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🇯🇵 Itinerary · Japan · 30 days

1-month Japan itinerary 2026: from Hokkaido to Kyushu

30 days across Japan: Tokyo, the Alps, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Kyushu and Hokkaido. The grand tour of the four islands, with detailed budget and transport.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

30 days

Stops

10 places

Average budget

€5,000-8,000

Total distance

~4,500 km

Profile

Grand trip

Season

May-Jun, Oct

Tokyo 4d · Takayama 2d · Kanazawa 2d · Kyoto 4d · Osaka 2d · Hiroshima 2d · Fukuoka 3d · Kumamoto 3d · Sapporo 4d · Hakodate 2d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Japan 1-month itinerary map: Tokyo, Takayama, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Sapporo

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

11 days, day by day

1

~€80/day

Tokyo · D1 to D4 · Capital immersion

  • D1 Arrival, rest, Shibuya crossing.
  • D2-3 Asakusa, Ueno, Harajuku, Akihabara, free observatories.
  • D4 Day trip to Nikko or Kamakura (temples and nature).
🛌 🛌 Shinjuku · e.g. Tokyu Stay Shinjuku (4 nights)·🚇 Suica/Pasmo from the airport·Tokyo guide →
2

~€70/day

Japanese Alps · D5 to D6 · Takayama

  • D5 Hakone and Fuji en route, then Hida line to Takayama.
  • D6 Morning market, Shirakawa-go thatched roofs, onsen.
🛌 🛌 Takayama · e.g. ryokan Honjin Hiranoya (2 nights)·🚄 Shinkansen + Hida line
3

~€65/day

Kanazawa · D7 to D8 · Garden and geishas

  • D7 Bus to Kanazawa. Kenroku-en garden, castle.
  • D8 Higashi Chaya district, Omicho market, 21st Century museum.
🛌 🛌 Kanazawa (2 nights)·🚌 Express bus
4

~€70/day

Kyoto · D9 to D12 · Cultural heart

  • D9 Thunderbird to Kyoto. Fushimi Inari early.
  • D10-11 Higashiyama, Kiyomizu-dera, Arashiyama, Golden Pavilion.
  • D12 Nara day trip: Great Buddha and deer.
🛌 🛌 Gion / Kyoto station (4 nights)·🚄 Shinkansen + local trains
5

~€70/day

Osaka · D13 to D14 · Neon and flavors

  • D13 Osaka Castle, Kuromon market, Dotonbori at night.
  • D14 Mount Koya (Buddhist temples) or Universal Studios.
🛌 🛌 Namba, Osaka (2 nights)·🚆 JR trains and metro
6

~€75/day

Hiroshima · D15 to D16 · Memory & Miyajima

  • D15 Shinkansen, Peace Memorial Park and museum.
  • D16 Miyajima, floating torii, Mount Misen hike.
🛌 🛌 Hiroshima (2 nights)·🚄 Sanyo Shinkansen
7

~€75/day

Fukuoka & Kyushu · D17 to D19 · The southern island

  • D17 Shinkansen to Fukuoka (1h). Nakasu yatai stalls in the evening.
  • D18 Dazaifu shrine, temples and lanes.
  • D19 Day trip to Nagasaki (memory, Chinese-Portuguese quarter).
🛌 🛌 Hakata, Fukuoka (3 nights)·🚄 Kyushu Shinkansen
8

~€70/day

Kumamoto & Aso · D20 to D22 · Volcanoes and onsen

  • D20 Train to Kumamoto, rebuilt castle.
  • D21 Mount Aso caldera, one of the largest in the world.
  • D22 Kurokawa onsen, open-air baths in the forest.
🛌 🛌 Kumamoto / Kurokawa Onsen (3 nights)·🚆 Train + mountain bus
9

~€80/day

Sapporo & Hokkaido · D23 to D26 · The Far North

  • D23 Flight Fukuoka → Sapporo (~2h30, €90-130). Nijo market.
  • D24-25 Otaru, Furano farm and lavender (summer), or skiing (winter).
  • D26 Noboribetsu onsen, Hell Valley (Jigokudani).
🛌 🛌 Sapporo (4 nights)·✈️ Domestic flight essential
10

~€75/day

Hakodate · D27 to D28 · Port and night view

  • D27 Train to Hakodate. Morning market, Goryokaku star fort.
  • D28 Night view from Mount Hakodate, one of Japan's finest.
🛌 🛌 Hakodate (2 nights)·🚄 Hokkaido Shinkansen
11

