Despite an incredibly efficient train network, it can be difficult to see a lot of Japan in any one trip. Better instead to focus on two or three areas and take time to enjoy them.
Long Weekend
Most international flights land in Tokyo, and the sprawling metropolis has more than enough to keep you busy for four days. Use the fast and efficient metro system to visit technology district Akihabara, high fashion meccas Omotesando and Ginza, teen playground Shibuya and the Imperial palace in Marounouchi. If time allows, take a day trip to the ancient temples of Kamakura, less than an hour away.
One Week
After a few days in Tokyo, hop on a bullet train and in four hours you’ll arrive in Kyoto. Three days is enough to sample the best temples, eat the delicious local kaiseki cuisine, and wander through Gion, the geisha district. Once back in Tokyo use a spare day to visit either Nikko’s wooded shrines or Kawagutchiko’s lakeside view of Mt Fuji.
Two Weeks
Keep heading south after Kyoto to Hiroshima, now a bustling and fashionable city. See the sobering peace museum then hop a ferry to nearby Miyajima island for a day of walks and quiet contemplation. On the return north take a detour through the mountainous region to Takayama and Shirakawa, and spend a night in a perfectly preserved thatched house.
