The route, day by day.
- Days 1–4TokyoArrive privately at Haneda. Days for the city at your own pace: omakase at an eight-seat counter, a private guide through the old neighbourhoods, the art museums, and a morning watching sumo practice at a stable, by invitation.
- Days 5–6Hakone or Mount FujiA short journey to a hot-spring ryokan in the mountains: private baths, a kaiseki dinner served in your room, and the lake and Mount Fuji on a clear morning.
- Days 7–10KyotoBy bullet train to Kyoto. A temple or shrine visited privately before it opens, a private tea ceremony with a tea master, the gardens of Higashiyama and Arashiyama, and an evening in Gion.
- Days 11–12The Kumano Kodo or NaoshimaWalk sections of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails with a guide, staying in a mountain inn, or cross to the art island of Naoshima in the Seto Inland Sea.
- Days 13–14Kyoto or Osaka, then homeA last night in Kyoto or Osaka, then onward by private car to your flight home.
How long to spend in Japan.
Ten to sixteen nights is typical for a first journey: enough for Tokyo and Kyoto without rushing, and for time in the countryside between them. Japan rewards slow, deliberate travel more than a fast circuit of sights.
Getting around in comfort.
Private jets arrive at Haneda, twenty minutes from central Tokyo, or Narita. Between Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka the bullet train (shinkansen) is often faster than flying: Tokyo to Kyoto takes 2 hours 15 minutes, and Gran Class on the Hokuriku Shinkansen rivals first-class air. Private cars and guides meet you at each end.
Three other ways to see Japan.
The same journey changes shape with the season and what you want from it.
- Cherry blossom: follow the bloom from Kyoto north to Tokyo and beyond, with rooms reserved six to twelve months ahead.
- Winter: Tokyo, then Niseko's powder with a private guide, a hot-spring ryokan, and Kyoto quiet in the snow.
- Ten nights: Tokyo, one night in a ryokan, and Kyoto, without the extension.
Why this route is a starting point, not the plan.
Every journey through Japan is planned around the people taking it: the pace, the food, the season, the private moments that matter to them. Advisors work with local specialists in Japan who know the ryokans, the guides and the doors that open privately, and they build the route, book it and stay at hand for changes along the way.
Where to add time.
With more nights, or on a return journey, these extend the classic route well.
- Kanazawa: gardens, samurai and geisha districts and fine crafts, on the Hokuriku Shinkansen.
- Nara: the great temples and deer park, an easy day from Kyoto.
- Hiroshima and Miyajima: the Peace Memorial, and the shrine standing in the sea.
- Nikko: shrines and waterfalls in the mountains north of Tokyo.
- Hokkaido: powder snow in winter, cool open country in summer.
- Okinawa: islands and beaches at the end of the journey.
The pace of a luxury journey.
The difference between a good trip to Japan and a great one is often the pace. Fewer changes of hotel, a private guide on the days that need one, and free days where nothing is scheduled leave room for the moments that make the trip.
Japan makes this easy: luggage can be sent ahead by courier between hotels, so you travel by train with only a day bag, and a private car meets you at each station.
Families and groups.
Japan is one of the easiest countries in the world to travel with children: safe, clean and endlessly interesting to them. For families and groups the route stays the same in shape, with connecting rooms or a ryokan for the whole party, private transfers, and guides who know how to pace a day for children.
Your questions.
How many days do you need in Japan?
Ten to sixteen nights for a first journey: four in Tokyo, two in a ryokan, four in Kyoto, and time for one more place.
Is the bullet train better than flying between Japanese cities?
Between Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, usually yes: Tokyo to Kyoto takes 2 hours 15 minutes, city centre to city centre, and is often faster than a domestic flight.
Can we travel privately between cities in Japan?
Yes. Private cars and guides meet you at each station or airport, and private jets can use Haneda and Narita. Your advisor arranges every transfer.
What is the best route for a first trip to Japan?
Tokyo, then a hot-spring ryokan near Mount Fuji or in Hakone, then Kyoto, with one more place chosen for what you love, such as the Kumano Kodo, Naoshima or Hokkaido.
Should we include Osaka?
Osaka is known for its food and is a short train ride from Kyoto, so it fits well as a day or a final night. Many luxury journeys base themselves in Kyoto and visit Osaka from there.
Your journey through Japan, planned around you.
Recommendations chosen for you, an itinerary crafted around them, and every booking managed by an independent Ultra Advisor who works with local specialists in Japan.