Japan 15-Day Tours & Itineraries

Explore 5 trips designed by local kimkim specialists to get ideas for your trip to Japan.

Japan offers everything from metropolitan cities to charming villages and city escapes, which you can easily explore in 15 days. Japan's Golden Route is a great choice if you're interested in exploring Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka and experiencing food tours, art exhibits, sumo wrestling, shrines and castles, geisha, and even Japanese sword-making. The ultimate Japan excursion is also an immersive experience that takes you through Tokyo, where you can witness exciting neighborhoods, Hiroshima, where you can learn about the history of World War II and the quaint streets of Takayama and Kanazawa for an authentic cultural experience. You could also opt for experiencing the highlights of Japan that start in Tokyo, followed by a ride on a bullet train, ending up in Izumo, exploring temples in Kyoto, and visiting remote islands known for caves and beautiful beaches. 

See our itineraries below or read our guide to the best 15-day trips in Japan.

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Kyoto, Japan's historic capital
Map of Japan's Golden Route: Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka - 15 Days
Japan's Golden Route: Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka - 15 Days

Travel along Japan's "Golden Route," starting in Tokyo. Soak up the city as you enjoy food tours, art exhibits, a calligraphy workshop, and watching a sumo wrestling practice. Then head to Kyoto to visit shrines and castles, meet geisha, and savor a traditional multicourse meal. Spot deer in Nara, then move on to Osaka for a food tour and river cruise and explore Hiroshima and Miyajima. Back in Tokyo, learn about Japanese sword-making, see the city's high-tech attractions, and visit Kamakura.

Springtime cherry blossoms in Japan fram Kanei-ji pagoda in Tokyo's Ueno Park
Map of Ultimate Japan Tour: Tokyo to Hiroshima & Kanazawa - 15 Days
Ultimate Japan Tour: Tokyo to Hiroshima & Kanazawa - 15 Days

Cover the highlights of Japan as you travel in a wide loop across the country's south. Explore Tokyo's most exciting neighborhoods, learn about the important World War II history of Hiroshima, experience tradition with a tea ceremony and geisha photoshoot in Kyoto, and wander the quaint streets of Takayama and Kanazawa. Visit the UNESCO-listed village of Shirakawa-go and take a dip in Hakone's hot springs, then return to Tokyo for more sightseeing.

Explore Japan's Fukuoka, and sample Hakata tonkotsu ramen, the region's specialty
Map of Highlights of Japan - 15 Days
Highlights of Japan - 15 Days

This is the ultimate tour for first-time visitors in Japan and includes a mix of classic activities and lesser-known surprises. Kick off the adventure with several days in Tokyo, and then make your way south by bullet train—using your Japan Rail Pass. You'll stay a night with a small-town family in Izumo, explore UNESCO-listed temples in Kyoto, and ferry to remote islands known for caves and beautiful beaches. Fly back to Tokyo for one more night in the exciting capital to end the tour.

Natural splendor at the Shinkyo Bridge in Nikko
Map of Off-the-Beaten-Path Japan: Tokyo, Nikko & Tohoku - 15 Days
Off-the-Beaten-Path Japan: Tokyo, Nikko & Tohoku - 15 Days

Get away from the crowds and experience a glimpse of traditional Japanese life on this 15-day tour that starts in Tokyo and heads north. After a couple of days exploring the capital, take the train up to UNESCO-listed Nikko and focus on the Tohoku region, the northernmost prefectures of Japan's main Honshu Island. Continue to several towns and cities that many travelers overlook—including Sendai, Hiraizumi, Aomori, and Yamagata—for a taste of unhurried, back-to-basics Japan.

A woman wearing a kimono in the Higashi Chaya district of Kanazawa
Map of Art, Culture & Cuisine: An Immersive Japan Experience - 15 Days
Art, Culture & Cuisine: An Immersive Japan Experience - 15 Days

On this well-planned 15-day tour, you'll visit some of Japan's finest art museums, sample some of its most delicious food (and have a go making some yourself), and participate in exciting cultural experiences. From dinner with a trainee geisha in Kyoto to visiting the art islands in the Seto Inland Sea, dressing in a kimono in Kanazawa to making traditional crafts, you'll learn lots about Japanese culture and history while having plenty of fun along the way.

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