If you're planning a trip to Japan or South Korea and need ideas for creating a Japan itinerary or tips for organizing your time to visit each city, then this article is for you.
In June/July 2019, I took one of those dream-fulfilling trips. For most of my life, I'd dreamed of visiting Japan. Since childhood, watching hours and hours of anime, I'd absorbed a part of Japanese culture, and without realizing it, I was generating in myself that need to experience it in person.
But I'm not just a fan of Anime, I also have a great admiration for the culture and history of Japan. The samurais, the geishas, the ninjas, the lifestyle, the food, all of which fueled my curiosity to one day visit and travel to the land of the rising sun.
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Traveling to Japan from Argentina
Traveling to Japan from Argentina is not easy. There are no direct flights, and the necessary stopovers make the journey long and tiring. Added to this is the high cost of the ticket, which makes it a destination as distant as it is desirable.
So, since I had to make that effort, I would at least go with enough time to make the most of my stay, and why not, since it's so close, include a few days in South Korea.
I bought a roundtrip ticket from Buenos Aires to Tokyo with Aeroméxico, with a very long layover, almost 20 hours, in Mexico City. Being a restless person, I took advantage of that time to get out of the airport and explore the city (I hope to write about that layover in the future).
Once I arrived in Japan, I began the one-month countdown to explore the cities that most appealed to me on this first adventure.
How to get around in Japan and South Korea?
To travel within both countries, I used a mix of buses and trains, depending on the cost-time ratio of each trip. For example, between the Japanese cities of Matsumoto, Takayama, Kanazawa, and Kyoto, I traveled by bus, as it was cheaper. But from Kyoto to Fukuoka and the Mount Fuji area, I used the Shinkansen (high-speed train) using the 7-day JR Pass.
Is it worth buying the JR Pass?
It depends on how you plan to use it. If you buy the pass and spend most of your time in one city, it's not worth it. I wouldn't use it in Tokyo, as there are subway lines that the JR Pass doesn't cover, and you'll still have to spend the same amount.
I bought the 1-week JR Pass when I had to travel from Osaka to Fukuoka, since in that part of the itinerary, I would visit several cities in a very short time and travel long distances.
There are passes for 7, 14 and 21 days. To purchase the JR PASS, you can visit the official website.
Travel itinerary to Japan and South Korea
The entire trip lasted 40 days between both countries, with about a month in Japan and only 10 days in South Korea.
For practical reasons, I'm going to divide the itinerary into three parts. After spending the first 23 days in Japan, I took a ferry from Fukuoka to Busan. I then spent 10 days exploring South Korea and finally took a flight from Seoul to Tokyo to finish the last seven days of the trip back in Japan.
This is how the entire itinerary was finally organized.
Part 1 of the travel itinerary: 23 days touring Japan, from Tokyo to Fukuoka
Day 7-8: Takayama – A traditional village surrounded by mountains, famous for its old town and Edo-era atmosphere.
Day 9-10: Shirakawago/Kanazawa – Historic World Heritage Village/City of samurai and geisha, home to Kenrokuen Garden, one of Japan’s most beautiful.
Day 11-14: Kyoto – The cultural heart of the country, with ancient temples, Shinto shrines, and geisha districts.
Day 15-17: Osaka – Lights, retro but somewhat disappointing, known for its street food, castle, and nightlife. Day trips to Nara and Kobe
Day 18: Himeji – Home to the most impressive and best-preserved castle in Japan, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Day 19: Okayama – Famous for its “crow” castle and the beautiful Korakuen garden.
Day 20: Hiroshima/Miyajima Island – City symbol of peace/Sacred island with the iconic floating torii and hiking trails
Day 21-22: Fukuoka – A large port city in southern Japan, a blend of modernity, tradition, and excellent ramen.
Part 2 of the travel itinerary: 10 days in South Korea, from Busan to Seoul.
Day 23-26: Busan – A coastal city with beaches, fish markets, cliffside temples, and vibrant energy.
Day 27: Suncheon – A natural oasis in the south, known for its wetlands, ecological gardens, and tranquility.
