A guide about Japan tours in 8 days (Tokyo, Hakone, Mt. Fuji, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Kanazawa, Takayama, Nagano and Shirakawa-go)
Do you love Japan tours? My article will help to make a plan to Japan tours in eight days. Now I am going to introduce about Japan. Japan is a sovereign island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies off the eastern coast of the Asian mainland, and stretches from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the southwest. Japan is a strata volcano archipelago consisting of about 6,852 islands.
The four largest are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku, which make up about ninety-seven percent of Japan’s land area and often are referred to as home islands. The country is divided into 47 prefectures in eight regions; Hokkaido being the northernmost prefecture and Okinawa being the southernmost one.
Now If you are really planning a Japan tour, it can be really hard to choose where to go, so here are some of the main places you should visit if it is your first Japan tour!
This article is also helpful for you to tour over Japan!
7 things you should definitely know before coming to Japan
Sightseeing places roaming according schedule
Japan Tours (Day 1)
- Being an international tourist, at first day you will be at Japan airport Narita or Haneda.
- And then after a long journey you will be tired and take a rest whole day during your Japan tour.
Japan Tours (Day 2 : Tokyo)
-Asakusa at 9.30am
- Asakusa is an excellent place for you.
- Sensoji is a Buddhist temple located in Asakusa.
- It is one of Tokyo’s most colorful and popular temples.
- Consequently, Sensoji was built nearby for the goddess of Kannon.
- The temple was completed in 645, making it Tokyo’s oldest temple.
-Sensoji Temple
- When approaching the temple, visitors first enter through the Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate).
- It is the outer gate of Sensoji Temple and the symbol of Asakusa and the entire city of Tokyo.
- A shopping street of over 200 meters, called Nakamise, leads from the outer gate to the temple’s second gate, the Hozomon.
- The shopping street has a history of several centuries.
- Beyond the Hozomon Gate stands the temple’s main hall and a five-storied pagoda.
- Destroyed in the war, the buildings are relatively recent reconstructions.
- The Asakusa Shrine, built in the year 1649 by Tokugawa Iemitsu, stands only a few dozen meters to the left of the temple’s main building.
- Various events are held throughout the year in the Sensoji Temple area.
- The biggest of them is the Sanja Matsuri, the annual festival of the Asakusa Shrine, held in May.
- Other events are the Asakusa Samba Carnival in August and the Hagoita-ichi at which decorated wooden paddles used in the traditional game of hanetsuki are sold.
-Nakamise Shopping Street
- Nakamise Dori is the best place in Tokyo to buy souvenirs.
- It’s a 250 meter (800 foot) shopping street that leads to Sensoji Temple, Tokyo’s oldest and most visited temple.
- There are around 90 shops on the street that sell snacks and souvenirs to the throngs of domestic and international tourists who visit the area.
- There has been a tourist market here since the 17th century.
- Many of the shops have been run by the same family for many generations.
5 Unavoidable souvenirs at Asakusa: This saves your time to find your souvenir!
-Sumida Park
- The Sumidagawa River is a celebrated destination for admiring cherry blossoms since the premodern Edo period.
- The festival takes place on the Taito-ku side, in Sumida Park home to some 600 trees of varieties.
- Enjoy the contrast between the blossoms along the riverbank and the towering TOKYO SKYTREE(R).
- Imitate tasteful visitors and take in the view of cherry blossoms on both sides from a yakatabune houseboat or waterbus.
- Delight in the majestic view of trees in the park illuminated at night.
Japan Tours (Day 3 : Tokyo)
-Ueno Park (Zoo, museums and temples)
- Ueno Park is a spacious public park in the Ueno district of Taitō, Tokyo, Japan.
- The park was established in 1873 on lands formerly belonging to the temple of Kan’ei-ji.
- Amongst the country’s first public parks, it was founded following the western example.
- The home of a number of major museums, Ueno Park is also celebrated in spring for its cherry blossoms and hanami.
- In recent times the park and its attractions have drawn over ten million visitors a year, making it Japan’s most popular city park.
If you are going to Ueno, there are nice ramen shops around! You should try real Japanese food as well!
Follow me; 5 Best Ramen Shops in Ueno! Time to taste Japanese culture!
-Meiji Shrine
- Meiji Shrine is located in Shibuya, Tokyo.
