Start here

Three must-visit experiences

These were our three favourite experiences. If you have limited time, keep these in your plan.

01 - Relax

Hakone

Stay one or two nights. Ride the ropeway, then leave enough time for the hot-spring baths, kimono, sauna and hotel activities.

02 - Digital art

teamLab Biovortex Kyoto

This is the teamLab museum we recommend. Allow 2-3 hours and choose an evening time after an afternoon rest.

Book teamLab Biovortex ↗

03 - Sunset view

SHIBUYA SKY

Enter about an hour before sunset and stay until the city lights come on.

Book SHIBUYA SKY ↗

9-day itinerary

One day at a time

Choose a date to see the route, food, useful tips and links for that day in one card.

Choose a day

Where to stay

Hotels and locations we chose

For a first trip, a convenient location is very important. Stay near the train route you will use and confirm luggage arrangements before arrival.

Hakone · Our pick

Setsugetsuka Bettei Suiun

Book a Japanese-style twin room. Its in-room bath receives natural hot-spring water, and separate private baths are also available. At either hotel, enjoy the matcha experience if it is running and the free late-night ramen.

Book Suiun on Klook ↗

Lower-price option

Tokinoyu Setsugetsuka

Choose this hotel if the separate private baths are enough for you. They use natural hot-spring water. Only the bath inside your room does not use natural hot-spring water. Tokinoyu is run by the same company as Suiun.

Book Tokinoyu on Klook ↗

Kyoto · Connected

Airbnb near Tōfukuji

One JR stop from Kyoto Station and convenient for Fushimi Inari and Nara. The location was excellent; the rooms felt small.

View the Kyoto Airbnb ↗

Osaka · Our pick

Hiyori Hotel Namba

Choose the Deluxe Double Room. It is spacious, close to Namba and includes a foot massager in every room.

Book Hiyori Hotel on Klook ↗

Tokyo · Central

Tokyo Sunshine Tower, Minato

Central for Ginza, Shibuya, Toyosu and Haneda. You can also stay in Shinjuku or Ginza if most of your plans are close to those areas.

Book in advance

What to book early

Book these places and trains early. You can decide the rest later. Compare prices and refund rules before using another booking website.

When your dates are fixed

Biovortex Kyoto

Choose an evening entry time. This is the only teamLab we recommend booking.

Book teamLab Biovortex ↗

1 month before

Shinkansen

Reserve Odawara-Kyoto and Shin-Osaka-Tokyo through SmartEX.

Book Shinkansen tickets ↗

1 month before - 00:00 JST

Sagano train

Book one way and choose open-air Car No. 5 if available.

Book the Sagano train ↗

14 days before - 00:00 JST

SHIBUYA SKY

Choose an entry time 60-90 minutes before sunset.

Book SHIBUYA SKY ↗

At least 3 days before

Shigetsu

Your booking is complete only after you receive a confirmation email.

Book Shigetsu ↗

Klook note

Klook bookings may include a free or discounted eSIM. A new traveller should open the referral link before signing up and use their own email address and phone number. The reward may be about ₹400, but the amount and rules can change.

First-time essentials

Know this before you land

The practical advice we wish every first-time visitor had in one place.

Shinkansen

Shin-Osaka and Osaka are different stations.
Save a screenshot of the ticket QR code on your phone.
After buying a Suica card in Japan, you can also link its card number to your SmartEX booking. Then tap the Suica card at the Shinkansen gate.
Queueing early at the first station improves your chance of getting a seat in a non-reserved car, but a seat is not guaranteed.
Nozomi may have reserved seats only during busy travel periods.
Reserve luggage space when the suitcase length + width + height is more than 160 cm.

Suica & cash

Buy a Welcome Suica at Haneda Airport before leaving the airport. Add at least ¥5,000 to your card for a smooth first 1-2 days of travel.
Welcome Suica is currently valid for 28 days. Money left on it cannot be refunded.
Recharge a physical card with cash at supported ticket machines or Seven Bank ATMs.
We carried about ₹60,000 cash for two people over nine days.
When paying by card, always choose yen.

