Japan In-10-Days
The ‘golden route’ 10 days using a JR Pass
If you’re a first timer in Japan, there are certain places you need to go and things you should see - including Tōkyō, Kyōto, Nara & Hiroshima.
If you’re flying into and out of Tōkyō, the trick here is to spend a few days in Tōkyō before activating your 7-day JR Pass - and get back to Tōkyō or even to the airport on the 7th day.
Day 1: Arrive in Japan at Narita or Haneda Airports and find your way into Tōkyō. If you’ve got time, do some exploring.
Days 2 & 3: Check out Japan’s pulsating capital (while saving your JR Pass). Get your bearings with our Tōkyō In-A-Day itinerary.
Day 4: Activate and start using your 7-day JR Pass by taking a morning shinkansen to Kyōto and explore the city in the afternoon.
Days 5 to 7: Follow our Kyōto In-A-Day itinerary, or use your JR Pass to make trips to Nara or Osaka.
Day 8: Head west on the shinkansen to Hiroshima - with a stop in Himeji to see Japan’s best preserved castle on the way. Take in the Peace Memorial Park in the afternoon.
Day 9: Make a daytrip from Hiroshima to Miyajima.
Day 10: This is the last day of your JR Pass and it’s easy to zap back to Tōkyō on the shinkansen. If you’ve got a late flight out, you could even aim at heading to the airport.