- It is the Shinto shrine that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken.
- The shrine does not contain the emperor’s grave, which is located at Fushimi-momoyama, south of Kyoto.
Right next to the Meiji Shrine, there is a Yoyogi park. If you are planing to go Shibuya/Harajuku area on the weekend, I strongly suggest you to take a look at this park! There are lots of event going on and you will love it for sure!
Make your spring/summer trip special at Yoyogi Park in Tokyo! What’s going on there?
-Tokyo Imperial Palace
- The Tokyo Imperial Palace is the primary residence of the Emperor of Japan.
- It is a large park-like area located in the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo and contains buildings including the main palace.
- It is built on the site of the old Edo Castle.
- The total area including the gardens is 3.41 square kilometres (1.32 sq mi).
- During the height of the 1980s Japanese property bubble, the palace grounds were valued by some to be more than the value of all of the real estate in the state of California.
- Furthermore, guided tours of the palace grounds are offered during the rest of the year, although no buildings are entered.
- The tours take about 75 minutes and are held in Japanese daily at 10:00 and 13:30 except on Sundays and Mondays.
- Advance reservations can be made through the Imperial Household Agency.
- But same-day registrations before the start of the tours are also possible at the Kikyomon Gate.
-Tokyo Tower
- Standing 333 meters high in the center of Tokyo, Tokyo Tower is the world’s tallest, self-supported steel tower and 13 meters taller than its model, the Eiffel Tower.
- A symbol of Japan’s post-war rebirth as a major economic power, Tokyo Tower was the country’s tallest structure from its completion in 1958 until 2012 when it was surpassed by the Tokyo Skytree.
- In addition to being a popular tourist spot, Tokyo Tower serves as a broadcast antenna.
Japan Tours (Day 3 : HAKONE & MT. FUJI)
-Hakone ropeway
- Blessed by its wonderful natural environment, superb scenery and an abundance of natural hot springs, Hakone is one of the leading tourist attractions in Japan.
- The Hakone Ropeway service operates at approximately one-minute intervals, and the 30-minute journey from Sounzan Station to Togendai Station.
- We are sure that you will enjoy your stroll in the sky.
-Gotemba Peace Park
- The Peace Park in Gotemba City commands a beautiful view of Mt. Fuji and houses the chalky stupa.
- Approximately 70% of visitors to the park are tourists from overseas, and the park serves as one of the golden spots in sightseeing in Shizuoka Prefecture.
- It is located on the mountainside of the outer rim of Hakone crater, commanding a good view of the city.
- The stupa, the symbol of the park, keeps the Buddha’s ashes presented by late Indian Prime Minister Nehru.
- 4 golden images of Buddha are also housed.
- In front of the stupa, the guardian dogs of respective Asian countries stand in line.
- In addition, The pond circuit-style Japanese garden, the Buddhist Monastery of Nihonzan-Myoho-ji Temple.
- You can enjoy yourselves here all year round, in particular, the cherry blossom and autumn leaves viewing times.
-Fujisan World Heritage Site
- The Fujisan World Heritage Center is an information center for travelers to Mount Fuji and the Fuji Five Lakes.
- It consists of two halls, the North Hall and the South Hall.
- The South Hall requires an admission fee and visually introduces visitors to Mount Fuji with movies and a 15-meter-wide model of Mount Fuji made of washi paper.
- Meanwhile, the North Hall is free to enter and features an information desk with details about climbing and weather conditions.
-Fuji Five Lakes (Lake Kawaguchi)
- Lake Kawaguchiko is the most easily accessible of the Fuji Five Lakes with train and direct bus connections to Tokyo.
- A hot spring resort town with various tourist attractions and views of Mount Fuji is located around the lake’s eastern end, while the northern and western shores are mostly undeveloped.
- The best views of Mount Fuji can be enjoyed from the lake’s northern shores.
- One of the nicest spots for cherry blossoms is the seaside promenade near the Kawaguchiko Music Forest.
Japan Tours (Day 4)
-Matsumoto Castle (NAGANO)
- Matsumoto Castle is one of the most complete and beautiful among Japan’s original castles.
- It is a “hirajiro” – a castle built on plains rather than on a hill or mountain.
- Matsumoto Castle is unique for having both a secondary donjon and a turret adjoined to its main keep.
