Japan Itineraries: How Long Should You Visit?
People often ask us, “what's the ideal amount of time to visit Japan?”
Our answer is always, “As much time as you've got – and then add some more.”
I could go on with a series of platitudes about the richness of travel, how travel betters our lives and broadens our horizons, etc. But I’m going to go ahead and say you already know that.
So in this space, I'd like to address the bigger picture questions about travel and time, and then get into some of the pros and cons for making shorter or longer trips to japan.
Making the Time to Travel (and to Appreciate & Enjoy Life)
Time.
We’re chasing it, running from it, trying to beat it, and making every attempt to bend and shape it to our will.
But time waits for no one.
The reality for many people, and especially many Americans, is that vacation time is in short supply. Of course, for many who are finding themselves with time on their hands, budget may become the issue. Few in this life are blessed to have both time and money.
If you're determined to travel and make the most of your time, we’re of like minds.
If you make it a priority to get as much time as possible, sacrificing other aspects of your life to get more time, cheers to that.
If you’ve found that travel – and inherently the available time to travel – is a top enriching factor in your life, you've got most of it figured out already.
Travels to Japan: The Ideal Time (Measured in Length & Depth)
When it comes to making the time to travel to Japan, of course it's easy for me to sit here (I’m standing at my desk, actually) and tell you that “more is better."
But we need to be realistic… and more specific.
If you’ve only got a week, is Japan the right destination for you right now?
What if you can get to Japan for two weeks — how would that be?
Or maybe a self-guided tour of Japan is best saved for three weeks or more?
Let’s hash those out, one by one.
Is 1 Week in Japan Enough?
Honestly, it could be. Or possibly not.
To answer this question, let’s dig deeper.
Is Japan part of a larger trip that you’re making, including neighboring destinations such as South Korea, China, Southeast Asia, etc.? If so, that’s a good way to get a broad introduction to Japan, a preview of what you could enjoy on future journeys. (Spoiler alert: You’re gonna love it, in all likelihood, probably even going home raving about what you experienced & planning your next Japan trip which can’t come soon enough!)
If, on the other hand, you’re flying 12-18 hours from North America to spend a week in Japan, getting over the jet lag just in time to make the trip home again, you need to determine whether it’s really worth it for you.
For example, if you’re enjoying a honeymoon in Japan — congrats, first off. And I hope you’ll get to stay here longer than a week, you deserve more than that!
It might be, if that’s all the time you’ve got, and if you’re determined to make the most of it and come back again to experience more. If so, we usually recommend choosing either Tokyo as a base for the duration of your stay in Japan; or eschewing the capital altogether and visiting Kyoto & Osaka.
Would a 2-Week Japan Itinerary Be Good?
Two weeks allows you to experience considerably more of Japan than one, that’s for sure.
In two weeks you can venture off the beaten path, adding unique destinations and local experiences in addition to the “Golden Route” of Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka.
Depending on the season, you could add cities like Kanazawa or Hiroshima; regions such as the “Hokuriku Arch” or Tohoku; and/or other islands such as Kyushu or Hokkaido.
Leave home on a Saturday, arriving in Japan the next day (Sunday); then stay for 14 nights. Fly home two Sundays later, arriving home the same day. That’s how to maximize your work vacation and get the most out of your Japan experience.
For you honeymooners coming to Japan, two weeks is starting to hit the sweet spot. Of course, the more the merrier.
Is Japan Best Saved for 3 Weeks or More?
Japan is best experienced with 21, 24, 28 days… or even more.
But I wouldn’t say that it’s best “saved” for that grand of a trip.
Going back to an earlier point, if you can only get away for a week or two in Japan, you can have a great time here. And (yeah I know I’ve already gushed about this) you’re probably going to want to come back for more!
Three weeks (or more) lets you slow down a bit, experiencing Japan more in-depth, and adding some areas to your itinerary that take a bit more time to reach – but heartily reward the journey.
If you come to Japan in the spring, for example, spreading 21 days or more across Japan in March-April will give you a great chance of seeing cherry blossoms in different parts of the country.
The same goes for the fall colors, which start in Hokkaido in the north around October, and tend to peak in Tokyo, Kyoto and western Japan in November or into December (we’ve even seen past-peak colors here in the Kansai Area as late as New Year’s Day).
A three- or four-week Japan itinerary also gives you the opportunity to spend more time with bases in Tokyo as well as Kyoto and/or Osaka, plus in-depth experiences in Hokkaido, Kyushu… even the “fourth” island of Shikoku, which you’ll have practically to yourself since it’s much less common for international visitors to visit.
“How Do I Know What’s the Right Japan Itinerary for Me?”
There’s no right answer to the questions we’ve been asking here.
Just like there’s no one-size-fits-all Japan itinerary.
Ask yourself what your priorities are, how your interests play a role, and where your dreams (and your heart) tell you to go.
Oh, and we’d be happy to help with the process of planning your Japan travel itinerary.
Why not schedule a free consultation so that we can talk about your Japan travel dreams and goals?
Until next time… happy travels!