Across four unforgettable weeks, we\u2019ve devoured steaming bowls of ramen in tiny hole-in-the-wall eateries in Osaka, wandered through neon-lit Tokyo streets that pulse late into the night, and found peace among Kyoto\u2019s many ancient Zen temples. We\u2019ve seen Mt. Fuji from Hakone, fed sika deer in Nara, and hiked in the Japanese Alps. What we love most about visiting Japan<\/a> is watching old and new worlds collide, feeling tradition meet innovation, and embracing the idea that food is king.<\/p>\n After finishing our 2018-19 trip around the world, everyone kept asking us the same question: \u201cWhat was the best place you visited?\u201d<\/em> And despite traveling on a shoestring budget, our two-week trip to Japan<\/a> during the fall easily ranked among our favorite experiences. So when we finally had the chance to return for another two weeks in 2023 \u2013 this time to chase cherry blossoms and with a healthier budget \u2013 we couldn\u2019t book those flights fast enough.<\/p>\n Hi, we\u2019re Mark and Kristen Morgan. We left our scientific careers in 2018 to become travel writers and photographers, and since then our expert guides have helped millions of travel planners take better trips. Read more about us<\/a>. <\/p>\n Why trust us with your Japan bucket list?<\/strong> We\u2019ve visited more than 10 places across two trips to Japan. We know what\u2019s worth seeing and what to skip. As always, every photo in this guide is ours.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Our favorite places to visit in Japan are Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka \u2013 the classic trio. If we were planning our first Japan itinerary all over again with limited time, these famous cities are exactly where we\u2019d start. It might sound cliche, but there\u2019s a reason they top every first-timer\u2019s wishlist. We\u2019d rather be honest about what truly stands out than recommend something just to sound original.<\/p>\n Beyond the \u201cbig three\u201d, we loved our 2018 loop through Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa and the Japanese Alps \u2013 it showed us a quieter, more traditional side of Japan that few first-timers see. In 2023, we also visited Hiroshima, which we genuinely enjoyed, but with limited time we found the long detour there less rewarding compared to how much ground we could cover elsewhere.<\/p>\n In this guide, we\u2019ll take you through our thoughts on the best places to visit on a first trip to Japan, based on our own travels and lessons learned along the way. Let\u2019s get started.<\/p>\n Note<\/strong>: Our content is reader supported and contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you and it helps us keep this site running.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Need a hand planning your Japan trip?<\/strong> We help independent travelers plan better, stress-free trips. Schedule a video call and we\u2019ll build a Japan itinerary that fits your style, budget and priorities. See our travel planning help<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n We expected full-blown sensory overload and culture-shock the first time we visited Tokyo, but that never really happened. Instead, we seamlessly integrated into the chaos and found ourselves wanting more. The city was massive, which we found to be both positive and negative: On the plus side there was so much to explore, but on the down side it meant we had to take tons of subways and trains to get around from our hotel. Here\u2019s our guide on where to stay in Tokyo<\/a> to see which areas are best to stay.<\/p>\n In 2018, we didn\u2019t have much money to spend so we booked a cheap hotel in Kanda, which wasn\u2019t an ideal location. But we quickly realized that attractions in Japan were way cheaper than in the US or Europe, so we weren\u2019t forced to miss out on anything major. Even food was easy because we just ate at tons of convenience stores (7-Eleven, Lawson and FamilyMart are amazing!) or local ramen joints. We visited Senso-ji Temple<\/a>, and basically spent our whole trip walking around Tokyo\u2019s totally different neighborhoods like neon-lit Akihabara, old-world Asakusa, upscale Ginza, trendy Shibuya and chaotic Shinjuku.<\/p>\n When we went back to Tokyo in 2023 with more cash to burn, we went up all four observation decks (Tokyo Skytree<\/a>, Tokyo Tower<\/a>, Roppongi Hills<\/a> and our favorite Shibuya Sky<\/a>), but other than those paid attractions, we spent most of our time walking again. This time we stayed at the popular mid-range Sunroute Plaza Hotel<\/a> in Shinjuku which was all about location, we ate at excellent restaurants, explored stunning gardens like Shinjuku Gyoen<\/a> and Hamarikyu Gardens<\/a>, wandered to the forested Meiji Jingu<\/a>, visited Tokyo National Museum<\/a>, and got seriously overwhelmed walking through the insanely busy Takeshita Street. We also visited Tokyo Imperial Palace<\/a> and didn\u2019t think it was worth it.