With 7 days, the Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka circuit opens up to include one of Japan's most profoundly moving stops: Hiroshima and Miyajima Island. This route adds historical depth to the cultural and urban experiences of the 6-day plan — a day that will likely be the most emotionally significant of the entire trip. Seven days in Japan will change the way you see the world.
Visa: Japan Sticker Visa from the Japanese Consulate in India (Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata). Processing 5–7 days. Fee ₹550. Required documents: confirmed hotel bookings, return flight, bank statement (min ₹1.5 lakh).
JR Pass: Buy 7-day JR Pass before leaving India (≈₹26,000). Covers all Shinkansen and JR trains on this route — Tokyo, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Osaka. Buy online at japan-rail-pass.com and activate it on arrival.
Days 1–3: Tokyo — Temples, Tech & City Scale
Day 1 — Asakusa (Senso-ji Temple, Nakamise shopping), Shibuya Crossing + Sky, Harajuku (Meiji Shrine, Takeshita Street), Shinjuku for dinner and Tokyo's famous ramen.
Day 2 — teamLab Planets (book weeks ahead, ₹2,800), Akihabara electronics and anime district, Odaiba waterfront, evening Shibuya neon circuit.
Day 3 — Hakone day trip (JR + Romancecar, 90 min): Mt Fuji views, Hakone Open Air Museum (₹2,000), Lake Ashi ropeway, Owakudani volcanic valley. This is the best Mt Fuji day trip from Tokyo, weather permitting (June–October mornings are clearest).
Mt Fuji tip: Fuji is frequently cloud-covered. Book a Hakone day for your best-weather day in Tokyo — check the forecast the night before. Sunrise from the 5th Station (direct JR bus from Tokyo) is the most dramatic view, but requires an early start.
Full Tokyo guide: top attractions, areas to explore, and day-trip options.
Read moreDay 4: Hiroshima & Miyajima Island
Day 4 — Hiroshima: The Peace Memorial & Miyajima
Morning: Shinkansen Tokyo → Hiroshima (4 hrs, JR Pass). Go directly to the Peace Memorial Park. The Atomic Bomb Dome (the only structure left standing after the 6 August 1945 blast, now a UNESCO monument) and the Peace Memorial Museum (₹200) are among the most important historical sites in the world. Allow 2 hours — it's humbling, devastating, and ultimately hopeful.
Afternoon: Ferry from Hiroshima pier to Miyajima Island (15 min, JR Pass covers the ferry). Itsukushima Shrine and its famous floating torii gate — one of Japan's Three Views, standing in the sea at high tide. Tame deer roam freely on the island. Hike up Mt Misen (500m, 90 min) for panoramic views of the Inland Sea.
Dinner: Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki (layered savoury pancake, fundamentally different from Osaka style) at Okonomimura Building — 3 floors of okonomiyaki restaurants, each with its own recipe passed down for generations. Take the evening Shinkansen to Kyoto (90 min).
Hiroshima is not a place of sadness — it's a place of remarkable resilience. The city today is modern, lively, and forward-looking. The Peace Memorial Museum ends with letters from survivors calling for a nuclear-free world.
Days 5–6: Kyoto — 1,600 Temples, Bamboo & Geisha
Day 5 — Fushimi Inari, Kinkaku-ji & Gion
Morning (very early): Fushimi Inari Shrine at 6am for no crowds — 10,000 vermilion torii gates winding up a forested mountain. This is Japan's most photographed sight and completely free, open 24 hours. Hike to the summit (2 hrs return) for best views.
Afternoon: Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion (₹420) — Zen temple covered in gold leaf, reflected in a mirror pond. Nijo Castle (₹640) — 17th-century shogun's palace with the squeaking "nightingale floors" built to detect assassins.
Evening: Gion at dusk — walk Hanamikoji Street (the most photographed street in Japan), Pontocho alley for kaiseki dinner. Possibility of glimpsing a real maiko (apprentice geisha) walking to an appointment.
Day 6 — Arashiyama + Philosopher's Path
Morning: Arashiyama (JR Sagano line, 20 min) — Bamboo Grove at 7am, Tenryu-ji Temple zen garden (₹550), Jojakko-ji Temple mossy hillside. Monkey Park for Japanese macaques with Kyoto panorama (₹500).
Afternoon: Nishiki Market ("Kyoto's Kitchen") — a 400-year-old covered market 5 lanes wide and 400m long, packed with pickled vegetables, grilled mochi, fresh tofu, and Kyoto-style street food at every turn.
Evening: Philosopher's Path (2km canal-side walk lined with cherry trees) through to Nanzen-ji Temple aqueduct. Dinner at a local tofu restaurant — Kyoto is Japan's tofu capital and it's extraordinary.
Full Kyoto guide: temple walking routes, Gion district, and sakura season planning.
Read moreDay 7: Osaka — Street Food Feast & Departure
Day 7 — Osaka: Dotonbori & Fly Home
Morning: Shinkansen Kyoto → Osaka (15 min). Osaka Castle Park (free grounds, castle interior ₹600). Kuromon Ichiba Market ("Osaka's Kitchen") — fresh oysters, wagyu beef skewers, crab, and fresh seafood at market prices.
Afternoon: Dotonbori — eat everything. Takoyaki (₹250), Osaka-style okonomiyaki (₹600), kushikatsu deep-fried skewers (₹700), Glico Running Man neon selfie. Namba shopping district and Den Den Town for electronics.
Departure: Kansai Airport (KIX) — Haruka Express from Osaka Station (50 min, JR Pass). Allow 3 hours before international departure.
Full Osaka guide: food district map, Namba, and Universal Studios Japan.
Read moreJapan 7-Day Budget (Per Person from India)
| Expense | Budget ₹ | Mid-range ₹ | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return flights from India | 30,000–55,000 | 45,000–80,000 | IndiGo, Air India, JAL, ANA |
| Japan visa | 550 | 550 | Japanese Consulate India |
| 7-day JR Pass | 26,000 | 26,000 | Buy in India before travel |
| 7 nights accommodation | 14,000–21,000 | 24,500–49,000 | Capsule hotel vs standard hotel |
| Food (7 days) | 9,000–14,000 | 16,000–28,000 | Convenience store + restaurants |
| Activities & entries | 10,000–17,000 | 14,000–24,000 | teamLab, temples, Hakone |
| TOTAL | ≈₹90,000–1,34,000 | ≈₹1,26,000–2,08,000 | Per person return |
Japan country page: visa guide, JR Pass details, all city guides and best time to visit.
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