Japan's Landscapes: Self-Launched Tokyo to Kyoto Adventure

Land at Narita or Haneda and make your own way into the city. Pick up a Suica/Pasmo IC card at the airport (¥500 deposit, top up ~¥3,000) — it works on trains, subways, buses and convenience stores nationwide. Check into a hostel or budget hotel in Shinjuku, Asakusa or Ueno, all well-connected to the Yamanote loop line. Spend the evening wandering your neighbourhood, grabbing konbini dinner (¥600-900) and orienting yourself.

🚌Airport train into Tokyo: Keisei Skyliner from Narita (~£18, 41 min) or Keikyu Line from Haneda (~£4, 30 min)

🛏Budget hotel/hostel in Shinjuku, Asakusa or Ueno (e.g. UNPLAN Kagurazaka, Nui Hostel Bar Lounge)

• →Collect IC card (Suica/Pasmo)
• →Evening orientation walk in Shinjuku or Asakusa

Self-guide the classic Tokyo circuit. Start at Zojoji Temple with Tokyo Tower behind it, then ride the subway to Shibuya to see the famous scramble crossing (the Shibuya Sky observation deck opposite the station is a great paid alternative). Head to Meiji Shrine for its forested approach, then on to Asakusa for Sensoji Temple and the Nakamise Street stalls. Finish with Tokyo Skytree's Tembo Deck (350m) at sunset, then wander the neon of Akihabara and the upscale Ginza district. Book a GetYourGuide walking tour in Asakusa or Shinjuku if you want the guided context.

🚌Tokyo Metro day pass (~£5) or pay-as-you-go with IC card

🛏Budget hotel/hostel in Shinjuku, Asakusa or Ueno

• →Zojoji Temple (free)
• →Shibuya Crossing (free)
• →Meiji Shrine (free)
• →Sensoji Temple & Nakamise Street (free)
• →Tokyo Skytree Tembo Deck (~£15)
• →Akihabara & Ginza wander

Take the Tokaido Shinkansen (Hikari or Nozomi) from Tokyo Station to Kyoto — about 2h15m. Reserve a seat in advance or just turn up (non-reserved cars are cheaper). Drop bags and head straight to Fushimi Inari Shrine to walk the thousands of vermilion torii gates (free, best early or late to avoid crowds). Visit the Kyoto Imperial Palace (free, closed Mondays), then Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) in the north. End the evening exploring the Gion district's lantern-lit lanes — keep an eye out for geiko heading to appointments.

🚌Shinkansen Tokyo–Kyoto ~£80 (non-reserved); Kyoto buses/subway day pass ~£5

🛏Hostel/guesthouse near Kyoto Station or Kawaramachi (e.g. Len Kyoto Kawaramachi, Piece Hostel Kyoto)

• →Fushimi Inari Shrine (free)
• →Kyoto Imperial Palace (free)
• →Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion (~£3)
• →Gion district evening walk

Train to Nara (~1h from Kyoto) and head to Nara Park to see and feed the famously bowing sika deer (deer crackers ¥200). Explore the vast wooden Todaiji Temple housing the giant Buddha, and the ancient Horyuji Buddhist temple complex, a UNESCO site and one of the world's oldest wooden buildings. In the late afternoon take the train to Osaka (~1h), check into a Namba-area hostel, and dive into the Dotonbori food strip — takoyaki, kushikatsu, okonomiyaki and Osaka's famous street-food buzz.

🚌JR trains Kyoto–Nara ~£6, Nara–Osaka ~£6

🛏Hostel in Osaka Namba/Shinsaibashi (e.g. Namba Guesthouse, Osaka Hana Hostel)

• →Nara Park deer (free, crackers ¥200)
• →Todaiji Temple (~£4)
• →Horyuji Temple (~£9)
• →Dotonbori street-food crawl

Take the JR Sanyo line west to Himeji (~1h from Osaka) and tour Himeji Castle, Japan's finest surviving feudal castle, a UNESCO site nicknamed the White Heron. Grab lunch at a local Himeji spot (try Himeji oden). Continue by train to Okayama (~30 min) and visit Korakuen Garden, one of Japan's top three landscape gardens, then cross the pedestrian bridge to view Okayama Castle from outside (optional entry inside the black 'Crow Castle').

🚌JR trains Osaka–Himeji ~£9, Himeji–Okayama ~£5

🛏Guesthouse/budget hotel in Okayama near the station (e.g. KAMP Backpackers, Toyoko Inn Okayama)

• →Himeji Castle admission (~£7)
• →Korakuen Garden (~£3)
• →Okayama Castle exterior view (optional entry ~£3)

Morning stop in Kurashiki's beautifully preserved canal district with its white-walled merchant warehouses. Continue to Hiroshima and visit Peace Memorial Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome and the deeply moving Peace Memorial Museum (~£1.50). In the afternoon take the JR Sanyo line to Miyajimaguchi and the ferry to Itsukushima Island (Miyajima) to see the iconic floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine at high tide. Have lunch on the island (grilled oysters and momiji manju are musts), then return to Hiroshima for the night.

