11 days, 10 nights

The following is a suggested itinerary for first time travelers to Japan who spend 11 days and 10 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 2-5 - Tokyo with sidetrips
Spend four full days in Tokyo with two of those days spent on daytrips to nearby Kamakura and Nikko. Also consider one of our suggested Tokyo itineraries.
Day 6 - Tokyo to Kyoto
In the morning, travel by shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto (3 hours). Spend the afternoon and evening exploring Kyoto.
Day 7-9 - 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 10 - Kyoto to Tokyo
In the morning, take the shinkansen from Kyoto to Tokyo (3 hours) and spend the afternoon and evening in Tokyo.
Day 11 - 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 5 to 11. 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	104,000 - 162,000 yen	208,000 - 304,000 yen
Medium Budget	162,000 - 277,000 yen	304,000 - 454,000 yen
High Budget	over 277,000 yen	over 454,000 yen

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