The Ultimate 7-Day Japan Icon, Food & Culture Sprint

Visit the reconstructed 16th-century castle and its peaceful grounds in the middle of the modern city. Spring visitors may also find cherry blossoms here.

Stop at this legendary izakaya street-food stall for sushi and flame-grilled meats. Expect a potentially long wait because of its popularity.

Choose this aquarium as the afternoon alternative for a large-scale marine-life experience.

Use this temple as the history-focused afternoon alternative, centered on traditional religious architecture and culture.

Head here for a city panorama and a more relaxed afternoon viewpoint option.

Spend the evening among neon, street food and the famous Glico Man photo spot. Sample Osaka specialties such as takoyaki and okonomiyaki while exploring the lively streets.

Spend the morning at Universal Studios Japan, focusing on Super Nintendo World, Harry Potter World, shows and attractions. A full day is not considered necessary unless amusement parks are a major priority.

Use Osaka Station as the departure point after the theme park. The route continues onward to Kyoto.

Arrive here after the short Osaka-to-Kyoto journey. The bullet train takes about 15 minutes; local trains take around 30 minutes and cost about one-third as much.

Walk through Kyoto's historic hillside streets, lined with shops selling traditional Japanese products and food. Try the famous Kyoto mochi here.

See the distinctive pagoda rising above the historic Higashiyama streets.

Visit this UNESCO World Heritage temple and view its large wooden stage over the hillside. The adjacent hillside gives a stronger composition of the stage and Kyoto than standing on the stage itself; the wooden structure creaks and slopes slightly downward.

Arrive bright and early for the thousands of torii gates. The complete loop can take two to three hours; staying near the base still provides strong photo opportunities.

Explore Kyoto's iconic castle and its nightingale floors, designed to chirp underfoot as an intrusion warning for the shogun.

Stop beside Nijo Castle for the theatrical fire-ramen experience, combining ramen with a dramatic flame presentation.

See the gold-coated pavilion and its surrounding greenery. On a calm day, the lake may create a mirror reflection of the temple.

Spend the evening along the Kamogawa River among restaurants and places to eat.

Browse this covered shopping area for street food and local stores. It is large enough to occupy several hours at an easy pace.

Visit early for the best chance of photographing the 20-meter bamboo grove with fewer people. Shops on the street near the entrance may still be closed if you arrive very early.

Before leaving Kyoto, eat the city's famous soba noodles at the station. The route emphasizes Kyoto's fresh water and its connection to foods such as soba and tofu.

Take the fastest bullet train from Kyoto to Tokyo, a journey of a little over two hours. Reserve luggage storage if your suitcase is too large for overhead space.

Explore the heart of Shinjuku nightlife, with shopping, food and bars concentrated around Kabukicho.

Visit this compact nightlife district for bars and sake. It is presented as one of the strongest places in Japan for drinks.

If you arrive while daylight remains, use this scenic garden as a calmer contrast to Shinjuku's neon streets.

Start with the syrup-and-butter-filled pancakes highlighted as a favorite convenience-store breakfast.

Go up to the 350th- or 450th-floor observation decks of this 634-meter telecommunications tower. The base also has a mall, food and an aquarium.

Walk the lively shopping and street-food strip known for Japanese Harajuku fashion culture. It can become fairly crowded.

Step across the street for a quieter park and shrine experience after Takeshita Street.

See the world's famous busy crosswalk from the correct station exit, then consider Shibuya Sky for skyline views in the center of Tokyo.

Choose the conveyor-belt sushi stop for fresh sushi at an especially strong price, then browse the enormous Don Quijote store for souvenirs, snacks and miscellaneous finds.

Explore Tokyo's electric town and anime capital, with anime shops, electronics stores, gacha machines and claw machines.

Visit the maid café for food, drinks, songs and a distinctly Japanese pop-culture experience.

Continue to Asakusa for this iconic temple and its famous pagoda.

Enter through this gate with its massive 4-meter, 13-ton lantern before continuing into the temple complex.

Browse the vendor stalls and traditional shopping along the approach to Senso-ji.

Finish with wagyu beef katsu at this Kyoto-origin chain in Tokyo. The route saves Kyoto's more unique dishes for Kyoto while still including the chain's signature beef-katsu experience.

Spend the morning inside hands-on interactive art installations and one of Tokyo's major Instagram-oriented attractions.

Use this as a quick landmark stop after TeamLab rather than another tower ascent if you have already visited Tokyo Skytree or Shibuya Sky.

Spend time in Tokyo's high-end fashion district, known for luxury shopping and fashion.

Choose the outer market for a final dose of Tokyo street food.

For a distinctive ramen stop, try the back-fat meat ramen with dried sardines.

End near this Tokyo Tower photography area. During Christmas or cherry-blossom periods, the illuminated street offers a particularly popular tower view; the district also has shopping and restaurants.