<\/p>\n What we took from both trips is that we think most of Tokyo\u2019s top experiences<\/a> come from simply walking around the city, eating and drinking, with the occasional paid attraction thrown in for good measure. That said, if we were short on time in Tokyo and didn\u2019t want to walk miles or figure out trains, we\u2019d just take this popular bus tour<\/a> that hits most major sights in one day. Something we\u2019d definitely prioritize next time is trying unique Japanese experiences like this sumo show<\/a> in Shinjuku, this sushi making class<\/a> in old-world Asakusa, and this go-karting tour<\/a> in Tokyo Bay. They are the sort of things we wouldn\u2019t be able to do anywhere else.<\/p>\n Most international travelers visiting Japan fly into and out from Tokyo, which is exactly what we did in 2023. We split our time in the city by doing 3 days at the beginning and 2 days at the end of our trip. Overall, we\u2019d say 4 days is enough to see the highlights, but 5 days in Tokyo<\/a> allows time for an easy day trip to hike Mt. Takao<\/a>, a longer full-day Hakone day trip from Shinjuku by Romancecar<\/a>, time to relax, a day just for eating and drinking, or time to see something different like TeamLab Borderless<\/a> \u2013 which was closed during our trip and is firmly on our radar for next time.<\/p>\n Tokyo Snapshot<\/strong><\/p>\n Our verdict: <\/strong>We liked Tokyo the first time, but loved it the second time. Knowing the neighborhoods made a massive difference.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss: <\/strong>Shibuya Sky observation deck, a slow morning in Asakusa, and at least one full evening eating and drinking in Shinjuku.<\/p>\n Crowd factor:<\/strong> Everywhere was busy, but Takeshita Street was genuinely overwhelming. We\u2019d skip it next time.<\/p>\n Biggest regrets:<\/strong> Missing proper Japanese experiences like a tea ceremony or sushi making class. Wasting time at the Tokyo Skytree.<\/p>\n Ideal stay:<\/strong> We\u2019d say four days minimum, five if we wanted to slow down or take a day trip.<\/p>\n Skip it if: <\/strong>We wouldn\u2019t \u2013 it\u2019s a non-negotiable for any first-timer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n We love the neon-lights and action in Tokyo, but as we get older (and hopefully wiser!) we\u2019ve come to prefer the relaxing, serene, Zen temple-heavy style of visit that Kyoto offers. Now, Kyoto was extremely touristy in the fall but it was almost unbearable during cherry blossom season, the \u201cold-world\u201d area was smaller than we expected, and it wasn\u2019t as easy to get around by train as Tokyo or Osaka. But ticking off Kyoto\u2019s top attractions<\/a> felt more achievable because it was compact, less intense, and most of the central \u201cdowntown\u201d core was walkable.<\/p>\n Our favorite parts of Kyoto are the historic postcard-perfect Gion and Kiyomizu areas within southern Higashiyama. That\u2019s where the ancient, lantern-lit, narrow streets flanked by wooden buildings with temples, shrines and pagodas at every turn are found. But in terms of where to stay in Kyoto<\/a>, we think Downtown near Nishiki Market is more convenient for first-timers because it has better transit links. We stayed at Hotel Forza<\/a> in 2023 and it worked perfectly.<\/p>\n On both our trips, we spent 3 days in Kyoto<\/a> and honestly we wouldn\u2019t do it any other way. It\u2019s the ideal timeframe to squeeze in the major highlights at a steady pace. If anything we\u2019d add a day, rather than cutting one. Of the Instagram-famous sites that we visited in 2018, we loved the thousand red torii gates of Fushimi Inari<\/a> (we climbed to the top and had \u201ctunnels\u201d to ourselves), Kinkaku-ji<\/a> (the Golden Pavilion) was stunning but a pain to reach, and we thought Arashiyama Bamboo Grove<\/a> was massively overrated.<\/p>\n In 2023, we skipped the time consuming and overcrowded Fushimi Inari and Arashiyama, instead spending all that travel time walking around stunning temples like Kennin-ji<\/a>, Kodai-ji<\/a> (which has a hidden gem bamboo grove), Kiyomizu-dera<\/a>, Nanzen-ji<\/a> and Gingaku-ji<\/a> (the Silver Pavilion). We also visited Heian Shrine<\/a> (which had lovely gardens), Nijo Castle<\/a>, Kyoto Imperial Palace<\/a> (we had to book an advanced time slot for Sento Palace), and a special cherry blossom night event at To-ji Temple<\/a> which was awesome.