Your recommendations for an authentic Japan itinerary

Hi! We’re traveling as a couple for 3 weeks in Japan in November. We’d love to visit Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Miyajima Island. Would anyone have a great itinerary to share? Thanks so much!

Karine First trip

Hi there,

It’ll depend on your flight tickets—are you entering via Tokyo or Osaka, or flying into Tokyo and out of Osaka? Everything’s possible. Hiroshima and Miyajima Island are in the same area. Will you be traveling between these cities by train, or by bus as well?

A full week in Tokyo/Kamakura is the minimum for a 3-week trip, a week in Osaka/Kyoto/Nara/Himeji (all within the same area as Osaka), and the rest of the time in Okayama/Kurashiki/Hiroshima/Miyajima.

For a first visit, that’s already a great plan for 3 weeks.

Again, the route will depend on where you enter Japan.[;]

we want to visit Tokyo Kyoto Hiroshima

99% of first-time travelers visit Tokyo-Kyoto-Hiroshima. It’s the equivalent of Paris-Lyon-Marseille. You’ll have no trouble finding this kind of itinerary on various travel forums or tour operator sites, but with this type of plan, you’ll get a rather touristy glimpse of Japan. For the truly authentic Japan, you’ll need to come back…