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9-Day Japan Itinerary: Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka
Plan 9 days in Japan from Malaysia: Tokyo to Osaka via Hakone, Mt Fuji, Izu and Kyoto, with a daily route, hotel stays and recorded costs in MYR.
Trip overview
This 9-day Japan itinerary from Malaysia starts in Tokyo and ends in Osaka, with Kamakura, Hakone, Mount Fuji, Izu, Kyoto and Uji along the way. It includes eight hotel nights and arrival and departure days in Japan; the flight home makes it ten calendar days away.
- 9 days in Japan
- 10 calendar days away
- 8 hotel nights
- 5 hotel bases
Based on our personal itinerary, hotel and train records. Prices below are historical records from this trip, not current quotes or a complete budget.
For a quick starting point, see the daily route, hotel stays and recorded costs in Malaysian ringgit. This is a busy route with five hotel bases; the shorter alternatives reduce transfers.
Tokyo to Osaka route
Tokyo → Kamakura → Hakone → Fuji → Izu → Kyoto → Uji → Osaka. Odawara was the hotel base for Hakone and Fuji.
東京
Where ultramodern neon meets ancient Edo
Reduced motion enabled · explore each chapter manually.
9-day Japan itinerary at a glance
Days 1–9 cover Japan; day 10 is arrival home in Malaysia. Select a day below to jump to its route and stops.
- Day 1: Arrive Narita, into Tokyo
- Day 2: Asakusa, Skytree, Shinjuku and Shibuya Sky
- Day 3: Tokyo → Kamakura → Odawara
- Day 4: Hakone day on the Hakone Freepass
- Day 5: Fuji area by rental car, then Ito
- Day 6: Izu coast, then Atami → Kyoto by Shinkansen
- Day 7: Kyoto temples, cultural sights and Uji
- Day 8: Kyoto → Osaka
- Day 9: Depart Osaka
- Day 10: Arrive home
26 of 26 locations · 10 days in the itinerary
- Day 1 ·
Arrive Narita, into Tokyo
Narita arrival, Narita Express toward Shibuya (train use confirmed), check in at Hotel Tavinos Hamamatsucho, followed by evening visits to the Meiji Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue illuminations and Tokyo Tower.
- Shibuya Scramble Crossing (渋谷スクランブル交差点)
- Meiji Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue (明治神宮外苑いちょう並木)
Illuminated golden ginkgo tree avenue (Icho Namiki) in late autumn, leading toward the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery.
- Tokyo Tower (東京タワー)
Iconic Tokyo landmark illuminated at night, viewed from the base near Hamamatsucho.
- Day 2 ·
Asakusa, Skytree, Shinjuku and Shibuya Sky
First full day exploring Tokyo sights: Asakusa, Shibuya, and evening views.
- Sensō-ji (浅草寺)
Planned start time 06:30.
- Tokyo Skytree (東京スカイツリー)Recorded admission ~JPY2,400.
- Shinjuku 3D Cat billboard (新宿東口の猫)
- Shibuya Sky (渋谷スカイ)
Pre-booked ticket for 13:40 slot.
Check tickets on Klook (opens in a new tab)Pre-booked online at RM72.20 per person. - Kabukicho (歌舞伎町)
- Day 3 ·
Tokyo → Kamakura → Odawara
Train to Kamakura, Enoden Daily Pass along the coast, onward train to Odawara. Two nights at Toyoko Inn Odawara Station East Exit.
- Tsurugaoka Hachimangu (鶴岡八幡宮)
Kamakura's most important Shinto shrine, famed for its approach along Wakamiya Oji and ginkgo-shaped ema prayer plaques.
- Shichirigahama Beach (七里ヶ浜)
- Enoshima Shrine Hetsumiya (江島神社 辺津宮)
Candidate stop along the coast.
- Day 4 ·
Hakone day on the Hakone Freepass
Day trip from Odawara into Hakone using the Hakone Freepass.
- Owakudani (大涌谷)
Volcanic valley with active sulfur vents, reached via the Hakone Ropeway.
- Lake Ashi Sightseeing Cruise & Togendai Port (桃源台港) (芦ノ湖遊覧船・桃源台港)
Scenic lake cruise on the Hakone Sightseeing pirate ship with views of Mount Fuji and the floating Hakone Shrine torii gate.
- Day 5 ·
Fuji area by rental car, then Ito
Toyota rental car recorded for 2 Dec. Fuji-area stop (Oishi Park) listed, then overnight at Hotel Redent Ito.
