Japan is best explored by linking a few places together. The places below are about 1,420 km apart at their furthest, so on a short trip it helps to choose one region; on a longer one, combine fast intercity links with slower scenic legs. Pick any two places to see every way to travel between them.
Top places to visit
Popular journeys in Japan
Suggested itineraries
7 days in Japan
- Tokyo · about 2 nights
- Kyoto · about 2 nights
- Osaka · about 3 nights
14 days in Japan
- Tokyo · about 2 nights
- Kyoto · about 2 nights
- Osaka · about 2 nights
- Hiroshima · about 2 nights
- Nara · about 6 nights
21 days in Japan
- Tokyo · about 2 nights
- Kyoto · about 2 nights
- Osaka · about 2 nights
- Hiroshima · about 2 nights
- Nara · about 2 nights
- Sapporo · about 2 nights
- Fukuoka · about 2 nights
- Kanazawa · about 7 nights
Getting around
Train & bus
2 of the journeys above are under 300 km in a straight line — usually the range where rail or coach is competitive with flying once airport time is included. Open timetables appear on Tokyo2Us where operators publish them.
Flights
3 of the journeys above are 500 km or more, where a domestic flight often saves the most time. Recent cached fares show when available; everything else is an estimate.
Driving & ferries
Driving times come from live road routing (OSRM). Where a road crosses water, car-ferry segments are shown separately so you can book them.
Stays & experiences
Hotels in Tokyo on Booking.comHotels, apartments & guesthousesBooking.comBookSponsoredTours & activities in Tokyo on GetYourGuideTours & activitiesGetYourGuideBookSponsoredThings to do in TokyoAttraction tickets, passes & day toursKlookBookSponsoredMuseums & attractions in TokyoMobile tickets for museums & sightsTiqetsBookSponsoredKKday tours in TokyoLocal tours & experiencesKKdayBookTop activities in Tokyo
Photo credits
Photo: Jordy Meow, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Morio, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Guides
RailJapan Rail Pass Guide: Is It Still Worth It?What the Japan Rail Pass covers, who can use it, how to activate and reserve seats, and a simple way to work out if it is worth i…
RoutesHow to Get from Tokyo to Osaka: Shinkansen, Bus, Flight or CarBullet train, night bus, flight or car? A practical comparison of every way to travel from Tokyo to Osaka, with journey times, ti…FAQ
- What is the capital of Japan?
- Tokyo.
- What currency is used in Japan?
- yen.
- How do I get around Japan?
- Enter any two places in Japan on Tokyo2Us to compare flights, trains, buses, ferries and driving on one map. Timetables come from open data where available; other prices are labelled estimates.
Country facts: Wikidata (CC0). Places: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0