First Time in Japan: Where Should YOU Go?

The ultimate guide to help plan your itinerary for your first trip to Japan. With so many amazing parts of Japan, which is the best to visit? I'll share my recommended itinerary for 10 days in Japan and some other options should you have more time and wish to explore more of this country.

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[Jiyoon]

I had traveled Japan four times, each being about 4 to 6 days schedules: Tokyo Kyoto(+Nara) Osaka Hokkaido.
The best experiences I had in Japan were in Kyoto and Hokkaido. Kyoto was small enough to go around on a bicycle, and it had mini surprises every corners, alleyways, backstreets you encounter. I loved just leisurely walking around parks, temples, and shrines at days and barhoping locar bars and breweries at nights.
In Hokkaido, I'd traveled in late spring, rented a small bike, and just wandered around anywhere my wheels would take me. Everyone talks about Snowy Hokkaido, but Hokkaido in less busy times is nice also, if not better.
Osaka, on the other hand, was absolutely terrible; you'd wait in lines for more time than you'd actually spend seeing places and doing stuffs. Maybe a bit better to a person who knows how things work there, but that is not me.
Tokyo, in the same sense, was over my paygrade to travel or to critic properly. It might be too huge for you, too, if you're reading this.

[NothingMaster]

Chris, I’m not being facetious when I say that you really deserve to be awarded the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun. Your merit is, in fact, supported by two of the official criteria:

1- A person who has contributed to the promotion of culture or sports.

2- A person other than those listed in the preceding items who has contributed to the public interest.

Thanks for a great presentation.

[stargazer]

Currently in Japan, loving it, didn't realize it was such a cement jungle! Yes Narita is nice. Japanese food in Japan tastes the same in Southern California that's because we have Japanese chefs and large Japanese communities in California.

[okomeomochi]

＜Snow area in Japan＞☃️
◯Niseko Hokkaido
◯Sapporo Hokkaido
◯Blue pond Hokkaido
◯Biei Flower Hill Hokkaido
○Fog Lake Mashu Hokkaido
○Souya Hills Hokkaido
○Unryu Weltland
○Sarobetsu Weltland Hokkaido
◯Otaru Hokkaido
◯Hakodate Hokkaido
○Tokachi Hokkaido
○Yoichi Whisky Distillery Hokkaido
○Shiretoko Hokkaido
○Kushiro Hokkaido
○Nemuro Hokkaido
◯Drift Ice Monbetsu Hokkaido
◯Snow village Hokkaido

◯Sukayu Drive way Aomori
◯Oirase mountain stream Aomori
○Hirosaki Castle & Cherry Blossoms Aomori

◯Yokote Akita

◯Zao Sky Resort Yamagata
◯Ginzan Onsen Yamagata

◯Kusatsu Onsen Gunnma
○Oze Hiking Course Gunnma

◯Nikko Tochigi

◯Hakuba Sky Resort Nagano

◯Tateyama-Kurobe Line Gifu/Toyama

[okomeomochi]

＜Big Cities in Japan❶＞
◯Tokyo
◯Tokyo station
◯Tokyo Yurikamome line
◯Tokyo Skytree
◯Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
◯Hibiya Tokyo
◯Ginza Tokyo
◯Aoyama Jingu Gaien Avenue Tokyo
◯Omotesando Tokyo
◯Minami Aoyama Tokyo
◯Harajuku Tokyo
◯Shinjuku Gyoen Tokyo
◯Ebisu Tokyo
◯Odaiba / Toyosu Tokyo
○Tokyo Digital Art Museum
◯Aqua Park Shinagawa Tokyo
◯Tokyo Midtown
◯Tokyo Midtown Christmas Lights
◯Takeshiba Tokyo
◯Daikanyama Tokyo
◯Denenchoufu Tokyo
○Tachikawa Showa Park Tokyo
◯Tokyo Dome
○Izuoshima Tokyo
◯Yotsuya Tokyo

◯Yokohama Kanagawa
◯Kamakura Kanaga
◯Enoshima Kanagawa
○Hayama Hydrangea Kanagawa
○Hakone Kanagawa
◯Hiyoshi / Keio University Kanagawa
◯Kawasaki Kanagawa

[okomeomochi]

<Big Cities in Japan❸>
◯Osaka
◯Osaka Castle
◯Abeno Harukasu Osaka
◯North Umeda Osaka
◯East Umeda Osaka
◯Sky Buliding Osaka
◯Nakanoshima Osaka
◯Namba Parks Osaka
◯Tenpozan Osaka
◯USJ Osaka
○Yamazaki Whisky Distillery Osaka

◯Kyoto station
◯Kyoto Nijyo Castle
◯Gion Kyoto
◯Kamo river Kyoto
◯Arashiyama Kyoto
◯Kinkakuji Kyoto
◯Kiyomizu Kyoto
◯Rurikouin Kyoto
◯Shijyo Kyoto
◯Kisen Kyoto
◯Railway Museum Kyoto
○Plum-tree Kyoto/Mie

◯Nabananosato / Nagashima Supaland Mie

[okomeomochi]

<Big Cities in Japan❷>
◯Chiba Disneyland
○Chiba Disneysea
○Keisei Rose Garden Chiba
◯Kasai Rinkai Park Chiba
○Hitachi Kaihin Park Ibaraki

