Ten days is the length of trip I recommend to almost everyone who asks me about Japan for the first time. It is long enough to see Tokyo properly instead of ticking it off, long enough to give Kyoto two unhurried days, and still short enough that you do not need to ask for a fortnight of leave. I have flown into Tokyo and out of Osaka more than once, and the shape below is the one I keep coming back to: four nights in Tokyo with a day out at Hakone, a bullet train west, three nights in Kyoto with a trip to Nara, and the last night in Osaka before an easy flight home. What follows is the version I would hand to a friend, with the mistakes I made removed.
Why this route works, and who it is for
Japan is a long, thin country, and the classic first-timer mistake is to try to see all of it. Someone draws a line from Hokkaido to Okinawa, adds Hiroshima and Mount Fuji because the photos are good, and ends up spending a third of the holiday on trains. The route in this guide stays on one corridor, the Tokaido line between Tokyo and Osaka, which is the busiest, best-served stretch of rail on earth. Trains leave every few minutes, luggage forwarding is cheap and everything is signposted in English.
It suits couples, friends travelling together, parents with teenagers and solo travellers. It also works for families with younger children if you cut one stop a day and accept that the temples will take longer than the guidebook suggests. It does not suit anyone who wants beaches, skiing or deep countryside; for those, Okinawa and Hokkaido deserve their own trip. Even with a tight route, ten days means choices. I have marked what I would drop first if you are short of energy, because the people who enjoy Japan most are rarely the ones who saw the most.
A quick word on pace. Japan is physically tiring in a way that surprises people. Even on a relaxed day you will walk 15,000 to 22,000 steps, much of it on station stairs, and you will do it with a daypack and often with a suitcase. I build in one light afternoon in each city. If you land from Singapore on a morning flight you will be a little groggy on day one, so the first day is deliberately gentle.
| Days | Where you sleep | What you do | Getting around |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tokyo | Arrive, Asakusa, Sumida River at dusk | Airport train, Ginza Line |
| 2 | Tokyo | Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, Shibuya, Shinjuku | Yamanote Line, walking |
| 3 | Tokyo | Ueno, Akihabara, Ginza or a free day | Metro, 3-day pass |
| 4 | Tokyo | Hakone and Lake Ashi, Mount Fuji views | Day pass or tour |
| 5 | Kyoto | Shinkansen west, Gion in the evening | Bullet train, local bus |
| 6 | Kyoto | Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu-dera, Higashiyama | JR Nara Line, bus, walking |
| 7 | Kyoto | Arashiyama, Kinkaku-ji, Nishiki Market | Sagano line, bus |
| 8 | Osaka | Nara morning, Osaka Castle, Dotonbori at night | Kintetsu or JR, subway |
| 9 | Osaka | Free day: aquarium, Universal or a sea-coast day trip | Subway, local train |
| 10 | Fly home | Last breakfast, airport | Haruka express or limousine bus |
Before you go: entry, flights and the boring bits that matter
Start with paperwork, because it is the one part of a Japan trip that can actually stop you travelling. Singapore passport holders can enter visa-free for up to 90 days as tourists, which is the easy case. Plenty of other nationalities have different limits, some 15 or 30 days, and some need a visa in advance. Indian travellers, for example, can apply for the eVISA for tourism, usually processed in about five working days after a complete submission, or go through the embassy route. Rules change, so before you pay for anything, check the Japan visa requirements page for your passport. If you need a visa and your agent or consulate asks for a confirmed itinerary or flight booking as supporting paperwork, our flight reservation service gives you a dated reservation for that purpose, so you are not buying a non-refundable ticket before the visa is approved. It is a reservation for documents, not a ticket you can fly on.
Everyone, visa or not, should complete Visit Japan Web before landing. It lets you pre-register your immigration and customs details and gives you QR codes to scan at the airport, which turns a long queue into a short one. Do it on the plane or the night before; it takes ten minutes.
For flights, the sensible ticket from Singapore is open-jaw: into Tokyo (Haneda is closer to the city, Narita usually has more choice and lower fares) and out of Osaka Kansai. Do not book a return into Tokyo unless you enjoy a four-hour backtrack on your last day. Singapore Airlines, Scoot, ANA and Japan Airlines all fly the routes, and the flight is about seven hours. Overnight flights land you in Tokyo early with a full day ahead; daytime flights land in the evening and suit day one in this guide better.
