There is so much to see and do (and eat!) in Japan that it’s overwhelming to know where to start researching.

For my first trip to Japan, I wanted to see as much of Honshu, the main island, as I could in 3 weeks - and even then, I barely scratched the surface.

There’s a little bit of something for everyone in Japan, so once you decide what you want to see and do, then you can start planning your itinerary around it. For me, I wanted to see nature, eat a lot of sushi, and do some shopping. Kevin wanted everything and anything to do with cars (so we visited lots of car museums and showrooms and even drove a Porsche 911 Turbo 964).

If you’re not sure where to start, here’s my complete itinerary of destinations below!

Day 1-3: Shibuya, Tokyo prefecture

We couldn’t decide between Shibuya and Shinjuku so we split them up at the beginning and end of our trip.

There is so much to do in Shibuya, you could easily spend a week here and wander around doing something different every day but is best for people that love shopping and eating.

3 days was enough for us for this trip but not forever… we’ll definitely be back to explore the other districts in Shibuya at a slower pace.

Highlights:

Yoyogi Park
Meiji Shrine
Shopping at Harajuku
Ichiran Ramen
Photobooths!

Day 4-6: Hachinohe, Aomori prefecture

Hachinohe is around a 4 hour bullet train away from Tokyo. When I travel, I love to go where most tourists don’t and explore the places less travelled. Even though it’s the second biggest city in Aomori prefecture, compared to the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, it felt like a small, quiet town on the coast.

It is incredibly local here, and a little bit of Japanese goes a long way. One of the main reasons I wanted to visit Hachinohe was to visit the Tatehana Morning Market (it was incredible) and a day trip to Aomori city to see cherry blossoms (also incredible).

It didn’t feel like we had enough time, and I’d love to be back someday to explore much more of the north of the island.

Highlights:

Tatehana Morning Market
Tanesashi Coastal Walk
Aomori: Furukawa Fish Market (build your own nokke-don!)
Aomori: Cherry Blossom Festival at Hirosaki Castle

Read more:

6 Things To Do In Aomori

Day 7-9: Sendai, Miyagi prefecture

Sendai was easily one of the highlights of our trip. Laidback, local, with plenty of shopping and food, and the perfect spot to base yourself for nearby sightseeing!

Highlights:

So much shopping!
Wanko Soba (soba noodle challenge)
Geibikei Gorge
Yamadera Risshakuji Temple
Yodobashi Camera (huge for tech browsing - prices aren’t much cheaper than Australia though but you’ll find some unique products)

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day 10-11 & day 17: Hakone, Kanagawa prefecture

We had to split up our stay in Hakone because Kevin failed to properly reserve the date of his guided driving tour (thanks Kevin) so there was a bit of back and forth but we made it work. Hakone is a lovely little town, not far from Tokyo, that is unfortunately quite popular with tourists but still could be worth a visit if you’ve never been.

Highlights:

Hakone Shrine (beautiful… but extremely crowded)
Lake Kawaguchiko (not recommended to visit from Hakone - it’s a long trip)
Hakone Yuryo (private onsen - AMAZING)

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day 12-16: Kyoto, Kyoto prefecture

Kyoto is the perfect place to base yourself if you want to do some sightseeing at the popular spots (like the bamboo forest and torii gates) and even to do a daytrip to Osaka. The city itself has plenty to offer and you could easily spend a few days just doing that.

Highlights:

Day trip to Nara Park
Fushimi Inari Shrine
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Nishiki Market
BOOK OFF (this chain is all over Japan!)
Curry Tukemen NANDATTEI (one of the best ramen I’ve ever had)
Day trip to Osaka for a day of eating!

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day 18-19: Asakusa, Tokyo Prefecture

I didn’t know too much about Asakusa before arriving but I immediately fell in love with the district and can’t wait to return to explore (and eat) some more. Just like Sendai, Asakusa’s vibe is low key and laidback, with an old world charm, and it doesn’t feel like there are too many tourists around (although it is very popular).

Highlights:

Local eateries
Exploring the streets with hints of old Tokyo
Food stalls at Sensō-ji Temple

Read more:

Stay: Wired Hotel, Asakusa, Tokyo

DAY 20-23: Shinjuku, Tokyo Prefecture

We enjoyed Shinjuku almost equally as much as Shibuya (Shibuya just a tiny bit more) and they’re so easily accessed from the other by train that you can’t go wrong wherever you choose to stay.

I don’t have any posts on Shibuya or Shinjuku because all we did was wander around, eat, shop and eat some more! Since it was our first time in Tokyo we wanted to explore near where we were staying but we can’t wait to be back someday to visit the other districts.

Highlights: