5-Day Japan Itinerary: Tokyo & Kyoto, Nothing Rushed

Read before you go

• Can You Ask to Swap Seats on the Shinkansen? Japanese Say No10,989 likes on the top comment
• Japan Escalator Etiquette: Left or Right? Riders Are Split459 likes on the top comment
• Japanese Politeness: What Kyoto Locals Really Mean1,430 likes on the top comment

Day 1-3 · Tokyo

• Teishoku in Tokyo: 5 Halls Where Regulars Actually Eat23 likes on the top comment5 places named
• All-You-Can-Eat Sushi in Tokyo: Is Kakida Worth It?Japanese visitors say skip30,739 likes on the top comment1 place named
• Quiet Onsen Near Tokyo: 20+ Towns That Aren't Hakone118 likes on the top commentHas a “go here instead” pick13 places named

  Book on Agoda: Takaragawa Onsen · Tatsumikan

Day 4-5 · Kyoto

• Kyoto Cheap Eats: The Diners Japanese Regulars Use16 likes on the top comment7 places named
• Zenkashoin, Kyoto: The Cafe Japan's Harshest ApprovedJapanese visitors say go13,133 likes on the top commentHas a “go here instead” pick1 place named

If eating is the point

Not on the main route above, but these are the ones Japanese comment sections argue about hardest.

• Kyoto Souvenirs: What Japanese Shoppers Actually Buy26 likes on the top commentHas a “go here instead” pick6 places named
• Yoshinoya vs Sukiya vs Matsuya: What Japanese SayJapanese people split210 likes on the top commentHas a “go here instead” pick4 places named

If you came for the baths

How onsen and ryokan actually work, and the quieter baths Japanese regulars use instead of the famous ones.

• Ryokan for One Person: Can You Stay Alone in Japan?78 likes on the top commentHas a “go here instead” pick2 places named

If it's anime, arcades and theme parks

What Japanese fans say the otaku districts have become, and whether the parks are worth a whole day.

• Is Akihabara Worth It Anymore? What Japanese Otaku SayJapanese visitors split93 likes on the top commentHas a “go here instead” pick4 places named
• How Much Does Tokyo DisneySea Cost? A ¥20,000 ReceiptJapanese people say go9,391 likes on the top comment1 place named

If you're doing it cheap

The cheap sleeps and cheap chains Japanese people actually rate — not the tourist-facing ones.

• Are Capsule Hotels Worth It in Japan? Guests CompareJapanese visitors split19 likes on the top comment4 places named
• Why Is Saizeriya So Cheap? Japanese Diners Say Raise PricesJapanese people say go438 likes on the top comment3 places named

More of what Japanese commenters said about this route

Roundups that didn't fit a day above, but are about the same stops on Tokyo → Kyoto.

• Kamata Izakaya Guide: Where Tokyo Locals Drink15 likes on the top comment7 places named
• Gyukatsu Motomura Price: Japanese Diners Say Quality FellJapanese visitors say skip28,150 likes on the top comment1 place named
• Best Ramen in Kyoto? What Japanese Ramen Fans Say23 likes on the top commentHas a “go here instead” pick4 places named
• Kiyomizu-dera Street Food: The ¥250 Cucumber WinsJapanese visitors say go3,938 likes on the top commentHas a “go here instead” pick2 places named