Japan

~ marks an estimate. Budgets are per day in US dollars. Check services and fares before setting out.

1. 01

   

   Tokyo

   Japan · Daily budget ~$65

   Tokyo mixes modern electronics, skyscrapers, global business, and remnants of old Japan. Temples, cherry blossoms, nightlife, and budget-friendly eats give a first visit many different rhythms.

   Tokyo →to Kyoto

   Transport details are not recorded.

2. 02

   

   Kyoto

   Japan · Daily budget ~$80

   Kyoto is Japan's long-established cultural heart, where temple precincts, gardens, machiya streets, and seasonal traditions reward walking beyond the busiest corridors. Its rail and bus network also makes Nara, Uji, Osaka, and Lake Biwa straightforward side trips.

   Kyoto →to Osaka

   Train~30 min~$5.57

3. 03

   Osaka

   Japan · Daily budget ~$67

   Osaka is the friendly, food-driven heart of Kansai, with a long history as Japan's merchant and rice-trading center. Its restaurant districts, shopping streets, nightlife, and easy rail day trips reward hungry urban explorers.

   Osaka →to Nara

   Train~40 min~$5

4. 04

   Nara

   Japan · Daily budget ~$67

   Nara concentrates ancient-capital history, UNESCO heritage, temple districts, and freely roaming deer in a walkable park setting. Compared with Kyoto, it offers a calmer, often cheaper way to spend time among major cultural sites.

   Nara →to Hiroshima

   Transport details are not recorded.

5. 05

   

   Hiroshima

   Japan · Daily budget ~$59

   Hiroshima is a modern cosmopolitan city with wide boulevards and criss-crossing rivers. Okonomiyaki, oysters, nightlife, and moving memorials make a visit both lively and reflective.

   Hiroshima →to Miyajima

   Ferry~1 h~$7

6. 06

   

   Miyajima

   Japan · Daily budget ~$106

   Miyajima combines a floating torii, a historic shrine complex, wooded Mount Misen, free-roaming deer, and a strong oyster-and-eel food culture. Day trips are easy from Hiroshima, but an overnight reveals quieter streets and lantern-lit evenings after tour groups leave.

   Miyajima →to Fukuoka

   Transport details are not recorded.

7. 07

   

   Fukuoka

   Japan · Daily budget ~$63

   Fukuoka is an approachable historic port city with strong Chinese and Korean connections, lively yatai food culture, and easy transit. Tonkotsu ramen, shrines, parks, and nearby day trips make it a flexible Kyushu base.

   Fukuoka →to Nagasaki

   Transport details are not recorded.

8. 08

   

   Nagasaki

   Japan · Daily budget ~$51

   Nagasaki layers Dutch, Portuguese, and Chinese influence over a steep harbor city that turned its wartime tragedy into a major peace destination. Trams, Chinatown food, hillside views, and island excursions make it unusually varied for a Kyushu stay.

   Nagasaki →to Kumamoto

   Transport details are not recorded.

9. 09

   Kumamoto

   Japan · Daily budget ~$60

   Kumamoto is a mid-sized Kyushu city anchored by a major castle and a distinctive local food culture. It is also a practical base for Aso, Amakusa, and hot-spring country.

   Kumamoto →to Beppu

   Transport details are not recorded.

10. 10

    Beppu

    Japan · Daily budget ~$57

    Beppu is famous for visually striking hot springs known as the Hells of Beppu. Most onsen and the Jigoku cluster in Kannawa, a useful base for a bath-focused stay.

    Beppu →to Kagoshima

    Transport details are not recorded.

11. 11

    Kagoshima

    Japan · Daily budget ~$65

    Kagoshima pairs an active volcanic backdrop with samurai history, museums, hot-spring possibilities, and ferry access to nearby islands. Streetcars, a central rail station, and local shochu culture make it a practical base for southern Kyushu.

    Kagoshima →to Yakushima

    Transport details are not recorded.

