A week in Japan, Kyoto and Tokyo

Here are some of the highlights for a week in Japan.

Kyoto

Visit some of Kyoto’s most famous sights. Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, beautifully situated beside the water and covered in gold leaf. Continue to Ryoan-ji, famous for its peaceful Zen rock garden, before visiting Kiyomizu-dera, with wonderful views over Kyoto.

Finish the day with a walk in Gion, Kyoto’s historic entertainment district. Its narrow streets, traditional wooden buildings, teahouses, small shops and restaurants.

In Kyoto I recommend to book a ramen-making class by the Ramen factory. The ramen-making class is available to book on Viator.com

Explore the wonderful food market where almost everything seemed to be available on a stick – from vegetables to sausages!

You can rent kimonos, take a class in calligraphy and take part in a tea ceremony, all at the same place in Kyoto.

The name  of the place is Nishiki Orizuruy. 

After all that, a visit to a chocolate café Mariebelle can definitely be a perfect way to relax and enjoy.

Tokyo 

A sightseeing tour including a visit to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, where you can look out across the city. You can also visit Miraikan, Japan’s National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, walk near the Imperial Palace and explore the shopping area in Ginza.

Another stop is Sensō-ji in Asakusa, one of Tokyo’s temples. You can find a very nice food market and a market in the area. 

If you like music, you should try karaoke! Instead of singing in front of a whole bar, you book your own private karaoke room. 

One of the favorite food experiences in Tokyo is the sushi-making class in Asakusa. It is arranged by Sushi Making Tokyo. You can reserve it on Trip Advisor. The location has a great view of the river. 

There is also the area of Ryōgoku, an area strongly associated with sumo wrestling, and you can visit the sumo arena. If it is closed you can visit the nearby building to see the example below. 

Close to the sumo wrestling arena you can find the public transport boat. You can take a boat along the river before – once again – returning to Asakusa, or go for a trip to see Tokyo from the river. 

You can take the train from Kinshi-cho to Akihabara, an area filled with anime, manga, gaming and fan culture. 

Next stop is to go to Ueno and walked through beautiful Ueno Park. It has ponds, a market and a beautiful avenue lined with cherry trees. There is also a concert hall if you want to visit a concert in the evenemang.

You should also explore Shinjuku, famous for entertainment In Kabukichō, there is even a giant Godzilla head looking out over the neighbourhood from the top of a building.

Last stop is Shibuya. Shibuya is one of Tokyo’s best-known shopping and entertainment districts and home to the famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing. When the lights change, pedestrians pour into the intersection from several directions at once. 

If you have time. You can take the train from Tokyo to Mount Fuji, hoping for a glimpse of Mount Fuji.