Money and connectivity next. Japan is far more cash-friendly than people expect from the stereotype of a high-tech nation. Many small restaurants, shrines and ticket machines still prefer coins and notes, so carry a few thousand yen at all times and withdraw more at a 7-Eleven ATM, which takes foreign cards reliably. Load a Suica or Pasmo card onto your phone wallet, or buy the physical card at the airport if your phone does not support it, and use it for trains, buses, vending machines and convenience stores. For data, an eSIM saves the airport queue entirely; we list several Japan eSIM options and pocket Wi-Fi pickups on the Japan page. Install it before you fly and switch it on when you land.
Days 1 to 3: Tokyo, the city that never feels finished
Tokyo is not one place. It is a dozen city centres stitched together by a train network that looks, on the map, like a bowl of noodles. You do not need to understand it all, but you do need a base. I stay on the Yamanote Line (the loop) or near a Ginza or Marunouchi Line station, because from there nearly everything is a single change away. Shinjuku is the loud, practical choice; Ueno and Asakusa are cheaper and older; Tokyo Station area is calm and puts the bullet train on your doorstep for day five.
Day 1: Arrive, Asakusa and the river at dusk
Take the express to the city rather than a taxi, which can cost well over ¥20,000 from Narita. If you want door-to-door service after a long flight, a private airport transfer can be booked ahead; we sell Narita to Tokyo City and Haneda to Downtown transfers, and it is genuinely worth it with children or heavy bags. Drop your luggage, shower, and head to Asakusa.
Senso-ji is Tokyo's oldest temple, and the long approach down Nakamise-dori is lined with snack stalls and souvenir shops. It is crowded between 10 and 4. At 5 or 6 PM, when the day-trippers leave, the main hall is lit and the whole place quietens. Buy a small bag of freshly made ningyo-yaki cakes, walk to the Sumida River and look across at the Skytree as it lights up. Dinner can be tempura or a bowl of soba in the back streets; a full meal at a local place rarely costs more than ¥1,500 to ¥2,500.
Do not do more than this on day one. I made the mistake once of adding Shibuya at 9 PM after a red-eye flight and spent the next morning in a daze. Sleep early.
Day 2: Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, Shibuya and Shinjuku
Start early at Meiji Shrine, in the forested park beside Harajuku Station. The gravel path from the great torii gate to the shrine takes about 15 minutes and feels miles from the city. On weekends you may see a traditional wedding procession. Walk back out through Takeshita Street if you like crowds and crepes, or skip it and take the quieter Omotesando avenue for architecture and coffee.
Shibuya is about 20 minutes on foot or one stop on the train. The famous scramble crossing is best photographed from the Shibuya Sky observation deck or from the second-floor windows of the station walkway, which are free. Afterwards, drift through the backstreets toward Nonbei Yokocho or head on to Shinjuku. In the evening Shinjuku's Omoide Yokocho alley, with its tiny grills and smoke, is atmospheric but cramped; if you are travelling with young children, the department-store restaurant floors are calmer and the food is every bit as good.
One practical note. Tokyo's famous sights are close in the street map and far in real life. Meiji Shrine to Shinjuku is a single train ride, but each transfer through a big station can burn 10 minutes. Plan two main stops in the morning and two in the evening and leave the afternoon loose.
Day 3: Ueno, Akihabara and a choice
The third day is the flexible one. Ueno Park holds several museums, a zoo and Shinobazu Pond, and the Tokyo National Museum has the best single collection of samurai swords and Buddhist art in the country. Plan two hours, no more. From Ueno it is a short train to Akihabara, the electronics and anime district. Even if you have no interest in manga, the multi-floor arcades and retro-game shops are fun for an hour.
For something more unusual, a one-hour guided street go-kart drive through the Akihabara, Ginza and Marunouchi districts is a hit with friends in their twenties and thirties. Check the licence rules before booking, because you need a valid driving licence and, for most foreign visitors, an International Driving Permit. Details are on our Akihabara street go-kart page.
