10 Best Places to Visit in Japan for Your First Trip

For a first trip to Japan, start with Tokyo and Kyoto, then choose extra stops for the experiences you care about: Osaka for food and city evenings, Hakone for hot springs, or Hiroshima and Miyajima for history and island scenery. The best places to visit in Japan are not a checklist you need to finish. These ten destinations are our editorial shortlist to help you decide what belongs in your own trip.

Choose a few destinations that fit your interests and available nights.
Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka make a useful starting point for comparing routes.
Nara can be an excursion from a Kansai base; Hiroshima and Miyajima work well together.
Hakone and Kawaguchiko offer different experiences, and neither guarantees a view of Mount Fuji.
Check the bookings that matter before filling every day with sightseeing.

Which places in Japan should you choose first?

If you are asking “What should I see in Japan?”, think in experiences before city names. Would you rather spend an afternoon in a museum, walk through a historic neighborhood, try different foods, or stay somewhere with a hot spring bath?

Use the table to make a shortlist. The suggested pace is our planning advice, not a minimum stay or a promise that you can see everything. Count arrival and departure days separately from full sightseeing days, and check the actual journey between your hotels.

Place	Choose it for	How to fit it in
Tokyo	Neighborhoods, museums, shopping and food	A main base with several full days
Kyoto	Temples, gardens and historic streets	A main base rather than a rushed stop
Osaka	Food, bright streets and evening exploring	A base or an excursion from Kyoto
Nara	Temple grounds and a change of pace	A day from Kyoto or Osaka
Hakone	Hot springs, art and lake scenery	An overnight break if your schedule allows
Kawaguchiko	Mount Fuji scenery and lakeside time	A focused excursion or overnight stay
Hiroshima	Peace history and city food	A western extension to your route
Miyajima	Itsukushima Shrine and island scenery	Pair with Hiroshima
Kanazawa	Gardens, crafts and historic districts	An alternative route through central Japan
Takayama	Old streets, markets and the Hida region	A stay with time for the journey

The 10 best places to visit in Japan for a first trip

1. Tokyo: explore neighborhoods, not just landmarks

Tokyo is a strong starting point if you want variety. Visit Sensoji in Asakusa for a temple-centered outing, explore Akihabara if games and electronics interest you, or choose Shibuya and Harajuku for shopping and contemporary city culture. These are different experiences, so pick the ones that appeal to you rather than treating them as compulsory stops.

Save a particular restaurant in advance if eating there is a priority; otherwise, keep some meals flexible.

2. Kyoto: choose a district and give it time

Kyoto suits travelers interested in temples, gardens, traditional inns and historic streets. Gion and Higashiyama, central Kyoto, and Arashiyama offer different ways to spend a day. Kiyomizudera Temple and Nishiki Market are possible starting points, but your itinerary should reflect your interests rather than a race between famous names.

Plan one main area at a time and check visitor guidance at individual sites. For a special meal, use our guide to restaurant reservations in Japan without Japanese to compare online booking, hotel help and phone enquiries before deciding how to reserve.

3. Osaka: make room for the evening

Osaka is a good choice if food and lively streets are central to your trip. Dotonbori and the surrounding Minami area offer the neon city atmosphere many visitors picture, while Osaka Castle Park provides a different kind of outing.

Choose whether Osaka or Kyoto works better as your accommodation base. Staying in both is an option, but another hotel change is not automatically worthwhile. If your time is limited, compare an excursion with moving your bags and checking in again.

4. Nara: look beyond the deer

Nara is worth considering for temple grounds, historic neighborhoods and walking. Nara Park is the familiar starting point, but Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Kofukuji Temple and the Naramachi district give the visit more shape than a quick photo stop.

Our suggestion is to choose a few sights and allow time between them, rather than adding Nara to an already crowded day. It can work as an excursion from Kyoto or Osaka, depending on your starting point and plans. Follow local guidance around the deer, keep your belongings secure, and remember that a park visit still involves time on your feet.

5. Hakone: hot springs, outdoor art and a slower stay

Hakone offers hot springs, Lake Ashinoko and outdoor art, making it a useful contrast to a city-heavy trip. Choose it because you want those experiences, not solely because you hope to photograph Mount Fuji. Weather can obscure the mountain, so have a plan you would enjoy without the view.

If you book a ryokan with dinner, let the stay shape that day's schedule. Ask the property about arrival time, meal arrangements and any bath questions before committing. Our Japanese hotel calling guide explains how to prepare the details. Moshimo can help make a Japanese phone enquiry when the property needs a call.

6. Kawaguchiko: a focused Mount Fuji-area visit

Lake Kawaguchi, often called Kawaguchiko, suits travelers who want lakeside scenery and the possibility of Mount Fuji views. Museums, a lake cruise and the Mount Tenjo ropeway are options to consider around the area.

Our advice is to avoid making the whole outing depend on a clear photograph. Choose an indoor or lakeside alternative you would still enjoy, and check transport and attraction operations for your date.

