Japan in Two Weeks: Best places to visit

If you’re planning a trip to Japan, prepare to fall into despair. There are so many amazing and interesting things in this country that no vacation will be enough. I’ve probably never spent so much time planning an itinerary.

I’ve been to Japan several times and even led groups of tourists there. I’ve traveled tens of thousands of kilometers on trains and buses. I’ve climbed sacred mountains to visit monks, soaked in hot springs with monkeys, stayed among ancient silkworm farmers, and fed a herd of deer. I’ve eaten way too much ramen, chatted over coffee with a robot, fallen in love with local toilets, and lost my heart completely…

Which places impressed me the most? I’ll share all about them in this article.

Table of Contents

Tokyo

Hakone

Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park

Tokyo

Tokyo is a city that drives you crazy with its contrasts and crowds of people. It’s like a tornado of different flavors, colors, and endless energy swirling around you. It’s the most densely populated megapolis in the world, where something is always happening, changing, or opening. Plan to spend at least three days there.

Must-Visit in Tokyo:

TeamLab Borderless – A magical art space where you immerse yourself in light, color, smells. There are 2 galleries, Borderless and Planets, I suggest both.
Shibuya district — one of Tokyo’s landmarks. Cross the famous Shibuya Crossing and pet the statue of the famous loyal dog Hachiko. Go up to the Shibuya Sky observation deck and visit the restaurant where robots serve – Pepper Parlor.
Akihabara is a total mind-blower – a paradise for fans of anime, manga, video games, and idol culture. Here you’ll find huge electronics stores, manga megashops, arcades packed with gaming machines, and maid cafés where you’re served by girls dressed in cosplay maid outfits.
Get to know youth subcultures and cosplay in Harajuku. Stop by Totti Candy Factory for a giant rainbow cotton candy. At ANAKUMA Café, a bear paw will serve you delicious coffee through a hole in the wall, and at CAFE REISSUE you can get a coffee topped with 3D foam art.
If you still have some energy left and a bit of room in your stomach, head over to Omoide Yokocho near Shinjuku Station in the evening. It’s a charming alley packed with tiny Japanese eateries—you’ve definitely seen it in Blade Runner. Not far away, a giant Godzilla head juts out from a building, along with a billboard showing a 3D cat. From sunset until 9 p.m., the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building features a massive animated projection.
Tokyo is the city with the largest number of Michelin restaurants. I recommend trying mono-restaurants (which specialize in one type of food) like Tempura Kondo, Shunkeian Arakaki, Sushi Keita. I also recommend the unusual Ninja Tokyo restaurant(book in advance). All the entertainment is in the traditional ninja style: restaurant design, waiters, tricks, interesting tasty food (you can have it for lunch).

Hakone

The two most popular places to admire Mount Fuji are Hakone and Fujikawaguchiko. I like both, but Hakone is easier to get to by public transportation and has more activities.

In Hakone, you can take a boat ride across the lake with a volcano view, then ride the cable car over the active volcanic valley of Owakudani. Right in the middle of a steaming field, there’s a station where you can enjoy black eggs boiled in sulfuric waters. There is cool modern art museum and hot springs there. I also liked Onshi-Hakone Park.

Even though Hakone is only an hour and a half away from Tokyo, it would take a whole day or even two to explore it Get a special Hakone Pass, which includes transportation (ship, buses, cable car, train) and discounts for museums (from Shinjuku, for 2 days).

DOWNLOAD: Ready-made 2-week Japan itinerary + budget

Hakone, Mount Fujiyama, Japan in 2 weeks

Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park

In winter, when the weather turns cold, wild monkeys come down from the snowy Japanese mountains and warm themselves in the hot springs. They’ve turned this spot into a park that’s open to anyone willing to walk about two kilometers through the forest. Monkeys roam everywhere, and they’re very amusing. I recommend spending the night in the nearby village of Shibu Onsen, in a traditional Japanese inn called a ryokan. One of the village’s main attractions is visiting the different hot springs and collecting a stamp at each one (you’ll get a key from your hotel). Read more in the article below.

Kanazawa

Kanazawa is one of my favorite cities in Japan. It’s full of history, culture, beautiful places, and delicious food, but it’s not yet suffering from tourist madness. In 2025, Lonely Planet included Kanazawa in the list of best places to travel.

Kanazawa has an old tea district where real geisha perform. A quarter of wealthy samurai, a castle and one of the country’s most beautiful parks, Kenroku-en. Kanazawa has also been the largest supplier of gold leaf for 400 years. You can buy beautiful gold souvenirs, create your own chopsticks at a workshop and taste golden ice cream!

Kanazawa is very close to the ocean, be sure to visit the Omicho market and try local delicacies.

What to see in Japan in 2 weeks, chirashi don

Shirakawa-go

Shirakawa-go is an ancient mountain village once home to silkworm farmers. For a long time the area was difficult to access, which helped preserve its unique character. Locals built houses with huge triangular thatched roofs, and the attics were used for raising silkworms. This architectural style, unique to Japan, is called gasshō-zukuri. Since 1995, the village has been protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, silkworms are no longer raised here, and many of the houses now host souvenir shops, inns, and tourist stores. But it remains one of those places in Japan that is truly worth seeing. In 2025, Shirakawa-go was ranked among the Top 10 Most Beautiful Villages in the World.

