14 days in Japan: itinerary

The 14-day route runs one way along the main island: Tokyo east, then the Hokuriku Shinkansen north-west to Kanazawa, south to Kyoto, west to Hiroshima and Miyajima, and back east to Osaka for the flight home. Every leg is a direct train; nothing repeats.

Kanazawa is the piece that separates 14 days from 10. It adds the Sea of Japan coast, Kenroku-en garden and the seafood market without a long detour, because the Hokuriku line links it to both Tokyo and Kyoto.

If you would rather see the Alps, swap Kanazawa for Takayama and Shirakawa-gō, two nights, reached from Nagoya or Toyama. It costs you one extra transfer and a slower bus leg.

Days 1–4, Tokyo. Land, buy or load an IC card, and sleep near a JR Yamanote Line station. Give the first full day to one area rather than crossing the city: Asakusa and Ueno, then Shibuya and Shinjuku, then a half-day trip to Kamakura or Nikkō if the weather holds. Book the Shinkansen seat to Kanazawa the day you arrive.

Days 5–6, Kanazawa. Morning train from Tokyo, bags forwarded to Kyoto. Afternoon in the samurai district and the teahouse lanes; the next morning at Kenroku-en and the Ōmichō market. Day 6 can be Shirakawa-gō by bus or the Noto coast if you have a car.

Days 7–10, Kyoto. Thunderbird from Kanazawa, arriving before lunch. Four nights lets you split east and west: Fushimi Inari and Kiyomizu-dera early, Arashiyama and the bamboo grove on another morning, Nara as a half day, Osaka for one evening of food. Start before 8am at the busiest sites.

Days 11–12, Hiroshima. Shinkansen west, then the Peace Park and museum on the afternoon of arrival. Day 12 is Miyajima: ferry from Miyajimaguchi, the shrine gate, and the ropeway up Mount Misen if it is clear.

Days 13–14, Osaka. Thirty minutes from Hiroshima by Shinkansen. One night for Dōtonbori and Kuromon market, then a morning train or limousine bus to KIX. Keep the last night in Osaka, not Kyoto, unless your flight leaves after midday.

Buy point-to-point Shinkansen tickets. A nationwide JR Pass costs more than this route's individual fares for most travellers, and it does not cover the fastest Nozomi services. Regional passes are worth checking only if you add several day trips in one area (check).

Reserve seats on the Tokyo–Kanazawa and Kyoto–Hiroshima legs, especially in cherry blossom and autumn colour season. Non-reserved cars are cheaper and usually fine outside holidays.

Forward your main bag between hotels with a same-day or next-day courier service, about ¥2,000–2,500 per bag per leg (2026 estimate). Carry one small bag on the train. City transport runs on IC cards: Suica, ICOCA or a phone wallet.

Pick bases by transport, not by sight. In Tokyo, anywhere on the Yamanote loop within a few minutes of a station; Ueno and Shinjuku are the most practical for a first trip. In Kyoto, stay near Kyoto Station or Shijō-Karasuma for buses and subway; the Gion side is prettier and pricier.

Kanazawa and Hiroshima are compact: the station area is convenient, the centre is walkable. In Osaka, Namba gives you Dōtonbori, the Nankai line to KIX and easy connections to Kyoto and Nara.

Book four to six weeks ahead for spring and autumn, and earlier for a ryokan night. One temple lodging or onsen stay fits well at Kanazawa or Miyajima if you drop a city night.

Two weeks in Japan costs roughly ¥280,000–480,000 per person, excluding international flights (2026 estimate, about $1,900–3,200). That covers mid-range hotels, rail, food and entry fees. Hostels and business hotels pull the low end down; ryokan nights and taxis push it up.

Rail is the biggest single line: about ¥45,000–50,000 for the legs above. Food runs ¥3,000–6,000 a day if you mix convenience-store breakfasts, ramen and one sit-down meal. Museum and temple entries are mostly ¥500–1,000.

Swap Kanazawa for Takayama and Shirakawa-gō if you want mountains and thatched villages: Tokyo → Takayama, two nights, → Kyoto. Slower buses, one more transfer.

Add Hokkaidō or Okinawa only by cutting a region. Sapporo needs a flight and three to five nights; Okinawa needs a flight and three to five nights. Neither fits inside 14 days without dropping Kyoto or Hiroshima.

If you have less time, the 10-day version drops Kanazawa and keeps Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka. Seven days covers Tokyo and Kansai only.