The ULTIMATE 7 Day Japan Guide | The COMPLETE 1 Week Guide To Japan

The ULTIMATE 7 Day Japan Guide | The COMPLETE 1 Week Guide To Japan

if you are planning your first trip to Japan and you are overwhelmed by what you could possibly do in just one week in Japan you’re in the right place today we will walk through the ultimate 7-day Japan itinerary to help you make the most of your time in Japan let’s dive into it the next station is [Music] Hey guys Hong here and today we are going to walk through the ultimate 7-day Japan itinerary and how to really make the most of your time here in Japan whether you’re into bustling cities ancient temples or stunning nature I’ve got you covered so let’s get started we’ll start off day one of our trip in Osaka osaka is Japan’s second largest city and is known for its neon lights and lively food scene particularly street food and this is often called the nation’s kitchen so come here expecting to eat osaka’s specialties include takoyaki which is a savory fried octopus ball and okonomiyaki which is a savory pancake with a variety of toppings and sauces and it is one of the most beloved dishes originating from Osaka we’ll get a bit more into food in a bit for now let’s start off our day at the famous Osaka Castle this castle is one of Japan’s most iconic landmarks and you can’t visit Osaka without visiting this spot the castle was built in the 16th century and the architecture is simply beautiful the castle itself has been reconstructed multiple times and as it stands today offers a peaceful and tranquil area in the midst of a modern city additionally it is a stunning spot for cherry blossom viewing if you happen to be there at the right time in the spring all right lunchtime it’s time to make our way over to Izakaya Toyo this is a legendary izakaya street food stall and was featured on the Netflix show Street Food Asia showcasing Chef Toyoji Chikumoto and his famous grilling method with a flamethrower you can get sushi here with flame grilled meats amongst other things the wait here can be long as it is quite popular but the food is well worth it in the afternoon you can make your way over to the Kaukan Aquarium if that’s your vibe the Shita Noji Temple if you want to experience history or the Umeida Sky Building for lounging and a view of the city as we get a bit later into the day it’s time for the fun to start make your way to the Doburi area where the city comes to life and we’ll finally get some of that street food that I mentioned earlier explore the streets lined with food and enjoy to your heart’s content don’t forget to stop by the Gleeo Man photo which has become an iconic spy in Osaka while in this area also stop by the Don Kyote with its iconic Ferris wheel at the Ebizu Tower and take a ride for 600 yen or around $4 at the time of making this video ferris wheel in a store like this you can’t beat it osaka’s nightife is amazing and truly an unforgettable area and experience all right well if that wasn’t already a wild enough first day there’s still six more days left so buckle up day two start off by going to Universal Studios in Osaka for an insane time exploring the famous Nintendo World Harry Potter World and all of the various shows and attractions here the big thing in my opinion is Nintendo World so make sure to capitalize on that i don’t think you really need to spend a whole entire day here unless you really love amusement parks so after that pack your bags and make your way to Osaka station and begin the next portion of our trip it’s time to go to Kyoto next station is Kyoto the bullet train is the fastest method here taking a short 15 minutes however it does cost more than the local trains which can take around 30 minutes and are a third of the price once in Kyoto drop off your stuff and make your way to the Ninen Zaka and Sanenzaka area to experience the old historic part of Japan with streets lined with stores selling traditional Japanese products and food this is a spot you won’t want to miss out on don’t forget to try some of the world famous mochi in Kyoto nearby you’ll also find the famous Hokanji Temple and the Yasaka Pagod which is an iconic Kyoto location from here you can make your way to the nearby Q Mizuera which is a UNESCO World Heritage site location for Kyoto this is one of Kyoto’s most iconic landmarks with the temple being fairly large and was founded in the year 778 the main hall here is famous for its large wooden stage that extends over a steep hillside offering stunning views of the city of Kyoto however in my opinion the best view isn’t from the stage itself but rather from the adjacent hillside to get a view of the stage and Kyoto the main hall here and stage itself are all built out of wood without the use of any nails walking on the stage itself does feel a little bit scary as it has a slight slope downward to it and the areas do creek as you walk just letting you know the photos you can take here though