerary. It’s a buddhist temple packed full of 1200 unique statues, each statue carved with different whimsical faces. You’ll be able to spot faces full of laughter, serenity, aggression, peacefulness.. you name it! Otagi Nenbutsuji is one of the famous Japanese Buddha temples that you simply can’t miss
Read the full guide to Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple Kyoto here.
Kocho Nishimura was a priest AND sculptor of Buddhist statues.
There are a lot of tours, from sumo wrestling, tea ceremonies, Geisha performances and more.
He apparently loved the idea of having visitors carve their own statues for the temple which is a great experience for anyone visiting. These statues represent Buddha’s disciples and were added to the temple mostly during the 1980s and are now whimsically covered with moss giving it that ethereal look and aged effect.
For Japan travel tips, have a look at all my Japan travel guides here.
Bamboo Forest & Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple Kyoto
The Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple in Arashiyama Kyoto is an absolute hidden gem and shouldn’t be missed on your 10 day Japan travel itinerary! Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple is visually stunning buddhist temple and unusual and definitely worth a visit if you’re in Kyoto. It has a really unusual formation of stone pillars dedicated to the dead!
Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple is actually a cemetery, and each one of the stone monuments represent a loved one. What’s striking about this temple is the unique formation of the cemetery stone heads. It also has a quiet stretch of bamboo forest that is almost completely empty and is perfect to take pictures.
There’s also Arashiyama Bamboo grove, which is worth visiting but bear in mind in the middle of the day it can get busy!
Read the full guide to Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple here.
Sannenzaka & Ninezaka Kyoto
This is an old traditional village right in the centre of Kyoto and is one of the most famous places to visit in Kyoto and should be added to your 10 day Japan travel itinerary. There are a tonne of shops renting out Kimonos, traditional foods, matcha lattes, selling pickled cucumbers and of course there area are tonnes of beautiful traditional Japanese homes.
There are a lot of tours, from sumo wrestling, tea ceremonies, Geisha performances and more.
Nishiki Market
Make sure you stop by Nishiki Market too, it’s the best place to try a variety of incredible Japanese food! This is foodie heaven, and it can’t be missed. Stop by the sushi restaurants, street food, try the doughnut desserts, or the delicious red bean pancakes.
For Japan travel tips, have a look at all my Japan travel guides here.
Daisugi Kyoto
This one requires a car but it’s totally worth it if you have time on your 10 day Japan travel itinerary. Japanese people have mastered the art of Daisugi, which has allowed them to ability to grow trees on top of trees! It’s a phenomenon unique to Japan and it’s around a 20 minute drive outside the centre of Kyoto.
Have a look at the below viral video of the beautiful art of Daisugi.
Lake Biwa & Shirahige Shrine
Lake Biwa is just on the outskirts of Kyoto and is worth a visit if you can spare the afternoon out on your 10 day Japan travel itinerary. There are a tonne of beaches, temples and waterfalls along the coastline and it’s 100% worth a visit if you can get there! Have a look at the floating temple – Ukimido (Floating Hall), Mangetsu-ji and Shirahige Shrine. There’s also a bunch of waterfalls nearby too.
There are a lot of tours, from sumo wrestling, tea ceremonies, Geisha performances and more.
Nara – 1 day
Nara shouldn’t be missed off your 10 day Japan travel itinerary and there are two incredibly iconic things you should consider doing whilst you’re here. For Japan travel tips, have a look at all my Japan travel guides here.
Best tours in Nara
| Don’t miss some of the best tours in Nara, whether you’re after some adventure or a serene escape, there’s something for you. Nara Park Tours – if you’re after adrenaline adventure, bowing deer or local temples, this is for you! |
Bowing deer of Nara
The bowing deer of Nara was a total bucketlist item for me and I’m so glad I finally ticked it off! It was incredible! It’s a unique phenomenon; the deer in Nara have learnt to bow respectfully in order to receive food from visitors. It’s 100% worth a visit here, and Nara is only around 40 minutes from Kyoto so it’s worth a visit to Nara National Park.
Here’s my reel that went viral:
Mochi pounding at Nakatanidou
Just a few minutes walk from the bowing deer of Nara, head down to Nakatanidou mouchi pounding, the fastest mochi pounding in Japan. It is quite a sight to be fair and it is a very Japanese experience on your 10 day Japan travel itinerary, watching Mr Nakatanidou slap and hammer away at mochi to create some of the yummiest snacks you’ll come across in Japan! It’s worth the walk, you cannot miss it!
Have a look at the reel below on instagram.
Shizuoka – 1 day
The Bridge of Dreams
The Bridge of Dreams is simply that; dreamy. Officially titled Yume no Tsuribashi suspension bridge, this is an absolute hidden gem in Sumatakyo Gorge, Japan. It has stunning emerald green blue waters and is the perfect hike in between Tokyo and Kyoto in the Shizuoka Prefecture and if you can, add it to your 10 day Japan travel itinerary. It has been titled as one of the top 10 suspension bridges in the world to cross before you die. You absolutely cannot miss this gorgeous gorge in Japan!
