28 days in Japan Itinerary

You'll explore the less-touristy side of things at Kinomiya Shrine and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. Do some cultural sightseeing at Nezu Shrine and Hozomon. You'll find plenty of places to visit near Tokyo: Kamakura (Hokokuji Temple (Takedera Temple) & Kencho-ji Temple), Kiunkaku (in Atami) and Samukawa Shrine (in Samukawa-machi). There's still lots to do: contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Senso-ji Temple, contemplate the long history of Hie Jinjya, take a stroll through Yanaka District, and visit Odaiba District.

To find other places to visit, photos, and tourist information, refer to the Tokyo trip planner.

Detroit, USA to Tokyo is an approximately 16-hour flight. The time zone changes from Eastern Standard Time (EST) to Japan Standard Time (JST), which is usually a 14 hour difference. Prepare for somewhat warmer weather when traveling from Detroit in August: high temperatures in Tokyo hover around 36°C and lows are around 28°C. Cap off your sightseeing on the 10th (Thu) early enough to travel to Ise.

Start off your visit on the 11th (Fri): contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Tsukiyominomiya, appreciate the extensive heritage of Ise Shrine Geku, contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Sarutahiko Shrine, then make a trip to Oharai-machi, then take an in-depth tour of Sengukan, and finally take in the spiritual surroundings of Ise Grand Shrine. On your second day here, step into the grandiose world of Ise Ninja Kingdom, admire nature's wide array of creatures at Toba Aquarium, and then contemplate the long history of Hinjitsukan.

To see more things to do, maps, and more tourist information, read Ise trip tool.

Traveling by train from Tokyo to Ise takes 4.5 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of flight and train; or drive. Traveling from Tokyo in August, you can expect nighttime temperatures to be a bit warmer in Ise, with lows of 32°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 12th (Sat) early enough to drive to Nachikatsura-cho.

Start off your visit on the 13th (Sun): take in the dramatic scenery at Nachi Mitaki Falls, contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Seiganto-ji Temple, then contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Kumano Nachi Taisha, then make a trip to Daimonzaka, and finally contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Fudarakusanji Temple. On the next day, tour the pleasant surroundings at Kinomatsushima Island and then indulge in Japan's hot spring tradition at some of the top local onsens.

For traveler tips, photos, maps, and other tourist information, go to the Nachikatsura-cho trip itinerary maker app.

Getting from Ise to Nachikatsura-cho by car takes about 3 hours. Other options: take a train; or do a combination of train and bus. In August, daytime highs in Nachikatsura-cho are 36°C, while nighttime lows are 31°C. Wrap up your sightseeing by early afternoon on the 14th (Mon) to allow time for the train ride to Hiroshima.

You'll discover tucked-away gems like Daishoin Temple and Mitaki Temple. Get some cultural insight at JMSDF Kure Museum and Peace Memorial Park - Hiroshima. Get out of town with these interesting Hiroshima side-trips: Hatsukaichi (Itsukushima Shrine & Senjokaku), Former Naval Academy (in Etajima) and Kameyama Shrine (in Kure). There's much more to do: steep yourself in history at Atomic Bomb Dome, appreciate the history behind Memorial Tower to the Mobilized Students, don't miss a visit to Peace Flame, and contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Myojo-in.

To see ratings, more things to do, traveler tips, and other tourist information, go to the Hiroshima route maker site.

Traveling by train from Nachikatsura-cho to Hiroshima takes 6.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or do a combination of train, flight, and ferry. August in Hiroshima sees daily highs of 36°C and lows of 29°C at night. Finish your sightseeing early on the 17th (Thu) so you can take a train to Himeji.

Kick off your visit on the 18th (Fri): see the interesting displays at Japan Toy Museum, then step into the grandiose world of Himeji Castle, then admire the landmark architecture of Hiromine Shrine, and finally take in the spiritual surroundings of Kakurin-ji Temple. On the next day, take in the spiritual surroundings of Ako Oishi Shrine, contemplate the long history of Remains of Ako Castle, then soak in some Japanese tradition at some of the top local onsens, and finally contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Harimakuni Ichinomiya Iwa Shrine.

To find maps, other places to visit, ratings, and tourist information, read our Himeji travel route planner.

Traveling by train from Hiroshima to Himeji takes 2 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or do a combination of bus and train. Expect a daytime high around 35°C in August, and nighttime lows around 31°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 19th (Sat) to allow enough time to take a train to Kyoto.

Get some cultural insight at Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine and Kiyomizu-dera Temple. You'll explore the less-touristy side of things at Tenryuji Temple and Tofuku-ji Temple. Change things up with a short trip to Koyasan Okunoin in Koya-cho (about 2h 30 min away). There's much more to do: don't miss a visit to Nijo Castle, take in the pleasant sights at Gion, contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Kodai-ji Temple, and steep yourself in history at Ninna-ji Temple.

Make your Kyoto itinerary with Inspirock to find out what to see and where to go.

Traveling by train from Himeji to Kyoto takes 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive. Traveling from Himeji in August, expect nights in Kyoto to be about the same, around 29°C, while days are a bit warmer, around 39°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 23rd (Wed) so you can drive to Kanazawa.

Ainokura Gassho Community and Shirakawago will appeal to history buffs. Do some cultural sightseeing at Shirayama Hime Shrine and Hakusan Shrine (Heisenji-Hakusan Shrine). Get out of town with these interesting Kanazawa side-trips: Toyama Glass Art Museum (in Toyama), Nanto (Suganuma Gassho Community & Gokayama) and Shirakawa-mura (Wada House, Kanda house, &more). There's lots more to do: don't miss a visit to Maruoka Castle, pause for some serene contemplation at Kanazawa Catholic Church, steep yourself in history at Ochaya Shima, and admire the natural beauty at Kenrokuen Garden.

To see traveler tips, more things to do, ratings, and tourist information, use the Kanazawa day trip planning tool.

You can drive from Kyoto to Kanazawa in 3 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train. When traveling from Kyoto in August, plan for a bit cooler days and about the same nights in Kanazawa: temperatures range from 35°C by day to 27°C at night. Finish your sightseeing early on the 28th (Mon) to allow enough time to fly to Hakodate.

On the 29th (Tue), appreciate the extensive heritage of Motomachi, then take in the spiritual surroundings of St.John's Church Hakodate, then contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Trappist Monasteries, and finally catch the contagious excitement of Hakodate Horse Racetrack. Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the 30th (Wed): indulge in Japan's hot spring tradition at some of the top local onsens, get engrossed in the history at Hakodate City Northern Pacific Fishery's Document Museum, admire the landmark architecture of Goryokaku Park, then take in the architecture and atmosphere at Hakodate Orthodox Church, and finally admire the landmark architecture of Kyu Soma-tei.

To find other places to visit, photos, reviews, and tourist information, refer to the Hakodate trip planner.

Traveling by flight from Kanazawa to Hakodate takes 5 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of car and ferry; or do a combination of train and ferry. In August, Hakodate is slightly colder than Kanazawa - with highs of 28°C and lows of 23°C. Wrap up your sightseeing by early afternoon on the 31st (Thu) to allow time for the flight back home.