Japan

Day by day

Osaka → Kyoto → Tokyo — 9 nights

An early-October loop through three cities by bullet train: a couple of food-heavy days in Osaka, four in Kyoto with a Nara/Uji day trip, then four in Tokyo across Ginza, Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Harajuku.

1. 1

   Day 1

   Fly to Japan

   • 🛫Late evening

     Depart for the airport

     Overnight long-haul to Osaka — sleep on the plane.

2. 2

   Day 2

   Osaka arrival

   • 🛬Morning

     Land in Osaka (KIX)

     Arrive ~8:20am. Pre-book early check-in at Courtyard Osaka Honmachi so the room is ready.

   • 🏯Midday

     Osaka Castle

     Easy first stop to shake off the flight.

   • 🍜Lunch

     Lunch near the castle

     Pre-saved spot in the area.

   • 🌆Afternoon

     Dotonbori & Namba Yasaka Jinja

     Wander the canal and neon, then the lion-head shrine a few blocks south.

   • 🍢5:00pm

     Shinsekai food tour

     Premium foodie tour — takoyaki, okonomiyaki, kushikatsu in the old downtown.

   • 🍸Late night

     Bar Nayuta

     Mel & Yann recommendation — tucked-away cocktail bar.

3. 3

   Day 3

   Osaka → Kyoto, eastern temples

   • 🚄8:57am

     Shinkansen to Kyoto

     9:11am.

   • 🛏️Late morning

     Drop bags at Nohga Hotel Kiyomizu

     Eastern Kyoto base for the next three nights.

   • 🍱12:00pm

     Lunch

     Pre-saved spot near the hotel.

   • ⛩️Afternoon

     Yasaka Shrine → Kōdai-ji → Kennin-ji

     Walkable temple loop through Higashiyama, ending at Kennin-ji's zen garden.

   • 🍵5:30pm

     Tea ceremony with a geisha

     Two hours — book in advance through mai-ko.com.

4. 4

   Day 4

   Arashiyama & golden temples

   • 🎋7:00am

     Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

     Get there early — it's mobbed by 9am.

   • ⛩️Morning

     Otagi Nenbutsu-ji & Tenryū-ji

     1,200 quirky stone statues, then the big Zen temple back in central Arashiyama.

   • 🍽️11:00am

     Lunch

     Pre-saved spot in Arashiyama.

   • 🏯Afternoon

     Kinkaku-ji & Nijō Castle

     The Golden Pavilion, then the shogun's nightingale-floor castle.

   • 🛍️Late afternoon

     Nishiki Market

     Covered food market — snacks and souvenirs.

   • 🍺Evening

     Kyoto Beer Lab → Fishbowl

     Craft beer, then cocktails at Fishbowl.

5. 5

   Day 5

   Sunrise temples & Fushimi Inari

   • ⛩️6:00am

     Kiyomizu-dera at sunrise

     Walk up through Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka while the streets are empty.

   • 🏯Morning

     Yasaka Pagoda

     The classic Kyoto photo — easier without crowds.

   • ⛩️Midday

     Fushimi Inari

     The thousand torii gates. Hike at least to the mid-mountain viewpoint.

   • 🍜Lunch

     Ramen lunch

     Pre-saved ramen spot.

   • 🥃Afternoon

     Whisky shop

     Specialist Japanese whisky store — good place to pick up a bottle.

   • 🍲Evening

     Soba dinner

     Pre-saved soba spot.

6. 6

   Day 6

   Nara & Uji day trip

   • 🦌Morning

     Nara — Deer Park & Tōdai-ji

     Bow to the deer, then the Great Buddha (Daibutsu), Nandaimon Gate, and Kasuga Taisha lantern shrine.

   • 🍵Afternoon

     Uji

     Byōdō-in Temple (the one on the 10-yen coin), Taihōan tea shop for matcha, then Omotesandō street.

   • 🍽️7:00pm

     Dinner near Kyoto Station

     Pre-saved — easy on the way back.

7. 7

   Day 7

   Kyoto → Tokyo, Asakusa & sumo

   • 🚄8:45am

     Shinkansen to Tokyo

     10:57am.

   • 🛏️Late morning

     Check in at Aloft Ginza

     Tokyo base for the next three nights.

   • 🍱Lunch

     Lunch in Ginza

     Pre-saved spot.

   • 🎮Afternoon

     Akihabara

     Arcade games and electronics. 2:00pm Maid Café at Maidreamin.

   • ⛩️Late afternoon

     Sensō-ji & Nakamise Street

     Tokyo's oldest temple plus the souvenir-stall approach.

   • 🤼6:00pm

     Sumo practice show + chanko hot pot

8. 8

   Day 8

   Shibuya, Shinjuku, whisky

   • 🚦Morning

     Shibuya

     Shibuya Crossing, MEGA Don Quijote, and the Hello Kitty store.

   • ⚔️10:10am

     Samurai (Shinjuku)

     Show time — arrive 10:10–10:40am.

   • 🦖Afternoon

     Godzilla Head & Shinjuku wander

     Easy in-between block.

   • 🥃4:00pm

     Ginza whisky tasting

     Pre-saved tasting room.

   • 🍻Evening

     Dinner with Rika & Hisyo

9. 9

   Day 9

   Harajuku & Shinjuku night

   • 🐷10:00am

     Mipig Café Takeshita

     1-hour with the micro pigs.

   • 🛍️Late morning

     Takeshita Street & Harajuku

     Ota Memorial Museum, Café Reissue (latte art), Totti Candy Factory, Kiddyland, Daiso.

   • 🍴Lunch

     Harajuku lunch

     Pre-saved spot.

   • 🌳Afternoon

     Meiji Shrine, Yoyogi Park, Shinjuku Gyoen

     String the three green spaces together for an easy walk.

   • 🐶Side stops

     Pet Paradise & J&K Animals

     Animal cafés if there's time and energy.

   • ⚾Evening

     Baseball-themed

     Pre-saved spot.

   • 🏮Late night

     Omoide Yokochō & Golden Gai

     Tiny-bar alleys in Shinjuku — end the trip here.

10. 10

    Day 10

    Tsukiji & fly home

    • 🐟5:00am

      Tsukiji outer market

      Sushi breakfast and a last walk before heading to the airport.

    • 🛫11:00am

      Morning flight home

      Allow ~90 min from Ginza to Haneda.