Tamagoyaki on a stick, tuna you can't afford, coffee you can. The inner market moved to Toyosu; the outer lanes stayed put.
Day 5
$116
Tokyo → Kyoto
Train · Tōkaidō Shinkansen Hikari · 2h 40m
¥13,320 unreserved (¥13,850 reserved, standard season). Book on SmartEX. Seat on the right (E) side for Fuji.
Stay · 3 nights · Day 5–7
Kyoto
Your accommodation
Kyoto Hana Hostel
from $59/night
$177 · 3 nights
Free things to do in Kyoto
Free
Fushimi Inari at dawn
6am, and the gates are yours for an hour.
Free
Nishiki market grazing
Kyoto's kitchen: tofu doughnuts to tako tamago.
Free
Gion at dusk
Hanamikoji lane: look, don't photograph the geiko.
Day 8
$5
Kyoto → Osaka
Train · JR Special Rapid · 29m
¥580 flat. Turn-up-and-go, no reservation needed.
Stay · 3 nights · Day 8–10
Osaka
Your accommodation
The Pax Hostel/Records/More
from $50/night
$165 · 3 nights
Free things to do in Osaka
Free
Dōtonbori food gauntlet
Takoyaki, kushikatsu, the Glico man: kuidaore, eat till you drop.
Free
Osaka Castle park and moats
The park, moats and stonework cost nothing and open at dawn. The ticket is only for the keep, a 1930s concrete rebuild with a lift in it.
Free
Kuromon market breakfast
Grilled scallops and uni before 10am.
Day 11
$121
Osaka → Tokyo
Train · Tōkaidō Shinkansen Nozomi · 2h 30m
¥13,870 unreserved (cars 1–2; ¥14,720 reserved, and all seats are reserved over Golden Week, Obon and New Year). Left side (A) this direction for the Fuji encore.
Back in Tokyo
Fly out, or stay longer. The booking links stop, you don't have to.
Before you go
The gaps the itinerary above doesn't cover.
Data that works on landing
An eSIM activates before you fly, so maps and transport apps work the moment you land instead of after finding wifi.
Travel insurance
10 nights in Japan. Policies differ on cancellation cover and on whether the activities on this itinerary are included.
We don't recommend one over the other and we're not licensed to advise on insurance. Read each Product Disclosure Statement against your own trip and circumstances.