A Month in Japan: My Itinerary + Essential Japan Travel Tips

This article is a one-month Japan travel itinerary.

After Japan’s borders re-opened to foreigners (after the pandemic) at the end of 2022, I jumped at the chance to spend a month traveling through the country with my dad.

We went to Nagasaki, Fukuoka, Yufuin, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, Kanazawa and Tokyo.

This article will walk you through our month-long travel itinerary and give tips and things to consider as you plan your Japan trip.

This could easily be made into a three-week itinerary by spending only one week in Tokyo instead of two. Some down days are also included, which were meant for rest, laundry, and catching up on remote work.

➡️ My YouTube channel and website offer travel vlogs and guides with more in-depth details about each location.

Without further ado, let’s get into my one-month Japan travel itinerary!

I hope you find this article helpful!

➡️ I know how chaotic planning a trip can be! So, I created a simple “Japan Travel Checklist” to help you keep track of everything! You can sign up to get the free checklist here.

➡️ Check out my Japan video playlist on YouTube!

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Table of Contents

One Month Japan Travel Itinerary

Travel Day/First Night in Japan

Typically, when I travel to Japan, I fly into Haneda Airport. It’s closer to central Tokyo, whereas Narita is located in Chiba (the next prefecture over).

However, for this itinerary, we will fly to Nagasaki the day after we land in Japan.

So, we arrived late afternoon at Narita Airport, picked up our pocket Wi-Fi at arrivals, and stayed the night at the nearby ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel, which has a free shuttle to and from the airport.

Nagasaki

Day 1 – Travel to Nagasaki & Glover Garden

The next morning, we took a two-and-a-half-hour flight from Narita to Nagasaki airport. From the airport, we hopped on a bus shuttle that took us to Nagasaki Station, where we took a short taxi ride to our hotel near Glover Street.

We checked into the hotel (Crowne Plaza Nagasaki Gloverhill) and had lunch there. I had my first Nagasaki regional noodle dish—champon.

Afterward, we explored Glover Street and Glover Garden, located near the hotel. Eventually, we took a night walk by the Nagasaki Port and had dinner at a local shopping center.

Day 2 – Full Day in Nagasaki

On our first full day in Nagasaki, we took a morning stroll to a nearby coffee shop and then visited the Atomic Bomb Museum and Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall.

Located next to the memorial is Peace Park, a tranquil public garden dedicated to the victims.

Spending time in Peace Park and the museums is essential to visiting Nagasaki.The experience deeply moved me, and I recommend ending your visit at the Peace Statue so that you can end with a symbol of hope for the future.

After exploring the area near Peace Park, we ended our day at Japan’s oldest Chinatown to eat Nagasaki’s famous Chinese-influenced dishes: sara udon and champion.

Day 3 – Nagasaki Port & Travel to Fukuoka

The next day, we were supposed to head straight to Fukuoka, but we decided to spend a little longer in Nagasaki. I did not want to leave so we spent time taking in the area around the port.

Is Nagasaki Worth a Visit?

What made Nagasaki so special was how slowed down and small town it felt to be there. Coming from Los Angeles, I always feel the hustle and go-go-go energy in the air.

Nagasaki isn’t as crowded as other major cities, so you can slow down and really take in your surroundings.

How to get from Nagasaki to Fukuoka

Once we were ready to leave, we went to the JR Nagasaki Station, picked up our JR Passes, and reserved our Shinkansen seats. Travel between Nagasaki Station and Hakata Station via the Nagasaki Shinkansen takes about 1hr 20 min.

JR & Shinkansen Tips:

I definitely don’t recommend booking last-minute Shinkansen tickets like we did, and I recommend booking at least a couple of days before your travel date.

However, the route between Nagasaki and Fukuoka (Hakata Station) is less popular than the one between Kyoto/Osaka and Tokyo.

Since this trip happened before the JR Pass price increase, purchasing the 21-day pass was a cost-effective solution for us.

However, I recommend using a JR calculator to determine whether a pass is worth it based on your route and travel time frame.

➡️ READ NEXT: Japan Rail Pass Guide

Fukuoka

Fukuoka, the largest city on Japan’s Kyushu island, is a vital harbor city due to its proximity to China and Korea.

Fukuoka is known for its fantastic food scene (it’s the home of the famous Hakata Ramen!), impressive temples, museums, shopping, and access to beaches.