- Oishi Park (Lake Kawaguchi) (大石公園・河口湖)
Odawara → Fuji area → Ito
Toyota Rent a Car (opens in a new tab) - Day 6 ·
Izu coast, then Atami → Kyoto by Shinkansen
Izu highlights during the day, JR to Atami, evening reserved Shinkansen to Kyoto.
- Izu Shaboten Zoo (伊豆シャボテン動物公園)Admission JPY 2,700 per person.
- Sakura no Sato (さくらの里)
Park at the foot of Mount Omuro. Skipped ascending Mt. Omuro as the slopes had turned winter-dormant with no greenery, and the park and chairlift were closed due to strong winds; photographed from the Sakura no Sato entrance before visiting Izu Shaboten Zoo.
- Jogasaki Coast (城ヶ崎海岸)
- Day 7 ·
Kyoto temples, cultural sights and Uji
Morning visits to Fushimi Inari and Kiyomizu-dera, afternoon side trip to Uji for Byodoin, matcha shops along Omotesando, and Uji Bridge, returning to Kyoto for evening lanterns at Yasaka Shrine in Gion.
- Fushimi Inari Taisha (伏見稲荷大社)
- Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺)
- Tsujiri Uji Main Shop (辻利) (辻利 宇治本店)
Historic Uji green tea house founded in 1860, famous for cold Uji green tea along Byodoin Omotesando.
- Byodo-in (平等院)Admission unrecorded.
- Uji River & Uji Bridge (宇治川・宇治橋)
Scenic view of the historic Uji Bridge across the rushing waters of the Uji River.
- Yasaka Shrine (八坂神社)
Shinto shrine in Gion, next to Maruyama Park and associated with Kyoto's Gion Festival.
- Day 8 ·
Kyoto → Osaka
Transfer from Kyoto base to Osaka, checking into Hotel S-Presso North, followed by exploration of Osaka Castle and evening neon lights at Dotonbori.
- Osaka Castle (大阪城)
- Dotonbori Arcade (道頓堀) & Namba Citywalk (道頓堀・難波)
Evening city walk through the bustling Dotonbori neon shopping arcade.
- Glico Running Man Sign, Dotonbori (道頓堀グリコサイン)
Iconic illuminated neon billboard along the Dotonbori canal.
- Day 9 ·
Depart Osaka
Flight home from Osaka to Malaysia (Penang).
- Day 10 ·
Arrive home
Arrival back in Malaysia. Included in the ten-calendar-day travel window.
Where we stayed
Here are the 5 hotels stayed at across the route. Rates shown are the historical amounts paid for the trip.
- Tokyo (東京) · 2 nights
Hotel Tavinos Hamamatsucho
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Check availability on Trip.com (opens in a new tab) - Odawara (小田原) · 2 nights
Toyoko Inn Odawara Station East Exit
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Check availability on Trip.com (opens in a new tab) - Ito (Izu) (伊東・伊豆) · 1 night
Hotel Redent Ito
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Check availability on Trip.com (opens in a new tab) - Kyoto (京都) · 2 nights
大同garden hotel京都 (Daido Garden Hotel Kyoto)
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Check availability on Trip.com (opens in a new tab) - Osaka (大阪) · 1 night
Hotel S-Presso North
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Check availability on Trip.com (opens in a new tab)
Recorded trip costs from Malaysia
Recorded 2025 amounts for the two flights, eight hotel nights, the Atami–Kyoto Shinkansen and the Shibuya Sky ticket. Hotel costs assume two people sharing. This is a partial subtotal, not the total trip cost.
| Expense category | Details | Amount (MYR) |
|---|---|---|
| Flight | Kuala Lumpur → Narita (one-way) | 870.76 |
| Flight | Osaka → Penang (one-way) | 619.85 |
| Accommodation | 8 nights, 5 hotels (per person, twin share) | 1,415.86 |
| Intercity train | Atami → Kyoto Shinkansen (reserved) | 363.23 |
| Activity | Shibuya Sky ticket | 72.20 |
| Recorded subtotal (per person) | 3,341.90 | |
Key route planning tips
- Start in Tokyo and finish in Osaka. We flew Kuala Lumpur → Narita and Osaka → Penang, so the route did not need a final journey back to Tokyo. Compare both flight legs together when planning your own dates.
- Separate sightseeing stops from hotel bases. Kamakura was a stop between Tokyo and Odawara. We then used Odawara for two nights, visiting Hakone and Fuji on separate days before continuing to Ito.
- Allow a full travel day for Fuji and Izu. Our Fuji visit used a rental car and ended in Ito. The following day combined Izu sightseeing with travel to Atami for the evening Shinkansen to Kyoto. Leave room for transfers and luggage on both days.