<\/p>\n We have a few unique Japanese experiences on our Kyoto list for next time, like this samurai training experience<\/a> near Nijo Castle, this ramen making class<\/a> near Kyoto Gyoen, and this geisha show<\/a> in Gion. They all look fantastic. And similarly to Tokyo, if we were short on time in Kyoto and didn\u2019t want to figure out trains, we\u2019d book this popular bus tour<\/a> that hits most major sights in one day.<\/p>\n One thing we struggled with in Kyoto both times was food \u2013 everywhere was either booked up, had long lines or felt too upscale. We ended eating more in Downtown Kyoto, around Nishiki Market<\/a> and the side streets nearby because they were quieter and less intense. What we should have done was reserved restaurants in Gion and Pontocho Alley<\/a>. That would have taken the stress out of finding a place to eat each evening.<\/p>\n Kyoto Snapshot<\/strong><\/p>\n Our verdict: <\/strong>Kyoto hits the \u201cwhat we imagined from old-world Japan\u201d nail on the head. We can\u2019t wait to go back.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss: <\/strong>The hidden bamboo grove in Kodai-ji Temple, the Philosopher\u2019s Path, and climbing higher at Fushimi Inari.<\/p>\n Crowd factor:<\/strong> Intense in southern Higashiyama, Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama and Kinkaku-ji. Overcrowding is a real problem in Kyoto.<\/p>\n Biggest regrets:<\/strong> Not booking restaurants in Gion and Pontocho Alley in advance. Wasting an early morning trip to Arashiyama. Adding too many things to our itinerary and having very little downtime.<\/p>\n Ideal stay:<\/strong> We\u2019ve done three days both times and it\u2019s perfect. Two days isn\u2019t enough.<\/p>\n Skip it if: <\/strong>Don\u2019t skip it. We think Tokyo and Kyoto are the two truly unmissable places to see in Japan.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n We had bad luck across our two trips to Osaka. In 2018, we took a red-eye from Hong Kong, landed at 3:00 AM, then felt like zombies for our 2 days in the city. We still managed to tick off some of the popular sites like the imposing Osaka Castle<\/a> and relaxing Shitennoji Temple<\/a>, but we didn\u2019t make the most of what makes Osaka so special \u2013 its foodie scene and neon-lit nightlife around Dotonbori. Then in 2023, we hit all of Osaka\u2019s top attractions<\/a> and ate delicious food, but our big Dotonbori evening was washed out by ridiculously heavy rain.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll be honest, after our first trip we didn\u2019t love Osaka. But despite the rain on our second trip, we realized how cool it is and what makes it unmissable for every first timer \u2013 the atmosphere, the food and the authenticity. We found Osaka to feel way less touristy than Tokyo or Kyoto. The street food was amazing (Kuromon Market<\/a> is touristy but still worth it for Kobe beef and seafood), drinking beers at izakayas felt more down to earth, and everyone was there for the same thing \u2013 to soak up the fun vibe and have a good time.<\/p>\n Both times we spent 2 days in Osaka<\/a>, but the second time we planned a more efficient itinerary. We worked our way in order through Namba, Shinsekai<\/a>, Shitennoji and Abeno Harukas<\/a> observatory on day one \u2013 followed by Osaka Castle, Tenmangu Shrine<\/a>, Nakanoshima, Umeda, and the Umeda Sky Building<\/a> observatory on day two. It was a fantastic route that allowed us to see the highlights with no time wasted. We didn\u2019t do Universal Studios<\/a>, but we\u2019d definitely consider it if we visited with our kids.<\/p>\n After two trips, we\u2019d say Osaka Castle and Shitennoji are the two must-see tourist spots for every first-timer. Anyone who travels like us (have to see everything) will enjoy the other spots too, but some travelers might prefer to skip the rest and spend the time hanging out in Namba and Dotonbori instead. Next time we\u2019re in Osaka, we\u2019d love to try this street food tour<\/a> through Shinsekai and this sumo show<\/a> with audience challenge. Or if we only had a day and wanted to see as much as possible, we\u2019d consider booking this one day highlights tour<\/a> that ticks off most key neighborhoods.<\/p>\n Namba was our favorite neighborhood first time around, so we stayed at Citadines Namba<\/a> on the outer edge of the lively area for our second trip (the beds were some of the comfiest we\u2019ve ever had). We think Namba the best area to stay in Osaka<\/a> for most first timers, but Dotonbori might work better for groups of friends or anyone who wants to be right there in the thick of it, and Umeda might be the better option for a more polished area for families. The great thing about Osaka is that it\u2019s much smaller than Tokyo and the train network is superb, so it\u2019s very easy to get around.