Bring Indian comfort food

Rajma, jeera rice, thepla and chutney were very helpful after long days. Use sealed food packs that do not need a fridge, pack chutney in containers that do not leak and check Japan’s food rules before travelling. A microwave or small kitchen helps.

Luggage

Ask if you can leave bags before check-in. Large station lockers fill up on holidays. Japanese luggage delivery (takkyubin) is useful, but first ask if your next hotel or host can receive the bag.

Convenience-store favourites

7-Eleven or FamilyMart fruit sandwich - must try
FamilyMart Margherita pizza wrap
7-Eleven OHAYO Crème Brûlée
7-Eleven Butter de Shikonda Funwari Melonpan
Use remaining coins to print photos at 7-Eleven.

Beauty products to look for

Rohto Melano CC Premium EssenceBrightens dark spots with vitamin C.
Product images
SANA Nameraka Honpo eye creamGold: wrinkles. Pink: brightening. Red: dryness or dark circles.
Product images
Fino Premium Touch Hair MaskSoftens dry and damaged hair.
Product images
Keana Nadeshiko Rice MaskHydrates skin for a softer feel.
Product images
DHC Lip CreamKeeps dry lips soft and smooth.
Product images
Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium LotionDeep hydration for dry skin.
Product images
Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep MaskOvernight hydration for plumper-looking skin.
Product images

OS Drug may have the lowest prices, but it may not stock every item. Also explore Sundrug, Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Yodobashi Camera and Bic Camera.

Try a short night bike ride

Use Lime or LUUP for a short late-night ride in Kyoto or Tokyo. It is a fun way to explore quiet streets without a fixed plan. Check the app for bikes near you and park only in an approved parking area.

Vegetarian does not always mean no fish stock.

Ask specifically about dashi, bonito, fish extract and egg. Save this on your phone:

私たちはベジタリアンです。肉、魚、魚介類、魚のだし、卵は食べられません。乳製品は大丈夫です。

We are vegetarian. We cannot eat meat, fish, seafood, fish stock/dashi or egg. Dairy is fine.

Our recommendations

What to visit and what to skip

Not every popular place needs to be on your first Japan trip.

Must visit

One night in Hakone with time for the hot-spring baths
Sagano one way + walk to JR Umahori
Shigetsu’s Yuki lunch
Biovortex Kyoto
Fushimi Inari at sunrise
Margherita DOC at SaluTori
SHIBUYA SKY before sunset

Nice if you have time

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, early and while nearby
Dōtonbori after dark
Takeshita Street and a Japanese photo booth
Tokyo Skytree for a second city view
teamLab Planets (Tokyo) only if you want to visit both teamLab museums

Easy to skip

Visiting many temples - they can feel similar. Keep Tenryū-ji because Shigetsu is inside, then enjoy the nearby area.
The average massage near Namba
Shokaku Noodles when UZU is available
teamLab Planets (Tokyo) if Biovortex is booked and time is tight

Japan: Hakone, Kyoto, Osaka & Tokyo

9 days · Vegetarian-friendly · A practical guide for first-time visitors

This itinerary is based on our actual journey. It focuses on Hakone, teamLab Biovortex Kyoto and SHIBUYA SKY, with enough rest between long walking days.