If you would rather keep the day calm, take the Ginza Line to Ginza for department-store food halls, finish at the Tsukiji outer market (the inner market moved to Toyosu, but the stalls in Tsukiji are still worth a breakfast stop), and spend the afternoon at the Hamarikyu Gardens with a bowl of matcha at the teahouse. This is the day I use to catch up on laundry, rest sore feet and eat at a ramen counter without a schedule.
Day 4: Hakone and a view of Mount Fuji, if the weather allows
Hakone is the usual day trip for Mount Fuji views, and it is a good one because the route itself is the attraction: a small mountain train, a cable car, a ropeway over the steaming Owakudani valley and a pirate-ship ferry across Lake Ashi. The honest caveat is that Fuji is shy. In summer it is hidden by cloud most mornings, and even in clearer seasons your chance of a good view sits at maybe one in two. Go early, and treat the view as a bonus, not a guarantee.
You have two options. The independent route uses a Hakone Free Pass, which bundles the Odakyu train from Shinjuku with all local transport. Our Hakone and Kamakura free pass covers trains, the ropeway and the lake cruise, and the Hakone sightseeing cruise ticket is sold separately if you only want the boat. The guided route takes all the planning away; our Mt. Fuji and Hakone one-day tour includes a bullet-train segment and the lake cruise and suits anyone who dislikes working out connections.
Whichever route you choose, carry a layer. Owakudani sits at about 1,000 metres and is much cooler than Tokyo, and the sulphur smell is strong. Try the black eggs, boiled in the hot springs; locals say each one adds seven years to your life. If you want to extend the trip, stay one night in a ryokan in Hakone and skip the late return; many travellers rate it the best part of their trip, but on a tight ten days I treat it as a luxury. For visitors who want a different Fuji viewpoint, there is also a direct bus to Lake Kawaguchi and Fuji-Q Highland. That is a better choice if you have children who want roller coasters.
Return to Tokyo by early evening, pack, and have a quiet dinner near your hotel. Tomorrow's bullet train leaves from Tokyo Station, and you will want your bags sorted tonight.
Day 5: Shinkansen to Kyoto
Most people picture the bullet train ride as the highlight of Japan, and it does live up to the reputation. The Nozomi service covers Tokyo to Kyoto in about two hours and fifteen minutes. Reserved seats on the right-hand side of the train (the E seats) give you the best chance of seeing Mount Fuji out of the window about 40 minutes after leaving Tokyo. Buy a bento at the station first; the ekiben shops at Tokyo Station sell dozens of varieties and eating one on the train is a small ritual.
One thing I want to be blunt about is the Japan Rail Pass. It used to be the default advice for every visitor. Since the 2023 price increase, a 7-day national pass costs around ¥50,000, and a single Tokyo to Kyoto bullet-train trip costs somewhere around ¥14,000 to ¥15,000 each way. On this route, with a return from Osaka (a short hop from Kyoto), you are very unlikely to break even. Buy individual tickets, or use the Smart EX app to book reserved seats on the Tokaido Shinkansen using a credit card. I would only consider a pass if you add Hiroshima and a long-range trip west, in which case a regional pass such as the JR West Kansai Wide Area Pass is a better fit than the national one, and it is sold as an e-voucher.
Once in Kyoto, forward your suitcase to the hotel if your arrival is before check-in, or use a coin locker at the station. Kyoto's buses are notoriously full, and a suitcase on a crowded bus does not make friends. Spend the evening in Gion. The district is at its most atmospheric at dusk, when geiko and maiko walk to appointments along Hanamikoji Street. Please do not chase them for photos. Several streets have signs banning photography because of past harassment. A quiet dinner of kaiseki or even a simple set meal in a side street is a better introduction.
Days 6 and 7: Kyoto, with temples before the tour buses
Kyoto is where the guidebook cliche gets tested. The old capital has around 1,600 temples and 400 shrines, and there is no hope of seeing them all. The trick is to choose three or four and arrive early. Between 8 and 9 AM, most places are half-empty. By 11 the same places can be shoulder to shoulder with tour groups.