Kyoto

Kyoto is the cultural capital of Japan. There’s an especially high concentration of temples, attractions, and tourists here. One day in Kyoto will definitely not be enough, plan for at least 2-3 days. If possible, hire a guide in Kyoto who will take you through the route and tell you the history.

The must-visit Kyoto program includes: Kinkaku-ji – the Golden Pavilion (go at opening time!), Nijo Castle – the shogun’s residence, built in 1603. Photography inside is prohibited, but the castle is amazing! Buy tickets online to avoid queuing at the entrance. Kiyomizu-dera Buddhist temple complex – one of the most beautiful in Kyoto! It was founded in 780 at the site of Otowa waterfall, whose sacred waters are believed to have healing properties and bring good luck. Many people perform rituals here.

One of my favorite things to do in Kyoto is making Japanese tea (love it at Maikoya). The training is usually conducted by a maiko, a geisha’s apprentice. It is very expensive and difficult to book a tea ceremony from a real geisha. If you are lucky enough to be in Kyoto during the spring or fall festival days, you may see a geisha performance at one of the theaters. Filming and photography is not allowed inside, but the performances are great.

Other things to do in Kyoto: thousands of gates at Fushimi Inari, Ninenzaka streets and the geisha district of Gion, Sanjusangendo 1000 Buddhist Statues temple, samurai museum, spa.

I’ve been to the popular Arashiyama Bamboo Forest a few times and find it overrated. By lunchtime, the streets are flooded with tourists and all the charm of the city is drowned out by the crowds. Otagi Temple and the monkey park (prepare for a little haiku) are worth the trip.

Kyoto is convenient as a base for day trips to cities like Osaka, Nara, Hiroshima, etc.

Osaka

Осака – третий по величине город Японии (после Токио и Йокогамы) и крупный экономический центр в регионе Кансай. Славится стритфудом, шоппингом и динамичной городской жизнью.

Fun things to do: go up to the Umeda Sky observation tower, walk the shopping streets of Orange Street and Nipponbashi (kind of like Tokyo’s Akihabara), go to the retro Shinsekai district with the Tsutenkaku tower, grab some street food at Dotonbori (try okonomiyaki and takoyaki), go on a boat ride and take a photo with the Glico Running man without the crowds. Osaka has a beautiful castle, I suggest going early in the morning. If traveling with kids, go to Universal Studios Japan or Kaiyukan Aquarium, one of the largest in the world.

ЧИТАЙТЕ ТАКЖЕ: 15 Идей что поделать в Осаке

For those interested in fishing, Osaka has a giant store called Fishing Max in Namba. And at the Zauo Fishing Restaurant, you can catch your own dinner on-site and ask them to prepare it.

Download: A complete 2-week Japan travel itinerary: budget, hotel recommendations, and a day-by-day plan.

Takayama

I first visited Takayama by accident during my very first trip to Japan. The town turned out to be so charming and atmospheric that I had to come back.

In Takayama, you’ll still find streets lined with Edo-period houses (from the 17th to 19th centuries). This region is renowned for its picturesque scenery, delicious sake, and Hida beef. In mid-April and early October, it hosts one of the most beautiful festivals in Japan: the Takayama Matsuri.

Take a walk to the old Sanmachi Suji district, taste sake at Sansha, visit the Takayama Jinya museum (here are the opening hours and cost) and the Takayama Matsuri Yatai Kaikan.

Himeji Castle

Another idea for a day trip from Kyoto or Osaka is the White Heron Castle in Himeji! It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most beautiful castles in the country. As stunning as it looks from outside, the inside can feel rather empty and dull. If you arrive after 11 a.m., you’ll likely end up climbing all seven floors in a line of visitors. Go early, and don’t miss the viewing area at the base of the castle. Plan at least two hours for your visit.

How to get there, when to go, interesting facts, where to eat and other useful things about Himeji – in the article below.

Koyasan

Koyasan is a sacred city on Mount Koya. It is one of the most unusual places in Japan that I have been lucky enough to visit. Here you can take a break from the crowds of tourists and meditate. Koyasan is the center of Shingon Buddhism, which was founded here by Kobo Daishi in 816. Koyasan was listed as a World Heritage Site in 2004 and given three stars in the Michelin Green Guide to Japan in 2009.

I recommend taking a monk guide who will show you around and tell you about Shingon Buddhism (very interesting!) Important places include: Danjo Garan temple, Kongobuji and the largest rock garden in Japan, Okunoin cemetery.

The weather on Mount Koya is a few degrees cooler than Osaka and Kyoto. Take appropriate clothing.

You can stay overnight in a real temple – shukubo and try traditional food prepared by monks. In the morning before breakfast, tourists are allowed to join the prayer. I’ve described everything in detail in the article below.

Nara

The city of Nara – my love. More than 1,000 deer live in its central park. They roam freely, nudge tourists with their antlers, and beg for cookies. Some of them are very polite. If you bow to them, they will bow you back.

Nara – was the first capital of Japan (710-794). The entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From Kyoto to Nara is a convenient one day trip without suitcases and overnight stays.

The most impressive structure in the city is the Todaiji Temple. It is one of the largest wooden structures in the world, housing a giant statue of the Great Buddha. To get an idea of how large the Buddha sculpture is, find the wooden pillar at the end of the hall. It has a hole the size of the Great Buddha statue’s nostril. If you can squeeze through it, good luck and prosperity await you.

After Todaiji, visit Kasuga Taisha. It is a very important Shinto shrine with a beautiful garden and lanterns.