- The castle structures, in combination with their characteristic black wainscoting, give off an air of grandeur and poise.
- Matsumotojo’s main castle keep and its smaller, second donjon were built from 1592 to 1614.
- Both these structures were well-fortified as peace was not yet fully achieved at the time.
- In 1635, when military threats had ceased, a third, barely defended turret and another for moon viewing were added to the castle.
-TAKAYAMA (GIFU)
- Takayama is a city in Japan’s mountainous Gifu Prefecture.
- The narrow streets of its Sanmachi Suji historic district are lined with wooden merchants’ houses dating to the Edo Period, along with many small museums.
- The city is famed for its biannual Takayama Festival, going back to at least the mid-1600s, celebrating spring and fall with parades featuring ornate, gilded floats and puppet shows.
-Old Town of Takayama
- Takayama’s old town has been beautifully preserved with many buildings and whole streets of houses dating from the Edo Period (1600-1868.
- The southern half of the old town, especially the Sannomachi Street, survives in a particularly pretty state with many old homes, shops, coffee houses and sake breweries, some of which have been in business for centuries.
- The shops in the area are typically open daily from 9:00 to 17:00.
-Takayama Jinya
- Because of its valuable timber resources, the Hida Region around Takayama was put under direct control of the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1692.
- The Takayama Jinya served as the local government office headed by the officials dispatched from Edo (present day Tokyo).
- The building complex was in official use until 1969, and is now open to the public as a museum.
- It includes various nicely maintained tatami mat rooms that once served as offices, conference rooms, guest rooms and residential space.
- There is also an interesting interrogation room.
- Beside the main building stands a large storehouse built in the 1600s.
- Known as the biggest traditional rice storehouse in Japan, it now functions as a museum.
Japan Tours (Day 5)
-Takayama Morning Market
- Two morning markets are held in Takayama on a daily basis from around 6:30 (7:00 in winter) to noon.
- The Jinya-mae Market in front of the Takayama Jinya, and the Miyagawa Market along the Miyagawa River in the old town.
- Most stands sell local crafts, snacks and farm products such as vegetables, pickles and flowers.
-SHIRAKAWA-GO (GIFU) /Shiroyama Viewpoint
- The Shiroyama Viewpoint is north of the village center and offers nice views of Ogimachi and its farmhouses.
- The viewpoint can be accessed via a walking trail in about 15 to 20 minutes from the village center or by a shuttle bus, which stops near the Wada-ke House.
-KANAZAWA (ISHIKAWA)/Kenrokuen (Kenroku Gardens)
- Kenrokuen Garden is a beautiful Japanese garden with an area of 11.4 hectares located on the heights of the central part of Kanazawa and next to Kanazawa Castle.
- The Maeda family, who ruled the Kaga Clan in feudal times, maintained the garden from generation to generation.
- From its scale and beauty, it is regarded as one of the most beautiful feudal lords’ gardens in Japan.
- Kenrokuen Garden has a big artificial pond, and hills and houses are dotted in the garden. Visitors can appreciate the whole, dropping in at them.
- The big pond called “Kasumigaike” was compared to an open sea, and an island.
- Kenrokuen, which means “having six factors”.
- Visitors can enjoy the beauty of the flowers and trees, such as plum and cherry blossoms in spring, azaleas and irises early in summer, and colorful red and yellow leaves in autumn.
- Besides, visitors will have a glorious view of seasonal natural beauty including the snow-covered landscape with yukitsuri.
Japan Tours (Day 6 : KYOTO)
-Kiyomizu dera
- Kiyomizu-dera officially Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera is an independent Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto.
- The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) UNESCO World Heritage site.
- It was one of 20 finalists for the New7Wonders of the World.
- The place is not to be confused with Kiyomizu-dera in Yasugi, Shimane, which is part of the 33-temple route of the Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage through western Japan.
-Nishijin Textile Center
- Although demand for kimono decreased dramatically once Western clothes were introduced to Japan during the Meiji period (1868-1912).
- Kyoto still remains famous for kimonos and textiles.
- The Nishijin Textile Centre, situated in the centre of Kyoto in the Nishijin weaving area, is an alliance consisting of more than 700 small companies.