Day 6: Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu-dera and Higashiyama
Begin at Fushimi Inari Taisha, the shrine with thousands of vermilion torii gates winding up a wooded hill. Take the JR Nara Line from Kyoto Station; it is two stops and runs every few minutes. The path to the summit takes about two hours return, but most people do the first 30 minutes and turn back, and honestly the first 30 minutes are the best part. Go at 7 or 8 AM if you want photos without strangers.
From there take the train and a short bus or taxi to Kiyomizu-dera, the wooden temple built on a hillside with a vast stage that looks out over the city. The approach streets of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka are lined with old shopfronts selling sweets and pottery. The area is one of the most photographed in Japan and is busy all day, so I walk it slowly in the late afternoon, ending near Yasaka Shrine and Gion as the lights come on. If you want a guide for context, our Kyoto and Nara small-group tour covers these highlights with a driver, though it runs from Osaka.
For a rainy day, the Kyoto Railway Museum and Kyoto Aquarium combination ticket is a pleasant indoor option. It is also a good bet if you travel with children who have had enough shrines.
Day 7: Arashiyama, Kinkaku-ji and Nishiki Market
Arashiyama is on the western edge of the city and feels like a village in its own right. Reach it early on the JR Sagano line. The Bamboo Grove path is short, around 400 metres, and it can be very busy, but a few minutes there at 8 AM is lovely. Then walk to Tenryu-ji, whose garden is a UNESCO site, and cross Togetsukyo Bridge. If you want to ride one of the region's old-fashioned scenic trains, the Sagano Romantic Train runs through the Hozu River gorge; it is a short ride and best in spring and autumn. We also run a full Arashiyama one-day tour that bundles the railway, the grove and Tenryu-ji.
In the afternoon, take the bus to Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, which is as photogenic as every postcard says and takes 30 minutes to see. It is a busy stop, so keep it short. Finish the day in the covered arcade of Nishiki Market, where you can graze on tamagoyaki on a stick, pickles, fish cakes and soy milk doughnuts. Try not to eat while walking; most stalls ask you to finish at the counter, which is a courtesy to other pedestrians.
If you only want a hop-on, hop-off tour, the open-top SKYHOP bus circles the main areas, though I find buses in Kyoto less reliable than trains and my preference is a day pass or taxis shared between four. Kyoto's taxis are not cheap but are affordable if you split the fare.
| Kyoto sight | Best time to arrive | Time to allow | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fushimi Inari | Before 8 AM | 1 to 2 hours | Free entry, open all day |
| Kiyomizu-dera | 8:30 AM or after 4 PM | 1.5 hours | Entry fee; special night openings in some seasons |
| Arashiyama bamboo grove | Before 8:30 AM | 45 minutes | Free, crowded by 10 |
| Kinkaku-ji | Opening time | 30 to 40 minutes | Short loop, no entry into building |
| Nishiki Market | Late morning | 1 hour | Many stalls close by early evening |
| Gion | Dusk | 1 to 2 hours | No chasing geiko, observe photography signs |
Day 8: Nara in the morning, then Osaka
Nara is 45 minutes from Kyoto on the Kintetsu line (a little longer on JR), and it makes a gentle morning. The deer in Nara Park are friendly, fast and pushy about the crackers sold for the purpose. Hold the crackers high, bow slightly and the deer will bow back, which is a trick I have never tired of. Todai-ji holds a Great Buddha statue in one of the largest wooden buildings in the world, and the scale is humbling. Kasuga Taisha, further into the forest, is quieter and has hundreds of stone and bronze lanterns.
By lunchtime take the train to Osaka and check in. In the afternoon go to Osaka Castle. The keep is a reconstruction with a modern interior, but the moats and stone walls are the real thing, and the park around it is a good place to be on a clear afternoon. Move on to Namba and Dotonbori for the evening.
Dotonbori is loud, bright and a little ridiculous, and that is the point. Eat takoyaki (octopus balls) from a stall, ideally from one with a queue; okonomiyaki (savoury pancake) in a sit-down place; and kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers) in a local joint, remembering the rule that you must not double-dip in the shared sauce. A short river cruise is a good way to see the lights from the water; see our Tonbori River cruise or the Dotonbori Wonder Cruise night option.