12. 12

    Yakushima

    Japan · Daily budget ~$76

    Yakushima combines rain-soaked mountain landscapes with ancient cedar forests and an island road that circles the coast. It suits travelers drawn to hiking, remote scenery, and careful planning around weather and limited connectivity.

    Yakushima →to Naha

    Transport details are not recorded.

13. 13

    

    Naha

    Japan · Daily budget ~$68

    Naha is Okinawa's cultural gateway, combining a partially reopened royal castle, lively shopping streets, markets, and easy island escapes. Subtropical weather, snorkeling access, and dishes such as goya champuru and Agu pork give the city a distinctly regional feel.

    Naha →to Ishigaki

    Transport details are not recorded.

14. 14

    Ishigaki

    Japan · Daily budget ~$65

    Ishigaki is the Yaeyama Islands' accessible hub for clear-water beaches, diving, snorkeling, and island-hopping. It balances a lively central town with easy access to quieter beaches and nearby Ryukyu villages.

    Ishigaki →to Sapporo

    Transport details are not recorded.

15. 15

    

    Sapporo

    Japan · Daily budget ~$65

    Sapporo is Hokkaido's northern capital, with tree-lined boulevards and strong snow infrastructure. Cool summer strolls and long winter conditions give the city two distinct travel moods.

    Sapporo →to Hakodate

    Transport details are not recorded.

16. 16

    

    Hakodate

    Japan · Daily budget ~$76

    Hakodate combines port history, European-influenced buildings, seafood, and a mountain night view with easy streetcar-based sightseeing. Fort Goryokaku, red-brick warehouses, hot springs, and seasonal festivals give the city strong appeal across the year.

    Hakodate →to Asahikawa

    Transport details are not recorded.

17. 17

    Asahikawa

    Japan · Daily budget ~$75

    Asahikawa offers an urban-and-rural base for the Daisetsuzan range and the scenic Biei-Furano area. Asahiyama Zoo adds a local draw, while the city sees relatively few foreign visitors.

    Asahikawa →to Furano

    Train~1 h~$6.50

18. 18

    

    Furano

    Japan · Daily budget ~$74

    Furano is known for powder skiing in winter and lavender fields in summer. Its seasonal identity shifts from deep snow sports to warm-weather flower viewing.

    Furano →to Sendai

    Transport details are not recorded.

19. 19

    

    Sendai

    Japan · Daily budget ~$61

    Sendai is a spacious, tree-lined regional capital with a relaxed urban feel and fewer tourists than Japan's biggest cities. It works as a comfortable base for regional sights, with samurai heritage and contemporary architecture in the mix.

    Sendai →to Nikko

    Transport details are not recorded.

20. 20

    

    Nikko

    Japan · Daily budget ~$71

    Nikkō brings ornate shrine architecture, mountain scenery, and a signature yuba food culture into a compact heritage town. The station area is a practical launch point for Tōshō-gū, Lake Chuzenji, Kegon Falls, and nearby hot-spring routes.

    Nikko →to Hakone

    Transport details are not recorded.

21. 21

    

    Hakone

    Japan · Daily budget ~$118

    Hakone is a mountainous getaway west of Tokyo, known for volcanic hot springs, Mount Fuji views, and a historic Tokaido checkpoint. Its location makes it a popular escape from the capital.

    Hakone →to Takayama

    Transport details are not recorded.

22. 22

    

    Takayama

    Japan · Daily budget ~$76

    Takayama is known for a well-preserved quarter of Edo-style streets and a traditional Hida townscape. Snowy winters and warm summers add a pronounced seasonal rhythm to the historic center.

    Takayama →to Kanazawa

    Transport details are not recorded.

23. 23

    

    Kanazawa

    Japan · Daily budget ~$71

    Kanazawa compresses samurai districts, geisha quarters, gardens, craft traditions, and seafood into a walkable historic core. Expect a polished cultural stay with easy day trips toward Toyama, Fukui, Takayama, and the Noto Peninsula.