Flight

Return · D29 to D30

  • D29 Flight Hakodate or Sapporo → Tokyo for the connection.
  • D30 Return flight to Paris from Narita or Haneda.
✈️ Domestic + international flight

How much

Itinerary budget (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€5,000

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €950
  • 🏨 Hostel / business: €45/night
  • 🍜 Konbini + ramen: €25/day
  • 🚄 Trains + 2 domestic flights: €800
  • 🎫 Activities over 30 d: €350
Recommended

Comfort

€6,500

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €1,050
  • 🏨 3★ hotel + ryokans: €110/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed restos: €50/day
  • 🚄 Trains + 2 domestic flights: €900
  • 🎫 Activities: €500

Premium

€9,000+

per person

  • ✈️ Upgraded flight: €1,900
  • 🏨 Ryokans + 4-5★: €280/night
  • 🍽️ Kaiseki + sushi: €100/day
  • 🚖 Private transfers
  • 🎫 Private guides: €800

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

1 week

1 week

Tokyo, Fuji and Kyoto. The express Golden Route.

2 weeks

2 weeks

Full Golden Route plus the Alps and Hiroshima.

You're here

1 month

1 month

From Hokkaido to Kyushu, the four main islands.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

A month blends Shinkansen on Honshu and Kyushu, plus 2 domestic flights to reach Hokkaido. Over this length and these distances, the 21-day JR Pass can become worthwhile again: simulate based on your legs.

🚄

Shinkansen Tokyo → Kyoto → Hiroshima

Tokaido and Sanyo · 2 to 5h per leg

🚄

Shinkansen Hiroshima → Fukuoka

~€50 · 1h · entry into Kyushu

✈️

Flight Fukuoka → Sapporo

€90-130 · 2h30 · access to Hokkaido

🚄

Shinkansen Sapporo → Hakodate

~€80 · southern Hokkaido

✈️

Flight Hokkaido → Tokyo

~€100 · for the return connection

Adapt by season

The month you go changes the whole route

This itinerary ends in Hokkaido, perfect from June to August (cool, flowering) or in February for snow and the Sapporo festival. In spring (cherry blossoms), reverse it and start with Kyushu, which blooms earlier, to follow the bloom northward. In summer, Hokkaido is the only real refuge from Honshu's humid heat. Avoid September for typhoons in Kyushu.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In June 2023, I kept Hokkaido for the end: Sapporo was a cool, dry 22°C while Kyoto stifled at 33°C. That climate switch saved the last week.
  • • Doing Kyushu (Fukuoka, Aso, Kurokawa) that everyone skips: volcanoes, onsen and far fewer crowds.
  • • A night at Kurokawa onsen deep in the forest, off the classic circuits.
  • • Planning 4 days in Kyoto, not 2: the temples deserve a slow pace.

⚠️ Would change

  • • If you dislike flying, swap Hokkaido for Tohoku (reachable by Shinkansen).
  • • In winter, turn Hokkaido into a ski stay (Niseko, Furano).
  • • Skip Hakodate and add a night in Sapporo if you're short on time.
  • • In spring, reverse the route: start with Kyushu to follow the cherry blossoms northward.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Is a month too much for Japan? +
No, it's what lets you add Kyushu and Hokkaido to the classic Golden Route. Without that month, those two islands always get cut, even though they offer volcanoes, onsen and wide-open spaces.
Do you need to fly within the country? +
For Hokkaido, yes: the Fukuoka → Sapporo flight (2h30) saves two days of train. The Hokkaido → Tokyo return is also by plane. Everything else is by Shinkansen.
Is the JR Pass worth it over 30 days? +
The pass comes in 7, 14 and 21 days. Over a month with lots of Shinkansen, a 21-day pass paired with point tickets can pay off. Simulate your actual legs before buying.
What's the best period for this grand tour? +
May-June (before the rains, Hokkaido in bloom) and October (maples, stable skies). Summer works by ending in cooler Hokkaido. Avoid September, typhoon season in Kyushu.
Do you need a visa for a one-month stay? +
No. French travelers get a visa exemption up to 90 days for tourism. A one-month stay is covered. Passport valid for the whole trip.
What budget for 30 days? +
Count about €5,000 backpacker, €6,500 comfort and €9,000+ premium, flight from Paris and 2 domestic flights included, per person.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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