Day 9: A free day in Osaka and around
I deliberately leave day nine open, because by now you will know what you want more of. Here are the three options I recommend, in the order I would pick them.
The aquarium and bay. Kaiyukan is one of the world's biggest aquariums, with a whale shark as the star. It sits next to a Ferris wheel and a shopping complex, and a short boat links the harbour to Universal Studios Japan. Our Kaiyukan West Pier ticket and the Captain Line trip ticket cover the boat rides.
A coastal day trip. If you are tired of temples and cities, northern Kyoto Prefecture has a quiet sea coast with the Amanohashidate sandbar, the boathouses of Ine and a small train that looks like it was drawn for a film. It is a long day by bus, so a guided tour makes sense; see the seaside tour with Ine Bay cruise or the Tango Sea Train version. Fans of Studio Ghibli sometimes find the scenery familiar.
Just wander. The Umeda Sky Building's open-air observatory, the Shinsekai district with its retro neon and fried food, the Kuromon Market and the old shopping streets of Tenjinbashisuji. Osaka has a looser, funnier energy than Tokyo, and spending a day without an agenda is a good way to enjoy it.
If you are staying on in the Kansai region, this is also a good moment to think about passes. A multi-day card like the Kansai Mini Pass covers private railway lines for three days, and the Have Fun in Kansai Pass lets you choose three attractions over a week. Both only pay off if your plans match what they include, so add up the actual prices before buying.
Day 10: Leaving from Kansai
Osaka Kansai airport is on an artificial island, about 50 minutes from central Osaka by the Haruka limited express from Kyoto or the Nankai Rapi:t from Namba. Allow at least three hours before an international flight. If you have extra yen, use the shops at the airport for Japanese snacks, which are the best gifts; check weight limits, because Kit Kat flavours and mochi weigh more than you think. Hand-luggage rules for liquids apply, so pack sake and sauces into your checked bag.
If your flight is early in the day, spend the last night near the airport or leave Osaka by the first train. If it is late, you have a free morning for a final market breakfast.
What 10 days in Japan actually costs
People ask me for one number, and the honest answer is a range that depends mostly on where you sleep and how much you move around. Our own planning data puts a comfortable budget at roughly ¥10,000 to ¥30,000 per person per day, excluding flights. That covers a modest hotel share, food, local transport and a couple of paid attractions. At today's exchange rates that is in the neighbourhood of S$90 to S$270 a day.
| Item | Budget | Comfortable | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel per night (twin room) | ¥9,000 to ¥14,000 | ¥18,000 to ¥30,000 | Tokyo and Kyoto cost more in cherry-blossom and autumn weeks |
| Food per day | ¥3,000 to ¥4,500 | ¥6,000 to ¥10,000 | Convenience-store breakfasts, set-lunch deals |
| Local transport per day | ¥600 to ¥1,200 | ¥1,000 to ¥2,000 | Suica top-ups; more if you use taxis |
| Tokyo to Kyoto bullet train | About ¥14,000 to ¥15,000 one way | Reserved seat | |
| Kyoto or Nara to Osaka | ¥600 to ¥1,200 | Local train | |
| Attractions over ten days | ¥8,000 to ¥15,000 | ¥20,000 to ¥40,000 | Many shrines are free; some temples charge ¥500 to ¥1,000 |
Some savings are worth knowing. Convenience stores such as 7-Eleven, Lawson and FamilyMart sell proper breakfast and lunch, not just snacks, and the quality surprises most visitors. Business hotels are small but spotless and cost much less than tourist-oriented properties. Booking attraction tickets and passes online before you go also avoids queueing at the gate; the entries for the sights I have listed above, including many of the passes, can be bought on HolidaySG with e-tickets emailed after our team confirms your booking.
The costs people forget are the small ones: coin lockers (¥400 to ¥700), luggage forwarding (about ¥2,000 per bag), a rain jacket when the weather turns and laundry. I add 10 percent for these.
