In a side trip from Tokyo, visit Nikko, home to Toshogu, Japan's most lavishly decorated shrine and the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate.
On a side trip from Kyoto, visit Nara, home of Japan's first permanent capital. Visit some of the oldest and largest temples in Japan and feed the deer that roam freely in the city.
The above itinerary is somewhat fast-paced. Tourists preferring a slow pace of travel should consider spending more time at some of the destinations along the way.
