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Japan's treasures: Osaka, Miyajima, Kyoto & Tokyo

Designed byErol, travel advisorErolMulti-country journeys
Japan's treasures: Osaka, Miyajima, Kyoto & Tokyo

Osaka's street food and neon, the floating torii of Miyajima, five slow days among Kyoto's temples and tea houses, then Tokyo from Senso-ji to Shibuya.

Your trip at a glance

  • 15 days · 14 nights
  • 4 stops
  • 4 hotels
  • 7 experiences included

Everything here is a suggestion. Swap hotels, add or drop activities, change the cities or the order. I'll rebuild the trip around you.

  1. 2 nightsDay 1 → Day 3

    Osaka

    Osaka – Japan's kitchen, and the warmest welcome in the country. Where Kyoto whispers, Osaka laughs out loud. Neon reflections ripple on the Dotonbori canal, takoyaki sizzles on every corner and locals greet you with a phrase that sums up the city: kuidaore – eat until you drop.

    Insider tip from our Japan team: start your trip here rather than in Tokyo. Osaka's relaxed rhythm and compact centre make jet-lag days easy, and your hotel's natural hot-spring bath is the perfect first evening.

  2. Airport transferDay 1

    Airport transfer

    To your hotel in Osaka · 1h

  3. Accommodation2 nights
    Onyado Nono Namba Natural Hot Spring1/4
  4. 1
    Day 1Osaka
    Konnichiwa, Japan! Neon nights in Osaka
  5. 2
    Day 2Osaka
    Castles by day, street food by night1/4
  6. 2 nightsDay 3 → Day 5

    Miyajima

    Miyajima – the sacred island. For centuries commoners were not allowed to set foot here; pilgrims arrived by boat through the great vermilion torii that seems to float on the sea. Today the island is a UNESCO site of shrines, pagodas, maple valleys and tame deer – and when the last day-trip ferry leaves, it belongs to you.

    Why two nights in a ryokan: this is where Japan slows down. Tatami, futons, yukata, a seasonal kaiseki dinner served course by course, and an evening soak in the Japanese baths. Two nights let you see the torii at high tide and walk out to it at low tide.

  7. TrainDay 3

    Osaka → Miyajima

    4h

  8. Accommodation2 nights
    Itsukushima Iroha1/4
  9. 3
    Day 3Miyajima
    The White Heron, a city of peace and a sacred island1/3
  10. 4
    Day 4Miyajima
    Miyajima, the sacred island1/3
  11. 5 nightsDay 5 → Day 10

    Kyoto

    Kyoto – a thousand years of beauty. For over a millennium this was the imperial capital, and it shows: 1,600 temples, wooden teahouses, raked Zen gardens and lanes where you may glimpse a geiko hurrying to an evening appointment.

    Insider tip from our Japan team: Kyoto rewards early risers. Be at Arashiyama or Fushimi Inari before 8:00 and you will have the bamboo and the torii almost to yourself – then spend the busy midday hours in a tea ceremony or a quiet garden. Five nights in Gion let you live the old town on foot, at an unhurried pace.

  12. TrainDay 5

    Miyajima → Kyoto

    2h 45m

  13. Accommodation5 nights
    Kyoto Granbell Hotel1/4
  14. 5
    Day 5Kyoto
    A gentle arrival in Kyoto and a lantern-lit evening in Gion1/3
  15. 6
    Day 6Kyoto
    Bamboo whispers and the way of tea1/2
  16. 7
    Day 7Kyoto
    Nara's deer and the Great Buddha1/3
  17. 8
    Day 8Kyoto
    The Philosopher's Path and a cooking lesson1/3
  18. 9
    Day 9Kyoto
    Ten thousand gates, sake country and the shogun's palace1/4
  19. 5 nightsDay 10 → Day 15

    Tokyo

    Tokyo – the city that never stops surprising. Ancient temples between glass towers, sumo wrestlers and robot cafés, Michelin-starred sushi counters and 24-hour convenience stores that sell perfect egg sandwiches. Tokyo is not a city you explain; you walk into it and understand it piece by piece.

    Why Shibuya: your hotel sits five minutes from the world's busiest crossing, with the Yamanote loop line at the door – Harajuku, Shinjuku and Omotesando are one stop away, and the evenings are right outside.

  20. TrainDay 10

    Kyoto → Tokyo

    2h 40m

  21. Accommodation5 nights
    Shibuya Granbell hotel1/4
  22. 10
    Day 10Tokyo
    Hello Tokyo: the crossing, the sky and the neon1/2
  23. 11
    Day 11Tokyo
    Old Edo, otaku Tokyo and a night with the sumo1/3
  24. 12
    Day 12Tokyo
    Sushi with a master, a shogun's garden and a sea of light1/4
  25. 13
    Day 13Tokyo
    In the shadow of Mount Fuji1/2
  26. 14
    Day 14Tokyo
    Forest shrine, fashion streets and a farewell dinner1/2

Make it yours

Tell me your dates and who's coming. I'll swap hotels, add nights and price flights from your city.

This trip, rebuilt around you