Day-by-day itinerary

17 September - Hakone

Buy a Welcome Suica at Haneda Airport before leaving the airport and add at least ¥5,000 to your card for a smooth first 1-2 days of travel. We travelled from Tokyo by train and then took a local bus to Gōra Station. Yumoto and Gōra are two towns in Hakone. Yumoto is the main entrance to Hakone, with more shops, restaurants and busy hot-spring streets. Gōra is higher in the mountains, quieter and closer to the cable car, ropeway and many traditional hotels. Leave luggage at the hotel, buy the Cable Car & Ropeway 1-Day Ticket at Gōra Station and visit Ōwakudani before returning to Gōra. Eat the Quattro Formaggi pizza at Pub Stop Pizza & Bar. At Suiun or Tokinoyu, return early for the private hot-spring bath, sauna, kimono, 5 PM matcha experience, hot chocolate and free night ramen. Our pick is Suiun because natural hot-spring water comes directly to the bath in your room. For a lower price, compare Tokinoyu. Its separate private baths use natural hot-spring water and are enough for a relaxing stay.

18 September - Hakone to Kyoto

Have breakfast and one final bath, then travel through Odawara. Take a direct Hikari if the time works; Nozomi does not stop at Odawara. Book through SmartEX. In Kyoto, explore Nishiki Market, Pontochō and the Kamo River. Engine Ramen has a good vegan ramen; Mumokuteki is another good choice.

19 September - Arashiyama and teamLab Biovortex

Reach the bamboo grove around 7 AM. We found it disappointing, so keep the visit short. Take the Sagano Romantic Train one way from Torokko Saga to Kameoka; choose Car No. 5 if available. Walk through the fields to JR Umahori and return to Arashiyama. Visit Tenryū-ji and book the Yuki lunch at Shigetsu. Rest in the afternoon, then spend 2-3 hours at teamLab Biovortex Kyoto. Eat at Honolu nearby and look for OHAYO Crème Brûlée and Butter de Shikonda Funwari Melonpan at 7-Eleven.

20 September - Historic Kyoto

Reach Kiyomizu-dera near opening time, then walk down Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka. Try Rabbit Bagels’ garlic cheese bagel, pickled cucumber, strawberries and warm dorayaki. Eat lunch at Mumokuteki. Continue to the Nanzen-ji aqueduct and Philosopher’s Path, or reserve a ring-making activity. Choose Vegan Ramen UZU over Shokaku Noodles.

21 September - Fushimi Inari and Nara

Reach Fushimi Inari around 6:30-7 AM and walk beyond the first torii tunnels. Continue to Nara, browse Higashimuki Shopping Street, visit Nara Park and add Tōdai-ji if time allows. Eat at Vegan Friendly Ramen by Playpen Friends. Return to Kyoto and order the Margherita DOC at Pizzeria SaluTori - the best pizza of our trip.

22 September - Kyoto to Osaka

Leave around 10 AM and stay near Namba. At Hiyori Hotel, the Deluxe Double Room is spacious and includes a foot massager. We would skip the average ¥5,000 massage nearby and rest instead. Eat Indian or Nepali comfort food, then see Dōtonbori, Don Quijote, a purikura booth and quiet Hōzenji Yokochō after dark.

23 September - Osaka to Tokyo

Travel from Namba to Shin-Osaka, not Osaka Station. For a Hikari or Kodama with non-reserved cars, arrive 20-30 minutes early. Starting at Shin-Osaka improves your chance of sitting together, but a seat is not guaranteed. Check whether Nozomi has reserved seats only on your travel date. In Tokyo, shop at UNIQLO, GU and MUJI in Ginza. ANNAM Indian Restaurant was excellent but expensive; we liked its paneer tikka masala, lachha paratha and aloo paratha.

24 September - Tokyo

Our recommendation is to visit only teamLab Biovortex Kyoto. If you still want teamLab Planets (Tokyo), take an early slot, wear rollable trousers and eat the basic miso ramen at Vegan Ramen UZU. Otherwise start in Ginza: visit Age.3 for the crème brûlée and strawberry chocolate sandwiches, then browse G. Itoya, Seiko and MUJI. Enter SHIBUYA SKY around an hour before sunset and stay into the night. Tickets currently open at midnight Japan time 14 days ahead.

