Hey all! I am going to Japan April 2020 and will be flying into Osaka and departing from Tokyo. Looking to visit Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima/Miyajima, Mt. Fuji, & Tokyo (with some small side trips possibly). Any recommendations on how many nights to stay per city or the best way to set it up? We will only get a 7 day JR pass so wanting to get into Tokyo by the end of that and spend the rest of our time there. Both first-timers. Any tips are appreciated!

One tip I would do next time is to shop for souvenirs including gift wrapped sweets at the airport instead of at every stop. No use carrying it all over Japan.

Tony yes and I found the prices at the airport were not any higher

We did something similar last year covering most of the same locations, would recommend staying at least more than 2 days in any one city... It's really tiring to be moving every other day or so. We stayed about two nights in every city other than Osaka 3nts and Tokyo 6nts. It was a rush but I understand the desire to see as much as you can in one trip.

I just came back with a similar trip schedule!! Inbox me I can send you my trip schedule for reference

I would do 3 nights in Kyoto, 2 nights in Fujiyoshida and the remaining time in Tokyo to avoid changing accommodation a lot.
From Kyoto, day trip to Hiroshima, skip Osaka and visit Nara.

Callum noooo! Osaka is Japan's food capital, in my opinion.
I'm biased as my son lives there...lol

Hana sake bar in Osaka is really awesome! They guy who owns it used to work in a sake brewery and is very knowledgeable about sake and the sake is great and actually tastes like wine. In Kyoto I highly recommend Karako ramen. It’s this tiny, dirty looking old school ramen shop owned by a father and son but it’s soooooo good! They hook it up with the food I spent like $10 on a bowl of ramen and some massive chicken karage. The sake shrine in Kyoto is also really neat. Hiroshima is quite an experience, Peace Park is really nice but it’s quite a heavy experience being there. The Miyajima brewery is really great for craft beer and the food is super awesome! Hit up all of the street markets in every city you visit and buy food from the stands you literally can’t go wrong, the nigiri is soooooo good! For sweet snacks I would recommend getting Tokyo Banana, it’s like a mini cake shaped like bananas with banana cream filling.

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Why do you want to go to Mt Fuji?

Kristine Onusko

Make sure you use your JR Rail pass at the city JR lines, not just for the bullet trains between each city. This is the cheapest way to travel though not always the most convenient but often is only a few extra blocks walk

Becky Watson

Make sure to get a suica or pasmo card. There are other lines in Osaka and Tokyo you will have to take. They require a 500yen deposit, which you get back when returning the card, and are usable on almost any bus or train, as well as convenience stores and vending machines.

I had a problem with my bank card at some ATMs. I have a smaller bank in Alberta and it wouldn't work. Luckily I have an account also with CIBC and never had an issue. I found the 7-11 machines the best and mizuno had separate machines for international cards. A lot of restaurants are cash only so you will want cash to carry around. Don't tip they don't tip there and won't accept it.

Greg yes. Bring cash

And get a translation ap. Tokyo was really tough as there is a big lack of English. Some of the stations maps are only in Japanese. On the train they rotate Japanese, Chinese and English but sometimes I you can miss the English part and I found it only came around once between stations. Google maps is really handy it will tell you what train car to get on closest to the exit you need. Stations can be aaze and exits are very specific. You can waste a lot of time.

Greg install Google translate and download the Japanese content. You can point at words and it will translate then instantly

Osaka was not very interesting. Time much better spent in Kyoto and Nara. Both have incredible Japanese gardens shrines and temples.

Jamia Osaka Castle...the museum...the food....

Most people including me will say Osaka is the least interesting of the cities you've listed. (Tokyo will give you the big city experience with more interesting attractions.) Your limited time is better spent absorbing what the other places offer. Allow yourself time to navigate, sit and enjoy your meals, stroll the historical sites and people watch. Japanese culture is fascinating. Look up Hyperdia for train timings to help with your trip planning.

I spend most of my visits in Hiroshima as I have family there and I've been to Miyajima twice. Quite honestly you can easily spend 7 days in either tokyo or osaka alone since it is your first time. I think it's best to figure out where you want to go, schedule/plan it out before getting the JR pass.

I would do 3 days Kyoto (so much to do). 1 day hiroshima, we didnt go to miyajima because they are doing construction on the tori gate. 2 days osaka, it wasnt as exciting (1 osaka and 1 for nara day trip which is amazing) and then go back to Tokyo or if you have time I reccomend going to takayama,its a little further north but it's very nice.

So excited for u! Lived in Japan almost 20 years. My suggestion w be, for a first timer, skip Osaka and Hiroshima. Concentrate on Kyoto, Tokyo. In the Tokyo area, dont miss a day trip to Kamakura and rent bikes to cycle around...gorgeous ancient seaside temple town, w fantastic youthful energy, beaches, outstanding restaurants and shopping!

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When you go to the Shinto shrine on Miyajima make sure you walk up the hill to the Buddhist Daisho-in temple. Absolutely transcending.

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The trains are very precise in their arrival n departure.
Loved Kyoto.
Tokyo was very interesting n very big. Since we live on the Westcoast I thought MtFuji was something we could have easily skipped. It was like taking a tour to Grouse except you can’t go up Mt Fuji.
Osaka was a big city and we went to meet a friend, otherwise I don’t know if I’d go...
Hiroshima was interesting to see. We took an early train from Osaka and spent just the day in Hiroshima to see the Dome and museum and then blasted back to Osaka the same day.

Instead of Osaka I’d go here:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himeji_Castle
EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Himeji Castle - Wikipedia

Osaka Castle was interesting. Climb up to the top for a view then take your time down, admiring the museum. Don’t miss seeing Mt Fuji, especially taking the ropeway and seeing the area from the top. Check out the Samurai museum in Shinjuku, Tokyo and the Toyota showplace for futuristic cars.

Did something similar last year around the same time. Spent about a week and a half in Japan total. Flew into Osaka, spent two night there, then when we left we activated our 7 day JR pass. Went to Kyoto (2 nights) with a day trip to Nara, Hiroshima (1 night) with half day trip to Miyajima, then lastly about 6 nights in Tokyo (did spend a day in Yokohama). We had JR pass for about 2 days in Tokyo so we used that and then when it ran out we bought a 5 day metro pass (that was good for both subway lines).

Download Hyperdia....excellent for JR schedules. It will let you know what time the trains leave and what platforms to be on.

Get pocket WiFi!

Wanda can you please suggest which one to rent ?? There are so many choices, I’m confused!! Thanks

We went with japan wireless. Have it sent to your hotel and you can send it back with their enclosed envelope through the mail at the airport.

7-11 ATMs for cash.
Check out Teamlab Borderless in Tokyo. One of our trip highlights. You may want to pre book tickets for it. Agree with skipping Osaka for the time you have.
Google Translate's new camera feature is a life saver! Just hover over the written Japanese anything (signs, ingredient list, menus) for an instant translation.

Been to Japan many times and Kyoto is my favourite, When in Kyoto visit Nara.

Also just to warn you taking out money from bank machines is not easy for foreigners. Your card will not work at all bank machines. Your card will work at 7/11's, post offices and hotels only.

Hayley WilliamsTonya Williams

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For some nature, visit Nikko either as a day trip from Tokyo or overnight at a hotel with on Onsen bath and traditional 18 course meal in a tatami room.

Hotel Hatago Nagomi is the hot springs hotel in Nikko

Ashley Tam

Alexis Lynn Adrian Tavares
Nick Bachmeier

We use the JR pass to travel all over Japan . Must be ordered outside of Japan . Beats driving.