- Japan’s most visited cities; Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Nara; each offer a distinctly different experience, and most travelers benefit from visiting at least three to understand the country’s range.
- Cheap things to do in Japan are more plentiful than many expect: temple grounds, public parks, covered shopping arcades, and neighborhood walking are free or very low cost across most cities.
- Unique things to do in Japan often involve the ordinary; attending a neighborhood festival, eating at a standing ramen bar, or watching the evening ritual at a Shinto shrine; rather than organized tourist activities.
Japan rewards preparation more than most travel destinations. The country’s depth; cultural, historical, and culinary; is genuinely vast, and cities that appear similar on a map operate with very different rhythms and personalities. Whether you’re covering ground quickly as a backpacker, moving slowly as a couple, or staying long enough in each place to develop a routine, knowing what each city offers before you arrive makes the difference. Moving between Japanese cities is efficient on the Shinkansen, but staying oriented across multiple destinations is where a reliable japan esim for city-to-city travel earns its value; the best esim japan options activate before departure so you’re connected from arrival, not scrambling at the airport.
What to See and Do in Tokyo Japan
What should you not miss in Tokyo? Tokyo operates at a scale that takes time to process. Shibuya’s famous scramble crossing is less about the crossing itself and more about the density it represents. Shinjuku’s east side (entertainment, neon, standing bars) and west side (skyscrapers, government buildings) are effectively two different cities sharing a station. Asakusa holds Tokyo’s oldest surviving temple, Senso-ji, and the streets around it operate as a working neighborhood as much as a tourist zone.
What is Tokyo best known for? Tokyo is best known for the coexistence of extremes; ancient shrines next to glass towers, quiet residential streets blocks from neon-lit commercial strips, convenience stores stocking better food than most Western restaurants. The city’s food culture runs from Michelin-starred counters to ¥500 standing noodle shops, and both are worth experiencing.
What to do in Tokyo for the first time? Spend a morning in Asakusa before crowds arrive, walk the covered Nakamise shopping street, then cross toward Ueno and its cluster of museums and parks. Take the Yamanote Line to understand how major neighborhoods connect. Spend an evening in Shinjuku without a specific agenda. Visit Yanaka, one of Tokyo’s older low-rise neighborhoods, to see a quieter version of the city most first-time visitors miss.
How many days in Tokyo is enough? Four to five days allows you to cover major neighborhoods without rushing. Three days is workable but leaves significant gaps. Less than three days produces a surface impression only.
Places to visit in Tokyo:
- Senso-ji Temple and Asakusa neighborhood; best visited early morning before organized tours arrive
- Shinjuku; split between east-side entertainment and the Metropolitan Government Building observation deck (free)
- Shibuya Crossing and surrounding streets; more interesting as a neighborhood than a single photo opportunity
- Yanaka; an older district of small temples, craft shops, and local life contrasting sharply with central Tokyo
- Tsukiji Outer Market; the outer stalls remain a working food destination for breakfast, even after the inner market relocated
What to See and Do in Kyoto Japan
What should you not miss in Kyoto? Kyoto holds Japan’s highest concentration of preserved traditional architecture; wooden machiya townhouses, hundreds of functioning temples, and geisha districts that operate as working cultural institutions. Fushimi Inari’s thousands of torii gates are more impressive on a weekday morning, and the upper mountain sections see noticeably fewer visitors than the famous lower gates.
What is Kyoto best known for? Kyoto is best known as Japan’s ancient imperial capital, a role it held for over a millennium. Strict building regulations keep the skyline low, and the density of temples, shrines, and traditional streets is unmatched anywhere in Japan. It is also known for kaiseki cuisine and Nishiki Market.
What to do in Kyoto for the first time? Rent a bicycle and use it to reach major temple areas; Higashiyama, Fushimi Inari, and Arashiyama are all accessible but impractical on foot alone. Walk Philosopher’s Path in the morning. Visit Nijo Castle in the afternoon when crowds thin. Spend an evening in Gion watching the streets rather than hunting for geisha.
How many days in Kyoto is enough? Three to four days covers the major areas without exhaustion. Five days allows for day trips to Nara or Osaka while using Kyoto as a base. What not to miss while visiting Japan almost always includes Kyoto; the city earns its place on itineraries.
Places to visit in Kyoto:
- Fushimi Inari Shrine; the full mountain hike takes 2-3 hours and thins out above the main gate cluster
- Arashiyama and the bamboo grove; visit before 8 AM for manageable crowds, combine with Tenryu-ji garden
- Nishiki Market; a covered food market running five blocks through central Kyoto, best mid-morning
- Higashiyama District; the preserved temple streets between Kiyomizudera and Yasaka Shrine reward slow walking
- Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion); genuinely impressive despite its fame; visit in morning light
What to See and Do in Osaka Japan
What should you not miss in Osaka? Osaka operates differently from Kyoto and Tokyo; louder, more informal, more focused on food and commercial energy. Dotonbori is genuinely chaotic but worth experiencing once for the density of it. The surrounding Namba area has excellent street food that qualifies as some of Japan’s best at any price point.
What is Osaka best known for? Osaka is best known for its food culture. Takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and kushikatsu are Osaka originals eaten standing at counters throughout the city. Osaka is also known for Osaka Castle and for Shinsekai, an older neighborhood preserving a mid-20th century atmosphere unlike anywhere else in Japan.