are breathtaking and this is my favorite photography spot for Kyoto afterward you can make your way back through the streets and finish up some shopping while walking to the Yasaka Shrine here you can see the famous shrine lanterns lit up at night the way I like to end every night in Japan is by stopping by one of the convenience stores and buying snacks the three major convenience stores that you will see all over Japan are 7-Eleven Family Mart and Lawson trust me it’s worth the stop time for day three and we will start the day off by going bright and early to the Fushimi Anari Shrine to see the iconic thousands of Tory gates here this is one of the most famous landmarks in all of Japan so this is one that you won’t want to miss the reason we are starting off the day here is because it can get crowded fast it can take around 2 to three hours to hike the entire loop to the top of the shrine so it’s up to you if you want to spend the time to do so or not me personally I spent my time closer to the base and still got plenty of really good photos after enjoying yourself at this tranquil shrine make your way to Njo Castle this is one of Kyoto’s most iconic castles and was built in6003 this is a UNUSCO World Heritage site as well nij Castle is famous for its nighting gale floors which were designed to chirp like a bird when walked on this was designed to protect the shogun from intruders and added a unique charm to the castle itself nij Castle is right next to one of the most Instagram worthy spots in Kyoto Menbaka Fire Ramen this is a perfect lunch spot and here you will get to experience a combination of ramen and fire unlike anything else in the world ready okay are you ready okay ready [Music] after experiencing literal fire ramen make your way to the next spot another UNESCO World Heritage site the famous Golden Pavilion itself this is King Kakuji Temple this temple is also an icon not of only Kyoto but of Japan you may realize a trend here a lot of the spots that we’re hitting on this trip are iconic mainly due to trying to make the most of your experience in Japan back to King Kakuji Temple this pavilion was built in 1397 as a luxury retirement villa for the Shogun and was later converted into a temple the gold coating makes the pavilion stand out against the surrounding greenery and if you are lucky and the wind isn’t blowing the lake will be perfectly still allowing you to get a mirror reflection of the pavilion in the water if you want a detailed guide to all of these Kyoto spots and more check out my video specifically on Kyoto itself after finishing up here at the Kinkakuji Temple make your way into the Ponchoto area and the Nashiki Market area in these areas you will find some shopping and street food to end the day when I say end the day I mean spending hours there shopping eating and just exploring and enjoying because it is a massive and fun area the Ponchoto area runs along the Kamako River and has tons of restaurants and amazing places to eat while the Nishiki Market is a few streets over and is a massive covered shopping area with lots of street food and lots of stores to browse it is a fun and lively area to end the day but don’t forget to stock up on anything you may need at the convenience stores before you head back on to day four where we will start off the day early again by going to the Arishyama bamboo forest the bamboo forest here is also one of the most iconic locations in Kyoto with the bamboo stocks growing to around 65 ft or 20 m tall going here in the morning gives you the best chance to get stunning photos and experience the bamboo grove without a lot of people in it this is not the largest bamboo grove in Kyoto but it is the most popular so there are less crowded alternatives if you want to go to a more tranquil bamboo grove but the whole reason we’re going early in the morning is to avoid the crowds here the street in front of the entrance to the Bamboo Forest also contains a lot of shops and things to do as well though depending on how early you go they might not be open yet from there pack your bags one more time and make your way to Kyoto station and before leaving Kyoto we have to do one more thing eat some of the famous soba noodles there are plenty of restaurants in the station itself that serve the iconic Kyoto soba noodles kyoto is known for its fresh water and food made with water like soba noodles and tofu will taste better here than in other places so don’t miss out on that next we will hop on the bullet train and head to Tokyo it takes a little over 2 hours to reach Tokyo from Kyoto via the bullet train assuming you’re taking the fastest train the bullet train itself has three types of seats: first class seats regular reserve seats and non-reserve seats if you are bringing large suitcases like the ones that you have to check in then you will need to reserve a seat with a storage space large enough for that suitcase suitcases that fit overhead on