- Visit Uji during the Kyoto stay. We visited Uji during our Kyoto stay, returning to our base in Kyoto. Uji did not need a separate hotel booking.
- Reduce stops before squeezing the schedule. This route covered five hotel bases in eight nights. The shorter versions below remove Fuji and Izu; the longer version adds time in Osaka.
Adapting this trip for your leave
Start with the full window you can be away, including arrival home. Our nine days in Japan needed ten calendar days, from Friday 28 November to Sunday 7 December 2025. For a Monday–Friday worker, that spans six working days before any applicable public holidays.
Use your workplace state and work schedule in the Malaysia leave planner to find a suitable break.
7 days in Japan (8 calendar days away)
Tokyo → Hakone (Odawara base) → Kyoto → Osaka
A shorter version with four hotel bases. Leave out Kamakura, the Fuji drive and Izu, and keep Hakone as the countryside stop between Tokyo and Kyoto. The direct onward journey from Odawara to Kyoto would replace our Atami departure; its cost is not included in the recorded trip.
8 days in Japan (9 calendar days away)
Tokyo → Kamakura → Hakone (Odawara base) → Kyoto → Uji (optional side trip) → Osaka
Keep Kamakura and Hakone, but leave out Fuji and Izu to reduce transfers. Fit Uji into your Kyoto stay only if you have time after your main Kyoto sights. This is an adapted route, not the itinerary we travelled.
9 days in Japan (10 calendar days away)
Tokyo → Kamakura → Hakone → Fuji → Izu → Kyoto → Uji → Osaka
Our actual route: two nights in Tokyo, two in Odawara, one in Ito, two in Kyoto and one in Osaka. Hakone and Fuji were separate days, with Odawara as the base. This is a busy itinerary with several travel days; allow ten calendar days through arrival home.
10 days in Japan (11 calendar days away)
Tokyo → Kamakura → Hakone → Fuji → Izu → Kyoto → Uji → Osaka
Keep the same route and add a second night in Osaka. Use the extra day for a slower final stop or some breathing room before the flight home, rather than adding another hotel base. Allow eleven calendar days if your return flight arrives the following day.
Essential Transport & Activities
Top-rated rail passes, airport transfers and attraction tickets on Klook to complete your journey.
Narita Airport to Tokyo Limousine Bus
Universal Studios Japan Studio Pass
Tokyo Subway Ticket
Solaniwa Onsen Ticket in Osaka
Umeda Sky Building & Kuchu Teien Observatory Ticket in Osaka
JR Whole Japan Rail Pass
Frequently asked questions
We were in Japan from 28 November to 6 December 2025: nine calendar dates, including arrival and departure days. We arrived home in Penang on 7 December, making ten calendar days away and eight hotel nights in Japan.
Count your working days from departure through arrival home, rather than using the number of days in Japan. Our Friday-to-Sunday travel window covered six weekdays for a Monday–Friday worker, before accounting for applicable public holidays. Your flight times, work schedule and workplace holiday calendar may change the leave needed.
We flew from Kuala Lumpur to Narita and returned from Osaka to Penang. The recorded one-way fares were RM870.76 and RM619.85 per person respectively, totalling RM1,490.61 in November–December 2025. Flying out of Osaka meant we did not need to return to Tokyo.
The recorded subtotal is RM3,341.90 per person: two flights, eight hotel nights on a twin-share basis, the Atami–Kyoto Shinkansen and Shibuya Sky. It is not a full trip budget. The rental car, other transport and tickets, meals, shopping, eSIM and insurance are excluded. These are amounts paid in 2025, not current prices.
We stayed two nights in Odawara. Hakone was a separate day using the Hakone Freepass. The next day, we visited the Fuji area by rental car before continuing to Ito in Izu. Hakone and Fuji are separate stops in the itinerary, while Odawara is the hotel base.
No. We visited Uji on 4 December during our Kyoto stay, including Byodo-in and the Uji River area. We stayed in Kyoto that night and travelled to Osaka on 5 December.
Yes. The seven- and eight-day versions above leave out the Fuji drive and Izu stay. This reduces the number of transfers, but changes the onward journey to Kyoto. If you keep Izu, allow for the Ito hotel night and the trip to Atami for the Kyoto-bound Shinkansen.
No. The Enoden pass and Izu Shaboten Zoo ticket were bought offline, on the spot. Other entries show an online or offline purchase method where it is recorded. Our purchase method describes this trip; it does not guarantee that tickets will be available on the day of a future visit.