With week 1 of our Japan itinerary complete we set to work to plan the second week of our perfect two week itinerary which would give us the opportunity to see as much of the incredible country as possible. Trains were our transport of choice and, with our Japan rail passes in hand, we had a bucket list of destinations we were determined to visit: Kyoto, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Koyasan, Nara, Takayma, Shiirakawa-go, Tokyo, Nikko and Hakone. Our itinerary worked out perfectly over the two weeks and we loved every second of our time in the country. For all you Japan trip planners: here’s Part 2 of our ultimate 14 day itinerary to get you on your way!
JR (Japan Rail) Passes
Japan Rail passes are a really cost effective way to travel through Japan and we saved a lot of money on our trip using them. Make sure to purchase them before you travel as you cannot buy them after you arrive in Japan! There are two main types of the JR pass: the standard JR Pass and the green JR pass which gets you bigger, comfier seats. – Check prices here
Click here for the best JR Pass prices
Our Ultimate Two Week Japan Itinerary
With our flights arriving into Tokyo Narita Airport we opted to travel in a loop through Japan squeezing in as many must see sights as possible. Our two weeks saw us stay in 5 Japanese cities, visit 9 UNESCOs and make countless journeys in trains, buses, funiculars, rental cards, taxis, boats and cable cars! Here’s our two week Japan route:
TOKYO NARITA AIRPORT –>
KYOTO –> DAY TRIP TO HIROSHIMA, MIYAJIMA AND HIMEJI CASTLE –> MOUNT KOYA –> NARA –> TAKAYMA –> SHIRAKAWA-GO –> TOKYO –> DAY TRIP TO NIKKO AND HAKONE
–> TOKYO NARITA AIRPORT
Day 8: Takayama & Shirakawa-Go
Takayama is a great stop after leaving Kyoto before making the trip back to Tokyo. Takayama is a beautiful town located in the peaceful Hida mountains in the Gifu prefecture north of Kyoto. It’s a perfect stopover for visiting Shirakawa-Go and one of the most affordable places to experience a stay in a traditional Ryokan (a traditional Japanese inn). In a ryokan you’ll get to experience the true Japanese experience, relaxing the onsen, enjoying teas services and traditional meals in your room.
Accommodation:
- Ryokan Tanabe: One of our favourite stays in Japan was at Ryokan Tanabe in Takayama. This traditional ryokan run by the lovely Mrs. Tanabe has a relaxing onsen and a traditional breakfast is served in your room each morning. Make sure to try some of the local Hida steak (claimed to be better than the famous Kobe beef) in the restaurant on the corner. We had the best steak of our lives there! – Check prices now!
Other great alternatives are
- Oyado Koto No Yume: one of the best Ryokans lcoated right beside the Takayama JR station – Check prices now!
- Sumiyoshi Ryokan: another beautiful Roykan right beside the town market – Check prices now!
Click here for the best Takayama hotel prices
Sightseeing:
- Shirawkawa-Go – check out our detailed guide on how to get to Shirawkawa-Go here
Transport:
- Bus from Takayama to Shirakawa-Go: it is a 1 hour bus ride between Takayama and Shirakawa-Go and we purchased our tickets for the Nouhi Bus route as soon as we arrived in Takayama. A one way ticket cost ¥2,470 and reserved seats are allocated on booking. We’d definitely advise reserving your seat as soon as possible as it is a popular route and we ended up sitting at opposite ends of the bus as they were only seats left when we booked!
- Bus from Shirakawa-Go to Kanazawa: The bus journey between Shirakawa-Go and Kanazawa takes 1 hour 15 minutes and a one way ticket cost ¥1,850. We booked our tickets and reserved our seats at the same time as we did our bus from Takayama to Shirakawa-Go. Again, we recommend booking as soon as possible as the late afternoon seats from Shriakawa-Go book up in advance.