What to do in Osaka for the first time? Walk Dotonbori in the evening, then branch into narrower Namba streets for food. Visit Kuromon Market in the morning; it’s a working wholesale market that welcomes visitors. Take the train to Shinsekai for lunch. Day-trip to Nara from Osaka Station in under an hour if your itinerary allows.
How many days in Osaka is enough? Two to three days covers Osaka thoroughly. Many travelers use it as a base for day trips to Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe. A single day covers highlights but rushes the city’s best quality; slow eating.
Places to visit in Osaka:
- Dotonbori; best experienced in the evening when neon and crowds reach full energy
- Kuromon Ichiba Market; a covered market with fresh seafood, grilled foods, and morning food culture
- Osaka Castle and surrounding park; the castle interior houses a history museum
- Shinsekai; an older neighborhood with retro signage, cheap kushikatsu restaurants, and local atmosphere
- Tennoji; the area around Tennoji Station has a zoo, fine arts museum, and Tsutenkaku Tower
What to See and Do in Hiroshima Japan
What should you not miss in Hiroshima? Hiroshima requires a particular kind of attention. The Peace Memorial Park and Museum document the atomic bombing of August 6, 1945 with restraint and detail that demands time rather than a quick visit. The A-Bomb Dome; the only structure left standing near the hypocenter; anchors the park’s geography. The museum warrants 2-3 hours minimum.
What is Hiroshima best known for? Hiroshima is internationally known for the 1945 atomic bombing and its subsequent rebuilding, now inseparable from the city’s identity. It is also known for Miyajima Island, accessible by ferry, which holds Itsukushima Shrine and its famous floating torii gate. The contrast between the city’s historical weight and its current livability distinguishes it from a simple memorial destination.
What to do in Hiroshima for the first time? Spend a morning at the Peace Memorial Park and Museum; do not rush it. Take a ferry to Miyajima in the afternoon; stay for sunset if timing allows. Try Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki in the evening; layered rather than mixed, and served at dedicated restaurants throughout the city.
How many days in Hiroshima is enough? Two days allows Peace Memorial on day one and Miyajima on day two. One full day is possible but compresses both meaningfully. Hiroshima also works as a day trip from Osaka or Kyoto via Shinkansen (45-60 minutes).
Places to visit in Hiroshima:
- Peace Memorial Park and Museum; plan two to three hours minimum for the museum
- A-Bomb Dome (Genbaku Dome); the UNESCO-listed structure preserved as it stood after the bombing
- Miyajima Island; reached by ferry, home to Itsukushima Shrine and free-roaming deer
- Shukkeien Garden; a traditional Japanese garden in the city center, peaceful and often uncrowded
- Okonomimura; a building of stacked floors dedicated entirely to Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki restaurants
What to See and Do in Nara Japan
What should you not miss in Nara? Nara is compact and walkable in a way that few Japanese cities are. Todai-ji temple and its giant Buddha sit within Nara Park, where hundreds of sika deer roam freely among visitors. The deer are bold, accustomed to humans, and will bow to receive deer crackers sold throughout the park; an interaction that feels genuinely unusual for a historical site.
What is Nara best known for? Nara is best known for three things: the giant bronze Buddha (Daibutsu) at Todai-ji, the free-roaming deer throughout Nara Park, and its role as Japan’s first permanent capital, preceding Kyoto. The city also holds Kasuga Taisha, one of Japan’s most important Shinto shrines.
What to do in Nara for the first time? Walk from Kintetsu Nara Station through the shopping arcade toward Nara Park. Buy deer crackers once. Enter Todai-ji, which contains one of Japan’s most impressive interior spaces. Walk to Kasuga Taisha through the forest path lined with stone lanterns. Return via Naramachi, Nara’s preserved merchant district, which has craft shops and quiet cafés in old machiya buildings.
How many days in Nara is enough? One full day covers Nara comprehensively. Nara is most commonly visited as a day trip from Kyoto (45 minutes by express train) or Osaka (35-40 minutes). Staying overnight reveals a quieter version of the city after day visitors leave.
Places to visit in Nara:
- Todai-ji Temple; one of the world’s largest wooden buildings, housing Japan’s largest bronze Buddha
- Nara Park; the deer population is genuinely integrated into daily park life, not enclosed
- Kasuga Taisha Shrine; a UNESCO-listed shrine reached through a forest path of stone lanterns
- Isuien Garden; a two-section traditional garden with views of Todai-ji, often quiet
- Naramachi; Nara’s preserved merchant quarter with craft workshops, cafés, and converted machiya architecture
Planning Your Japan Itinerary City by City
What to see and do in Japan becomes clearest when you understand that each city requires a different pace. Tokyo needs time to absorb. Kyoto rewards slowness. Osaka works best when you eat your way through it. Hiroshima asks for attention. Nara works in a day. Fitting all five into a first trip is possible with 14-16 days, though 10-12 days covering three cities is more common and less rushed.The Shinkansen connects these cities efficiently, but Japan’s rail system requires active navigation; booking seats ahead during peak seasons, understanding station platforms, and managing luggage between trains. Having a reliable data connection for real-time rail lookups and maps is a practical necessity across all five cities. The best esim japan options cover the full network of cities from a single plan, which makes more sense than dealing with connectivity gaps between destinations.