We spent five nights in Fukuoka, took a one-day trip to Yufuin, and spent three full days exploring the city itself.

➡️ READ NEXT: 4-day Fukuoka Japan Travel Itinerary

Night 1 in Fukuoka – Hakata Station

We arrived at Hakata Station around dinner time, so we ate dinner at the station after checking into our hotel.

I highly recommend visiting Fukuoka during the wintertime for the holiday illuminations alone. The ones at Hakata Station were stunning and one of the best station illuminations I’ve seen in Japan.

Day 4 – Day trip from Fukuoka to Yufuin

I love riding the trains everywhere in Japan. On this trip, we took one of the scenic trains, the Yufuin No Mori, from Fukuoka to a small fairytale-like place called the Yufuin Floral Village.

Reaching Yufuin from Hakata Station takes two hours, making it the perfect day trip from Fukuoka.

You must reserve your seats in advance, either online or in person, at a JR Station. And yes, the JR Pass covers the ticket for this train.

We pre-booked our tickets online in advance, took the 9:17 a.m. train to Yufuin, and took the last train back to Hakata at 5:11 p.m.

Day 5 – Day trip to Yanagawa

On our first full day in Fukuoka, we took an hour-long train to Yanagawa, a city in southern Fukuoka known as the “City of Water. ” Because of the canal waterways that run throughout, Yanagawa is also known as the “Venice of Kyushu.”

I recommend eating the regional unagi dish (unagi no seiro-mushi) and taking a boat tour down the canals. No reservation is required.

Day 6 – Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine

The next day, we went to the Fukuoka’s largest Shinto shrine, Dazaifu Tenmangu, which enshrines the deity of learning, culture, and the arts. Many students come here to receive academic achievement, luck, and knowledge.

It’s the most popular shrine in Fukuoka, so I recommend getting there early and going on a weekday to beat the crowds!

We spent a good amount of time wandering the shopping streets leading up to the shrine grounds and nearby neighborhoods.

My dedicated Fukuoka vlog and guide discuss what we ate and where we went in more depth, so if you’re interested in learning more, make sure to check those out.

Later that night, we stopped by the Tenjin Christmas Market. But it was so crowded we left quickly and got soba and tempura nearby.

Day 7 – Nanzoin Temple (Reclining Buddha) & Canal City

We visited the reclining Buddha at the Nanzoin Temple on our final day in Fukuoka. The temple is twenty minutes via train from Hakata Station and about five minutes from the nearest station.

If you plan to visit, please remember you’re visiting a temple, not a sightseeing spot. There are signs all around asking visitors to be mindful of their noise level and to wear appropriate attire.

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After lunch near the temple, we head to Canal City, an impressive shopping center with an epic fountain and miscellaneous entertainment shows. There’s always something happening here, making it a great spot to shop and relax.

This concludes the Kyushu portion of this Japan trip. The next day, we head out to the Kansai region.

Purchase a JR Rail Pass to potentially save money while traveling in Japan.

Learn more about Japan rail passes.

Osaka + Day Trips (Kyoto, Nara, Kobe)

Our first stop in the Kansai region is Osaka. Osaka is Japan’s second-largest metropolitan area, with Tokyo being the largest.

It’s known for its incredible food scene and lively areas for going out with friends.

Osaka is the perfect stop to add to your trip. Its central location allows for easy access to some of Japan’s most popular prefectures.

We spent 5 nights in Osaka, took 3 day trips and spent about a day and a half exploring Osaka.

Day 8 – Dotonbori & Shinsaibashi Shopping District

To get to Osaka from Fukuoka, we rode a two and a half hour Shinkansen from Hakata Station to Shin-Osaka Station.

After checking into our hotel, we head directly to Dotonbori and the nearby shopping districts.

Day 9 – Day Trip to Kyoto

The next day we took a day trip to Kyoto to meet up with some friends.

Kyoto is so easy to get to from Osaka. You can get there in as little as fifteen to forty-five minutes, depending on what train you take!

We started the day at the popular shopping street leading up to Kiyomizudera Temple, strolled through Gion, and ended on a high note eating at “No Name Ramen.”

Afterward, we head back to the hotel to do laundry and work.

➡️ READ NEXT: 4-Day Japan Travel Itinerary: Kyoto & Nara

Day 10 – Day Trip to Nara

The next day, we took a day trip out to Nara.