<\/p>\n Osaka Snapshot<\/strong><\/p>\n Our verdict:<\/strong> Awesome for foodies and nightlife-lovers, not a place to tick off a massive bucket list. Osaka grew on us massively the second time, and we\u2019re looking forward to going back.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss: <\/strong>Street food in Namba and nightlife in Dotonbori.<\/p>\n Crowd factor:<\/strong> Dotonbori is crowded but in a good way for atmosphere, it\u2019s the whole point. Otherwise Osaka isn\u2019t overly touristy.<\/p>\n Biggest regrets:<\/strong> Being rained out, especially for our Dotonbori evening. Not taking a food tour.<\/p>\n Ideal stay:<\/strong> Two full days minimum, three would be better for more opportunities to eat and drink.<\/p>\n Skip it if: <\/strong>Less than a week in Japan, Tokyo and Kyoto have to come first for most visitors. Younger groups might want to do Tokyo and Osaka instead, with a day trip to Kyoto.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n From research, we learned that Nara was the most popular day trip in Japan because it was so easy to reach in under an hour from either Kyoto or Osaka, but we decided to go a step further and spend a night there in 2018. And you know what? It turned out to be one of our favorite nights of the trip. We stayed at Onyado Nono Nara<\/a>, a traditional Japanese onsen ryokan that we felt was geared towards tourists \u2013 in the best possible way. It was our first experience trying an onsen<\/a> (gender separated public bath with no swimsuits), and it turned out to be less intimidating and weird than expected.<\/p>\n During our one night stay in Nara we fed special crackers to sika deer in Nara Park<\/a> (Kristen was so excited but ended up being bitten by a deer), visited the enormous Todai-ji Temple<\/a>, took photos of the attractive Kofuku-ji Temple<\/a>, and slowly wandered along Higashimuki shopping street<\/a>. It was so quiet and relaxing at night after the day trippers left, so we just chilled out, ate dinner, and enjoyed our onsen. But even though we had a great time, we actually missed quite a lot of Nara\u2019s top attractions<\/a> \u2013 and we only realized that when planning our second trip.<\/p>\n So when we took our day trip to Nara<\/a> from Osaka in 2023, we made sure to have an efficient walking route fully mapped out to hit the highlights and some hidden gems. In this exact order, we visited Kofukuji, fed the sika deer (without being bitten!), walked around Yoshikien Garden<\/a>, went inside the huge Todai-ji Temple again, climbed up to Nigatsu-do Temple<\/a> for views, ascended a ton of steps to reach Mount Wakakusa viewpoint, explored Kasugataisha Shrine<\/a>, walked out to Ukimido Pavilion<\/a>, tasted sake at Harushika Brewery<\/a>, and saw the Lattice House<\/a>. It was a long day with lots of steps, but it worked perfectly.<\/p>\n We easily visited Nara in a day from Osaka, but we also really enjoyed staying over for a night. So when we help travelers plan trips to Japan through our travel planning consultations<\/a>, we always say spending a night in Nara is worth it if they can meet two conditions \u2013 they have enough time, and they are actively looking for a more peaceful evening away from the tourist crowds in Osaka or Kyoto. But whether staying over or not, Nara is still a place we\u2019d definitely recommend for every first-timer heading to Japan. If we wanted to visit Nara without dealing with trains or figuring out where to go, we\u2019d book this early morning half day tour<\/a> from either Osaka or Kyoto.<\/p>\n Nara Snapshot<\/strong><\/p>\n Our verdict: <\/strong>We really like Nara\u2019s ancient temples, deer park, and quaint low-key vibe in the evenings. It\u2019s a luxury addition to a Japan itinerary, but it\u2019s one we\u2019d definitely add with enough time.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss: <\/strong>Todai-ji, Kasugataisha Shrine, and feeding the sika deer.<\/p>\n Crowd factor:<\/strong> Very busy around 9:00 AM when the day trippers arrive. Everyone starts at Todai-ji. Crowds thin throughout the day.<\/p>\n Biggest regrets:<\/strong> Being overexcited about feeding the deer first time and being bitten. Not planning a strong enough walking route the first time, although we made up for it the next time.<\/p>\n Ideal stay:<\/strong> Our day trip worked just fine, but staying over a night was better. We\u2019d book a one night stay next time.