3 Week Japan Itinerary: A perfect 21 Day Route for First-Time Visitors

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17 years ago I visited Japan for the first time. Ever since, I have been wanting to return, but as these things go, life just got in the way! This year however, I convinced the husband to tack Japan onto the end of our Asia itinerary. And we’re so happy we did!

Japan has a reputation for etiquette culture, temples, excellent food, and being easy to navigate for first-time visitors. While all of that rings true, Japan is different than any other Asian country you might have visited. It’s a place where the trains run to the second, where a 500-year-old shrine sits two blocks from a vending machine that sells hot coffee, and where the “rules” everyone warns you about turn out to be less about tripping up tourists and more about a shared respect for not disturbing the person next to you. Coming from Vietnam the change was immediate; and it’s part of what made this trip stick with us long after we returned home.

Planning your first trip to Japan can feel overwhelming, so we have written out our entire 3 week Japan itinerary based on our own experience. This route is designed for travellers who want to see the highlights without rushing from city to city.

Is 21 days in Japan enough time?

Yes. For a first visit; 3 weeks is ideal. It will allow you to see all the highlights without having to rush and just soak it all in. I would almost say any trip length for Japan will work, because that’s just the country that it is, but definitely make the most of your first trip.

Our 3 week Japan itinerary: route overview

Day 1-3: Osaka

Our 3 week Japan itinerary starts in Osaka because we found it to be a relaxed introduction to Japan before moving on to Kyoto and the Japanese Alps.

Day 1

We started off the day by visiting Nakazakichō, a quiet neighborhood area with lots of cafe’s, charming alleys and boutique shops. We had breakfast at the very cute Kaya Cafe, and then found ourselves at Elemeka Laboratory, a fantastic arcade stuffed full with vintage arcade games you can still play for a few yen.

From Nakazakichō, we went to Tenjinbashi-suji shopping street. This street is the longest covered shopping street in Japan, and is 2.6 kilometers long. You won’t find any high end shops here, but it is full of local shops, artisans, restaurants and everything in between. We walked the entire length of it had drinks and snacks at tiny places, and loved it!

In the evening, we visited Shinsekai, because we had booked a food tour here! We figured; what better day to do that than the very first day in Japan? We loved the retro vibes here, and enjoyed an evening out here after the tour until we had to catch our last train home.

🍣 We did the highly popular Hungry Osaka food tour with Anna. She was hilarious and really tied together the evening. Great to do if you’re traveling solo as well!

Day 2

From our hotel, we walked to Osaka Castle by way of Nakanoshima Rose Garden, which is exactly what it says. If you love flowers, this one is definitely worth a visit. When we visited in mid May, everything was in full bloom. Note that this will be different by the time summer hits!

We then continued to Osaka Castle after admiring its garden. We did not enter the castle, as we had read many reviews saying the interior wasn’t worth it, so we decided to skip it. The exterior was beautiful and worth your while!

We had a quiet evening dinner in our own neighborhood.

Day 3

Off we went to Kuromon market, visited Namba Yasaka Shrine, Hozen-ji, wandered around Amerikamura and did Dotonbori in the evening. The latter being an assault on all our senses, but we enjoyed the chaos.

📖 Need help on where to stay in Osaka or want to know about the best day trips from Osaka? Check our guides to help you out!

Day 4: Nara

Nara is quite famous for its deer park, and for us, this was also the main reason for visiting. We took an easy train from Osaka Namba to Kintetsu-Nara station, and from there is was barely a 10 minute walk before we saw deer roaming the streets. Feeding them is a big thing to do, but we chose not to.

We continued on to Todai-ji, one of Japan’s. most significant temples and one of the world’s largest wooden structures. It really is impressive. We got our goshuincho here (more on that later) to use for the rest of our trip.

What a lot of people skip out on, especially if they’re on a day trip, is to continue through the park and go up behind Todai-ji. Navigate to Nigatsu-do for a gorgeous view over Nara and to visit some of the smaller temples there. We saw a priest in prayer for someone by the fire, this area feels completely different.

In the afternoon, we stopped by Cafe & Kaleidoscope SILOAM, which is a living room coffee shop where the owner sells art and kaleidoscopes as well. We love quirky places like this, and the owner loved receiving foreign visitors!