When to go, and what each season feels like
There is no wrong time, but there are wrong expectations. Spring and autumn are the best seasons for a first trip, and also the most expensive and crowded. Japan's famous cherry blossoms usually peak from late March to early April in Tokyo and Kyoto; autumn leaves peak in mid-to-late November in Kyoto and a little earlier in the mountains. Book hotels at least three to four months ahead for those weeks.
| Season | Weather | Why go | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring (Mar to May) | Cool to mild, 8 to 22 C | Cherry blossom, mild walking days | Peak crowds and prices, Golden Week in early May |
| Early summer (Jun to Jul) | Warm, humid, rainy season | Fewer visitors, green gardens | Frequent rain, heavy air |
| Summer (Jul to Aug) | Hot, 30 to 36 C | Festivals and fireworks | Heat risk; plan indoor afternoons |
| Autumn (Sep to Nov) | Mild, drier | Autumn colour, comfortable weather | Typhoons in September, peak foliage crowds in late November |
| Winter (Dec to Feb) | Cold, 0 to 10 C | Clear Fuji views, skiing, hot springs | Short days, some closures around New Year |
Coming from Singapore, the temperature swing is real. In March I have worn a thin down jacket in Tokyo and a T-shirt in Osaka a week later. Pack layers, a light rain jacket and shoes you have already walked in. For winter, add thermals and gloves. Singaporean travellers often underestimate how dry the air is indoors in winter as well, so bring moisturiser and lip balm.
Eating your way through the trip
I have never met anyone who was disappointed by food in Japan, but I have met people who ate poorly because they went to the wrong kind of place. The best meals are usually the simplest and the cheapest. A few general rules help.
First, look for ticket machines. Many ramen and curry shops let you pay at a machine at the entrance and hand the ticket to the staff; if there are pictures, point. Second, lunch sets (teishoku) cost much less than dinner for the same cooking. Third, stand-up soba and udon counters near train stations are fast, cheap and excellent. Fourth, department-store basement food halls (depachika) sell beautiful bento, sweets and fresh fruit at closing time with discounts.
Regional dishes to look for: monja-yaki and tonkatsu in Tokyo; yudofu (tofu in hot broth), matcha sweets and obanzai home-style plates in Kyoto; takoyaki, okonomiyaki and kushikatsu in Osaka. A bowl of ramen at a local shop costs ¥900 to ¥1,300, a good sushi lunch set ¥1,500 to ¥3,000, and a kaiseki dinner starts at roughly ¥8,000 and climbs fast. Tipping is not customary and can cause confusion. Say "gochisosama deshita" as you leave and you will earn a smile.
Dietary needs need a little planning. Vegetarian and halal diners can eat well but need to check for fish stock (dashi) in almost everything. Take a translated allergy card and use apps to find certified halal restaurants in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Do not assume that a vegetable dish is vegetarian.
Etiquette and little things that make you look less lost
Japan is forgiving to visitors, but a few habits make a difference. Take off your shoes where there is a step up at the entrance, and use the slippers provided, except on tatami mats, where you wear only socks. Do not wear the toilet slippers back into the hallway. Speak quietly on trains, and do not take phone calls. Eating while walking is frowned upon in many places, so finish your snack where you bought it. Carry your rubbish with you, because public bins are rare; plan to hold on to wrappers until you reach a convenience store.
On escalators in Tokyo people stand on the left; in Osaka they stand on the right. At onsen (hot springs), wash thoroughly before entering the bath, keep towels out of the water and note that tattoos are still restricted at some baths, though more places accept them now. Bowing is a polite greeting, but a nod and a smile is perfectly fine from a visitor.
Safety is generally excellent. Our travel notes list the emergency numbers: 110 for police, 119 for ambulance and fire, and a national tourist hotline run by JNTO at 050-3816-2787. Buy travel insurance with medical cover, because healthcare for visitors is good but not cheap, and keep a photo of your passport on your phone. Earthquakes happen; your hotel will have instructions in the room, and your phone will usually give an alert.
