I always recommend 10 to 12 full days in Japan, excluding your travel days.

This gives you enough time to experience the country at a comfortable pace without feeling like you’re constantly rushing between trains and hotels.

With 10 to 12 days, you can comfortably explore Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, take one or two day trips such as Nara, Hakone, or Kamakura, and still leave room for shopping, great food, and spontaneous discoveries.

If you only have 5 to 7 days, I suggest focusing on one region instead of trying to see everything. You’ll spend less time in transit and enjoy each destination much more.

I follow a simple 3 • 2 • 1 formula for a well balanced first trip to Japan.

3 Cities: Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Together, they give you the best mix of modern Japan, traditional culture, incredible food, nightlife, shopping, and famous attractions.

2 Bases: Stay in Tokyo first, then move to Kyoto or Osaka. From these two cities, you can easily take day trips without constantly packing and changing hotels. Osaka is just 30 to 45 minutes from Kyoto, so I recommend visiting it as a day trip or spending only your final night there if it suits your flight.

1 Hidden Gem: Add one destination beyond the Golden Route to make your trip unique. Depending on your interests, this could be Hakone for hot springs and Mount Fuji views, Kamakura for temples and coastal charm, Kinosaki Onsen for a traditional onsen town, Takayama for old Japan, or Kanazawa for beautiful gardens and preserved district

My biggest recommendation is to stay close to a train station. Japan’s public transport is excellent, and being within a 5 to 10 minute walk of a station will save you a lot of time and energy every day.

Tokyo: Stay somewhere along the Yamanote Line, as it connects many of Tokyo’s major areas like Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ueno, Tokyo Station, Ikebukuro, and Harajuku.

Kyoto: Stay near Kyoto Station if you want the easiest access to trains, buses, and day trips. If you prefer a more traditional atmosphere, the Gion or Kawaramachi area is also a great choice while still offering excellent transport.

Osaka: Stay around Namba, Umeda, or Shin Osaka Station, depending on your plans. Each offers great transport connections and easy access to the city’s main attractions.

You only need a few apps to make your trip much easier.

Google Maps is essential. It provides highly accurate train routes, platform numbers, transfer times, station exits, and even tells you which train car is best for quicker transfers.

Google Translate is useful for translating menus, signs, and product labels using your camera. Download the Japanese language pack before your trip so it also works offline.

Klook is great for booking attraction tickets, Don’t forget to use the code MAHIRSLENS for an extra discount!

To keep all these apps connected, you need a good Esim too

Pack light if you can. You’ll be walking a lot, using trains frequently, and moving your luggage between hotels. A lighter suitcase makes the entire trip much more enjoyable.

Bring comfortable walking shoes. It’s common to walk 15,000 to 25,000 steps a day, so good footwear is one of the most important things you can pack.