When readers and private clients ask me how long they should spend in Japan, I answer simply. “As long you can,” I say, matter-of-factly. “Japan is much bigger than it looks on the map.”
For most travelers, this isn’t very long—understandably so. From limits on annual level to children’s school schedules, the majority of prospective Japan visitors can’t stay for longer than a couple of weeks, and sometimes even less than that.
If, however, you’re able to spend one month in Japan, I highly recommend that you do. Continue reading to learn where to go during your trip, how to structure it and even when to go.
Why One Month in Japan is a Perfect Trip
As you read through this 1 month Japan itinerary, I think you’ll notice first how balanced it is. Cities along the tourist trail like Tokyo and Kyoto to small towns along the Sea of Japan and the Sanriku Coast that hardly have any tourists; the neon-lit food streets Osaka and the tropical beaches, where the only thing more abundant than white sand as far as the eye can see is blinding sunshine that makes the waters that lap at it sparkle.
I also hope you appreciate just how many Japanese destinations you can see, assuming you can maintain a pretty brisk pace of travel—no more than 2-3 nights in most places. You can easily touch land on all four of Japan’s major islands, or in more than a dozen prefectures, even if you only stay on the main island of Honshu. You can’t see “everywhere” with a month in Japan, but you’ll might feel like it!
How to Structure Your Month in Japan
Begin with a week along Japan’s tourist trail
Assuming this is your first trip to the country, I recommend starting your month in Japan with a week (or so) along the tourist trail. After spending a few days in Tokyo (with optional day trips to Kamakura and Nikko), make an optional stop at Mt. Fuji on the way to Kyoto. Follow up your stay in the ancient capital with one in Osaka, or visit Kansai-region destinations like Nara, Himeji, Kobe and Mt. Koya as day trips from either.
Spend your second week branching off it
Continue your Japan 1 month itinerary by casting your net wider, but also by digging deeper. One way to do this is to ride the Shinkansen westward from Kyoto or Osaka to Okayama, Hiroshima and unforgettable Miyajima island. Or head north toward Kanazawa, the hub of the Hokuriku region on the Sea of Japan coast, then move afterwards up into the Japanese Alps.
Go north off the beaten path to Tohoku
You could next head to Tohoku, the region immediately north of Tokyo. Whether you spotlight coastal destinations like the Sanriku Coast and the city of Sakata, or inland idylls like Yamagata and Fukushima, Tohoku is a great place to continue your 4 week Japan itinerary. Tohoku is also where you’ll find three of Japan’s greatest matsuri (festivals), if you happen to be visiting during the summer (which is cooler here than it is elsewhere).
Or west to San’in
San’in is another tertiary region that lends great depth to your 1 month in Japan trip. I recommend getting by riding a train from Osaka or Okayama to Matsue, the largest city of the region. To the east, you’ll find the otherworldly Tottori Sand Dunes, and to the north the back-in-time Oki Islands. Going west will take you into Yamaguchi prefecture, whether you choose the Samurai town of Hagi or modern Shimonoseki and its famous fugu pufferfish.
End in Shikoku, Kyushu, Hokkaido and/or Okinawa
If you spend your first three weeks on the main island of Honshu, a clean way to conclude would be to choose a secondary island. Kyushu offers volcanoes and hot springs; Shikoku is home to several of Japan’s original castles and some of its most fantastical natural features; Hokkaido is as great for skiers in winter as it is for flower lovers in summer, with its fields of lavender, as it is for autumn leaf peepers in autumn and November.
Alternatively, you could spend two weeks on Japan’s main island, and two more on other islands. Or archipelagoes in the case of Okinawa, which is home to some of the best beaches in Asia, and arguably the world. You could spend a week in Okinawa alone, whether on the well-trodden main island, or by taking a ferry or flight to lesser-visited one like Ishigaki and Miyako.
The Best Time to Spend a Month in Japan
Japan is a 365-day destination, with trips you take in the depths of winter just as satisfying as ones in the heart of summer. Japan’s colder months are ideal not only for skiers who want to hit the slopes of Niseko or Nagano, but urban-minded travelers who want to avoid the crowds of busier periods. Though Japan can be extremely hot and humid during the summer, the opportunity to experience its matsuri (festivals) is worth enduring the weather.
Of course, many of you will want to plan a Japan one month itinerary during peak seasons, including between late March and early May when Japan’s cherry blossoms reach full bloom, and the autumn season that reaches its peak primarily during the month of November. If your heart isn’t set on these times, however, do consider “shoulder” months like May and October, which boast lighter crowds and lower prices.
Other FAQ About Spending a Month in Japan
Is 1 month enough in Japan?
One month in Japan allows you to explore the country both broadly and deeply. You can not only explore the tourist trail between Tokyo and Kyoto, but head off-the-beaten-path to destinations like the Japanese Alps and the Tohoku region. You can even visit secondary islands like Kyushu, Shikoku or Hokkaido, or hit the paradise beaches of the Okinawa archipelago.
How much money do you need for a month in Japan?
The minimum you can expect to spend during 1 month in Japan, not including your flights to and from the country, is about 3,000 USD per person—in other words, $100 or ¥15,000 per person, per day. The majority of travelers in the low- to mid-range will probably spend closer to the $5,000 (¥750,000) over the course of the month they spend in Japan, while the sky is the limit for luxury travelers spending 30 days (or longer) in Japan.
How long you should spend in Japan?
Obviously, I’m a big advocate for spending a month in Japan—if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have written this post! However, you can also cover a decent amount of ground with two weeks or even a week in Japan, if you absolutely don’t have a full month to devote to the country. On the other side of this discussion, there’s plenty to occupy your attention to spend 2 months in Japan, if you have that much time to spare.
The Bottom Line
One month in Japan is pretty much the perfect trip—especially if you use this guide to plan it. After finishing up along Japan’s tourist trail (which comprises Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, plus Mt. Fuji), you can continue by visiting secondary destinations like Hiroshima, Kanazawa and the Japanese Alps. Dig even deeper into the country in off-the-beaten-path regions like San’in and Tohoku, or on islands such as Kyushu, Shikoku and Hokkaido. If you have enough time you, could even hit the magnificent beaches of Okinawa. Want to make your 1 month Japan itinerary even more unforgettable? Hire me to plan it!