- The seven-storey “Nishijin” Union building is located on Horikawa Street, just south of Imadegawa. Nishijin Textile Museum is a museum, a factory, a shop and a gallery all in one.
-Nishijin Kimono Show
-Heian Shrine
- Heian Shrine has a relatively short history, dating back just over a hundred years to 1895.
- Heian is the former name of Kyoto.
- A giant torii gate marks the approach to the shrine, around which there are a couple of museums.
- The actual shrine grounds themselves are very spacious, with a wide open court at the center.
- The shrine’s main buildings are a partial replica of the original Imperial Palace from the Heian Period, built on a somewhat smaller scale than the original.
-Golden Pavilion Kinkakuji
- Kinkakuji is a Zen temple in northern Kyoto whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf.
- Kinkakuji was the inspiration for the similarly named Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion), built by Yoshimitsu’s grandson, Ashikaga Yoshimasa, on the other side of the city a few decades later.
- Kinkakuji is an impressive structure built overlooking a large pond, and is the only building left of Yoshimitsu’s former retirement complex.
- It has burned down numerous times throughout its history including twice during the Onin War, a civil war that destroyed much of Kyoto.
- Once again more recently in 1950 when it was set on fire by a fanatic monk.
- The present structure was rebuilt in 1955.
-Gion
- Gion is Kyoto’s most famous geisha district, located around Shijo Avenue between Yasaka Shrine in the east and the Kamo River in the west.
- It is filled with shops, restaurants and ochaya (teahouses), where geiko (Kyoto dialect for geisha) and maiko (geiko apprentices) entertain.
- Gion attracts tourists with its high concentration of traditional wooden machiya merchant houses.
- Due to the fact that property taxes were formerly based upon street frontage.
- The houses were built with narrow facades only five to six meters wide, but extend up to twenty meters in from the street.
Kamogawa River
The Kamo River is located in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.
- The riverbanks are popular walking spots for residents and tourists.
- In summer, restaurants open balconies looking out to the river.
- There are pathways running alongside the river on which one can walk along the river, and some stepping stones that cross the river.
- The water level of the river is usually relatively low; less than one meter in most places.
- During the rainy season, however, the pathways sometimes flood in their lower stretches.
Japan Tours (Day 7)
-Uji
- Uji is a small city situated between Kyoto and Nara, two of Japan’s most famous historical and cultural centers.
- Its proximity to these two former capitals resulted in Uji’s early development as a cultural center in its own right.
- At the height of political power of the Fujiwara clan in the Heian Period (794 to 1192), buildings.
- Uji is also famous for its green tea.
- While Kozanji Temple in Kyoto is believed to be the original site of tea cultivation in Japan, Uji’s tea became better known for its superior quality in the 1100s.
-NARA /Todaiji Temple
- Todaiji is one of Japan’s most famous and historically significant temples and a landmark of Nara.
- The temple was constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan and grew so powerful.
- Todaiji’s main hall, the Daibutsuden is the world’s largest wooden building, despite the fact that the present reconstruction of 1692 is only two thirds of the original temple hall’s size.
- The massive building houses one of Japan’s largest bronze statues of Buddha (Daibutsu).
- The 15 meters tall, seated Buddha represents Vairocana and is flanked by two Bodhisattvas.
-OSAKA/Dotonbori
- Dōtonbori is one of the principal tourist destinations in Osaka, Japan.
- Historically a theater district, it is now a popular nightlife and entertainment area characterized by its eccentric atmosphere and large illuminated signboards.
-OSAKA/Shinsaibashi
- The Shinsaibashi is the largest shopping area in Osaka where many boutiques and specialty shops are gathered, attracting local people and visitors.
- The Shisaibashi has developed from the arcaded streets “Shinsaibashi Shopping Street” which runs east to Mido-Suji Avenue.
- It is the best-known shopping area in Osaka, and an enduring symbol of the city.
- With a history of 380 years, it was already an established shopping area in the Edo Period.
- Shops of all kinds and for all ages line the street, a roofed arcade 600 meters long.
Japan Tours (Day 8)
Both long refreshing and tiring travelling have ended. This day is for to return your own home. So totally packed schedule will be happened during your trip. Best of luck!
Source: What To Do In Japan: Tokyo, Hakone, Mt. Fuji, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Kanazawa, Takayama, Nagano
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