- Train from Kanazawa to Tokyo: we squeezed in our last train covered under our JR Pass with a ride on the plush Hokuriku Shinkansen. We highly recommend buying a JR (Japan Rail) Pass for your Japan trip. They must be purchased before you enter the country and you’ll save a lot of money on rail travel! Check here for latest JR Pass prices and more information!
Days 9 to Day 12: Tokyo
We had visits to Tsukiji Fish Market and Sushi Dai on our Tokyo wish list and opted to stay within walking distance of the Fish Market given they both required 2am starts. If you want to dedicate some hours to capturing Shibuya both at day and night and from different vantage points we’d recommend including a night in the Shibuya Excel Hotel, Tokyu and take advantage of its incredible views of the Crossing.
- Shibuya Excel Hotel, Tokyu: The 25th floor restaurant level offers the best views of Shibuya and the location, beside Shibuya station, is excellent for exploring the city – Check prices here!
- Tokyu Stay Tsukiji: The closest hotel to the Tsukiji fish market, Tokyu Stay Tsukiji is a great option for visiting the Tuna Auction and Sushi Dai. You are literally across the street! Check prices here!
- Millennium Mitsui Garden Hotel: A solid and modern hotel option. It’s a 10 minute walk from the fish market but also really central for seeing the rest of the city. Check prices here!
Click here for the best Tokyo hotel prices
Sightseeing:
- Shibuya – check out our guide to the best Shibuya photo locations here
- Hachikō, the loyal dog who awaiting his dead master’s return nine years, nine months and fifteen days.
- Shinjuku
- Van Gogh’s Sunflowers at the Museum of Art
- Harajuku
- Sushi breakfast at the famous Sushi Dai in the Tsujiki Fish Market
- Tsujki Tuna Auction (check out our post here)
- A super cheap Michelin Star ramen meal in Tsuta
Days 13: Day Trip from Tokyo to Nikko, Hakone and Mount Fuji
Accommodation:
We had visits to Tsukiji Fish Market and Sushi Dai on our Tokyo wish list and opted to stay within walking distance of the Fish Market given they both required 2am starts. If you want to dedicate some hours to capturing Shibuya both at day and night and from different vantage points we’d recommend including a night in the Shibuya Excel Hotel, Tokyu and take advantage of its incredible views of the Crossing.
- Shibuya Excel Hotel, Tokyu: The 25th floor restaurant level offers the best views of Shibuya and the location, beside Shibuya station, is excellent for exploring the city – Check prices here!
- Tokyu Stay Tsukiji: The closest hotel to the Tsukiji fish market, Tokyu Stay Tsukiji is a great option for visiting the Tuna Auction and Sushi Dai. You are literally across the street! Check prices here!
- Millennium Mitsui Garden Hotel: A solid and modern hotel option. It’s a 10 minute walk from the fish market but also really central for seeing the rest of the city. Check prices here!
Click here for the best Tokyo hotel prices
Sightseeing
- Nikko
- The Shinkyo Bridge Nikko
- Hakone
- Mount Fuji
Transport: we rented a car from a Nissan car rental located just around the corner from our hotel, the Courtyard Tokyo Station. Our one day rental was around US $75 and we paid about the same again in tolls back into the city. We loved having the freedom of our own wheels and we found that driving in Japan was not stressful!
Days 14: Home Time!
Our time in Japan came to an end all too quickly and, after two weeks of incredible Japanese sights, food and experiences, we were homeward bound. With our cameras full to the brim of pics and our hearts full of fantastic Japanese moments there’s only one thing left to say: Japan you were INCREDIBLE!
Transport: we caught the Narita Express from Tokyo Station to Narita airport and, from there, boarded our KLM flight back to Manchester with sad faces but great memories all round!
So there you have it, our final seven days of our two weeks in Japan. Check out our week 1 detailed itinerary here! For more Japan articles click here or visit Japan in our destinations page!
Any questions on our Japan itinerary? Ask us in the comments below!
Travel Guides
Here are some of the best travel guides for planning your Japan trip. We personally used the Lonely Planet Japan series for our trip planning. Click on the images below to buy yours now!
