If you’re planning a short trip and have 5 days in Japan, here are some travel tips and suggestions to help you get the most out of your visit.
While most people who travel to the country tend to spend a longer amount of time here, the good news is that you can actually see and do quite a bit even with just 5 days in Japan.
If you’re the super active and “ambitious” type of traveler, you could be tempted to try and fit everything in. But for a 5-day trip, we recommend focusing on either Tokyo or Kyoto for a slower-paced and more immersive experience.
To some it may look small on the map, but in fact the country is surprisingly large (bigger than Italy, for example), and you could easily devote years to exploring Japan’s best destinations. Originally written in 2014, this post was updated and republished on September 25, 2020.

Option 1: Kanto Region (Tokyo and the Countryside)
You could easily spend all 5 days in Tokyo and barely scratch the surface, but for a more well-rounded experience consider allotting 1 or 2 nights to a ryokan stay in the countryside nearby.
You’ll want at minimum 2 or 3 full days to explore the city of Tokyo itself. For a taste of just how much this rich and layered city offers see our guide to 1 day in Tokyo, our introduction to Tokyo’s best neighborhoods, and this list of 15 unique things to do in Tokyo.
To complement your time in the city, spend 1 or 2 nights at a luxurious traditional ryokan in Hakone, th...