Japan 5-day itineraries

Japan five-day tour: visit to Kyoto
Kyoto, Ginkaku-Ji, the cradle of the Culture of Higashiyama

 

If your journey to Japan can last for only five days your best option is to opt for a classic Tokyo - Kyoto itinerary. Along the way you can add a third destination or you can arrange for one or two day trips from the two cities.

In this page we briefly outline a selection of five-day itineraries along the Tokyo-Kyoto route.

 

Contents:

 

Five days in Japan; visit to Tokyo: Koishikawa-Koraku-En
Tokyo, Koishikawa Koraku-En, a notable historic garden

 

 

Five days in Japan: choice of the itinerary

A first journey to Japan should include both Tokyo and Kyoto. The two cities are gateways to exploring the modern and traditional culture of the nation and they are undoubtedly the main destinations of any first trip to Japan.

As five days are a very short period of time, you may opt for visiting only Tokyo and Kyoto or only one main destination.

Near Kyoto are important destinations such as Nara, Osaka and Mount Koya while Nikko can be visited with a day trip from Tokyo.

 

Five days in Japan: recommended itineraries

The key choice for a 5-day itinerary revolves around the question of whether to visit both Tokyo and Kyoto or only one of the two.

 

Here are the suggested itineraries:

  • Itinerary 1: Tokyo, Kyoto with side trips;

  • Itinerary 2: Tokyo, Kyoto;

  • Itinerary 3: Tokyo and surroundings;

  • Itinerary 4: Kyoto and surroundings.

 

We assume that Narita Airport (near Tokyo) is the point of arrival and departure. Another option is to enter and exit the country through Kansai Airport (near Osaka and Kyoto).

 

 

Itinerary 1: Tokyo and Kyoto with side trips

A good way to arrange a 5-day itinerary is to spend 2 days in Tokyo and 2 days in Kyoto. A full day can be devoted to a side-trip from either Tokyo or Kyoto.

Transfers between the two Tokyo and Kyoto take around 3 hours. Therefore, if you travel in the early morning or late afternoon, you will not waste time.

As for day-trips, we suggest the following destinations:

  • From Tokyo: Nikko, Kamakura or Hakone;

  • From Kyoto: Nara, Osaka or Himeji.

 

How to organise the transfers

If you choose a round trip flight itinerary (entry and exit through the same airport, typically Narita Airport), these are the major transfers of the journey:

  • Narita Airport-Tokyo (by N’EX, Narita Express);

  • Tokyo-Kyoto (by shinkansen, Hikari);

  • Excursions from Kyoto (such as Kyoto-Osaka, Kyoto-Nara, Kyoto-Himeji);

  • Kyoto-Tokyo (by shinkansen, Hikari);

  • Tokyo-Narita Airport (by N’EX, Narita Express, the fastest option available).

 

 

Itinerary 2: Tokyo and Kyoto

A 5-day itinerary through Tokyo and Kyoto can have the following schedule:

  • Day 1: Tokyo; transfer between Narita Airport and Tokyo; visit to Asakusa and Sumida or Bunkyo;

  • Day 2: Tokyo; visit to Ueno, Shibuya and Shinjuku;

  • Day 3: Kyoto; early morning transfer to Kyoto from Tokyo; visit to the city centre, Pontocho and Gion;

  • Day 4: Kyoto; classic Higashiyama and Sakyo itinerary, from Kiyomizu-dera to Ginkaku-ji walking tour (through Sannen-zaka, Ninen-zaka, Maruyama Park, Philosopher’s Path);

  • Day 5: Kyoto; Kinkaku-Ji and Arashiyama (Tenryu-Ji, Bamboo Grove, Gio-Ji, Rakushisha); late afternoon transfer to Tokyo; end of the journey.

 

How to organise the transfers

Travelling by train is the best option. Night buses offer cheaper solutions.

 

 

Itinerary 3: Tokyo and surroundings

Five days can be spent only in Tokyo. You may also add one or two side trips. We suggest considering only the following day-trips:

  • From Tokyo: Nikko, Kamakura.

 

A possible schedule that encompasses one side trip is the following:

  • Day 1: Tokyo; transfer between Narita Airport and Tokyo; visit to Asakusa (Senso-Ji and its surroundings) and Sumida (Edo-Tokyo Museum, Yokoamicho Memorial Park, Sky Tree Tower);

  • Day 2: Nikko, excursion from Tokyo; visit to Sannai, main shrines and temples (Toshogu, Futarasan-Jinja, Rinno-Ji);

  • Day 3: Tokyo; visit to Ueno (park and one or two museums) and Bunkyo (Koishikawa Koraku-En and Rikugi-En gardens, Tokyo Domu entertainment park, Kodokan Judo Headquarters);

  • Day 4: Tokyo;Shibuya (Nezu Museum, entertainment and commercial district), Harajuku (Meiji-Jingu shrine and Omotesando) and Shinjuku (Shinjuku-Gyoen National Park, shopping and entertainment area, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation deck);

  • Day 5: Tokyo; final visit to Akihabara (electric town) and Kanda (ancient temples and shrines, bookshops) or Odaiba (museums and Toyosu Market).

