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Wooden post-town houses in Tsumago, set in the green Kiso Valley

Sample journey · 14–18 days

Japan — beyond the first impression

Tokyo, the Kiso Valley, Kanazawa, Kyoto & Naoshima

Photo: Susann Schuster / Unsplash

Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.

A first journey to Japan often begins with Tokyo and Kyoto, and with good reason. Yet the country's character often shows itself most clearly in between: a morning in a wooden mountain village, a ryokan dinner that changes with the season, or a quiet walk on an art island where architecture and sea seem to be in conversation.

This sample route brings both worlds together. It is shaped so that train journeys stay short and each place leaves time not only to see, but simply to be there. Treat it as a starting point: it could be slowed down, extended or reshaped around what matters most to you.

The route

The journey

  1. Tokyo
  2. Kiso Valley
  3. Kanazawa
  4. Kyoto
  5. Naoshima
  6. Osaka
  1. Paper lanterns glowing over izakaya tables beneath the railway arches, Yurakucho, Tokyo

    01Days 1–4 · Tokyo

    A city made of neighbourhoods

    The first days are for settling in gently. A morning could be spent among the temples and small workshops of quiet Yanaka, an afternoon in the food halls beneath the department stores, and an evening in a tiny izakaya under the railway arches. A day with a local guide can help make sense of how this vast city really works.

  2. A wooden water wheel beside the stone-paved Nakasendo road in Magome

    02Days 5–6 · Kiso Valley

    On foot along the old Nakasendo road

    A bullet train to Nagoya, then a local line into the Kiso Valley. Between the post towns of Magome and Tsumago runs a stretch of roughly 8 km through cedar forest, past water wheels and a wayside teahouse. Luggage can often be sent ahead, so the walk feels light. The night is spent in a small family-run inn, with dinner and a kind of quiet you won't find in Tokyo.

  3. A narrow lane between old wooden houses in Kanazawa

    03Days 7–9 · Kanazawa

    A city of crafts, and a night at a ryokan

    Kanazawa is a city where gold-leaf, lacquer and tea traditions are still very much alive. Kenroku-en garden is at its calmest early in the morning, and the wooden houses of the Higashi Chaya district hide small teahouses. Omicho market is full of seafood from the nearby Sea of Japan. We'd suggest one night at a ryokan in a hot-spring town nearby: a yukata, a long bath and a kaiseki dinner.

  4. A quiet stone-paved lane lined with traditional wooden machiya, Higashiyama, Kyoto

    04Days 10–13 · Kyoto

    The old capital, early in the morning

    A train to Kyoto and four days, enough to take things slowly. The best-known temples are often most peaceful right at opening time, leaving afternoons for quieter places: the northern hills, small Zen gardens or a ceramics workshop. One day could go to Nara. Evenings might mean the lanes of Pontocho, or dinner by the river in season.

  5. A small wooded island in the calm Seto Inland Sea off Naoshima

    05Days 14–16 · Naoshima & Osaka

    An island where art meets the sea

    A bullet train to Okayama, then a ferry to Naoshima. Museums set into the hillsides, outdoor sculpture and old houses in Honmura village turned into artworks can all be explored on foot or by bike. The next day, a boat to neighbouring Teshima is well worth it. The last evening is in Osaka, whose street food makes a fine ending before the flight home.

Experience highlights

  1. 01

    Walking from Magome to Tsumago

    A half-day walk on a historic road between two preserved post towns, manageable for most walkers.

  2. 02

    A night at a ryokan

    A hot-spring bath, a tatami room and a seasonal kaiseki dinner — one of the most memorable ways to experience Japan.

  3. 03

    Kenroku-en in the early morning

    One of Japan's best-known gardens, at its most rewarding before the visitors arrive.

  4. 04

    The art islands of Naoshima and Teshima

    Contemporary art and architecture woven into villages, hillsides and shoreline.

First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.

Make it your own

  • More active

    Walk a longer stretch of the Nakasendo, or swap Naoshima for the Kumano Kodo pilgrim trails on the Kii Peninsula.

  • More relaxed

    Drop one stop and add a second ryokan night for a gentler rhythm, a lovely shape for a honeymoon.

  • With children

    A shorter walk, more time in Tokyo's museums and parks, and bikes and beach time on Naoshima.

  • In another season

    Autumn often brings colour to the Kiso Valley and Kyoto; in winter the route could take in Takayama and snowy mountain villages.

Practical considerations

  • Spring and autumn are usually the most pleasant seasons, and also the busiest; blossom and foliage timings vary from year to year.
  • Japan's trains are comfortable and punctual, and it's often easiest to send luggage separately between cities.
  • Ryokan and small inns have few rooms, so they're worth planning well ahead.
  • Naoshima's museums close on certain days of the week, so island days are best timed around their schedule.

General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

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