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u/Senbon03

First International Trip - 10 Days in Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo - November 2026 / Itinerary Help
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First International Trip - 10 Days in Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo - November 2026 / Itinerary Help

Hi all! I am planning my first international trip to Japan in November with my girlfriend and would appreciate any advice on an itinerary. Below is a temporary draft that I made using Japan Guide, and I plan to adjust their itineraries based on what we find during our own research.

We're following the Golden Route, starting in Osaka and leaving from Tokyo. Our goals are to enjoy as much thrifting/shopping, food, nature, scenery/temples as possible.

My main questions right now are:

- Would it be possible to take one of the Tokyo days out to do a night somewhere off the Golden Route for a nature escape/hiking? I researched a bit about the Izu Peninsula, and the idea of stopping there on the way to Tokyo from Kyoto for a night to enjoy the scenery and wake up to do the Izu Panorama Park before heading to Tokyo, but I'd be worried about it all feeling too rushed to enjoy. Any advice on this would be great, and I'm open to other suggestions, such as day trips from Tokyo instead if one night somewhere is too hectic.

- Based on my Itinerary, can Uji and Nara be done in one day? If it's best to do them on separate days, how would you suggest it?

- How can I incorporate some hiking/nature walks besides temples? I'd absolutely love to visit the Japanese Alps somehow, but it's feeling like that will have to be another trip down the line.

Please let me know what's worth it as a tourist, and what a trap might be/skip worthy!

Itinerary:

Interests: Food, Matcha, Thrift Shopping, Nature/Hikes/Scenery, Anime, Experiences

Day 1 Nov 8: Osaka

  • Land at Kansai Airport
  • Travel to the hotel and rest
  • Explore Osaka for the night and meet up with Friends (visiting at the same time as us)
    • Places to explore? (Suggestions appreciated)

Day 2 Nov 9: Osaka (Itinerary: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4028_osaka_deep.html)

  • Start at Shin-Imamiya Station
  • Shinsekai
  • Nipponbashi Den Den Town
  • Kuromon Market
  • Doguyasuji Shotengai
  • Hozenji Yokocho
  • Dontonbori

Day 3 Nov 10: Kyoto (Half-day itinerary: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3950_higashiyama_half.html)

  • Travel to Kyoto and check into the hotel
  • Kiyomizudera - Temple (Their itinerary has it here, but I'd want to experience it at sunset)
  • Higashiyama District
  • Kodaji Temple
  • Kenninji Temple
  • Gion

Day 4 Nov 11: Kyoto

  • What should we spend this day on? Add Uji or Nara here, stay in Kyoto, or take a day trip to Arashiyama?
  • Fushimi Inari Shrine
  • Kinkaku-ji

Day 5 Nov 12: Kyoto (Uji - Nara Day, Can this be done in a day?)

  • Travel to Uji for Matcha and breakfast
  • Byodoin Temple
  • Travel to Nara 
  • Todaji Temple
  • Explore Nara for a bit
  • Is it better to get dinner in Nara or travel back to Kyoto first?

Day 6 Nov 13: Tokyo

Day 7 Nov 14: Tokyo (West Tokyo: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3051_west_tokyo_full.html / adjust for shops we want to visit in the area?)

  • Meiji Shrine
  • Takeshita Street
  • Omotesando
  • Shibuya
  • Shinjuku 
    • Omoide Yokocho food alleys

Day 8 Nov 15: Tokyo (Day trip from Tokyo: Kamakura/Nikko/Hakone/Enoshima?)

Day 9 Nov 16: Tokyo (Another day trip if we don't take the first day off from Tokyo for a night somewhere else, like Izu? Would it be better to do one day trip and use this day in Tokyo?)

Day 10 Nov 17: Tokyo

  • Last-minute shopping. Where to explore?

Day 11 Nov 18: Wake up super early and head to Narita Airport for an 8 am flight

If we did something like a night in Izu, it might look like this:

Day 6 Nov 13: Izu

  • Travel from Kyoto to Izu
  • Check into a hotel, try to find one with a private onsen
  • Dinner and a walk around

Day 7 Nov 14: Izu then Tokyo

Thank you for taking the time to read this and help!!

u/Senbon03 — 9 hours ago