an airplane will fit fine in standard seats on the bullet train if you want to have the best chance at seeing Mount Fuji from the bullet train then sit on the left side of the train which is seat F for the window seats in the regular train cars and seat D in the first class train cars mount Fuji is not always visible due to cloud and weather conditions but the best viewing time is around 40 to 45 minutes before arriving at Tokyo Station if you are coming from Kyoto or Oaka or 45 minutes or so if you are leaving from Tokyo Station we will arrive at Tokyo Terminal in a few minutes after arriving at Tokyo Station drop your bags off at wherever you’re staying and make your way to Shinjjuku for some of the most bustling nightife in all of Japan the next station is Shinjuku there is lots to do in Shinjuku and the heart of it revolves around the Kabuko area this area has all the night life from shopping to food to bars this place literally has it all if you are into bars and you want to get some of the best drinks and sake in Japan then go to the Golden Guy area for some of the best bars in all of Japan if you are looking for a more scenic spot to go to then go to the Metropolitan Government Building for the world’s largest light map projection display on the building itself if you are in the area early enough and there’s still sunlight there is a really scenic park called the Shinjjuku Goyan National Garden which is beautiful wrap up day four and enjoy the nightife in Shinjuku because Shinjjuku is the nightlife capital of Japan starting off day five and for me every day in Japan my favorite thing to do is to get these pancakes from 7-Eleven most amazing thing is going to 7-Eleven and getting these pancakes for breakfast these pancakes are filled with syrup and butter and it’s so good they’re such a great way of starting off the day anyway start off day five by going to the Tokyo Skytree the Tokyo Skytree is the tallest self-supporting tower in the world now you may be thinking isn’t the tallest tower the Burj Khalifa in Dubai well technically no as the Burj Khalifa is a building not a tower and it has habitable floors the Tokyo Skytree is a telecommunications tower and has no habitable floors the Sky Tree itself is 2,080 feet tall or 634 meters the Sky Tree itself has two observation decks one on the 350th floor and one on the 450th floor there are also restaurants there if you want to spend more time up there once you are done at the top of the Sky Tree you can make your way back down to the base where there is a mall with a lot of food and an aquarium now once you are done at the Skytree go ahead and make your way to Shibuya the next station is Shibuya if you want in-depth guides on Shibuya or Shinjjuku or other places in Tokyo or Japan then go ahead and check out my channel for more in Shibuya we’ll stop at Harajuku Station and go to the famous Takashida Street for some lively shopping and street food this place is a fashion icon for Japanese Harajuku culture it can also get fairly crowded here so once you’re done you can go right across the street to get away from the crowds and visit the Maji Shrine and the adjacent park afterwards go to Harajuku Station once again and take the train to Shabuya Station once you exit Shabuya Station which is the second most busy station in the world and assuming you take the right exit you will be met with the world’s famous Shabuya Scramble Crossing which is the world’s busiest crosswalk from here you can go up the Shibuya sky if you want stunning views of the Tokyo skyline and some would argue that the views here are better than the Skytree due to it being much more in the heart of Tokyo itself whereas the Skytree is a bit further out shabuya is a lively place with shopping galore take a stop at U Bay which is a conveyor belt sushi place that offers amazing sushi at an unbeatable price the quality of the sushi here is phenomenal and everything is super fresh in Shibuya there is a ton of shopping to do along with the flagship mega Don Kyote store which is the largest Don Kyote store in the world if you don’t know about Don Kyote just think of it as a store for literally anything you could want and a ton of things that you didn’t know you wanted there’s so much to buy there souvenirs snacks and they literally have everything there so definitely go and spend some time there spend the rest of the night enjoying everything that Shabuya has to offer and for me personally this is my favorite area in Tokyo on to day six and the trip is wrapping up but it’s not over yet and there’s still tons to do start off the day by going to Akihabara the electric town and anime capital of Japan the next station is Akihabara this area is lively during the day and you will find maids all over advertising for the maid dreaming cafe which is where you can go and girls dressed as maids will serve you food and drinks and perform songs the whole thing is very cute and very unique