Things to do in Nara

• Nara deer park
• Todai-ji
• Nigatsu-do
• Cafe & Kaleidoscope
• Isuien & Yoshikien Gardens

Day 5: Koyasan

Koyasan had been on my bucket list for a long time. Koyasan is a sacred mountain temple town where travelers can stay in a functioning temple (shukubo), and where you can find Japan’s oldest and stunning cemetery Okuno-in. I was stoked we were able to do this!

Getting to Koyasan

It’s a bit of a trip, but worth it. From Osaka Namba station, we took a Rapid Express train to Gokurabashi with a change at Hashimoto station. This is a tiny station, and the train will be waiting on the other side of the platform. At Gokurabashi, we exited and made our way to the funicular up the mountain. This was a very steep 5 minute ride! The funicular spat us out at the bus station at the top, and we then took a bus to the main part of town.

💡 Pro tip: Have your hotel forward your big luggage to the next hotel, as traveling up to Koyasan and a temple stay with bit suitcases will be annoying.

We dropped our luggage at Fumonin temple before check in time and went to explore the town until then.

The town of Koyasan houses over 100 temples. It’s impossible to see them all (and not every one hosts travelers) but the one you really should visit is Kongobuji Temple, the primary temple of Shingon Buddhism

In the evening we had booked a night tour of Okuno-in cemetery with a resident monk, which was the absolute highlight of the day. The cemetery is unlike anything you’ve seen before, and walking here with an actual explanation and history was amazing.

Book the tour through their official website here. It starts at 7pm, and follows a brisk walking pace. This is necessary due to the 9pm curfew most temples have, so make sure you can keep up. We went back the following morning to see the cemetery by daylight before taking the bus back, this was very doable!

Koyasan and the temple stay was the absolute highlight or our trip!

📖 Read our comprehensive Koyasan itinerary to plan your trip to Koyasan!

Day 6-9: Kyoto

Kyoto should never be missed during a 21 day Japan trip, and for good reason. It is the cultural heart of Japan, and one of the most important tourist destinations. Many people spend most of their time here and that’s justified, as there is just so much to see and do. From all places in Japan, Kyoto deserves your unrushed attention. The Kyoto crowds are not to be messed with, and it pays off the stay a bit longer, and start your days a bit earlier than you normally would.

Having been to Kyoto 17 years ago as well, I remembered quite a bit, but it’s massively changed as well. We spent 4 full days here and still had to skip out on some things. Either we chose to because I had already been and we wanted to spend our time differently; but also for 2 out of those 4 days, it was pouring rain.

Here is the best of what we did!

Best Things To Do In Kyoto During A 3 Week Japan Trip

Gion and geisha district

Kyoto’s most famous area and for may travelers an important reason to visit Kyoto. Nowadays, it has become quite difficult to spot geisha in the streets, as there are few and with the rising number of tourists (that not always know how to conduct themselves) they have grown shy. We did not spot any, but the neighborhood itself is incredibly beautiful.

🍵 If you’re keen, you can book an evening with geisha or join a tea ceremony.. There are several places to arrange this.

Kiyomizu-dera temple and Higashiyama

A gorgous temple offering views over Kyoto. Come early to beat the crowds. After, explore Higashiyama neighborhood, a traditional area with many wooden houses, teahouses and restaurants.

Nijo Castle

Built in 1603, Nijo Castle was the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s best known for its ornate Ninomaru Palace and unique “nightingale floors” that chirp when walked on. Today, it’s one of Kyoto’s most impressive historical landmarks.

Kōdai-ji Temple and Ninenzaka

If you’re short on time or choose not to visit Arashiyama Bamboo forest, Kōdai-ji, which is walking distance from Kiyomizu-dera, had a bamboo garden as well, and is significantly less busy. The temple grounds itself are beautiful, and it was also here where we met the friendliest monk during our whole trip to sign our goshuincho.

Ninenzaka is the district located in between Kiyumuzi-dera and Kōdai-ji. It is a street lined with traditional buildings and shops and very photogenic.

🏯 Kyoto offers a plethora of experiences to choose from. From kimono rental and photoshoot to Sumo and tea ceremonies.

Day 10-11: Kanazawa

We chose to add Kanazawa to our 3 week Japan itinerary because it houses one of the three most beautiful gardens of Japan: Kenroku-en. It features peaceful ponds, winding paths, seasonal flowers, and carefully designed scenery that changes throughout the year. It’s a must-visit for anyone looking to experience traditional Japanese garden design.