Day 28: Gwangju – A cultural and artistic center with a history marked by the democratic movement.
Day 29-32: Seoul – A cosmopolitan capital that blends skyscrapers, ancient palaces, and Korean pop culture.
Part 3 of the travel itinerary: 7 days in Japan, from Tokyo to Mount Fuji
Day 33: Tokyo – Return flight from Seoul, just 1 day stopover
Day 34: Hakone – Ideal destination for onsens, views of Mount Fuji, and boat trips on Lake Ashi.
Day 36-39: Tokyo – Last few days wandering around Tokyo
Alternative routes in Japan
I know not everyone has a month to visit Japan. Some will have a week, others two or three weeks. Based on my personal experience, and leaving aside the northern destinations in Japan, which I haven't had the chance to visit yet (like Hokkaido and Sapporo), I'm going to detail three alternative itineraries, taking into account the number of days I would spend in each city.
1-week Japan travel itinerary
I think a week is too short a time to visit this country, which, while not that big, has a lot of history and fascinating places to see.
But if that's all the time we have, I'd focus on the two cities I liked the most, Tokyo and Kyoto.
The two are very different: one is more modern and geeky, the other is traditional and cultural. They have so many attractions to visit that even a week wouldn't be enough for each one. But if that's all the time we have, I'd stay four days in Tokyo and three days in Kyoto.
Suggested one-week itinerary to Japan
- Tokyo: 4 days
- Kyoto: 3 days
2-Week Japan Travel Itinerary
With two weeks, we can expand our itinerary a bit further. I'd still spend a week between Tokyo and Kyoto, and divide the second week between exploring Osaka and part of the Japanese Alps, with cities like Takayama, Kanazawa, and the village of Shirakawago, located between the two. And why not visit the Black Castle in Matsumoto, since it's on the way?
1. Suggested itinerary for 2 weeks in Japan with Japanese Alps:
- Tokyo: 4 days
- Matsumoto: 1 day
- Takayama and Shirakawago Historical Village: 3 days
- Kanazawa: 1 day
- Kyoto: 3 days
- Osaka: 2 days
Another alternative option, with two weeks but avoiding the Alps, would be Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. For the remaining days, I would add Kobe, a port city with a beautiful coastal area for walking, ideal for a day trip from Osaka, and one of the cities near Mount Fuji. Hakone with its onsen, Kawaguchiko with its famous pagoda viewpoint and Mount Fuji in the background, or Fujikawaguchiko, the base city for climbing the mountain.
2. Suggested 2-week Japan itinerary with Mount Fuji:
- Tokyo: 4 days
- Matsumoto: 1 day
- Kyoto: 3 days
- Osaka: 2 days
- Kobe: 1 day
- Hakone and a city near Mount Fuji (such as Kawaguchiko or Fujikawaguchiko): 3 days
3-Week Japan Travel Itinerary
With three weeks, we can go even further. Tokyo and Kyoto are undisputed. Osaka too. I'd add Miyajima Island with the large floating Torii and Hiroshima, which is on the way, some of the cities near Mount Fuji, part of the Japanese Alps, and we can add a smaller city with a castle to see, like Matsumoto, which is on the way to Takayama, or Himeji, which is on the way to Hiroshima.
Suggested 3-week Japan itinerary:
- Tokyo: 4 days
- Takayama and Shirakawago Historical Village: 3 days
- Kyoto: 3 days
- Osaka: 2 or 3 days
- Hiroshima and isla Miyajima: 2 o 3 days
- Hakone or a city near Mount Fuji (such as Kawaguchiko): 2 or 3 days
- Matsumoto or Himeji: 1 day each
Final considerations
Needless to say, these Japan itinerary suggestions are just that: ideas and advice based on my experience in Japan. If this is your first trip to the island, you'll likely want to see as many places as you can and not spend too much time in one place.
But perhaps this article will help you reconsider a particular region or city if you're not quite sure.
Of course, if you have any questions about the itinerary I created or any of the ones I suggested, you can write to me in the comments section below, and I'll try to respond as soon as possible.
Thank you for your time and we'll see you in another article.