◯Hitachi Kaihin Park Ibaraki
◯Seaside Cycleroad Ibaraki

○Lake Chuzenji Tochigi
◯Ashikaga Tochigi
○Ashikaga Flower Park Tochigi

◯Takasaki Gunma

◯Fuji-Q Highland Yamanashi
○Hakusyu Whisky Distillery Yamanashi

◯Nagoya Aichi
◯LEGOLAND Nagoya Aichi
◯Kourankei Aichi

◯Suwa venus road Nagano
◯Karesawa curl Nagano
◯Azumino Nagano
◯Kamikouchi Nagano
◯Karuizawa Nagano
◯Ikenotaira Nagano
◯Utsukushigahara Nagano

◯Hamamatsu Flower Park Shizuoka
○Kawazu Cherry blossoms Shizuoka

◯HidaTakayama Gifu
◯Tateyama-Krobe Arpine Route Gifu / Toyama

◯Toyama
◯Kurobe Dam Toyama

◯Kanazawa Ishikawa
◯Kanazawa station Ishikawa
◯21st century Museum of Contemporary Art Kanazawa Ishikawa

[okomeomochi]

〈Japanese Traditional System & area〉🏯👘
・Oh Oku (Japanese Drama Ending ver.)
・Oiran Douchu
・Gion District of Kyoto

〈Japanese Foods〉🍽
◯Tokyo Daimaru
◯Shinjuku Isetan
◯Shibuya Hikarie
◯Shibuya scramble square
◯Tokyo Dome food festival
◯Yokohama Takashimaya
◯Osaka food
◯Kyoto food

★＜Japanese Transport＞🚃🛩⛴
○Bullet Train
◯JR Nanatsuboshi
◯JR Shikishima
◯JR Saphir
◯Nankai Railway Rapito / Rapito STAR WARS ver. / Kouya / Southern Ltd.Ex
◯JR Osaka-Kanjyo line
◯JR Soubu line
○Enoshima Railway
○Ooigawa Railway
○Japan SL
◯Kintetsu Railway Aoniyoshi
○Hankyu Railway
◯Izukyukou
○Sagano Railway Trolley train
○Shounan Monorail
○Chiba Urban Monorail
◯Shimonada station Ehime
◯Oomisaki statin Nagasaki

◯Haneda Airport
◯Narita Airport

◯Japanese Ship

[freddiev]

I served 2.5 yrs. in Yokosuka back in my Navy days. Nice place, but didn’t mind leaving. 🏃🏼

[stargazer]

We're traveling in Tokyo 11/2022 then bullet train to Kyoto. Great time....perfect weather and not many tourists!!!!

[michaelaronson]

I have to say watching your videos has gotten me interested in taking a trip back to Japan. I haven't been there since 2006. I was stationed there for three years in the military, in Sasebo. I explored Fukuoka and Kumamoto quite a bit as well, and also went to Okinawa quite often during the course of our operations. This time I think I'd be more appreciative of the culture as now I'd be a private citizen and able to go wherever I wanted with no government restrictions, and also being older and more mature (although I think I would still love the nightlife quite a bit, assuming things still stay open all night). I'd be tempted to be nostalgic and see those cities again, but I'd probably actually go to Osaka, since that is a city I have yet to explore.

[GPosner]

I read “Shogun” when it came out and from that moment I’ve wanted to visit Japan. I’m retired now and Japan is at the top of my list. Thanks to you and your videos I feel like I’m ready to visit and have a memorable visit. Domo Arigato🙏🙏🙏

[ahom]

Love the way you used Google Earth to show us all the different places and how far everything is relative from each other! It was fun to watch this video! Thanks for putting it together!

[AliaFerris]

The BEST and most helpful travel video I came across to for awhile!! Traveling all over the world for years now, and always do my research prior.. Yellow production videos were the best!! I wish he had videos like that for other countries too.. but I’m thankful for ALL tips!!

[brandonward]

A very informative vid for my visit in 2024 Thanks

[jonathansakura]

The thing with Haneda is that flying to that airport is more expensive than narita
I'm in korea literally next to Japan
And a flight to narita is 300 💸
And haneda is 800 dollars 💸
And I'm legit next door
I usually pay more for convenience
But that's quite a premuim

Great content 👌
Super informative 😀
Greetings from Jeju island 🏝 korea 🇰🇷 ❤️

[asiancultures]

Thank you so much for introducing Japan. This video is also useful and helpful for me to study English. And I can get much information on many regions of Japan that I don’t have.

[ariohandoyo]

Oh my god the video is one hour, How are you? I've never been to japan before, wish i could go there someday japan is in my bucket list. Please make more videos about japan, love japan so so much. Aww you visited sumo museum. I would like to see a sumo carry a baby there, Sumos and babies are compatible to each other acording to the history, so unique.😍

[barbaraziaeisangary]

On a previous cruise we got to see a bit of Osaka, and Kobe. Cruising gives you a bit of a taste for the areas before you do an immersive trip. We now would like to do a 14 day trip around Japan to other places.

[maktubgr]

Hello Chris, best greetings from Athens in Greece. I like your videos very much 😊. My son's daydream is to visit Japan. Could you give us an idea about the daily cost staying in the country ? Thank you very much for your company 🙂