What separates a good itinerary from a bad one is the time allotted to each location that you plan to visit. With so many places to see and most of us having limited time to travel within each country we visit, it is critical that we spend the right amount of time in a country’s main cities.
Visiting Japan was an absolute dream trip for me, and it still stands as one of my favorite countries in the world. If you plan to visit Japan (and I hope you do), chances are you will heavily debate whether you should prioritize Tokyo or Kyoto in your itinerary. While both cities are worth a visit, I personally preferred one over the other.
Tokyo
Why You Should Visit Tokyo
- Nightlife: Tokyo has some of the best nightlife in the world. Enjoy bar hopping at local bars in Golden Gai, and then maybe make your way over to one of Tokyo’s premiere clubs!
- Entertainment: Tokyo is just a highly entertaining city. From crazy shows like Robot Restaurant to virtual reality stores, the Tokyo entertainment scene is fantastic.
- Technology: When you think of Tokyo, you think of technology. Japan generally has some out-of-this-world technology, but it particularly shines in Tokyo.
- Fine Dining: Tokyo has a tremendous amount of Micheline-star restaurants. While there are fewer fine dining options for vegetarians, there are still plenty of great options to choose from.
- Famous Shibuya Crossing: World’s largest and busiest crosswalk.
- Akihabara (Anime lovers): If you love anime, you will love this area of Tokyo
Area to stay in Tokyo
Shinjuku city is the best and most central place to situate yourself when visiting Tokyo.
Day/Overnight Trips You Can Make From Tokyo
- Hakone: If you want to experience Japan’s famous onsen baths, there may be no better place to do so than in Hakone. Tokyo serves as a great city to situate yourself in if you wish to visit Hakone via a day trip.
- Mount Fuji: Japan’s most famous mountain is only 60km west of Tokyo and easily accessible via bus or train.
How to Get to Tokyo
- Fly into Haneda Airport
- Train to Tokyo Station
- Bus
- Car
Kyoto
Why Should Visit Kyoto?
- Authentic Culture: While there are alot of tourists in Kyoto, it still feels very cultured and authentic.
- Older architecture: Part of the reason Kyoto feels more authentic is because of its old-school architecture. Walking around the city feels like you are walking around Japan in the 15th century. You will see a lot more traditional Japanese houses and buildings
- Arashiyama: You may have heard of the famous bamboo forests in Japan. If you wish to see it you have to come to Kyoto. While the forest is not massive, it certainly is a spectacle!
- Golden Temple: You can only see this temple from the outside, but it truly is a magical site. Sitting on the lake, and surrounded by trees, this temple covered in gold leaf, is one of the most stunning temples in Japan.
- Fushimi Inari Shrine
Area to stay in Kyoto
Stay in Southern Higashiyama or Downtown Kyoto
Day/Overnight Trips You Can Make From Kyoto
- Day Trip to Osaka for Sumo Wrestling Match (timing dependent): I wasn’t the biggest fan of Osaka as a city, but I loved my visit there to see a sumo wrestling match. One of the main sumo stadiums is in Osaka
- Overnight trip to Mount Koya: One of my favorite experiences in Japan was an overnight trip from Kyoto to Mount Koya.
How to Get to Kyoto
- Fly into Osaka Airport + Subway to Kyoto
- Train to Kyoto Station (bullet train from Tokyo takes you here)
- Bus
- Car
Tokyo or Kyoto?
Kyoto ended up being one of my favorite cities in the world. The streets of Kyoto were what I pictured when I imagined a trip to Japan. Additionally, the Golden Temple and the Arashiyma Bamboo Forrest are two of the cooler things to see in Japan.
Tokyo was fascinating, and I do not regret visiting the city. However, after about a day and a half, I felt as if I had experienced what I needed to in the city. This being said, if you love nightlife, or want to indulge in Michelin Star fine-dining-style restaurants, you could easily spend a lot more time here.
While I loved both cities, for me personally, I felt Kyoto was worth more of my time. You should absolutely visit Tokyo, but you can get away with just spending a couple of days in the city. On the contrary, I would recommend slow-traveling through Kyoto and allotting 3-4 nights in the city on a 2-week trip.