Omicho market

Visit Kanazawa’s day market for the freshest seafood. We had oysters that were as big as our hands.

🍂 Kanazawa is famous for its gold crafts and the art of Kintsugi. You can book a fantastic experience here.

Higashi-chaya district

Kanazawa houses one of the last three official geisha districts in Japan (other than Kyoto and Tokyo). Higashi-chaya has been appointed National Important Cultural Asset and Ochaya Shima teahouse museum especially dates back to 1820 and is a protected building. It’s a beautiful area to wander around.

🛏 In Kanazawa, we stayed at MYSTAYS Katamachi. This location was perfectly aligned with visiting the garden, the market, and surrounding temples. They were super helpful forwarding our luggage to Tokyo as well.

Day 12-14: Takayama

Takayama was added to our trip not only to break up the journey to Tokyo, but we also wanted to visit Hida no Sato ( Hida folk village). Hida no Sato is an open-air museum near Takayama that showcases traditional farmhouses from Japan’s Hida region. The preserved thatched-roof homes offer a glimpse into rural life and local craftsmanship. It’s a peaceful place to explore and learn about Japan’s mountain heritage.

We chose this as opposed to Shirakawa-go, as we had read that this would be much busier than Hida, and this turned out to be exactly right, so we were quite pleased with our decision!

Takayama is also known for its sake breweries. We had great fun touring sake houses, and at some, you can even join free tastings.

Other things we did in Takayama

• Eat lots of Hida beef
• Takayama morning market
• Wander the old town

The best thing we did in Takayama however, was do a part of the temple hike loop that sits in the forest. This takes you by several quiet temples, cemeteries and forest scenery. We never get tired of temples and forests, so this was a win/win for us. It’s a perfect activity if you’re looking for something peaceful. The entire morning we did this, we ran into maybe 2 other people.

🛏 We stayed at Hotel Kuretakeso Takayama Ekimae. Lots of free amenities like happy hour, onsen, all the toiletries you can think of, massage chairs and more. Walking distance to both the old town and Hida no Sato as it is directly behind the bus station

Day 15-20: Tokyo

In all fairness; what is there to write about Tokyo that a million people haven’t done before? I will say this; because I had been before and Jochem generally doesn’t like ginormous cities, we tried to find things that were a little off the path. Of course we visited Harajuku, Shibuya crossing, Sensō-ji and the like, but here are a few other suggestions we did and recommend.

During our time there; the Adachi fireworks festival was held by the Arakawa river, which was pretty cool. Always check what kind of festivals are happening.

Tokyo Neighborhoods We Loved

Matsichiyama-shoden

This temple, known for its daikon worship is a little (without being disrespectful) quirky, and we loved watching what happened here. The priest we encountered was so friendly in explaining, and they even have the tiniest funicular you’ve ever seen from the parking lot to the temple.

Ameyoko Market

This market was close to our hotel and runs underneath the train lines. A great place to get souvenirs and get your street food fill. We loved the atmosphere here.

Omoide Yokocho Memory Lane

A small alley with nostalgic atmosphere and some great izakaya’s.

Jimbocho Book Town

If you’re a book lover, this place is fantastic. The area has vintage book stores, and everything from prints to magazines. It’s very easy to spend hours here!

Yanaka Ginza

Yanaka Ginza is a charming old-fashioned shopping street in Tokyo that offers a glimpse of the city’s traditional side. Lined with family-run shops, cafés, and street food stalls, it’s a great place to experience local life away from the busy tourist districts. The nostalgic atmosphere makes it a favorite for a leisurely stroll.

What we did but would skip next time

We visited TeamLabs Planets and while we enjoyed it; it was less elaborate than we had expected. We visited on a Saturday which might have been a mistake.

Takeshita-dōri in Harajuku used to be a place to see Harajuku girls, but no longer. It is now just another street packed with tourists. It is a good street if you’re after Harajuku fashion though.

3 week Japan itinerary: practical tips

Luggage forwarding: This is a lifesaver if you don’t want to carry bulky bags around. We chose to do this twice: once to avoid having to take them up to Koyasan, and the other time when we arrived in Tokyo during rush hour and did not want to find our way around the metro with them. Many hotels offer this service for a reasonable fee.

Goshuincho: If you love visiting temples, you can buy a special book (goshuincho) to collect goshuin. These are ‘stamps’ that are calligraphed into the books at most temples. It’s easy to spot the offices, there will often be a line, but there are signs as well. Many people take goshuin at every temple they visit to fill their book. They cost between 300 and 500 yen per goshuin.