to Japanese culture so it’s worth the experience you will also find the area flooded with anime stores and electronic stores so if you’re looking for either one of those things then this is the area to go to buy them and if you are into gacha pon or claw machines this is the place to go what is a gacha pon well it’s basically a vending machine these machines you’ll find all over Japan and basically you put money into it and you get a random prize from the list of prizes and let’s just say that I spent a lot of money on them there’s some really cool stuff that you can get from them and it’s really fun to try to get the things that you want oh it’s a Kirby oh it’s fun what is it i think we got it we got it you got it got it no way once you’re done and have wrapped up in Akihabara take the train up to Asakusa to the famous Senzo Gi Temple with the famous Senzo G pagod the next stop is Aak this spot is iconic and is a mustsee along with the Kamarim gate at the entrance of the temple with its massive 13t or 4 meter tall lantern right behind the gate is the famous Nakamise shopping street which is filled with stalls of vendors and you can spend time just shopping and enjoying culture here once you’ve finished up here and are ready for dinner then make your way to Guatsu Kyoto for dinner now you may be wondering it has the word Kyoto in it why didn’t we do this in Kyoto itself well this chain originated from Kyoto and it started the whole beef katu craze and while we could have gotten in Kyoto in order to enjoy more of the cultural experience and more of the unique dishes in Kyoto we opted to get those there instead of this so now it’s time to go here it’s still the same great food and you can get Wagu beef katsu which is the most amazing thing I’ve ever eaten super good really oh wow just melts straight in your mouth it’s so good okay we are on to our final day and I don’t know why but I’m sad just talking about this because our trip here is coming to an end and it makes me think of when I was reflecting on my final day in Japan and I just didn’t want to leave so much fun we learned a lot we experienced a lot and I think really going to miss Japan anyway start off the day by going to Team Lab Borderless where you can experience hands-on interactive art unlike anywhere else this place is famous and a top Instagram location for Tokyo and it is definitely worth the visit again I have an in-depth guide on my channel after spending the morning at Team Lab Borderless go ahead and make your way to the nearby Tokyo Tower which is one of the most iconic spots in all of Japan i wouldn’t suggest going up the tower if you’ve already gone up either the Sky Tree or the Shabuya Sky so this is a quicker stop just to see the tower closer up since we’re in the area once you’re done here make your way into Ginsza for some lunch the next stop is Ginsa ginsa itself is known as a high-end luxurious destination and is the fashion capital so if you are into fashion then make sure to spend some time shopping here it’s mainly shopping here though so if you want one final dose of street food then make your way to the Outer Market for some amazing street food if you want some ramen make a stop at Wichi Shimbashi for a more unique ramen experience as they serve back fat meat ramen with dried sardines once you’re done in Ginsa lastly make your way to Rapangi where if you happen to be visiting during either Christmas time or during the cherry blossoms there is a street here that is lit up and has the perfect view of Tokyo Tower and this is a very very popular photography spot there is a ton of shopping here and really really good restaurants here in Rabbangi so spend the final night enjoying all of it that’s it for this 7-day guide to Japan there’s so much more to see and it really is tough to pack all of it into one itinerary so if this is your first time in Japan and you only have 7 days this is a great start but if you have more time or have been to Japan before you probably would be doing things fairly differently where else would you go what would you do differently let me know in the comments section down below and I will see you guys in the next one [Music]

Looking for the ultimate travel itinerary for Japan in 1 week? Today we will dive into how to maximize your week in Japan by doing all the most amazing spots in 7 days. It’s going to be an ultra packed trip but if you’re short on time, this will bring you to all the most iconic spots so you don’t miss a thing. Let’s dive into the complete 7 day Japan guide with an itinerary that will make everyone jealous.

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Chapters:
0:00 – Intro
0:39 – Day 1 – Street Food
3:05 – Day 2 – Nintendo
5:26 – Day 3 – Historical Culture
8:33 – Day 4 – Night Life
11:41 – Day 5 – World Records
14:45 – Day 6 – Japanese Culture
17:18 – Day 7 – The Modern Japan
19:14 – Final Thoughts

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