L'Heure du Voyage
🇯🇵 Itinerary · Japan · 14 days

2-week Japan itinerary 2026: the full Golden Route

14 days without rushing: Tokyo, Fuji, the Japanese Alps, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima and Osaka. The enriched Golden Route, with detailed budget and transport.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

14 days

Stops

8 places

Average budget

€2,800-4,200

Total distance

~1,800 km

Profile

Versatile

Season

Mar-May, Oct-Nov

Tokyo 3d · Hakone 1d · Takayama 2d · Kanazawa 1d · Kyoto 3d · Nara 1d · Hiroshima 1d · Osaka 2d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Japan 2-week itinerary map: Tokyo, Hakone, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Osaka

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

14 days, day by day

1

~€90/pers

Tokyo · Arrival & Shibuya

  • Morning Arrival at Narita or Haneda. Fast train to the center (1h, €20-25).
  • Afternoon Jet-lag rest, then Shibuya crossing and Shibuya Sky.
  • Evening Izakaya in Shinjuku, Golden Gai atmosphere.
🛌 🛌 Shinjuku · e.g. Tokyu Stay Shinjuku (3 nights)·🚇 Suica/Pasmo IC card from the airport·Tokyo guide →
2

~€55

Tokyo · Asakusa & Ueno

  • 9am Senso-ji in Asakusa, then a cruise on the Sumida.
  • 1pm Ueno park, national museum, Akihabara district.
  • 8pm Tsukiji outer market for dinner.
3

~€60

Tokyo · Harajuku & Shibuya

  • 10am Meiji shrine, Takeshita Street, Omotesando.
  • 3pm Shimokitazawa for vintage shopping.
  • 6pm Free Metropolitan Building view at sunset.
4

~€150

Tokyo → Hakone → Takayama · Fuji and Alps

  • 8am Hakone, Lake Ashi cruise facing Fuji, Owakudani.
  • 3pm Shinkansen + JR line to Takayama (via Nagoya, ~4h).
  • 7pm Takayama old town, Edo lanes and local sake.
🛌 🛌 Takayama · e.g. ryokan Honjin Hiranoya (2 nights)·🚄 Shinkansen + Hida line
5

~€70

Takayama & Shirakawa-go · Japanese Alps

  • 8am Takayama morning market by the river.
  • 10am Bus to Shirakawa-go (50 min), UNESCO village with thatched roofs.
  • 5pm Evening onsen, kaiseki dinner at the ryokan.
6

~€110

Takayama → Kanazawa → Kyoto

  • 9am Express bus to Kanazawa (2h15). Kenroku-en garden, one of Japan's three finest.
  • 2pm Higashi Chaya geisha district, Omicho market.
  • 6pm Thunderbird express to Kyoto (2h). Check-in in Gion.
🛌 🛌 Gion / Kyoto station (3 nights)·🚌 Express bus + 🚄 Shinkansen
7

~€50

Kyoto · Higashiyama & Fushimi Inari

  • 7am Fushimi Inari before the crowd, thousands of torii.
  • 11am Kiyomizu-dera and Sannenzaka, local lunch.
  • 4pm Gion at dusk, a chance to spot a maiko.
8

~€55

Kyoto · Arashiyama & golden temples

  • 8am Arashiyama bamboo grove early, Tenryu-ji temple.
  • 1pm Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), then Ryoan-ji and its zen garden.
  • 6pm Cooking class or tea ceremony (€40).
9

~€50

Kyoto → Nara · Deer and Great Buddha

  • 9am Train to Nara (45 min). Todai-ji and its bronze Great Buddha.
  • 1pm Nara park, free-roaming deer, Kasuga Taisha shrine.
  • 6pm Back to Kyoto, dinner in the Pontocho district.
10

~€95

Kyoto → Hiroshima · Memory & Miyajima

  • 8am Shinkansen to Hiroshima (2h). Peace Memorial Park and museum.
  • 2pm Ferry to Miyajima, floating Itsukushima torii.
  • 7pm Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki dinner.
🛌 🛌 Hiroshima (1 night)·🚄 Shinkansen + ⛴️ ferry
11

~€80

Hiroshima → Osaka · Neon and street food

  • 10am Shinkansen to Osaka (1h30). Osaka Castle.
  • 3pm Namba district, Kuromon market.
  • 8pm Dotonbori at night, takoyaki and okonomiyaki.
🛌 🛌 Namba, Osaka · e.g. Cross Hotel Osaka (2 nights)·🚄 Sanyo Shinkansen
12

~€70

Osaka · Universal or Koyasan

  • Day Your pick: Universal Studios Japan, or a day trip to Mount Koya (Buddhist temples, Okunoin cemetery).
  • Evening Back to Osaka, yokocho bars in Shinsekai.
13

~€55

Osaka · Free day & shopping

  • Morning Amerikamura district, thrift shops and cafes.
  • Afternoon Kaiyukan aquarium or the instant noodle museum in Ikeda.
  • Evening Last shopping in Shinsaibashi.
14

Flight

Osaka → Return

  • Morning Train to Kansai Airport (KIX, 50 min).
  • Afternoon Return flight to Paris, often via a Korean or Gulf hub.