The fastest way to Nara is by a 35-minute Limited Rapid Express from Osaka Namba to Kintetsu Nara Station.

This Limited Rapid Express requires an extra reserved ticket to be purchased in addition to the regular base fare (which is typically covered by tapping your IC Card).

The walk to Nara Deer Park from the station is about ten minutes. We fed the deer, saw the Great Buddha at Todaiji, and stumbled into a fantastic pickled food buffet on the way back to the station.

This is an excellent example of not needing to plan where you will eat in Japan. Yes, there are viral food places with fun experiences. However, some of my favorite food experiences were not planned in advance.

Day 11 – Day Trip to Kobe

Our final day trip from Osaka was to a port city across the bay from Osaka and Kyoto.

Kobe is the third largest port in Japan and is known for its beef, crisp sake, and being home to one of Japan’s three Chinatowns.

You can get to Kobe in thirty minutes via train from Osaka.

This was my first time visiting Kobe, and I looked forward to seeing how its port and Chinatowns differed from Nagasaki and Yokohama.

We visited Chinatown, the port, and ended our day taking in the view from the Mount Rokko Observatory.

Day 12 – Full Day in Osaka

There is so much to see and do in Osaka but by day twelve, I was ready to have a slower day in Japan (especially since I’ve been to Osaka before).

If you’d like to see more things to do in Osaka, I have more videos featuring Osaka on my channel.

On this day, we visited the Umeda Sky Building, shopped, and ate revolving sushi at the Grand Front Osaka.

➡️ READ NEXT: Is the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan worth a visit?

Kyoto

After traveling for two weeks in Japan, we finally made it to one of my favorite prefectures and a must-visit if it’s your first time in Japan–Kyoto. We spent 5 days and nights here.

Getting to Kyoto from Osaka is really easy. You can take the Shinkansen and arrive within 15 minutes.

➡️ READ NEXT: Kyoto, Japan: 4-Day Travel Vlog + Itinerary

Day 13 – Travel to Kyoto & Pontocho District

On our first day, we ate lunch at the underground mall at Kyoto Station, checked into our hotel, and then scoped out the Pontocho District, where we got hot pot for dinner.

Pro Tip: Whenever we change hotels, I always leave the day open to take it easy and rest because traveling with luggage in Japan is always more tiring than expected.

Plus, I knew the next day would be a big walking day.

Day 14 – Fushimi inari & Kodai-ji Temple

The next morning we head out to Fushimi Inari. We took the Keihan Line, which is a convenient train line for Kyoto sightseeing because it links some of the most popular destinations.

Fushimi Inari will take up a good chunk of your day, especially if you plan to hike up to the top—which I highly recommend.

The hike to the mountain’s summit and back takes about 2-3 hours. However, visitors are free to walk as far as they wish before turning back.

A popular place to stop and turn around is about thirty to forty-five minutes up the trail, where you will reach an intersection with a nice view over Kyoto.

Afterward, we headed to Kodai-ji Temple, which I do not recommend doing in hindsight, given Fushimi Inari is a hike in itself.

However, seeing the less crowded bamboo forest at Kodai-ji temple was worth it.

Day 15 – Cafe Hopping & Work Day

The next day was a dedicated low-key cafe hopping day, during which I caught up on work and rested my feet from the day before.

Day 16 – Arashiyama

There is so much to do in Arashiyama alone. Every time I visit Kyoto, I dedicate an entire day to exploring things to do in the area.

I recommend staying in Kyoto for at least three days if you can. The most popular destinations are spread out all over, and it takes time to visit each one. This is why I recommend planning your days based on districts.

➡️ READ NEXT: 4-Day Japan Travel Itinerary: Kyoto & Nara

Day 17 – Rest Day

Our last day in Kyoto was a work-from-home day. It was a work, rest, laundry, and pack day.

I have multiple Kyoto videos on my channel with itineraries similar to this one, but they go more in depth about each location and can show you how we broke up our other Kyoto adventures.

Kanazawa

I think one of the best decisions we made was adding one stop before heading back to Tokyo from Kyoto.

Kanazawa, the capital of the Ishikawa prefecture, is a historical city with convenient access to Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto.

It is sometimes referred to by people as “Little Kyoto” because of its traditional charm.