 

How to organise the transfers

For transfers within Tokyo you can simply use the subway tickets and day passes. Excursions to Nikko and Kamakura are quite cheap.

 

 

Itinerary 4: Kyoto and surroundings

You can easily spend five days in Kyoto without getting short of excitement and opportunities to discover something new and inspiring to you.

As for the possible day-trips, we suggest considering the following destinations:

  • From Kyoto: Nara, Osaka, Himeji, Uji, Mount Koya.

 

We assume that you enter and exit the country through Kansai Airport, main hub in the region of Kansai.

A possible schedule that encompasses two side trips is the following:

  • Day 1: Osaka; transfer between Kansai Airport and Nara; one night in Nara; visit to the main shrines, temples and gardens in Nara Park (Kofuku-Ji, Isui-En, Todai-Ji, Kasuga Taisha);

  • Day 2: Nara and Kyoto; visit to Naramachi old district; transfer to Kyoto. Visit to Fushimi Inari Taisha. Visit to Kyoto’s city centre (Pontocho and Nishiki Market) and Gion;

  • Day 3: Kyoto; classic Higashiyama and Sakyo itinerary, from Kiyomizu-dera to Ginkaku-ji walking tour (through Sannen-zaka, Ninen-zaka, Maruyama Park, Philosopher’s Path);

  • Day 4: Kyoto; Nijo Castle, Kamishichiken, Kitano Tenmangu shrine and Kinkaku-Ji;

  • Day 5: Kyoto; full day in Arashiyama (Tenryu-Ji, Bamboo Grove, Gio-Ji, Rakushisha, Daikaku-Ji); late afternoon transfer to Osaka; end of the journey.

 

If you want to visit Mount Koya and spend a night in a monastery you can reduce the number of days spent in Kyoto.

 

How to organise the transfers

Transfers between Osaka, Nara and Kyoto are very cheap and you can simply use local and express trains. There is no need to buy any discount tickets.

An exception is when you choose to stay in Osaka and visit Kyoto with day trips. This solution is suitable to those who need to cut costs or failed to find any suitable accommodation at affordable tariffs in Kyoto. This circumstance occurs frequently in spring, autumn and during the national holidays.

 

 

Where to stay in Tokyo and Kyoto

With such little time available the best choice is to stay in the vicinity of major railway stations or neighbourhoods which are well connected to the subway and railway networks of the city.

Below for each city we give a list of convenient locations.

 

In Tokyo

The best locations where to find accommodation in Tokyo for a short stay and a typical travel itinerary are the following:

  • 1) Tokyo Station: near the city's central stations is a wide range of hotels. Cheap hostels are found in nearby Bakurocho area;

  • 2) Asakusa: the city's most prominent tourist area;

  • 3) Shinjuku: the centre of Tokyo's vibrant night life.

Cheap mid-range hotels are found also in Sumida, east of Asakusa. You might even choose to stay near Shinagawa Station or any other major station served by the Yamanote loop line.

 

In Kyoto

The best are where to find accommodation in Kyoto for a short stay are the following:

  • 1) Kyoto Station: the centre of the city's mass transit network. The area is reasonably close to the centre;

  • 2) Gion: the fascinating historical district, very close to many important sightseeing spots and temples;

  • 3) Kamigyo: an authentic neighbourhood, largely remained unaffected by the rise of tourism. This area offers good mid-range local-style accommodation options, varying from traditional ryokan inns to entire houses. Many structures are particularly suitable for families and groups. The area is placid and well connected to the city bus network. Moreover, you can easily get around by bicycle.

 

In Osaka

The area near Namba Station offers a wide variety of hostels, cheap hotels and a few mid-range hotels. Nearby is Dotombori, a prime night life area. Luxury hotels are in Umeda, near Osaka Station.

 

Japan Rail Pass (2023 update)

In October 2023 general Japan Rail Pass tickets (all Japan passes) underwent a sharp increase in price. This rendered them not convenient for itineraries like the ones described in this page. Hokuriku Arch Pass tickets, which provide unlimited travelling by train along the Tokyo - Kanazawa - Kyoto route for 7 days are still a good resource to reduce costs.

 

Related articles:

Itineraries in Japan:  7 days  |  10 days  |  14 days

First journey to Japan:  Ten-day classic itinerary

 

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