10 days, 9 nights

The following is a suggested itinerary for first time travelers to Japan who spend 10 days and 9 nights in Japan, and arrive/depart from Tokyo's Narita Airport.

Day 1 - Arrive at Narita Airport
Arrive at Narita Airport and spend the rest of the day in Tokyo.
Day 2-4 - Tokyo with sidetrips
Spend three full days in Tokyo with one day spent on a daytrip to nearby Nikko. Also consider one of our suggested Tokyo itineraries.
Day 5 - Tokyo to Kyoto
In the morning, travel by shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto (3 hours). Spend the afternoon and evening exploring Kyoto.
Day 6-8 - Kyoto with sidetrips
Spend three full days in Kyoto. Consider one of our suggested Kyoto itineraries. Take a daytrip to nearby Nara and a half day trip to Himeji to check out Himeji Castle.
Day 9 - Kyoto to Tokyo
In the morning, take the shinkansen from Kyoto to Tokyo (3 hours) and spend the afternoon and evening in Tokyo.
Day 10 - Depart from Narita Airport
Depart Japan from Narita Airport.

Regular train tickets will likely be cheaper than a Japan Rail Pass for this itinerary; however, travelers who do not mind paying extra for the convenience and flexibility of the pass' all-you-can-ride priviledge could consider using a 7-day Japan Rail Pass from day 4 to 10. Below are some sample budgets for the itinerary, excluding airfare. Find out more about the sample budgets and about the current yen exchange rates.

	Single Traveler	Two Travelers
Low Budget	90,000 - 124,200 yen	180,000 - 248,400 yen
Medium Budget	124,200 - 225,000 yen	248,400 - 369,000 yen
High Budget	over 225,000 yen	over 369,000 yen

Questions? Ask in our forum.