Torii gates at sunrise
100% Free Guideby @MaydToAdventure

The Only Japan Guide
You’ll Ever Need.

7 days & $4,000 of real research — so you don’t have to.

📋 Pre-Trip Checklist 5 steps · takes 5 min to set up 🗺️ 7-Day Route Tokyo · Kyoto · Osaka

🔗 This guide contains affiliate links — I may earn a commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you.

🔥 Up to $70+ in direct, trackable savings using these exact tools — plus real time saved.
The family behind Mayd To Adventure
Who’s behind this guide
A family that actually does this stuff

We’re a family of four who travels together often — this guide is built from what actually worked for us, not just what sounded good in an article. Every tip here got tested in real life first.

Step 1

Your Pre-Trip Power Checklist

5 things to lock in before you board + my handpicked map

  • Airplane
    1 · Entry & Visa
    Mark as done
    ✅ Saves 45 min on Day 1

    ✈️ Skip the Immigration Queue

    Fill out Visit Japan Web 48 hrs before takeoff. I watched people behind me wait half an hour while I was already on the train.

    ✈️ Book flights before locking in hotels
    Compare arrival airports, baggage rules, and landing times first. Haneda is usually more convenient for central Tokyo; Narita can sometimes have better fares.
    Compare Trip.com Flights →
    Set Up Visit Japan Web (Free) →
  • Person with phone
    2 · eSIM Data
    Mark as done
    ✅ Saved me ~$40 vs airport SIM

    📶 5G From the Second You Land

    Airport SIM kiosks charge ~$50+ and are slower. Yesim activates the moment you land — unlimited data from $11.50 for 3 days.

    Get Yesim Japan eSIM →
  • Wide night view of the Tokyo skyline with Tokyo Skytree, seen from an observation deck
    3 · Hotel
    Mark as done
    ✅ Saves 1+ hour of transit daily

    🏠 Location Beats a Nicer Room

    Stay near a Yamanote loop station (Shinjuku or Ginza). I was 4 min from Shinjuku and it changed everything.

    Search Central Tokyo Stays →
  • Snow-covered Ginzan Onsen street at night with traditional wooden ryokan buildings
    4 · Ryokan & Machiya
    Mark as done
    ✨ The stay that makes the trip

    🏘 Skip the Chain Hotel At Least One Night

    One night in a Ryokan or Machiya beats any hotel — tatami mats, a private onsen, sometimes a kaiseki dinner included.

    🏯 Nazuna Kyoto Nijo-jo → 🏘 The Edo Sakura, Tokyo →
  • Tokyo street
    5 · Suica & Transit
    Mark as done
    ✅ Saves ~$15–30 on luggage

    🚇 Pay Like a Local Everywhere

    Suica works on every subway, train, and 7-Eleven. Ship bags Tokyo → Kyoto via Yamato (~$15/bag) at your hotel desk.

    📱 iPhone: Wallet → + → search “Suica”  ·  🤖 Android: grab a physical Suica card at the JR vending machines inside Narita or Haneda airport once you land — not available outside Japan
  • 🎁
    🗺️ Bonus · Exclusive Resource
    Explore My Handpicked Japan Map

    I dropped pins on every spot I visited — hidden izakayas, best sunrise viewpoints, where I actually stayed, and which tourist traps to skip.

🎉
You’re ready for Japan! 🏴︎
All 5 steps locked in — you’re more prepared than 90% of travelers who land in Tokyo. Now let’s plan how you’re going to spend those 7 days.
🗺️ Plan Your 7-Day Itinerary →
Step 2

The 7-Day Route I’d Run Again Tomorrow

Tokyo skyline
Days 1–3

Tokyo — Where the Future & the Ancient Collide

  • Day 1: Land, load Suica, explore neon Shinjuku & Omoide Yokocho.
  • Day 2: Senso-ji at 7:30 AM before crowds, Harajuku, Shibuya Crossing at sunset.
  • Day 3: teamLab Borderless (book NOW) + Shibuya Sky for the best Tokyo view money can buy.
⚠️ Sells out 3–4 weeks ahead — book before anything else
🎟️ Lock In teamLab Borderless Tickets →
Klook — instant confirmation, no queuing at the door.
Pro tips for Tokyo
  • Use Shinjuku Station’s south or west exits to avoid getting turned around in the world’s busiest station.
  • Reserve Shibuya Sky for sunset, but arrive 20–30 minutes early for the best window-side view.
  • Convenience stores are genuinely good for a fast breakfast before an early temple visit.
Kyoto torii gates
Days 4–5

Kyoto — The Japan You Came Here to See

  • Day 4: Shinkansen to Kyoto (~2.5 hrs). Fushimi Inari at golden hour.
  • Day 5: Arashiyama Bamboo Grove at dawn, then matcha in historic Gion.
⚠️ Peak-season trains fill fast — reserve in advance
🛅 Grab Shinkansen Seats Before They’re Gone →
Reserved seat = guaranteed spot. Standing for 2.5 hrs is not the move.
Pro tips for Kyoto
  • Load an IC card before leaving Tokyo so your first Kyoto bus or train is friction-free.
  • Arashiyama is quietest before 8 AM; pair it with coffee before the main crowds arrive.
  • Wear shoes you can slip on and off easily for temple visits and traditional restaurants.
Osaka Dotonbori
Days 6–7

Osaka — Eat Everything. Regret Nothing.

  • Day 6: 30-min train to Osaka. Food-hop Dotonbori Canal — takoyaki, okonomiyaki, things you can’t stop eating.
  • Day 7: Osaka Castle Park, then Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan.
⚠️ Express passes sell out on busy weekends
🎢 Get USJ Passes — Skip the Queue →
Online passes skip the ticket counter. Walk-up queue can be 45+ min.
Pro tips for Osaka
  • Eat one signature dish at a time in Dotonbori so you can keep room for the next stop.
  • Use the Osaka Loop Line for easy Castle Park access, then head back downtown for dinner.
  • For USJ, download the park app and check timed-entry availability as soon as you arrive.
Planning your own version?

Check the best season or estimate your budget after you’ve seen the full route.

🧭 Planning tools
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