<\/p>\n Skip it if: <\/strong>With just two days for Osaka and three days for Kyoto, we\u2019d consider skipping Nara (unless we really wanted to see it). Any more time in either place we\u2019d add it in for sure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n With just 2 weeks available during our 2018 Japan trip, we decided to skip Hiroshima and instead focus on the northern loop. It felt like an either\/or crossroads because Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto take up a lot of time, and we wouldn\u2019t have enough days to fit both detours in. Now, Hiroshima is only 1 hour 20 minutes on the fastest bullet train from Osaka (Nozomi<\/em> or Mizuho<\/em> Shinkansen), or 1 hour 30 on the Sakura<\/em> train which is covered by the JR Pass<\/a>. So it\u2019s not exactly \u201cout of the way\u201d, but it kind of is because there\u2019s nothing else that far west on a typical first-timer\u2019s wishlist.<\/p>\n That said, we didn\u2019t want to miss Hiroshima again, so in 2023 we arrived with an action-packed two-day itinerary and stayed at Candeo Hotels Hatchobori<\/a>. The first morning we visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum<\/a> and Atomic Bomb Dome<\/a>, which were of course harrowing and somber, but well worth seeing. Then we went to the top of Hiroshima Castle<\/a> but it started raining heavily so we skipped Shukkeien Garden<\/a>. Instead, we just went into the covered shopping arcades in Hondori (downtown) to eat and drink for the rest of the day. We ate ramen at the touristy but still excellent national chain called Ichiran<\/a> for lunch, followed by superb steaks at the intimate Momonoki<\/a> for dinner.<\/p>\n For our second day, we visited Miyajima Island \u2013 and it didn\u2019t stop raining. We took the train to Hiroden-Miyajimaguchi, followed by a ferry to the island (the trains and ferries were included with our JR Pass<\/a>). Next, we walked along Miyajima Omotesando Shopping Street<\/a>, stopping for snacks and to browse souvenir shops, and Mark bought a tea mug that he still uses at home! Then we arrived at the famous Itsukushima Jinja<\/a>, the seaside Shinto shrine with a massive single red torii gate in the water \u2013 and it was absolutely swarming with tourists. The line just to get a clear front-on photo from a pier was massive, so we skipped it and walked west along the coastline to get clearer views of the shrine with nobody else around.<\/p>\n Next, we visited Daishoin<\/a> and Momijidani Park<\/a>, which we preferred because there were no crowds at all. The plan was to take the ropeway to Shishiiwa Observatory<\/a> next, but it was shrouded in clouds and closed for the day. Rained out, we gave up and returned to the city. We tried to take a last minute guided tour of the Mazda Museum<\/a> but unfortunately it was fully booked. On the bullet train back to Osaka, our overall sentiment was feeling glad we visited Hiroshima, but that we probably wouldn\u2019t go again. We got unlucky with the weather which didn\u2019t help, but it felt less worthwhile than the \u201cbig three\u201d.<\/p>\n Hiroshima Snapshot<\/strong><\/p>\n Our verdict: <\/strong>Glad we visited once, but we wouldn\u2019t go back in a hurry.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss: <\/strong>Peace Memorial Museum and Atomic Bomb Dome, and Miyajima Island.<\/p>\n Crowd factor:<\/strong> Completely crowd-free, even during cherry blossom season.<\/p>\n Biggest regrets:<\/strong> Being rained out the whole time, especially on Miyajima Island. Not pre-booking the Mazda Museum tour.<\/p>\n Ideal stay:<\/strong> Two days, one for the city and one for Miyajima Island. If we only had a day and it was our first time, we\u2019d book this popular bus tour<\/a> that goes to the museum, dome and island in one day.<\/p>\n Skip it if: <\/strong>The Peace Memorial Museum is what most people go to see in Hiroshima. If we weren\u2019t massively interested, we\u2019d skip Hiroshima to spend more time in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka \u2013 or add on the northern loop instead.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n We\u2019ve always wanted to hike up Mt. Fuji, but the climbing season only runs from early July through early September, and our trips were in October 2018 and April 2023. The next best thing after climbing the volcano is seeing it, right? And while we could have taken a bus to 5th Station to get as close as safe in the off season, we decided instead to visit a place that had more going on but also had those Mount Fuji views we so dearly wanted \u2013 Hakone.