How much

Itinerary budget (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€2,800

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €900
  • 🏨 Hostel / business hotel: €40/night
  • 🍜 Konbini + ramen: €22/day
  • 🚄 Long-distance trains: €350
  • 🎫 Activities: €150
Recommended

Comfort

€3,500

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €1,000
  • 🏨 3★ hotel + 1 ryokan: €100/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed restos: €45/day
  • 🚄 Long-distance trains: €400
  • 🎫 Activities: €220

Premium

€5,500

per person

  • ✈️ Upgraded flight: €1,900
  • 🏨 Ryokan + 4★: €260/night
  • 🍽️ Kaiseki + sushi: €90/day
  • 🚖 Private transfers
  • 🎫 Private guides: €500

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

1 week

1 week

Tokyo, Fuji and Kyoto. The express Golden Route.

You're here

2 weeks

2 weeks

Full Golden Route plus the Alps and Hiroshima.

1 month

1 month

From Hokkaido to Kyushu, the four main islands.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

This itinerary links 6 Shinkansen legs, 1 mountain line (Hida) and 1 ferry. Over 14 days and with Hiroshima included, the JR Pass becomes roughly worth it, to compare against individual tickets.

🚄

Shinkansen Tokyo → Nagoya → Takayama

~€70 · ~4h · change at Nagoya for the Hida line

🚌

Bus Takayama → Shirakawa-go → Kanazawa

~€25 · Japanese Alps villages

🚄

Thunderbird Kanazawa → Kyoto

~€50 · 2h · runs along Lake Biwa

🚄

Shinkansen Kyoto → Hiroshima → Osaka

~€95 + €80 · 2h then 1h30

⛴️

Ferry Miyajimaguchi → Miyajima

~€2 · 10 min · floating torii

Adapt by season

When to go and what to book ahead

Late March to early April, cherry blossoms transform Tokyo and Kyoto: book hotels and ryokans 2 to 3 months ahead, prices double. October-November offers red maples and stable skies, my favorite window for this route. Summer (July-August) is hot and humid, with the Gion Matsuri festival in Kyoto in July: superb, but book early. In winter, add a night in Takayama for the Alpine snow.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In October 2024, I stayed in a ryokan in Takayama with a private onsen: the kaiseki dinner served in the room is still my best memory of the trip, well ahead of Tokyo.
  • • Slotting the Alps (Takayama, Shirakawa-go) between Tokyo and Kyoto breaks the urban frenzy.
  • • Do Hiroshima as a one-way leg toward Osaka, without backtracking to Kyoto.
  • • The Kyoto cooking class beat yet another temple visit for memory value.

⚠️ Would change

  • • If you dislike cities, cut Osaka to 1 night and add a night in Kanazawa.
  • • Swap Universal Studios for Mount Koya for a spiritual interlude.
  • • In summer, add a night at altitude in Kamikochi to escape the heat.
  • • Skip Nara if you've already had plenty of temples: one more day in Kyoto is enough.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Is the JR Pass worth it on this itinerary? +
Over 14 days with Hiroshima, it's borderline: the 14-day pass costs ~€460 and this route totals around €400-450 of trains. Compare your actual legs on a simulator before buying.
Do you need a guide or can you do it all yourself? +
It's all doable solo: trains are in English, konbini everywhere, apps (Google Maps, Suica) are enough. A private Kyoto guide for a half-day just helps decode the temples.
Is this itinerary suitable for families? +
Yes, lightened: skip Hiroshima (emotionally heavy for the youngest) and keep Nara, Osaka and Fuji. Kids love the trains.
Should you book ryokans in advance? +
Yes for Takayama and any ryokan with onsen: these places are small and fill up fast, especially in cherry blossom and maple seasons. Book 2 to 3 months ahead.
What's the best period? +
Late March-mid May (blossoms, greenery) and October-November (maples, stable skies). Avoid mid-June (rains) and August (humid heat, high prices).
How much for 14 days all in? +
Count about €2,800 backpacker, €3,500 comfort and €5,500 premium, flight from Paris included, per person.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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