How to Get to Kanazawa

The best way to Kanazawa from Kyoto is by the JR Thunderbird Limited Express, which takes a little over two hours.

When purchasing your tickets, you can choose between reserved and unreserved seats. I always recommend getting reserved seats, especially if you have oversized luggage.

➡️ READ NEXT: 2-Day Kanazawa, Japan Travel Itinerary

Day 18 – Travel to Kanazawa + Higashi Chaya

Kanazawa was our seventh stop on this trip through Japan. We spent 2 nights and 1.5 days here.

After checking into our hotel, we hopped on the Kanazawa Loop Bus, which stops at all the main sightseeing spots in Kanazawa. A one-day pass is available to purchase if you plan to hop on and off the bus all day.

Our first stop in Kanazawa was the historical tea house district, Higashi Chaya. It’s the largest of three well-preserved entertainment districts in Japan, and it’s a great place to stroll through and enjoy a historical Japanese townscape.

You’ll also see lots of souvenir shops specializing in gold-leaf lacquerware.

Fun fact: Kanazawa is known as the city of gold.

Day 19 – Full Day in Kanazawa

The next day was a dedicated day to exploring Kanazawa. We started off on a mission to find good coffee, and on the way to the cafe, we stopped at Ōmicho Market, the largest seafood market in Kanazawa.

Then, we made our way to the Nagamachi Samurai District, where we walked through samurai residences and the well-preserved historical neighborhood.

Next, we went to the Kenrokuen Garden, a Japanese strolling garden that has been named one of Japan’s most beautiful gardens.

After, we walked to Kanazawa Castle Park, where we explored the castle grounds and admired the restored castle, which uses original construction techniques.

From the castle grounds, we walked to the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art and explored the nearby art and design stores.

I loved our visit to Kanazawa because it was a nice break from the mega-touristy areas, and I enjoyed the beauty of historical and contemporary architecture and culture around the city.

Purchase a JR Rail Pass to potentially save money while traveling in Japan.

Learn more about Japan rail passes.

Day 20 – Travel to Tokyo

The next day, we ate breakfast at Kanazawa Station and then took a 3-hour Shinkansen from Kanazawa to Tokyo.

I think it’s an understatement to say that Tokyo Station can be overwhelming. This comes from someone who prides herself on getting around pretty well via the Tokyo metro.

There is a massive difference in foot traffic at Tokyo Station compared to other stations like Nagasaki, Kanazawa, or even Kyoto.

So, this is a quick reminder to give yourself grace if you feel overwhelmed or anxious when you first get to Tokyo. It’s okay! Take a deep breath and find a spot to the side where you can re-orient yourself.

After a long travel day, all we wanted to do was check into our hotel, walk around the area, grab dinner, and go to sleep.

Tokyo

The last two weeks of the trip were spent in Tokyo, and like I said earlier, this Tokyo portion can easily be culled down into a week or a week and a half because my focus was not just on sightseeing but also on helping my dad find an area to live. So, you’ll see pockets of this itinerary that seem random because of this.

I’ll try to zip through this Tokyo leg since we have a lot of days to cover. So again, if you want to see more in-depth details about what we did each day, check out my Tokyo travel vlogs on my channel.

➡️ READ NEXT: 5-Day Japan Travel Itinerary | TOKYO (part 1)

Day 21 – Ikebukuro & Ginza

On our first full day, I decided to lean into the kid in me and head to Sunshine City in Ikebukuro. If you’re into Japanese pop culture and anime, Sunshine City is definitely a place to add to you Tokyo bucket list.

It’s a huge complex that’s home to an entire floor dedicated just to Pokemon and additional floors for other character shops.

After spending some time walking around, we headed to Ginza, where we window-shopped and took in all the extravagant storefronts.

Day 22 – Nails, Work Day & Yokohama

The next day, I got my nails done in Shinjuku and worked from a cafe until lunch. Then, we headed to Yokohama to eat street food in the largest Chinatown in Japan and visited the winter Christmas market at the Red Brick Warehouse.

➡️ Check out my Yokohama video and guide listing all my favorite places to visit.

Day 23 – Shiro Hige’s Cream Puff Factory & Abura Soba

If you are a Studio Ghibli fan, grabbing a Totoro Cream Puff from Shiro Hige’s is a must. Not only are the cream puffs so incredibly cute! The pastry and filling are actually extremely tasty!

