Fly from your Indian departure city to Tokyo; allow roughly 10–15 hours in the air, depending on the route, plus time for check-in, immigration, baggage collection and the hotel transfer. The exact flight and transfer depend on whether you arrive at Haneda Airport or Narita Airport—Haneda is generally closer to central Tokyo, while Narita takes longer by train or airport bus. Keep this first day deliberately light, and choose a luxury hotel near your arrival airport or a convenient rail connection if you’ll be landing tired with luggage.
After check-in and a rest, head to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden for an easy stroll through its Japanese and European-style landscapes. From central Tokyo, the Shinjuku area is straightforward to reach by train; allow about 1–1.5 hours in the garden. In December, daylight fades early, and the garden typically closes at 4:30 p.m. (last entry is earlier); admission is about ¥500. Check the official hours before setting out, as opening days and seasonal schedules can change.
Finish at T’s Tantan in Tokyo Station for plant-based ramen, usually around ¥1,000–2,000 per person. Check the current branch hours before travelling: this location is inside the JR station’s ticketed area, so you may need to enter through the gates with a valid ticket or IC-card fare. If your flight arrives too late for the garden or dinner, don’t force the schedule—prioritize hotel check-in and rest.
Start around 7:30 a.m. at Meiji Jingu while the forest paths are still quiet. The grounds open around sunrise and close around sunset, with hours shifting seasonally; allow about 1½ hours for the walk and shrine visit. Entry to the grounds is free. From there, walk roughly 10 minutes to Takeshita Street. Shops generally open later in the morning, so this is a good time to wander the side lanes and return to the main street as the crowds build; allow about an hour.
Take the Tokyo Metro from Meiji-jingumae toward Omotesando, then walk to the Nezu Museum in Aoyama—about 20–30 minutes in all, depending on your route. On Wednesdays it is generally open 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (last entry usually 4:30 p.m.); allow 1½–2 hours for the collection and garden. Admission is typically around ¥1,500–¥1,800, but check the museum’s current exhibition and ticket arrangements before setting out. Continue to Ain Soph. Ginza for a fully vegan lunch; budget about ¥2,000–¥4,000 per person and reserve ahead if you can. Leave a little flexibility here, as getting from Aoyama to Ginza takes around 20–30 minutes by metro and on foot.
Spend around 1½ hours strolling Ginza at an unhurried pace: browse the department stores, then wander the surrounding streets as their lights come on. Most shops close in the evening, often around 8 p.m., while restaurants stay open later; hours vary by store. Keep the day’s pace gentle—there’s plenty of walking between stops, and a rechargeable IC card makes the metro hops easy.
After the morning Shinkansen from Tokyo, allow roughly 2–2½ hours door to door to reach Fukushima City. Take a taxi from Fukushima Station to the Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art; its galleries make a good first stop, with about 1½ hours to explore. It is generally open 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. and closed Mondays; check the current exhibition and admission fee before you go, as both can vary.
From the museum, take a taxi to Hanamiyama Park on the city’s outskirts. In December, expect quiet winter paths and hillside views rather than blossoms; allow about 1½ hours including the transfer, and arrive with daylight to spare—sunset is early. The park is free, but paths can be uneven, so wear shoes with good grip. Return to central Fukushima for Fukushima Inari Shrine; allow around 45 minutes, keeping in mind that the grounds may be dim after dusk. Finish with dinner near Fukushima Station: budget about ¥2,000–5,000 per person and contact a restaurant ahead of time to request a fully vegan meal. Confirm that broth, sauces and cooking fats are plant-based, since these can be difficult to identify on the menu.
Allow 4½–5½ hours door to door for the transfer from Fukushima, so an early departure should put you in Nagoya around lunchtime or early afternoon. After checking in or leaving your bags at the hotel, head to Nagoya Castle in Naka Ward; allow 1½–2 hours for the grounds and Honmaru Palace. The palace is usually open 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m., with last entry earlier; check current access before setting out, as the main keep is not open to visitors. Admission to the castle grounds is typically around ¥500.
Walk over to Kinshachi Yokocho, right beside the castle, for a relaxed look around its food and shop lanes. Give it about an hour, but don’t count on finding a clearly vegan meal here: ask staff about dashi, fish-based broth, and other hidden animal ingredients. Then take a taxi or local transit to Osu Kannon and spend about 1½ hours at the temple and in the covered shopping streets. The temple grounds are free to enter; shops generally wind down in the early evening, so keep this stop moving if you arrive late.
