🗓️ Best Time to Visit Japan

✅ Best Time — March to May: Pleasant spring weather and famous cherry blossoms. Blooming periods vary by city and year, so early planning is recommended.

👍 Good Time — October & November: Comfortable temperatures, lower humidity and beautiful autumn colours in Tokyo, Kyoto and the mountain regions.

❄️ Winter — December to February: Cold but generally quieter, with clear Mount Fuji views and excellent seasonal scenery. Snow may affect mountain travel.

⚠️ Rainy & Hot Season — June to September: June brings rain, while July and August can be hot and humid. September may experience typhoons.

💡 Tip: Japan’s peak cherry-blossom and autumn-foliage periods are extremely popular. Reserve hotels, trains and major attractions well in advance.

Day 1 — Arrive in Tokyo

Take a flight from your city to Tokyo. Arrive in Tokyo by evening. Pickup from the airport and proceed to the hotel. Check in and relax for the evening.

Day 2 — Tokyo

Explore the following sights in Tokyo:

• Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden — Cherry blossoms
• Chidorigafuchi Park — Vibrant spring cherry blossoms
• Meiji Jingu Shrine — Shinto shrine
• teamLab Borderless — Modern art museum; tickets included
• Shibuya Crossing — Including the Hachiko Memorial Statue
• Ueno Park

Day 3 — Mount Fuji, Lake Kawaguchi & Oshino Hakkai

Join a group tour to Mount Fuji and explore:

• Hirano Beach, Lake Yamanaka — A scenic gravel shoreline offering views of Mount Fuji reflected in the lake, along with its resident swans.
• Higashikawa Clock Shop — A tranquil streetscape where the road appears to stretch directly towards Mount Fuji.
• Arakurayama Sengen Park — Climb to the red five-storey pagoda for panoramic views of Mount Fuji framed by seasonal cherry blossoms.
• Oshino Hakkai — Eight crystal-clear springs fed by Mount Fuji’s snowmelt, surrounded by a traditional thatched-roof village.

Return to Tokyo by evening.

Day 4 — Kyoto & Nara

Take a morning bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto (approximately 2 hours). Check in at the Kyoto hotel, then travel to Nara (approximately 50 minutes) for a guided afternoon tour:

• Nara Park — Home to friendly and sacred deer that roam freely
• Kasuga Taisha Shrine — A Shinto shrine surrounded by an ancient forest
• Todai-ji Temple — Home to one of Japan’s largest bronze Buddha statues

Return to Kyoto by evening.

Day 5 — Kyoto Tour

Join a full-day group tour to explore:

• Kiyomizu-dera Temple — A historic temple founded in 778 and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Sanjusangen-do Temple — Known as the “Temple of 33 Spaces”
• Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
• Kinkaku-ji Temple — The Golden Pavilion, covered in gold leaf and reflected in its pond
• Fushimi Inari Shrine — Famous for thousands of vibrant red torii gates
• Nishiki Market — Discover Japanese local foods

Day 6 — Kyoto to Nagoya

Check out after breakfast and take a morning train from Kyoto to Nagoya (approximately 35 minutes). Check in at the hotel and explore:

• Nagoya Castle
• Osu Shopping District

Day 7 — Gujo, Hida Takayama & Shirakawa-go

Join a guided group tour to explore:

• Gujo Hachiman — Rows of historic houses retaining the atmosphere of the Edo period
• Hida Takayama — An Edo-period castle town with traditional Hida handicraft stores
• Shirakawa-go & Gokayama — UNESCO World Heritage villages known for steep thatched-roof gassho-zukuri houses

Return to Nagoya by evening.

Day 8 — Nagoya to Tokyo

Check out after breakfast and take a morning train from Nagoya to Tokyo (approximately 1 hour 35 minutes). Check in at the hotel and enjoy shopping at:

• Kappabashi Shopping Street
• Shinjuku Subnade — Underground shopping mall
• Don Quijote

Day 9 — Tokyo

Explore the following landmarks:

• Imperial Palace — The main residence of the Emperor of Japan
• Senso-ji Temple — Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple
• Tokyo Skytree — The world’s tallest freestanding broadcasting tower with panoramic observation decks

Day 10 — Return

Check out from the hotel and proceed to the airport for your return flight.

Plan Your Japan Holiday

Let Astral Trips customize this journey around your travel dates, interests and preferred pace.