🚌JR trains to Kurashiki/Hiroshima; JR ferry to Miyajima covered by JR Pass; ferry ~£2 if not

🛏Hostel in Hiroshima near the Peace Park or station (e.g. Hiroshima Hostel EN, J-Hoppers Hiroshima)

• →Kurashiki canal district (free)
• →Peace Memorial Park & A-Bomb Dome (free)
• →Peace Memorial Museum (~£1.50)
• →Itsukushima Shrine (~£2) & floating torii
• →Miyajima island food stroll

Take a ferry or the JR route across to Shikoku. The most scenic option is the hydrofoil/ferry from Hiroshima to Matsuyama (~£13-25, 1-2.5h) — or use the train via Shikoku bridges. In Matsuyama, ride the ropeway/cable car up to Matsuyama Castle, one of Japan's twelve original castles, then visit the Ishiteji Temple, the 51st stop on the Shikoku 88 Temple pilgrimage. Have a local Matsuyama lunch (taimeshi, sea bream rice), then head to Dogo Onsen, one of Japan's oldest bathhouses, for a soak (~£5-8).

🚌Ferry Hiroshima–Matsuyama ~£13-25; local tram/cable car ~£3

🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Matsuyama near Dogo Onsen (e.g. Dogo Onsen backpackers, Toyoko Inn Dogo)

• →Matsuyama Castle ropeway & entry (~£5)
• →Ishiteji Temple (free)
• →Dogo Onsen bathhouse (~£5-8)

Big travel day. Start at Kotohira to climb the 785 steps to Kotohira-gu Shinto shrine on Mount Zosu (allow ~1.5h up). Continue to Takamatsu to visit Ritsurin Garden, a masterpiece of Edo-era landscape design, and grab a local Sanuki udon lunch. Head to Naruto to walk the glass floor of the Naruto Bridge and watch the famous sea whirlpools from 45m above (best at tide changes — check times). Finish by crossing to Kobe on the mainland and checking into a central hotel.

🚌JR trains across Shikoku and to Kobe ~£15; Naruto whirlpool glass walkway ~£3

🛏Budget hotel in Kobe (e.g. Kobe An, Toyoko Inn Kobe Sannomiya)

• →Kotohira-gu Shrine (785 steps, free entry to grounds)
• →Ritsurin Garden (~£2)
• →Naruto Bridge glass-floor whirlpool walkway (~£3)

Morning in Kobe: visit the Earthquake Memorial Museum (or, on certain dates, the Sake Museum or Kobe Tower). Then travel to Mount Koya (Koyasan), the centre of Japanese Shingon Buddhism — train to Gokurakubashi then the cable car up. Visit the atmospheric Okunoin Mausoleum, the vast cemetery forest leading to Kobo Daishi's mausoleum, and Kongobuji Temple with its rock garden. Book a temple stay (shukubo) directly — expect a simple guest room, vegetarian Buddhist dinner, and an evening Ajikan zen meditation session. An early-morning religious ceremony is also usually available.

🚌Train + cable car to Koyasan ~£10; Koyasan bus network day pass ~£4

🛏Buddhist temple stay (shukubo) on Koyasan (e.g. Sekishoin, Fukuchiin, Hojoin) — book direct, ~£45-60 incl. dinner & breakfast

• →Kobe Earthquake Memorial Museum (~£2)
• →Okunoin Mausoleum & cemetery (free)
• →Kongobuji Temple (~£5)
• →Ajikan zen meditation (included in temple stay)
• →Optional morning temple ceremony (free)

Wake early for the traditional Japanese temple breakfast and the optional dawn ceremony. Then make your way back to Kyoto by train (via Gokurakubashi and Hashimoto, ~2h). Spend the afternoon free to explore what you missed in Kyoto — the bamboo groves of Arashiyama, the thousand pillars of Sanjusangendo, the philosopher's path, or Nishiki Market for snacks. At night, wander Pontocho's lantern-lit alley along the Kamo River.

🚌Koyasan to Kyoto train ~£10

🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Kyoto (e.g. Len Kyoto Kawaramachi, Piece Hostel Kyoto)

• →Temple breakfast & morning ceremony
• →Arashiyama bamboo grove (free)
• →Nishiki Market food street
• →Pontocho evening walk

Enjoy a final breakfast, do any last-minute souvenir shopping around Kyoto Station or Nishiki Market, and make your way to the airport. Haruka express trains connect Kyoto Station directly to Kansai International Airport (KIX) in ~75 min. Alternatively, continue onwards independently if you're extending your trip to Tokyo, Osaka or beyond.

🚌Haruka limited express Kyoto–Kansai Airport ~£18

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Last-minute shopping
• →Departure