Experiencing Spring in Japan: Our 10-Day Itinerary in Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka & Tokyo

It has always been our dream to see the sakura or cherry blossoms in Japan. Finally, we checked this off our travel bucket list when we spent 10 days in Japan during the spring season (March to May).

Now, let’s revisit our Japan 10-day itinerary with travel tips to make the most of your Japan spring experience.

Things to prepare before your Japan spring trip

Japan travel documents

1. Philippine passport – Make sure that your Philippine passport has at least six months of validity before your travel dates to Japan. If not, please renew it to avoid complications. Read our DFA passport renewal guide.

2. Japan tourist visa – Refer to our Japan visa guide for Filipinos and Japan visa without ITR guide when applying for your Japan tourist visa.

3. Hotel booking – You need to put your Japan address and contact details on your Japan visa application, so you can book a stay on Agoda, Booking.com, or Klook. Some hotels offer free cancellation for up to 48 hours so you can easily cancel or rebook in case you change plans.

4. Return flights – Although you need to put the airline name on the Japan visa application, a confirmed flight is not required. However, it could be a supporting document to increase your chances of visa approval.

5. eTravel QR Code – Be sure to register your eTravel QR Code at least 72 hours (3 days) before you depart or arrive in the Philippines. Prepare your vaccination details as well since this will be needed when filling out the online form.

Japan travel essentials

6. Suica Card – Prepare your Welcome Suica Card, a special smart card in Japan for tourists. You can use this card to pay for transport, shopping, and even dining in Japan. Read our Japan Suica Card guide and Welcome Suica Card guide to learn more.

7. Internet – It pays to have your internet connection ready before your trip so you can navigate easily when you arrive. Depending on your needs, you may get a Japan SIM Card, eSIM, or pocket WiFi. Read our Japan SIM Card or pocket WiFi guide to help you decide.

8. JR Pass – Get this JR Pass (Whole Japan) to enjoy unlimited rides on the Shinkansen (bullet train) and JR trains, buses, and ferries. Read our Japan Rail Pass guide to learn more.

9. Travel insurance – It’s not mandatory but we recommend that you get a travel insurance in case medical emergencies or mishaps happen to you while in Japan.

10. Spring outfit – For the spring season, you can wear two-layer clothing like a shirt and a jacket. You may also want to bring a down jacket and a scarf in case it gets colder. You may check out some spring outfits on Shopee, Uniqlo, Terranova, Zalora, or any ukay-ukay (thrifty) shops near you.

Our planned spring itinerary for 10 days in Japan

Nagoya

Day 1: Arrival in Nagoya

– Arrival at Chubu Centrair International Airport
– Check-in at Hotel Vista Nagoya Nishiki (Check rates on Agoda | Klook | Booking.com)

Day 2: Nagoya

– Nagoya Castle
– Meijo Park
– Nagoya Science Museum

Day 3: Nagoya

– Yamazaki River
– Osu Shopping District
– Osu Kannon

Kyoto

Day 4: Arrival in Kyoto

– Check-in at Kyoto Airbnb
– Fushimi Inari Taisha
– Nishiki Market

Day 5: Kyoto

– Arashiyama
– Yasaka Shrine

Tokyo

Day 6: Arrival in Tokyo

– Shibuya

Day 7: Tokyo

– Imperial Palace
– Tokyo National Museum
– Ueno Park
– Ueno Toshogu Shrine
– Dinner at Ameyoko Market

Day 8: Mt. Fuji

– Mt. Fuji day tour from Tokyo

Day 9: Shinjuku

– Shinjuku Gyoen
– Shinjuku Golden Gai
– Samurai Museum

Day 10: Tokyo

– Japan souvenir shopping
– Dinner at Narita Airport
– Flight back home

Our actual experience during spring in Japan

We made our Japan itinerary flexible so we can easily adjust depending on the circumstances. In fact, we squeezed in Osaka last-minute before going to Tokyo for the final leg of our Japan trip. And, we met some good friends so we had to make major adjustments to our Tokyo itinerary.

Here’s our actual experience for 10 days and 9 nights in Japan — from Nagoya to Kyoto to Osaka to Tokyo.

Nagoya

Day 1: Arrival in Nagoya

The first destination of our Japan spring trip was Nagoya.

When we landed at Chubu Centrair International Airport, we immediately bought our Japan prepaid SIM for travel from a vending machine. It already comes with free 3GB data, which we used to navigate our way to our hotel in Nagoya.

We then bought our bus tickets going to Hotel Vista Nagoya Nishiki. After settling down, we capped off our first night in Japan with a beef gyudon meal we bought from a nearby restaurant. We also stocked up some drinks and snacks from 711. Everything was surprisingly fresh and delicious!

