# What is a good 10-day Japan itinerary that includes the Japan Alps? > Our suggested 10-day Japan itinerary: Tokyo 3 nights, Takayama 2, Kanazawa 1 via Shirakawa-go, Kyoto 3, Osaka 1. Day by day, with the trains and buses between. - Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/japan-itinerary-10-days-tokyo-alps-kyoto-osaka - Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from a 526-day trip across 20 countries) - Published: 2026-06-13 For 10 days in Japan, we suggest **Tokyo (3 nights), Takayama (2), Kanazawa (1), Kyoto (3) and Osaka (1)**. That adds one Japan Alps stop to the classic Tokyo–Kyoto trip and turns the journey between them into a loop: into the mountains to Takayama, on through the thatched village of Shirakawa-go to Kanazawa, then down to Kyoto. It is our suggested cut of the 33-day route we took, which spent 11 days in Hakone, Matsumoto, Takayama and Kanazawa; here that stretch is compressed into 3 nights. ## The plan at a glance • **Days 1–3, Tokyo:** Asakusa, Ueno and Yanaka, the Imperial Palace moat and Shinjuku after dark. • **Day 4, Tokyo to Takayama:** a long travel day into the Hida mountains. • **Day 5, Takayama:** the morning markets, Sanmachi old town, Takayama Jinya, Hida Folk Village. • **Day 6, Shirakawa-go to Kanazawa:** bus to the thatched village, a few hours there, then on to Kanazawa. • **Day 7, Kanazawa to Kyoto:** Kenroku-en first thing, then about 2 hours by train to Kyoto. • **Days 8–9, Kyoto:** Higashiyama and Gion, Arashiyama, Fushimi Inari. • **Day 10, Osaka:** Dotonbori for the last evening, fly out of Kansai the next day. We picked Takayama as the one Alps stop because it has the most to do in two nights and puts Shirakawa-go on the way to Kanazawa. Matsumoto is the alternative; see the last section. ## Tokyo to Takayama: two ways in • **Via Nagoya (fastest):** the Tokaido Shinkansen to Nagoya, then the JR **Limited Express Hida** to Takayama, about 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 40 minutes on the Hida leg. Both are JR, so this is the route to use with a rail pass. • **Via Matsumoto (the way our route went):** the JR **Limited Express Azusa** from Shinjuku to Matsumoto, about 2.5 to 3 hours, then the **Alpico / Nohi highway bus** to Takayama, about 2 hours 20 minutes to 2.5 hours and **¥4,400**, reservation required. Leave early and you can see Matsumoto Castle between the two. Either way it is most of a day, so arrive in Takayama for an evening walk along the river and dinner. Forwarding your big bag from Tokyo to Kyoto with a [luggage forwarding service](https://clevertourists.com/resources/japan-luggage-forwarding-takkyubin-hotel-to-hotel-guide) and traveling the mountain section with a small bag makes the buses much easier. ## Takayama, Shirakawa-go and Kanazawa **Day 5:** be at the Miyagawa Morning Market by 7am, walk across to the Jinya-mae market, go into **Takayama Jinya** when it opens, then spend late morning in the **Sanmachi** lanes and their sake breweries. Hida Folk Village fills the afternoon. Our [Takayama guide](https://clevertourists.com/guides/takayama) has the details; most shops in Sanmachi close by 5pm. **Day 6:** take the Nohi Bus to **Shirakawa-go** (about 50 minutes), climb to the Shiroyama viewpoint and go inside one farmhouse, then continue to Kanazawa (about 75 minutes). Book both legs ahead, ¥2,800 each, and use the bus terminal lockers. Our [Kanazawa to Takayama bus guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/kanazawa-to-takayama-bus-shirakawa-go-guide) covers reservations and luggage. **Day 7:** give the morning to **Kenroku-en**, which opens early for free in season, and the **Higashi Chaya** teahouse district, with lunch at Omicho Market. Our [Kanazawa guide](https://clevertourists.com/guides/kanazawa) has the rest. Take an afternoon train to Kyoto. ## Kanazawa to Kyoto, Kyoto and Osaka Since March 2024, Kanazawa to Kyoto means the **Hokuriku Shinkansen to Tsuruga** and a change to the **Thunderbird** limited express, about 2 hours in