<\/p>\n Now, we knew Hakone was a popular day trip option from Tokyo (via the famous \u201cRomancecar\u201d train from Shinjuku) but we wanted to stay over for a night to experience an onsen ryokan on the shores of Lake Ashi. So we took a bullet train from Osaka to Odawara, a local train to Hakone-Yumoto, a scenic mountain train to Gora (with a quick stop to see the Hakone Open-Air Museum<\/a>), a cable car to Sounzan, and a ropeway which crossed a steaming volcano before descending to Lake Ashi at Togendai Station. We paid 6,000 yen each for the Hakone Free Pass<\/a>, which covered every transport section along the fun route.<\/p>\n Luckily, after that absolute mission of a day to get to Lake Ashi (which is known as the Hakone Round Course or Hakone Loop \u2013 and is the whole point of visiting), we could easily walk from Togendai to our lodging called Hakone Lake Hotel. It was a peaceful mid-range traditional hotel with awesome public baths and half board meals for breakfast and dinner, which we ate in the provided yukata<\/em> (light cotton robes). Unfortunately, it\u2019s closed since our visit. But there are plenty more highly rated onsens around Lake Ashi that look even better than where we stayed \u2013 we\u2019d love to book either Odakyu Hotel de Yama<\/a> or Hakone Ashinoko Hanaori<\/a> next time.<\/p>\n We hiked along the northeastern shoreline to see Kuzuryu Shrine Hongu<\/a> and its torii gate over water (a bit like the one in Hiroshima), but they wouldn\u2019t let us in because we arrived 30 minutes before it closed, which was disappointing. The next day we took the Pirate Ship<\/a> from Togendai to Hakone on the south side of Lake Ashi, walked north through Hakone Park<\/a>, ate lunch outside Bakery & Table<\/a>, and explored Hakone Shrine<\/a>. Then we rode the Pirate Ship back to Togendai and spent our evening relaxing in the onsen. The next morning after breakfast and one last dip in the outdoor onsen, we hopped on a nice and easy direct bus back to Tokyo from Togendai Station.<\/p>\n What about those Mt. Fuji views? Well, we got them in two different spots. Our first glimpse was on the Hakone Ropeway after passing over the steaming volcano when the mighty snow-capped Fuji suddenly appeared dead ahead. That was a cool experience, but it didn\u2019t last long. The next time was after taking the Pirate Ship to the south side of Lake Ashi and walking up to Hakone Park to be greeted by a panorama of forest, lake and hills with Fuji rising behind it all.<\/p>\n It was beautiful, but we must admit we hoped to see a bit more of Mount Fuji. The ropeway section went too quickly, and the volcano was mostly blocked from the lake elevation. It was also a bit further away from Lake Ashi than we thought \u2013 without our telephoto camera lens, we wouldn\u2019t have been able to take home the \u201cclose up\u201d looking photos we were able to capture. Next time, if we didn\u2019t visit during hiking season, we\u2019d consider booking this private tour to Mt. Fuji and Hakone<\/a> from Tokyo which looks to have tons of hidden gem stops with amazing views.<\/p>\n Hakone Snapshot<\/strong><\/p>\n Our verdict: <\/strong>It was a lot of effort and logistics, but the onsen was great and the peaceful mountain vibe was a welcome change.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss: <\/strong>Each of the Hakone Round Course transport segments, the Pirate Ship, and Mt. Fuji views from Hakone Park.<\/p>\n Crowd factor:<\/strong> Surprisingly quiet during peak cherry blossom season, it was like a ghost town. We think it might be slightly busier in summer, but overall a great place to escape the crowds.<\/p>\n Biggest regrets:<\/strong> Not being able to afford a ritzier onsen ryokan at the time. Being turned away from the shrine for being too late.<\/p>\n Ideal stay:<\/strong> Two nights, one full day is enough time. We\u2019d only go longer if we had plenty of time and wanted a retreat.<\/p>\n Skip it if: <\/strong>Not looking for a quiet mountain stay, or not interested in trying out an onsen. If taking a day trip from Tokyo, we\u2019d choose the day with clearest weather so we could actually see Mt. Fuji.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Getting to Takayama felt like a mini adventure in itself. We took the Shinkansen from Kyoto to Nagoya, then switched to the Hida limited express \u2013 a slower, winding train that cut through the Japanese Alps and delivered us into a totally different version of Japan. The mountains were closing in around us and the air felt cooler as we pulled into Takayama. There were very few tourists on the train, and we knew it was going to be so much more peaceful than anything we\u2019d experienced in the big cities.