7 days4 stops
The Classic First Week
7 days: Tokyo → Hakone → Kyoto → Osaka. Every stop below is backed by 12 roundups of Japanese comment-section consensus — including which famous stops locals tell you to skip, and where they go instead.
Read before you go
- Is the JR Pass Still Worth It After the 70% Hike?116 likes on the top commentHas a locals' alternative
- Escalator Etiquette in Japan: Which Side to Stand On459 likes on the top commentHas a locals' alternative
- What Kyoto Locals Really Mean by "I'll Think About It"1,430 likes on the top commentHas a locals' alternative
Day 1-3 · Tokyo
- Where Tokyo Locals Actually Drink: Kamata Izakayas15 likes on the top comment7 places named
- Is Shin-Okubo's Viral Queue Cafe Worth It? 41,720 Likes41,720 likes on the top commentHas a locals' alternative4 places named
- Quiet Onsen Near Tokyo: 20+ Towns That Aren't Hakone118 likes on the top commentHas a locals' alternative13 places named
Day 4 · Hakone
Everything locals say about Hakone →Day 5-6 · Kyoto
- Where Kyoto Locals Actually Eat Ramen23 likes on the top commentHas a locals' alternative4 places named
- What Kyoto Locals Really Say About Nishiki Market20,198 likes on the top commentHas a locals' alternative1 place named
- Should You Stay in Nara Instead of Kyoto? Locals Answer392 likes on the top commentHas a locals' alternative8 places named
Day 7 · Osaka
Everything locals say about Osaka →Every route is assembled from our own translated roundups of Japanese YouTube comment sections — nothing here is invented. Opening hours and prices change, so we link out to maps and to the original videos instead of stating them.