Station and sight stamps: At many train and metro stations and well as main sights, you can collect stamps as well. These are more like tourist stamps, but it’s fun to collect them. They are usually a bit hidden, so it takes some effort.

Wear clean and whole socks: At many places, you will have to take off your shoes. Wearing clean socks without holes is being respectful.

Never tip: This is seen as extremely rude. Take all the change you receive with you.

How Much Does 3 Weeks in Japan Cost? Our Real Budget

For this 3 week Japan itinerary, we typically stayed in mid-range hotels. The only thing we splurged on was the temple stay in Koyasan, which cost us (I’m a little embarrassed to say) $300, so I will take that out of the equation.

• Hotels: average $60 per night. $1300 total
• Transportation: We used all trains, some ubers and a bus once, The most expensive was the Shinkansen from Takayama to Tokyo at $100 each. Total for the entire trip round $550, including Suica loading
• Food: We ate everywhere, from konbini to street food to izakayas to a fancy birthday meal. Including drinks and bars. Food is the one thing we don’t skimp on. Total around $600
• Sights: From temples to TeamLabs and others. Around $240
• Shopping: Surprisingly, we didn’t shop much. (Another reason to go back!) Total round $150 for both of us.
• Miscellaneous: Think luggage forwarding etc. Total around $100.

3 week Japan itinerary: FAQ

Can you travel Japan without a JR pass?

Yes! Not every train line is a JR line, and the prices have been increased recently. We did not buy one as this calculator showed us we would be cheaper off without. Definitely do this before deciding.

Is 3 weeks in Japan enough for first time visitors?

Yes. Three weeks gives you enough time to combine Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka with quieter destinations like Kanazawa, Takayama and Koyasan. See our full itinerary above.

How many days do you need to Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo?

We found this the best use of time: 3 days in Osaka, 4 to 5 days in Kyoto, and anything 4 days and up in Tokyo.

Is Koyasan worth visiting?

Yes, especially if you want to experience a different side of Japan.

Koyasan is a peaceful mountain town known for its Buddhist temples, ancient cemetery and temple stays. Spending the night there feels completely different from visiting Japan’s larger cities.

The highlights include:

• walking through Okunoin Cemetery
• staying in a Buddhist temple lodging
• eating a traditional vegetarian Buddhist meal
• experiencing the quiet atmosphere after sunset

It does require extra travel time, so it is not for everyone. However, we found it to be one of the most memorable stops on our Japan itinerary.

Is Kanazawa worth visiting on a first trip to Japan?

Yes. Kanazawa is one of the best additions to a first Japan itinerary if you want traditional Japan without Kyoto’s crowds.

The city is known for:

• Kenroku-en Garden, one of Japan’s most beautiful gardens
• preserved geisha districts
• samurai neighbourhoods
• excellent seafood and local cuisine

Kanazawa offers a glimpse of Edo-period Japan while still being easy to visit and well connected by train.

We especially recommend adding Kanazawa if you have already included Tokyo and Kyoto but want something quieter and more authentic.

What is the best time to visit Japan for a 3 week trip?

The best time depends on what you want to experience.

Spring (March–May)

• cherry blossoms
• comfortable temperatures
• beautiful scenery

Downside:

• very popular
• accommodation prices increase

Autumn (October–November)

• colourful autumn leaves
• pleasant weather
• fewer crowds than spring

Summer (June–August)

• longer days
• festivals
• greener landscapes

Downside:

• hot and humid, especially in cities

Winter (December–February)

• fewer tourists
• snow-covered landscapes
• great for ski areas

For a first three-week trip, spring and autumn are generally the most comfortable seasons.

What is the best 3 week Japan itinerary for first-time visitors?

For a first trip, we recommend combining Japan’s famous cities with a few traditional destinations. A good balance is:

• Osaka – 3 days
• Nara – 1 day
• Koyasan – 1 night (skippable if not to your liking)
• Kyoto – 4 days
• Kanazawa – 2 days
• Takayama – 2 days
• Tokyo – 5 days

This route gives you a mix of modern Japan, ancient temples, traditional neighbourhoods, mountain scenery and incredible food.

Many first-time visitors only focus on Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, but adding places like Kanazawa and Takayama allows you to experience a quieter and more traditional side of Japan.

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