This 14 day Japan itinerary starts in Osaka, continues through Kyoto and the Japanese Alps and finishes with Mt Fuji and Tokyo. For my first trip, I wanted to see the main cities, but also a smaller mountain town and some nature. Adding Takayama, Shirakawago and Fujikawaguchiko gave me exactly that.
My 14 day Japan Itinerary
Osaka → Kyoto (day trip to Nara) → Takayama ( day trip to Shirakawago) → Fujikawaguchiko for Mt Fuji → Tokyo
Nara is an easy day trip from both Kyoto and Osaka, while Shirakawago works very well from Takayama. Stay a few nights in each main place and use them as a base for the day trips. This keeps the number of hotel changes down and makes the route easy to travel.
Start with 2 days in Osaka
Start the trip in Osaka and use the first two days to get used to Japan. Walk around Shinsekai, visit Dotonbori and explore some of the smaller streets in between. Osaka is busy, colorful and full of places to eat, but for me it was a good city to start the trip. I stayed at OMO7 Osaka by Hoshino Resorts, close to Shin-Imamiya Station. The location worked well after arriving from Kansai Airport and made it easy to get around. Two days was enough before continuing to Kyoto.
Read next: Osaka Itinerary 2 Days: What to Do, Where to Stay and Why Osaka Is Worth Visiting
Stay 4 days in Kyoto
Take the train from Osaka to Kyoto and stay four days. Spend your time between Gion, Pontocho, Fushimi Inari, temples, older streets and walks along the river. Make time for coffee, matcha and good food in between too. Hotel Resol Trinity Kyoto, close to Kyoto City Hall, was my base for four nights. The location worked well and having an onsen at the hotel was very welcome after walking all day.
Use one of your four days for Nara. You can also visit Nara from Osaka if that fits your route better.
Read next: Things to See in Kyoto in 4 Days: My Best Highlights
Take a day trip to Nara
Take the train from Kyoto or Osaka to Nara and spend the day around the park and temple area. Start with coffee near the station and continue towards Todai-ji and Nigatsu-do. Walk towards Wakakusayama and Kasuga Taisha and stop for matcha somewhere along the way. The deer are everywhere, but Nara is not only about the deer. The temples, forest paths and open space around the park were what I liked most. Finish with kakinoha sushi near the station before taking the train back. One day in Nara was enough for me and it fits easily into a two-week Japan route.
Read next: Is Nara Worth Visiting? One-Day Itinerary from Kyoto
Travel from Kyoto to Takayama
From Kyoto, take the Shinkansen to Nagoya and change to the JR Limited Express Hida towards Takayama. The first part is quick, while the Hida train takes you through mountains and along rivers into the Japanese Alps. This was one of my favorite train journeys in Japan. Book your train ticket in advance if you already know your travel day, especially if you want a reserved seat.
Stay 3 days in Takayama
Stay three days in Takayama and use one of them for Shirakawago. Walk through the old Sanmachi streets, visit the morning market and try Hida beef. There are also several walking routes around the temples and Shiroyama Park if you want to see a quieter side of town. Takayama is small enough to explore on foot and felt very different from Osaka and Kyoto. I stayed at Hotel and Spa Gift Takayama, close to the station. The rooftop onsen became my evening routine after a full day outside.
Read next: Things to Do in Takayama: My Japan Alps Itinerary
Take a day trip to Shirakawago
Take the Nohi Bus from Takayama to Shirakawago. Visit Wada House, walk through the village and continue towards the famous three traditional houses. Go up to the observatory for the view over Shirakawago and stop for coffee along the way. Three to four hours was enough for me to see the village without rushing around. Return to Takayama in the afternoon and stay there for your final night before continuing towards Mt Fuji.
Book the bus in advance if you can; this route can get busy!
Read next: Shirakawago Day Trip from Takayama: Bus, Route and Tips
Continue to Fujikawaguchiko and Mt Fuji
From Takayama, take the bus to Fujikawaguchiko. The journey through the Japanese Alps is beautiful, with mountains, lakes and small villages along the way. Keep looking outside as you get closer to Fujikawaguchiko. Mt Fuji appeared before we arrived and seeing it for the first time from the bus was one of my favorite moments of the trip. Stay two nights here before continuing to Tokyo.
Stay 2 days around Mt Fuji
Staying two nights gives you a better chance of seeing Mt Fuji if the weather changes. It also gives you enough time to see more than just the view from Kawaguchiko Station. Rent an electric bike and explore the area around Lake Kawaguchi. Visit Chureito Pagoda and add the ropeway or a boat trip if you have time. Super Hotel Fujikawaguchiko Tennenonsen worked well as my base for these two nights.
If Mt Fuji is clear, take your photos straight away. A few hours later the mountain can look completely different or disappear behind the clouds.
Read next: Things to Do Around Mt Fuji: My Fujikawaguchiko Itinerary
Finish with 4 nights in Tokyo
Take the bus from Kawaguchiko to Tokyo and finish the route with four nights in the city. Asakusa was my base and I would choose the area again. It is lively, but not as intense as Shibuya or Shinjuku, and you can still get around Tokyo easily. Plan your days by area rather than traveling backwards and forwards across the city. Combine Harajuku, Shibuya and Shinjuku on one day and visit places such as Tsukiji, Ginza and Akihabara on another. Leave time for Asakusa too. Senso-ji is nearby and the neighborhood is nice to walk around in the evening. Three full days and four nights worked well for my first visit.
Read next: Tokyo 3 Days Itinerary: My First-Time Route and Honest Tips and Best Area to Stay in Tokyo: Why I Chose Asakusa
Why this 14 day Japan itinerary worked for me
This route combines big cities, temples, smaller towns, mountains and Mt Fuji. It also gives you several nights in most places instead of moving to another hotel every day. Nara and Shirakawago are easy day trips, so leave your suitcase at the hotel and travel with a small bag. Two weeks felt like a good amount of time for this route without having to skip the places I really wanted to see.
Can you travel this 14 day Japan itinerary in reverse?
Yes. Start in Tokyo, continue to Fujikawaguchiko and Takayama and finish with Kyoto and Osaka. My trip started in Osaka because the flight was cheaper that way. In the end, that worked really well. Tokyo is huge, so I was quite happy to arrive there after already getting used to trains, stations and traveling around Japan.
Can you do this Japan itinerary in 10 days?
Yes, but leave something out. For a 10 day Japan itinerary, combine Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo and add Nara or Mt Fuji. If smaller towns and mountains interest you more, keep Takayama and Shirakawago and spend less time in the cities. For this complete route, I would choose two weeks.
Is this a good solo Japan itinerary?
Yes, this 14 day Japan itinerary works very well for solo travelers. I traveled this route as a solo female traveler and found Japan very easy to explore independently. I felt safe throughout my trip and did not experience any unpleasant situations. Trains and buses connect all the main stops, Google Maps works very well and an IC card is useful for local trains and metros. Staying several nights in each place also worked well when traveling solo. Leave your luggage at the hotel for Nara and Shirakawago and take only what you need for the day.
Would I travel this Japan route again?
Yes, especially for a first trip to Japan. This route gave me a very good introduction to the country and included many of the places I really wanted to see. Next time, though, I would probably do something completely different. Japan made me curious about the less visited cities, smaller places and the islands farther south. A future trip with more local Japan and a few tropical beaches sounds pretty good to me too.