total. **Days 8–9, Kyoto:** with two full days and an evening, do southern Higashiyama and Gion on the first evening or morning, **Arashiyama** early one day and **Fushimi Inari** at dawn the next. Our [3 days in Kyoto](https://clevertourists.com/guides/3-days-in-kyoto) itinerary sets out each district, and [how many days in Kyoto](https://clevertourists.com/resources/how-many-days-in-kyoto) explains what you give up with less time. **Day 10, Osaka:** about half an hour from Kyoto. Stay in Namba for Dotonbori and the direct train to Kansai Airport; see our [Osaka guide](https://clevertourists.com/guides/osaka). If you fly home from Tokyo instead, spend the last night in Kyoto and take the Shinkansen back in the morning. ## JR Pass or separate tickets? A 10-day trip is too long for the 7-day pass (¥50,000), and the 14-day pass costs **¥80,000**. The buses through Shirakawa-go are not JR, and neither is the Matsumoto–Takayama bus, so check the fares for your exact legs before buying a pass; for most people on this route, separate tickets cost less. The JR legs (Shinkansen to Nagoya, the Hida, the Hokuriku Shinkansen and the Thunderbird) can all be booked as point-to-point tickets. Our [Shinkansen and JR Pass guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/japan-bullet-train-shinkansen-tickets-jr-pass-guide) explains booking, and our full [33-day route](https://clevertourists.com/resources/japan-itinerary-our-33-day-route-tokyo-to-hiroshima) covers the regional passes for the Alps. ## Swapping Takayama for Matsumoto If castles interest you more than old merchant towns, stay two nights in **Matsumoto** instead: an original 16th-century keep, one of five ranked as National Treasures, about 2.5 to 3 hours from Shinjuku on the Azusa. You lose Shirakawa-go and Kanazawa, and the onward trip to Kyoto goes via Nagoya, which gives that night back to Kyoto. Our [Matsumoto guide](https://clevertourists.com/guides/matsumoto) covers the town. With 14 days, our [14-day Japan itinerary](https://clevertourists.com/guides/14-day-japan-itinerary) adds Hakone, Hiroshima and Miyajima instead; its advice is to add Kanazawa and Takayama only with at least three extra nights. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is 10 days enough for Japan? Ten days covers Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and one Japan Alps stop. We suggest Tokyo 3 nights, Takayama 2, Kanazawa 1, Kyoto 3 and Osaka 1, with Shirakawa-go on the bus between Takayama and Kanazawa. ### How do you get from Tokyo to Takayama? Either the Shinkansen to Nagoya and the Limited Express Hida (about 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 40 minutes on the Hida leg), or the Limited Express Azusa to Matsumoto and the highway bus to Takayama (about 2 hours 20 minutes to 2.5 hours, ¥4,400, reservation required). ### Can you visit Shirakawa-go between Takayama and Kanazawa? Yes. Book two Nohi Bus legs, Takayama to Shirakawa-go (about 50 minutes) and Shirakawa-go to Kanazawa (about 75 minutes), at ¥2,800 each, and leave your bags in the terminal lockers. ### How long is the train from Kanazawa to Kyoto? About 2 hours: the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Tsuruga, then the Thunderbird limited express to Kyoto. The change at Tsuruga has been necessary since March 2024. ### Is the JR Pass worth it for a 10-day Japan itinerary? Usually not on this route. The 14-day pass costs ¥80,000, and the Shirakawa-go and Matsumoto–Takayama buses are not JR. Check the fares for your exact legs; separate tickets usually cost less. ## Official sources - [Nohi Bus: Kanazawa–Shirakawa-go–Takayama route](https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/route_bus/shirakawago_en/) - [Nohi Bus: Takayama–Matsumoto line](https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/highwaybus/matsumoto_en/) - [Japan Rail Pass: official prices](https://japanrailpass.net/en/purchase/price/) - [JR Central service information](https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/)