Getting around: trains, passes and luggage
Most of what you need to know fits into a few rules. Use Google Maps for train directions, since it shows platform numbers and the cheapest route. Tap your Suica or Pasmo at the gates, and top it up at machines with cash. For Tokyo, a multi-day Metro pass pays for itself quickly if you take four or more rides a day; check the Tokyo Metro Pass terms, as it covers subway only, not JR lines. If you intend to visit Nikko, which is a day away from Tokyo with ornate shrines and mountain scenery, the Nikko Pass covers the train and local buses and works well as an extension if you have an extra day.
Luggage is the true enemy of the ten-day trip. Japanese hotel rooms and train luggage racks are small. Pack for carry-on if you can, and use takkyubin (luggage forwarding) services to send your main suitcase from Tokyo to Kyoto ahead of you for about ¥2,000 to ¥2,500. Hotels will arrange it; you then travel with just a daypack, which makes the bullet-train day easy.
A few ways to adjust this plan
If you have 12 or 14 days: add Hiroshima and Miyajima between Osaka and the flight home, a ninety-minute bullet-train ride that makes a worthwhile day, and the Peace Memorial Park is a sombre, important visit. Pair it with the Hiroshima tourist pass for trams and ferries. Alternatively add Nikko from Tokyo or Kanazawa on the way to Kyoto.
If you have 7 or 8 days: drop day 3 (Ueno and Akihabara) and day 9, and fly home from Osaka after a single night there. Keep Hakone as a half-day if the weather is poor.
If you travel with children: cut one stop per day and keep Universal Studios or an aquarium for the middle of the trip. Kids tire of shrines faster than adults do, and the deer park in Nara is a good break. Stroller travel is manageable but station stairs can be exhausting, so choose accommodation near lift-equipped stations.
If it is your second trip: skip Tokyo's headline sights and try Kanazawa, Takayama or a rail pass for a region you have not seen. The Takayama-Hokuriku area pass covers a very different side of the country.
Frequently asked questions
Is 10 days enough for Japan?
Ten days is enough for a first visit to the Tokyo to Osaka corridor, which gives you the cities, the temples and a taste of the countryside. It is not enough to see the whole country, and you should not try. Many travellers find that the real question is not the number of days but how many places they try to fit in, so I recommend no more than three bases.
Do I need a visa for Japan?
It depends on your passport. Singapore citizens can enter visa-free for tourism for up to 90 days, while some other nationalities have shorter limits or need a visa in advance. Indian citizens can apply for a tourist eVISA. Check the Japan visa requirements page for your passport and the official Japanese government site before you book, because rules and fees change. If a visa application asks for a flight itinerary, a flight reservation is a way to show one without buying a ticket.
Should I buy a Japan Rail Pass?
For this route, probably not. The price increase in 2023 means the national pass only pays off if you take several long journeys. A Tokyo to Kyoto return plus short trips costs much less as individual tickets. Regional passes, such as one for the Kansai area, can be better value if you cover many cities in a small region.
What is the best month for this itinerary?
Late March to early April for cherry blossom, and late October to November for autumn colour, are the headline times. They are also the busiest and priciest. May and early October give you comfortable weather with smaller crowds, and I often steer first-timers toward them. Avoid the Golden Week holiday in early May and the Obon week in mid-August if you can.
How much cash should I carry?
Carry ¥20,000 to ¥30,000 at a time and top up at convenience-store ATMs. Cards are widely accepted in hotels, chain restaurants and big shops, but small eateries, shrines, vending machines and some local transport still need cash. Keep coins for lockers and buses.
Can I do this itinerary with young children?
Yes, with adjustments. Take fewer stops per day, avoid the busiest hours, and use luggage forwarding. Japan is very child-friendly, with baby-changing rooms in most stations and malls, but the walking and the stairs are the hardest part. Rest days are not a luxury here.
Is Japan expensive compared with Singapore?
For most Singaporean visitors, food and local transport feel cheaper than at home, while hotels in peak seasons feel similar or higher. A good meal is surprisingly affordable. The big spends are flights, hotels in cherry-blossom and autumn-leaf weeks and the bullet train.
How do I get from the airport to the city and back?
Express trains run from both Tokyo airports and from Kansai, and a private transfer is available if you prefer door-to-door service. Allow plenty of time on departure day for security and immigration. We list airport transfers on the Japan page if you want to book ahead.
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