Day 2: Cherry blossoms in Nagoya

We were lucky enough to have witnessed the cherry blossoms in full bloom while we were in Nagoya.

Nagoya Castle

Our first stop was Nagoya Castle, which is the first castle in Japan to be designated a National Treasure. At the time of our visit, we witnessed a parade of traditional samurais and spotted cherry blossoms blanketing the surroundings. We didn’t miss the chance to eat a bento meal under these lovely blooms, too!

Meijo Park

We then proceeded to Meijo Park, one of the tourist spots in Nagoya where we saw the Ofukeike Pond with a stream running through it. There’s also a seasonal garden and a flower plaza where we saw more colorful flowers other than cherry blossoms.

Day 3: Exploring more of Nagoya

We started the day strolling around the area of Hotel Vista Nagoya Nishiki to find some must-try Japanese food. As recommended by a friend, we tasted the unagi (grilled eel) from Ibashou (錦三丁目 いば昇). You should try it when in the area.

Osu Shopping District and Osu Kannon

We then went to  Osu Shopping District, a centuries-old shopping complex filled with boutique shops and restaurants. It’s also known for its Buddhist temple Osu Kannon located at its entrance.

Nagoya Science Museum

Before going back to our hotel, we dropped by the Nagoya Science Museum, which is said to house one of the world’s largest planetariums. Although we didn’t get to enter the museum, its futuristic facade still made us gawk in awe.

Kyoto

Day 4: Arrival in Kyoto

On our fourth day, we left Nagoya and took the bus to Kyoto, the old capital of Japan until 1868.

Nishiki Market

After checking in at our Kyoto Airbnb, we explored the city on foot and went to Nishiki Market. It’s a notable market in Kyoto where we found many vendors selling fresh seafood and other local goods along a narrow pathway.

We then had dinner at Kyoto Ramen Kairikiya, which is just a few steps from the market.

Osaka

Day 5: Day trip to Osaka and more of Kyoto

As mentioned earlier, we decided last-minute to squeeze in Osaka to our Japan spring itinerary since we didn’t want to miss this world-famous food haven.

Dotonbori District

Our first stop was no other than the Dotonbori District where we sampled some of the best Japanese food including takoyaki and ramen.

Osaka Castle

After our food trip, we then explored Osaka Castle, an iconic symbol of Osaka and one of Japan’s most famous landmarks. Inside the complex, we spotted more cherry blossoms with some locals having a picnic under the sakura trees.

JOIN OSAKA CHERRY BLOSSOM TOUR

Gion

We had to return to Kyoto since we didn’t book a stay in Osaka.

At night, we visited Gion, Kyoto’s historic geisha district. Did we spot a geisha here? We’d like to believe we did! If you do spot a geisha, please be discreet and do not disturb their way of life. Due to the nasty behaviors of some tourists, the Gion district council bans tourists from entering private alleys in Gion.

On another note, Gion is a top cherry blossom spot in Kyoto, so we didn’t miss a chance to take more photos under these lovely blooms, which become even more spectacular at night.

Yasaka Shrine

Although our feet were already sore from all the walking, we still managed to pay a visit to Yasaka Shrine or Gion Shrine, a revered Shinto shrine in Kyoto.

If you’re hungry, there’s a picnic area nearby where you can buy some Japanese food and dine under the cherry blossoms.

Day 6: Exploring more of Kyoto + transfer to Tokyo

Fushimi Inari Taisha

A trip to Kyoto is not complete without visiting Fushimi Inari Taisha, a historic Shinto shrine known for its seemingly endless path of torii gates leading to Mt. Inari. It’s one of the best places to rent a kimono for that IG-worthy snap like the lady pictured above.

We no longer had time to visit Arashiyama, one of the top Kyoto attractions known for its bamboo forest which is the perfect backdrop for your photo ops. Maybe next time?

Shinkansen to Tokyo

We took the Shinkansen (bullet train) from Kyoto to Tokyo for about 2 hours and 15 minutes. We can say that it was truly quite an experience and one of things we wanted to tick off our Japan bucket list apart from seeing the cherry blossoms. Read our Shinkansen guide to learn more.

Tokyo

Arrival in Tokyo

Upon arrival at Tokyo Station, we immediately bought our Suica Card so we could pay for our transport and shopping in Tokyo. However, as of writing, the main Suica Card in Japan is temporarily suspended. As an alternative, you may get the Japan tourist card Welcome Suica instead.

BUY WELCOME SUICA

We then had dinner with our good friend who works in Japan and stayed at his apartment for the rest of our Tokyo exploration. Thanks to him, we managed to save a lot on our accommodation costs. Although hotels in Tokyo aren’t so cheap, you’ll still find some budget-friendly places to stay in Tokyo.

