I'm going to Japan for 2 weeks in March for the first time and would like some advice.

I land in Narita airport at 430pm, and depart from Narita at 4pm. I want to stay in the main 3 of Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka but can't figure out if I should do Osaka or Tokyo first, because I'll have to fly out of Narita.

Since I land in NRT, do I

  • stay in Tokyo to start the trip, then train from Osaka to NRT the day I leave
  • stay in Tokyo to start the trip, do Osaka/Kyoto in the middle, then stay in Tokyo my last night before I leave
  • fly or train to Osaka to start the trip, then stay in Tokyo to end the trip
  • or any other options you'd recommend?

Also open to recommendations on how many days to do for each city. I'll have 12 full days which doesn't include the day I land and the day I leave.

  • I did the second bullet but next time I'd probably do bullet 3. Tokyo need to be the last because we want to fill up our suitcases with souvenirs and we do most of the shopping in Tokyo.

    Number 1 is bad idea in my opinion.

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  • If you really want to hit all 3 of golden loop, definitely consider flying from NRT to KIX/ITM and start in Osaka-->Kyoto-->Tokyo. Ending at Tokyo has a lot of perks like people have mentioned, like last minute shopping and often fewer layovers to get home.
    If you think/know you will go back to Japan for another trip, also consider just Osaka/Kyoto OR Tokyo instead of all 3. There is so much to do in each area, especially when you start to look at day trips, that spending less time on transit can be worth it.

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    1. This is just madness. If there is a train delay, you're essentially fked.
    2. This is a bit slower paced, less rushed but you are also sacrificing half day travel time to Osaka and almost half a day for shopping in Tokyo at the end.
    3. This saves you travel time but you need to have a backup plan if there is a flight delay from your departure point to NRT at the start.
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  • If you are already flying internationally into Tokyo, I would take a flight to Osaka while already at the Narita airport anyway. Another upside to starting in Osaka is the public transport system is straightforward, less crowds so it feels less overwhelming for a first timer in Japan.

    As a repeat traveller to Japan, I would choose the cheaper time (mainly based on Tokyo hotel cost wise) for my dates when in doubt to go with Tokyo or Osaka first.

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