Two weeks is the perfect amount of time for first-time visitors to Japan.<\/p>\n
I love this country, and it has so much to offer its guests. With so many incredible places to check off, however, planning an all-encompassing itinerary can get more than a little overwhelming. Should you stick to the classic Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka triangle? Is Hiroshima worth visiting or is Mount Fuji a waste of time? Do the infamous levels of overtourism mean you should focus on lesser-known spots instead? And how on earth are you supposed to see everything within two weeks?<\/p>\n
You have questions, I have answers!<\/p>\n
I had a fantastic first visit to Japan and am determined to make sure your time in the country ends up being just as magical as mine. I would recommend this itinerary to anyone who is heading to the country \u2014 and as I write this post, my parents are currently in Tokyo, about to start following my exact route.<\/p>\n
With two weeks, you\u2019ll be able to experience the very best of this country without spending your entire trip navigating your way through a seemingly endless number of gigantic train stations. You\u2019ll see Japan\u2019s biggest cities, experience its traditional neighbourhoods, eat an unreasonable amount of excellent food, and still have time to explore the country\u2019s quieter side. There\u2019ll be mountains and megacities, neon-lit streets and silent temple courtyards, ferries and trains, and more convenience store snacks than you ever thought possible.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll have to trust me on that last point: the convenience stores in this country are on a whole other level!<\/p>\n
Below, you\u2019ll find a brief overview of my two-week itinerary, then I\u2019m going to break everything down by day, explaining exactly what to do in each place, why it\u2019s worth visiting, where to stay, and how to maximise your time in town.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Day One: Tokyo<\/li>\n
- Day Two: Tokyo<\/li>\n
- Day Three: Tokyo<\/li>\n
- Day Four: Tokyo<\/li>\n
- Day Five: Hakone\/Nikko<\/li>\n
- Day Six: Kanazawa<\/li>\n
- Day Seven: Kanazawa<\/li>\n
- Day Eight: Takayama<\/li>\n
- Day Nine: Kyoto<\/li>\n
- Day 10: Kyoto<\/li>\n
- Day 11: Kyoto<\/li>\n
- Day 12: Hiroshima<\/li>\n
- Day 13: Osaka<\/li>\n
- Day 14: Osaka<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Let\u2019s get started. Up first: Tokyo, of course!<\/p>\n
Day One: Get Your Bearings in Shibuya<\/h2>\n
\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.neverendingfootsteps.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Tokyo-at-night.jpg\")
An evening walk through Tokyo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n My friend, you\u2019re finally here. Welcome to one of the most beloved cities in the world.<\/p>\n
Are you already feeling overwhelmed? <\/em>If so, take a deep breath and know that you\u2019re not alone. This chaotic megacity is vast, crowded, and dizzying, so the initial culture shock can leave you feeling more than a little disoriented. Never fear: you\u2019ll soon adjust to Tokyo\u2019s vibe and it\u2019s not as intense as first impressions might have you believing.<\/p>\n
I always recommend that first-time visitors to the city kick off their explorations in Shibuya. In my opinion, this neighbourhood provides the perfect introduction to travel in Japan, predominantly because it\u2019s most likely home to the scenes you\u2019ve been picturing when imagining visiting this country.<\/p>\n
Yes, Shibuya is energetic, colourful, hipster, and touristy, home to towering buildings, flashing billboards, cool boutiques, and peaceful shrines and backstreets, all packed into a handful of city blocks. Oh, and it\u2019s also home to one of the most iconic pedestrian crossings in the world. We\u2019ll head there almost immediately after arriving.<\/p>\n
First though, start your explorations at the Hachiko Statue, which is located directly outside of Shibuya train station. Oh, and I have to mention here that Shibuya station may just be one of the most baffling in the world to navigate (speaking as somebody who once spend 40 minutes simply trying to exit<\/em> the station!) Look for signs for the Hachiko Exit if you\u2019re arriving from a JR Train, or Hachiko Gate followed by Exit 8 if you\u2019re arriving via the subway.<\/p>\n
So who is Hachiko?<\/em><\/p>\n
Hachiko is actually a dog, and he\u2019s beloved by residents of the city. Hachiko\u2019s owner was a professor at the University of Tokyo, and every single afternoon, the dog would wait for him to arrive at Shibuya Station so they could walk home together. When the professor unexpectedly died, Hachiko continued to return to the station every single day for the next 10 years, always looking for him. No, you\u2019re<\/em> crying!<\/p>\n
Once you\u2019ve paid your respects to the most loyal of companions, it\u2019s time to dive straight into the organised chaos of Shibuya Crossing. You can see it from the statue, but if you\u2019ve somehow managed to get lost already, or started your itinerary from a different location, you\u2019ll find it by searching for Shibuya Scramble Crossing on Google Maps.<\/p>\n
And what a scramble it is.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.neverendingfootsteps.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Shibuya-Crossing-at-night.jpg\")
Shibuya Crossing from the nearby Starbucks offers a great vantage point<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n This is most likely the busiest pedestrian intersection in the world, with up to 3,000 people crossing the street at once whenever the lights turn green. It\u2019s so much fun to experience, so I recommend crossing multiple times to get a feel for the flow of the city.<\/p>\n
It offers a great insight into Japan\u2019s organisational skills, too: despite the sheer number of people on the ground, everyone still manages to wait calmly for the lights and walk without colliding into each other. It looks like madness from the outside, but when you\u2019re in the midst of it, it\u2019s surprisingly orderly.<\/p>\n
If you want an elevated view of the crossing (and you definitely do), you\u2019ve got a few options.<\/p>\n
The classic viewpoint comes from the nearby Starbucks, and you can see how the crossing will look from my photo above. It\u2019s one the cheapest options, as you only need to buy a coffee, but the downsides are that it\u2019s far from undiscovered (so don\u2019t expect to get a seat directly beside the window) and you don\u2019t get the see the crossing from up high.<\/p>\n