Day 7: Exploring Tokyo

Shibuya

What’s a Tokyo trip without experiencing the famous Shibuya Crossing? Before we did it, we had to say hi to the Hachiko Statue first, which was just outside the Shibuya Station.

Then, we hit up Hoshino Coffee on the second floor of Shibuya 109 Men’s Department Store. We had the best view of Shibuya Crossing while enjoying a fluffy pancake paired with their signature drip coffee. Ahhhh, we could stay here all day!

Kitanomaru Park

After regaining our energies, we explored Kitanomaru Park, a public park in Tokyo that houses the Science Museum, the National Museum of Modern Art, and the Nippon Budokan indoor arena. While we didn’t get to enter these attractions, we still had fun strolling around the park where we spotted more cherry blossoms.

Imperial Palace

From Kitanomaru Park, we walked our way to the Imperial Palace, the official residence of Japan’s emperor and empress. Although we missed the opening hours to the inner gardens, we still enjoyed the wide green spaces and more cherry blossoms, of course!

Akihabara

Akihabara wasn’t part of our plans, but we thought, why not visit this renowned “Electric Town” of Japan? The inner kid in us was delighted to see the many anime collectables, arcade games, gadgets, and electronics. It truly is an anime lover’s paradise!

Kawasaki

We capped off our night with a sumptuous yakiniku dinner in Kawasaki, a coastal city in Japan between Tokyo and Yokohama.

Our friend treated us to this local restaurant named Anan, and we must say that their yakiniku easily became one of our Japanese food favorites.

Day 8: Hakone Day Trip: Mt. Fuji

Hakone

We can’t leave Japan without seeing Mt. Fuji, an active volcano and iconic landmark of Japan.

There are several Mt. Fuji viewing spots, but we decided to go to Hakone, a town in Kanagawa known for its hot springs, scenic nature, and the commanding view of Mt. Fuji — that is if you’re lucky!

Unfortunately, during our Hakone day trip from Tokyo, Mt. Fuji didn’t appear as the clouds covered the view. While Mt. Fuji was quite elusive that day, we still had fun exploring the different attractions here including the Hakone Ropeway which gave us a bird’s-eye view of Owakudani’s sulfuric hot springs.

Tip: If you want to DIY your trip here, get your Hakone Free Pass. Otherwise, join a Hakone day tour inclusive of round-trip transfers, admission fees, lunch, and more!

BOOK HAKONE DAY TOUR

Back to Tokyo

We ended our day with a filling dinner at Gyoza no Fukuho, a popular restaurant in Shinjuku serving what many people call “The best gyoza in the world!”. Taste for yourself!

Day 9: Kawasaki and Shinjuku

Kawasaki

This wasn’t part of the initial plan, but we made adjustments to meet more of our friends who were previously based in Japan.

We agreed to witness the famed Kanamara Matsuri (a.k.a. The Penis Festival), an annual Japan spring festival held at Kanayama Shrine in Kawasaki.

It was an interesting way to immerse ourselves in the quirky side of Japan. Imagine being bombarded by images of phalluses everywhere – from candies to costumes. What a unique experience, indeed!

Shinjuku

After the festival, we tried the trending fluffy pancakes at A Happy Pancake in Shinjuku. The fluffy pancakes looked aesthetically pleasing and melted in our mouths. It’s worth trying, especially if you love desserts.

We then strolled around Shinjuku, which was bustling with shops, restaurants, and neon lights. We kept our eyes peeled for the Godzilla Head on Hotel Gracery‘s 8th floor.

To cap off our day with friends, we had dinner at Tatsunoya Shinjuku Otakibashidori, a popular tsukemen (dipping ramen) restaurant in Shinjuku. As for the taste? Let the long queue speak for itself!

Day 10: Cafe-hopping and souvenir shopping

Shinmaruko

On our last day in Japan, we had lunch at a random katsudon restaurant in the Shinmaruko area in Kawasaki where our friend’s apartment is located.

Ginza

We then headed to Ginza to while away the afternoon before our flight back home. We discovered some random cafes here, one of which is Ginza Renoir, a quaint cafe since 1957.

Narita Airport

Time to say goodbye to Japan, so off we went to Narita Airport. We had a ramen dinner at Tokyo Base, and shopped for some pasalubong (souvenirs) from Japan including the Japanese delicacy Tokyo Banana.

Tip: Read our Narita Airport to Tokyo transport guide and Haneda Airport to Tokyo transport guide to know your airport transfer options in Tokyo. And, if you want to transfer between these two airports, read our Haneda to Narita transfer guide.

That sums up our entire spring experience in Japan. We made a couple of adjustments to our itinerary with last-minute decisions and additions here and there. But this made our Japan spring trip all the more fun and memorable.

*Special thanks to our friends who accommodated us and made us immerse in Japan’s local life. Arigato gozaimasu (ありがとう ございます) Yum and Paula!