<\/p>\n We dropped our luggage off at the cheapest ryokan we could find \u2013 which was super authentic but very basic \u2013 and spent the afternoon slowly wandering Sanmachi Suji, Takayama\u2019s beautifully preserved historic district. The narrow streets lined with dark wooden sake breweries and craft shops were exactly what we pictured when we imagined old Japan. It was nothing at all like the modern sprawl of Tokyo or Osaka, and we each picked out a pair of engraved chopsticks (with our names in Japanese \u2013 Mark\u2019s only has one symbol!) which we still use for ramen at home today.<\/p>\n We also made it to the forested Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine<\/a> which was lovely, Takayama Jinya (a unique old government building) and Takayama Showa-kan Museum which held a nostalgic collection of everyday Japanese life from the Showa era (1926 \u2013 1989), before grabbing a cheap ramen and a few beers in a local izakaya. The next morning we browsed the market stalls along the Miyagawa River before checking out of our ryokan and hopping on a bus to Shirakawa-go. We found accommodation to be surprisingly expensive in Takayama, we think it\u2019s because there are lots of traditional onsen ryokans. We\u2019d love to stay in a nicer place like Hotel Wood<\/a> or Oyado Koto No Yume<\/a>.<\/p>\n If we\u2019re being honest, we could have been more efficient with our limited time. And looking back we probably should have booked this private tour of Takayama<\/a> with a 1:00 PM start time immediately after we arrived, which would have included all the major highlights in just 4 hours (including Hida Folk Village which we ended up missing). That said, we actually regret not adding a second night, which would have given us a full day in Takayama. We enjoyed the tranquil and easy going pace more than we expected, and our short stay felt too rushed.<\/p>\n Takayama Snapshot<\/strong><\/p>\n Our verdict: <\/strong>It\u2019s a must-visit if doing a northern loop, but we wouldn\u2019t add it as a standalone along with Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss: <\/strong>Sanmachi Suji historic district.<\/p>\n Crowd factor:<\/strong> None at all. Very quiet.<\/p>\n Biggest regrets:<\/strong> Not having a second night so we could really slow down.<\/p>\n Ideal stay:<\/strong> One full day, two nights. We short changed ourselves.<\/p>\n Skip it if: <\/strong>Already done Kyoto and short on time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"Mark](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/where-are-those-morgans-japanese-alps.webp\" "\\"where")
![\"Map](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2027\/04\/map-of-where-to-go-in-japan.webp\" "\\"map")
Tokyo<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Five](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sensoji-tokyo-japan.webp\" "\\"sensoji")
![\"Dense](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/shinjuku-tokyo-at-night.webp\" "\\"shinjuku")
Kyoto<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Kyoto](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/kyoto-japan-sunset.webp\" "\\"kyoto")
![\"Mark](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/golden-pavilion-kyoto-japan.webp\" "\\"golden")
Osaka<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Striking](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/shitennoji-osaka-japan.webp\" "\\"shitennoji")
![\"Crowds](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/shinsekai-osaka-japan.webp\" "\\"shinsekai")
Nara<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Kristen](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/feeding-deer-in-nara-japan.webp\" "\\"feeding")
![\"Kristen](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/inside-todaiji-temple-nara.webp\" "\\"inside")
Hiroshima<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Looking](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/hiroshima-peace-park.webp\" "\\"hiroshima")
![\"Mark](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/itsukushima-shrine-hiroshima-japan.webp\" "\\"itsukushima")
Hakone<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Yellow](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/pirate-ship-hakone-japan.webp\" "\\"pirate")
![\"Red](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/hakone-shrine-japan.webp\" "\\"hakone")
Takayama<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Historic](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/takayama-japan.webp\" "\\"takayama")
![\"Giant](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sakurayama-hachimangu-shrine-takayama.webp\" "\\"sakurayama")
Shirakawa-Go<\/span><\/h2>\n