Fly into Tokyo, spend three nights there, then stay two nights in Kyoto and one in Osaka. Fly home from Kansai Airport if the flight and fare work for you. The seven days include arrival and departure.
Where to stay. Tokyo Station makes the westbound Shinkansen easy. Ueno is a good base for eastern Tokyo and the Skyliner from Narita. Choose Shinjuku if you want evenings in western Tokyo. Compare Tokyo hotel areas.
From Haneda, compare Keikyu and the Tokyo Monorail for your hotel’s nearest station. From Narita, compare the Narita Express for Tokyo Station or Shinjuku and the Skyliner for Ueno. A bus can be easier if it stops at your hotel. Check your exact terminal and departure before you choose.
Check in or ask the hotel to hold your bags, then eat near the hotel. If you have energy, walk one nearby neighborhood. Save any paid attraction for another day.
Start at Senso-ji in Asakusa, then head to Ueno for lunch and a park walk. Choose one museum if it interests you. The Tokyo National Museum works as a rainy-day anchor when it’s open.
Keep the evening open. Stay around Ueno for dinner or go back to your hotel area if jet lag catches up.
Start at Meiji Jingu and spend the afternoon around Harajuku or Shibuya. Choose one shopping area or viewpoint, then have dinner close by. Add Shinjuku only if you still want an evening out.
Optional day trip. Swap this whole day for Kamakura if you prefer temple walks and the coast. Keep the day in Tokyo if you want a slower pace or the weather turns.
Where to stay. Choose Kyoto Station for easy arrival with bags. Choose Shijo-Kawaramachi if you want evenings on foot around the river and Gion. Compare Kyoto hotel areas.
Take a morning or late-morning Shinkansen from Tokyo or Shinagawa to Kyoto. Leave your bag at the hotel if check-in is later. Pick one afternoon area: walk from the Kiyomizu-dera area toward Gion, or stay near central Kyoto for lunch, a river walk and dinner.
If streets around Kiyomizu are busy, spend the afternoon in Gion and by the river. Follow posted access signs and keep clear of private lanes.
Go to Fushimi Inari in the morning. Turn back at any point on the uphill path and leave time for lunch and an unhurried afternoon. If the approach is crowded, give yourself a shorter visit and choose a quieter afternoon.
For a river and garden day, choose Arashiyama instead. Pick one temple or garden, then walk by the river. The two areas are on different sides of Kyoto, so treating either as the day’s focus cuts transit time.
Where to stay. Namba works well for Dotonbori and Nankai trains to Kansai Airport. Choose Umeda if you want JR Osaka Station or an airport bus near your hotel. Compare the first workable departure if you have an early flight. Compare Osaka hotel areas.
From Kyoto Station, take a JR Kyoto Line train to Osaka Station. If you’re staying in Namba, continue by Osaka Metro from Umeda or compare another route from your hotel. Leave your bags at the hotel first.
Pick Osaka Castle Park for a walk or spend the afternoon in Namba if the transfer takes longer. Head to Dotonbori for dinner and a canal walk, then pack for the airport.
From Namba, check Nankai trains. From Umeda, compare JR and airport buses. Confirm your departure terminal, your airline’s check-in deadline and any terminal shuttle. For an early flight, move to an airport or Rinku Town hotel on night six if the first city connection is too late.
With an evening flight, leave bags at your hotel and stay near your departure station until it’s time to go. Allow extra time for Customs if you need a tax-free refund. Get the goods checked before bag drop if they’re in your checked luggage.
Book night six in Tokyo or by your departure airport. With an early flight, go back from Kyoto on day six and skip Osaka. With a later flight, make Osaka a short day visit on day six, then take the Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Tokyo that evening. Arrange luggage storage or keep bags with you so you can leave from Shin-Osaka.
For Haneda, look for a direct route from your final hotel or stay near your terminal. For Narita, check the rail or bus from your final hotel to the correct terminal. Plan a buffer for the airport ride and follow your airline’s check-in timing.
Price individual Shinkansen tickets before buying a nationwide JR Pass. The route with a flight home from Kansai needs just one long Shinkansen ride, from Tokyo to Kyoto. Compare the dates, train and seat class you will actually use.
Use Smart EX or a JR ticket counter to choose seats together, especially on busy travel dates. Use a transit IC card or a local ticket for the separate local rides.
Add length, width and height. For a case over 160 cm and up to 250 cm total on the Tokaido Shinkansen, reserve a seat with oversized baggage space. For hotel-to-hotel forwarding, confirm both hotels accept it and ask for the delivery date. Carry a change of clothes and valuables with you if delivery is later.