This place has grown in popularity over the years so I suggest arriving a little before opening to avoid a long wait. Or, grab the cream puffs to go.

Day three in Tokyo was supposed to be a dedicated work day, but before hunkering down, we stopped at Abura Soba in Shibuya—another favorite spot of mine in Tokyo.

Day 24 – Shopping Day in Tokyo

Day four was a shopping day in Tokyo. We started off in Shibuya at Parco where we visited the Nintendo and Pokemon stores.

Then, I hopped over to Harajuku Takeshita Street, and finally, to Cat Street and Omotesando. All very fashionable areas in Tokyo that are located near each other.

Day 25 – Walk to Tokyo Station

The next day, I was exhausted from traveling, so my dad and I decided to walk around Tokyo without any plans. Our walk took us through the underground tunnels from Hibiya to Tokyo Station.

Fun fact: You can walk underground tunnels to get from one station to another without having to go street-level in Tokyo.

➡️ READ NEXT: 7-Days Exploring Japan | TOKYO (part 2)

Day 26 – Sumida City & Tokyo Skytree

Day six, we moved to another hotel in Tokyo. We stayed in Sumida City near the Ryogoku National Sumo Stadium this time.

It was a fun place to stay because the Ryogoku Station had sumo references all around the area. At night, we hopped over to Skytree, which was located nearby.

I love visiting Tokyo Skytree and think it’s a must-visit place in Tokyo because there are many places to buy unique Japanese souvenirs, popular character stores, great restaurants, and an incredible view from the top.

I have a few videos featuring Tokyo Skytree on my channel, like this one, if you want to see more.

Day 27 – Asakusa and Yanaka Ginza

On day seven in Tokyo, we spent the first half of the day in Asakusa, visiting Senso-ji temple and the shops on Nakamise-Dori Street.

The crowds were a bit much, so we hopped on a bus to Yanaka Ginza, which has a more low-key local vibe.

Afterward, we visited an area my dad was considering moving to and then ended the night eating at a random seafood restaurant near our hotel in Sumida.

Day 28 – Helped Dad and Tonkatsu in Aoyama

As I mentioned earlier, one of my priorities in Tokyo was to help my dad scope out potential neighborhoods to live in. Day eight in Tokyo was dedicated to this mission.

Then, for dinner, we ate at my favorite Tonkatsu restaurant in Aoyama (📍Tonkatsu Maisen Aoyama), which has some of the flakiest and most tender tonkatsu, in my opinion. (I literally go here every time I’m in Tokyo, lol)

Day 29 – Tokyo Station and Shibuya

Day nine in Tokyo was a work and shopping day. After a meeting near Tokyo Station, I decided to explore the station a bit and then head over to Shibuya to shop and get shabu shabu for dinner.

Day 30 – Kawagoe (Saitama)

On day ten, we took a day trip to Kawagoe, a city known as “Little Edo” because of its scenic townscape, which will transport you back to feudal Japan.

I personally come here for all the Japanese sweet potato snacks and street food the area is known for.

A dedicated Kawagoe vlog and travel guide will be linked in the video description if you want more details about all the places we visited.

I recommend dedicating a full or half day to Kawagoe.

➡️ READ NEXT: Tokyo Day Trip: 1-Day Kawagoe Itinerary

Day 31 – Kawasaki

The next day, we ventured 30 minutes outside of Tokyo to Kawasaki. The area around Kawasaki Station is a shopping and entertainment district.

We honestly didn’t do much while here because we came on a whim—we just walked around, did more shopping, and ate delicious food.

Day 32 – Last Day in Tokyo

Finally, my last day in Tokyo was dedicated to hanging out with my dad and moving him into his new place.

Conclusion

This month-long trip in Japan felt like a whirlwind. I left exhausted but so grateful for all the incredible core memories I made.

This trip ended up being the start of my journey creating content here in Japan. It was on this trip that I had the epiphany that I wanted to dive deeper into the Japanese side of me.

I’m deeply grateful for all the amazing opportunities and trips since then.

And I’m so excited for all that’s to come on this channel.

I can’t wait to share this next wave of Japan Travel Series videos with you.

We’ll visit new prefectures, exciting museums and parks, try our hand at traditional crafts, and more!

Make sure you’re subscribed to my channel with notifications turned on so you know when new videos are available!

Until next time.