Read the full guide to The Bridge of Dreams here.
Japanese Prayers
I was taught about Japanese prayers or signs of respect when visiting temples by some locals; there are plenty of people that go to visit a buddha shrine Japan or buddha statue in Japan. You should definitely try to stop at a few on your 10 day Japan travel itinerary.
Firstly, you are encouraged to toss a Japanese coin that is either 5 or, if you’re generous, 50 into the offering box. The reason behind this is because the Japanese word for 5 or 50 sounds similar to the words for good luck!
- 5-Yen Coin (Go-en): The 5-yen coin is known as “go-en” in Japanese, which, according to our tour guide, apparently sounds similar to the word for “good luck” or “good destiny.” This means that many people choose to make offerings with the 5-yen coin when praying and making wishes at shrines and temples in the hopes of garnering a little more good luck. If they’re not placing a 5 yen coin on a statue, you will also likely see people toss a 5-yen coin into an offering box (saisen-bako) and then clap their hands together twice to get the attention of the deities and make their prayer or wish.
- 50-Yen Coin (Gojū-en): The 50-yen coin is called “gojū-en” in Japanese which similarly to the 5 yen offering, sounds similar to the phrase of good luck, however this is said to be a more generous offering! Apparently, it’s less commonly used than the 5-yen coin for offerings and said to be used for more significant offerings.
- After throwing the coin, the Japanese tradition is to clap twice, then to bow twice. When I asked our PR why this was the case, he wasn’t actually sure so I’ve looked this up on Google for you!
- Clapping twice is meant to get the Deities’ & spirits’ attention and others say that clapping is a cleansing ritual, meaning that when you clap twice you rid yourself of negative energy and negative thoughts.
Nembutsu Definition
Nembutsu (念仏) is used in Japanese Buddhism, particularly in the Pure Land Buddhism tradition. I was told by our guide that it basically refers to the practice of spiritual awakening & enlightenment – followers recite the name of a Buddha in a mindful and meditative state.
There’s also a lot of information about rakan buddhism that you can read about when visiting these temples!
Best time of year to visit?
We visited in September and, although it was technically autumn, it was extremely hot, reaching highs of 36 degrees Celsius during the day.
The best time of year to visit is usually spring or late autumn, but winter is said to be good too, as all the statues get covered with a sprinkling of snow.
There are a lot of tours, from sumo wrestling, tea ceremonies, Geisha performances and more.
Japan Weather
Before starting your 10 day Japan travel itinerary, check the weather! This incredible country looks different and unusual throughout different times of the year, autumn is meant to be beautiful and in the snow the statues and buildings have an even more whimsical look!
Spring is, of course, known for the incredible cherry blossom season. It’s important to note that during the summer months, it’s quite common to experience typhoons, which aren’t generally dangerous, but it is exceptionally rainy and stormy. Whatever the weather, you can find incredible stuff to do in Japan.
Japan Weather in January:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 2-7°C (36-45°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 12
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 10 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 7:00 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 5:00 PM
Japan Weather in February:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 3-8°C (37-46°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 12
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 11 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 6:45 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 5:15 PM
Japan Weather in March:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 7-13°C (45-55°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 12
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 12 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 6:30 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 5:45 PM
Japan Weather in April:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 12-19°C (54-66°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 11
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 13 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 6:00 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 6:15 PM
Japan Weather in May:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 17-24°C (63-75°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 13
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 14 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 5:30 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 6:30 PM
Japan Weather in June:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 21-29°C (70-84°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 15
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 14 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 5:00 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 6:45 PM
Japan Weather in July:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 24-32°C (75-90°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 17
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 14 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 5:15 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 7:00 PM
Japan Weather in August:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 26-34°C (79-93°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 14
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 13 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 5:30 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 6:45 PM
Japan Weather in September:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 22-30°C (72-86°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 14
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 12 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 5:45 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 6:15 PM
Japan Weather in October:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 15-23°C (59-73°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 8
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 11 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 6:00 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 5:30 PM
Japan Weather in November:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 9-16°C (48-61°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 9
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 10 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 6:15 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 5:00 PM
Japan Weather in December:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 3-9°C (37-48°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 10
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 9 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 6:45 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 5:00 PM
There are plenty of day tours you can do around the area, I always compare prices on Viator and Get Your Guide.
Travel resources for your trip that are actually really handy!
There are a lot of tours, from sumo wrestling, tea ceremonies, Geisha performances and more.
Have a look at my other Epic Japan travel guides here or have a look at:
That’s it! I hope you have an amazing time in Japan, it is truly an incredible country and I honestly can’t wait to go back. I will of course, be back with more guides.
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