Japan: Tokyo and Osaka in ten days – after five weeks in Thailand

Japan in 10 days is tight but doable – we did Tokyo and Osaka after five weeks in Thailand.

After five weeks in Thailand we flew from Bangkok to Tokyo on 28 August 2024. From 29 August to 2 September we were in Tokyo, from 3 to 7 September in Osaka. After weeks of tuk-tuks, street kitchens and chaos, Japan was a culture shock in the other direction: quiet subways, punctual trains, no rubbish bins and yet no litter.

Arriving: Suica on your phone

First things first: add a Suica card (in Osaka it’s called ICOCA, but it works everywhere) directly to Apple Wallet and top it up with a credit card. You use it for the subway, buses and regional trains, and to pay at konbini (7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart) and drinks machines. No buying tickets, no small change.

Tokyo: a city made of many cities

Tokyo is huge, but every district feels different. Our recommendations for four or five days:

• Shibuya – the famous crossing, best seen from above (Shibuya Sky – book tickets in advance).
• Shinjuku in the evening – Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai, tiny bars for six people.
• Asakusa with Sensō-ji, early in the morning before the groups arrive.
• Akihabara for electronics, anime and arcades.
• An evening at an izakaya – small dishes, beer, office workers at the next table. Cheaper and better than any tourist restaurant.

All the details are in our guide things to do in Tokyo.

By Shinkansen to Osaka

Tokyo–Osaka takes about two and a half hours on the Nozomi. Buy tickets from a machine or in the app (SmartEX), reserve a seat, and sit on the right-hand side towards Osaka for a view of Mount Fuji (in clear weather). Since the price increase in 2023, the JR Pass is usually no longer worth it for a single route like this – do the maths.

Osaka: the city for eating

Osaka is louder, funnier and more down-to-earth than Tokyo. Its heart is Dōtonbori on the canal, with the Glico running man, the neon signs and stalls selling takoyaki (batter balls with octopus) and okonomiyaki. Kuromon Market is worth it in the morning, Osaka Castle in the afternoon. For us, Osaka was the better base: cheaper than Tokyo and close to Kyoto and Nara.

Tip: Kyoto as a day trip

From Osaka you’re in Kyoto in about 30 minutes. The most famous spot is Fushimi Inari Shrine, with thousands of orange torii gates winding up the mountain. It’s open around the clock and free – if you’re there at 7 am or come in the evening, you’ll have the gates almost to yourself. After the first half hour of climbing, the crowds thin out considerably anyway.

Money

Japan relies on cash even more than you’d think – small restaurants, shrines and machines often only take yen. The ATMs in 7-Eleven reliably accept foreign cards; we withdrew cash with our Wise card. In hotels, department stores and chains, cards work without problems. More on cards and fees in money abroad.

Good to know

• No tipping – it tends to be seen as a misunderstanding.
• Take your rubbish with you – there are hardly any public bins.
• Shoes off wherever slippers are provided – including some restaurants and changing rooms.
• Be quiet on the subway and trains, don’t make phone calls.
• End of August, beginning of September is hot, humid and typhoon season. Keep an eye on the weather app – trains are suspended in storms.

Would we go again?

Yes, but in spring or autumn and with more time for Kyoto, Nara and the Japanese Alps. Ten days are enough for a first impression – and they’ll definitely leave you wanting more.

Photo credits

The photos in this post are not ours but freely licensed (Wikimedia Commons / Openverse): Dotonbori canal in Osaka – 32linesky, CC BY-SA 4.0; the thousand torii gates of Fushimi Inari in Kyoto – Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0; Fushimi Inari torii gates at night – DuckMaestro, CC BY-SA 4.0; Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto – Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0. Our own photos from this trip will follow.

Japan in 10 days: our verdict

Our verdict on Japan in 10 days: two bases instead of many hotel changes, a Suica card on your phone and a day trip to Kyoto. It also pays not to plan Shinkansen journeys too tightly, so there’s time left for eating. All the capital’s highlights are in things to do in Tokyo; background on the country is on Wikipedia.