25 September - Shinjuku, Harajuku and Skytree

Visit Onitsuka Tiger, then explore Yodobashi Camera and Bic Camera. Compare and buy beauty products at OS Drug, Sundrug and Matsumoto Kiyoshi. OS Drug is usually cheaper even without tax-free shopping, but it may not stock every recommended item. At Age.3 Harajuku, try the raw honey and pistachio sandwiches. Across both Age.3 visits, our ranking was crème brûlée first, strawberry chocolate second, raw honey third and pistachio fourth. Walk Takeshita Street and make purikura photos. Tokyo Skytree is optional if you already visited SHIBUYA SKY.

26 September - Fly home

Reach the airport around three hours before an international flight. Spend the remaining Welcome Suica balance at airport shops or convenience stores that accept Suica because money left on the card cannot be refunded.

Hotels

Hakone: Our pick is Setsugetsuka Bettei Suiun because natural hot-spring water comes directly to the bath in your room. Both Suiun and Tokinoyu offer matcha if it is running and free late-night ramen. For a lower price, compare Tokinoyu. Its separate private baths use natural hot-spring water and are enough for a relaxing stay.
Kyoto: the Airbnb near Tōfukuji was close to the train station, although the rooms felt small.
Osaka: Hiyori Hotel Osaka Namba Station, preferably a Deluxe Double Room.
Tokyo: Tokyo Sunshine Tower in Minato was central. Shinjuku or Ginza are also easy areas for a first visit.

Book ahead

Book teamLab Biovortex Kyoto when dates are fixed. It is the only teamLab we recommend.
Book Shinkansen tickets through SmartEX about one month ahead.
Book the Sagano Romantic Train at midnight Japan time one month ahead.
Book SHIBUYA SKY at midnight Japan time 14 days ahead, aiming for 60-90 minutes before sunset.
Book Shigetsu at least three days ahead and wait for its confirmation email.

First-time practical advice

Vegetarian food: “Vegetarian” may still include fish stock. Ask about dashi, bonito, fish extract and egg. We carried sealed packs of rajma, jeera rice, thepla and chutney so we had familiar food after long days.

Buy a Welcome Suica at Haneda Airport before leaving the airport and add at least ¥5,000 to your card for a smooth first 1-2 days of travel. It is currently valid for 28 days. Money left on it cannot be refunded. Recharge it with cash at supported ticket machines or Seven Bank ATMs.
Save a screenshot of each Shinkansen ticket QR code. After buying your Suica card in Japan, you can also link its card number to the SmartEX booking and tap the Suica card at the Shinkansen gate.
We carried about ₹60,000 cash for two people over nine days. You may need more or less depending on prepaid bookings and shopping.
Ask each hotel or host if you can leave bags before check-in. Before using Japanese luggage delivery (takkyubin), ask if your next hotel or host can receive the bag.
Reserve Shinkansen luggage space if the suitcase length + width + height is more than 160 cm.
Convenience-store favourites: the must-try fruit sandwich from 7-Eleven or FamilyMart, FamilyMart Margherita pizza wrap, 7-Eleven OHAYO Crème Brûlée and 7-Eleven Butter de Shikonda Funwari Melonpan.
Beauty products to look for: Rohto Melano CC Premium Essence; SANA Nameraka Honpo eye cream; Fino Premium Touch Hair Mask; Keana Nadeshiko Rice Mask; DHC Lip Cream; Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Lotion; and Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask. OS Drug may be cheaper but may not stock every item.
For a fun evening, use Lime or LUUP for a short bike ride in Kyoto or Tokyo. Park only in an approved area.

Vegetarian phrase:
私たちはベジタリアンです。肉、魚、魚介類、魚のだし、卵は食べられません。乳製品は大丈夫です。
We are vegetarian. We cannot eat meat, fish, seafood, fish stock/dashi or egg. Dairy is fine.

Opening hours, prices, ticket rules and promotions can change. Recheck official sources before booking and the day before every fixed-time activity.