7. Hiroshima: allow space for the history

Hiroshima belongs on a shortlist for travelers who want to understand more of Japan's history. Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome are central places to consider. Give this part of the trip attention rather than squeezing it between a long journey and several unrelated activities.

You can balance the visit with time exploring the city and its food. It also provides a practical starting point for planning a visit to nearby Miyajima, whether you return to the city or stay on the island.

8. Miyajima: plan around the island experience

Miyajima is known for Itsukushima Shrine and its offshore torii gate. The appearance changes with the tide, so check conditions if a particular view matters to you. Daishoin Temple is another option beyond the most familiar waterfront scene. Access involves a ferry from the mainland, which needs to be part of your journey planning.

An excursion and an overnight stay offer different schedules. If you stay, confirm your accommodation's arrival and dinner arrangements. Do not assume a restaurant will serve at your preferred time without checking.

9. Kanazawa: gardens, craftsmanship and historic districts

Kanazawa is a useful option if you enjoy gardens, art and craft traditions. Kenrokuen Garden and the Nagamachi Samurai District give you two different starting points, while local craft shops and workshops can help shape the rest of the visit. Seafood is another reason to explore the city.

Our recommendation is to include it when the route and your interests support it. If a workshop is important to you, check availability, language arrangements and booking requirements directly before building the day around it. Avoid assuming walk-in places will be available.

10. Takayama: old streets and the Hida region

Takayama offers preserved streets in the Sanmachi area, craft shops, sake breweries and morning markets. It is also a base for exploring the surrounding Hida region. Choose it if you want this smaller-city experience and can give the journey enough time in your itinerary.

A morning market followed by time in the old streets can be a complete part of your trip. If you want to visit during a festival, check the official dates and accommodation availability first. Do not assume festival-period booking conditions will resemble an ordinary week.

How can you combine these places without rushing?

Start with your arrival and departure airports, then count the nights you can allocate. The following are editorial route ideas, not fixed packages or claims about how long everyone needs:

About a week: choose Tokyo with an excursion, or focus on Kyoto and Osaka with Nara. Staying in one region gives you more flexibility.
Around ten days: consider Tokyo and a Kansai base, with one extra experience that matters to you. You do not need a separate hotel for every city you visit.
Around two weeks: consider adding Hakone or Hiroshima and Miyajima to a Tokyo and Kansai trip. Check the full route before deciding how many stops to include.
A different emphasis: build around Kanazawa and Takayama if crafts, old streets and the Hida region matter more to you than another large city.

These are alternatives, not steps to combine into one journey. JNTO's Golden Route itinerary is a useful reference for a classic route, but adapt any itinerary to your pace. Leave flexible time for weather, a longer meal or a neighborhood you want to explore further.

What should you book before choosing daily sightseeing?

Secure accommodation and the experiences you would be disappointed to miss, then build flexible sightseeing around them. Check each venue's official booking process; some use online tickets or forms, while other businesses need direct contact. Confirm conditions before paying rather than assuming the same cancellation rules apply everywhere.

For a ryokan, clarify dinner and arrival arrangements. For a restaurant, prepare the date, time, party size and requests. If plans change, contact the business through its preferred channel; our reservation changes and cancellations guide helps you organize that conversation.

Use the Japan trip phone-call checklist for practical questions beyond sightseeing. A call can resolve an unclear detail, but it is not necessary for every activity: start with the official website, email or booking platform when those meet your needs.

Frequently asked questions

Where should I go on my first trip to Japan?

Tokyo and Kyoto are useful starting points for comparing city life and historic sightseeing. Add other places according to your interests and route. A food-focused traveler and someone seeking hot springs do not need identical itineraries.

Should I visit all ten places?

No. This is a selection guide, not a recommended ten-stop itinerary. Choose fewer places if that lets you spend more time enjoying them and less time moving hotels.

Is Hakone or Kawaguchiko better?

Choose Hakone if hot springs, art and lake scenery are the main appeal. Consider Kawaguchiko for a visit centered on the Fuji Five Lakes area. Neither can promise clear Mount Fuji views.

Can I stay in one hotel for Kyoto, Osaka and Nara?

You can use a Kansai base for excursions, but compare actual door-to-door journeys and the time you want in each place. Check your accommodation location rather than choosing only by city name.

Do I need Japanese to visit these destinations?

You can plan much of your sightseeing using official English information and online booking. Specific restaurant, hotel or workshop questions may still need Japanese contact. Prepare the exact question and booking details before asking someone to call.

Let Moshimo make the call

Once you have chosen where to go, a practical detail can still hold up the plan: a restaurant needs a phone reservation, or your ryokan needs to confirm dinner and arrival arrangements. Moshimo calls Japanese businesses on your behalf. Describe your request in your own language, review it before the call, and receive the outcome in the app. Availability and decisions remain with the business; Moshimo cannot guarantee a booking. Get Moshimo when a Japanese phone enquiry would help your trip.

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Last checked: 2026-10-19.