Finish with a plant-based dinner at Saishoku Kenbi. Budget roughly ¥1,500–3,000 per person, and check its current opening hours and service details before going; booking is sensible if available. From Osu, allow extra time to reach the restaurant by transit or taxi, especially during the evening commute.
Allow 1½–2 hours door to door from Nagoya to your Kyoto hotel or the sights, including station transfers. Travel early if you can: Kiyomizu-dera is best before the Higashiyama lanes fill up. Set aside 1½–2 hours for the temple and its hillside views; admission is around ¥500, but check current entry arrangements and leave a little slack for queues. Opening hours vary by season, so confirm them before setting out.
From Kiyomizu-dera, wander downhill through Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka. The old lanes are made for an unhurried browse—allow about 1½ hours for small shops and a tea stop, and expect some steep, uneven paving. Then take a taxi or local bus toward Nishiki Market in central Kyoto, allowing roughly 20–30 minutes depending on traffic. Give yourself about an hour to browse; Saturday can be busy, and many stalls wind down by late afternoon. For plant-based snacks, ask specifically about dashi, bonito and other fish ingredients—“vegetarian” labels do not always mean vegan.
Head to Choice in Sanjo for a vegan meal, budgeting roughly ¥2,000–4,000 per person. It’s a good place to sit down after a full day on your feet; check current hours and reserve if needed, especially on Saturday. From Nishiki Market, allow around 15–20 minutes by taxi or public transport, depending on traffic and your exact starting point.
Travel after breakfast from Kyoto to Osaka; the train ride is about 30 minutes, but allow 1–1½ hours door to door for reaching the station and getting to your hotel or first stop. At Osaka Castle, give yourself around two hours for the grounds and museum. Check current museum hours, ticketing and access before setting out; the park is spacious, so comfortable shoes are worthwhile.
Head to Kuromon Ichiba Market in Nippombashi, roughly 20–30 minutes from the castle by subway and a short walk. Allow about an hour to browse the stalls. It’s lively, but many market bites use fish stock, bonito flakes or other animal-derived ingredients, so ask clearly about dashi and cooking oil before ordering. For a reliably plant-based meal, continue to Paprika Shokudo Vegan in Shinsaibashi; budget around ¥2,000–4,000 per person and check today’s hours or reserve ahead.
Leave a little breathing room after lunch to wander Shinsaibashi-suji’s covered shopping arcade, then make your way to Dotonbori in Namba. The canal-side walk and neon streets are best enjoyed at an unhurried pace; allow 1–1½ hours, and expect the busiest crowds after dark. The whole area is walkable, though the subway is handy if your feet need a break.
Take an early Super Hakuto from Osaka; with station access and the transfer from Tottori Station, allow about 3½–4½ hours door to door. A taxi is the simplest way to reach the Tottori Sand Dunes from the station (around 20 minutes); local buses are cheaper but less flexible, so check the day’s timetable before relying on one. Give the dunes 1½–2 hours. December can be sharply cold and windy, and the sand is exposed, so bring a warm layer and shoes you don’t mind getting sandy. Beside the dunes, spend about an hour at The Sand Museum. Its exhibition schedule can change seasonally, so confirm it will be open on December 7 before making it a fixed stop.
From the dunes, continue by taxi or bus to Tottori Sand Dunes Conan Airport in Koyama for a brief look at its Conan-themed displays; allow 30–45 minutes, and check access and bus times if you’re not taking a taxi. Then return toward the dunes for a relaxed meal at Sakyu Kaikan, which has a view over the landscape; budget roughly ¥1,500–3,000 per person. Vegan choices may be limited, and stock and ingredients can vary, so contact the restaurant in advance and explain that you need food without meat, fish, eggs, dairy, or dashi. With the intercity arrival, these stops make for a full day—if the train runs late or the museum is closed, keep the dunes and meal as priorities rather than rushing.
The Tottori-to-Matsuyama transfer takes about 5½–7 hours door to door, so start early, confirm the Okayama connection, and keep some slack for delays. After checking in or leaving your bags, head to Matsuyama Castle in central Matsuyama. Take the ropeway or chairlift up to the grounds, then allow 1½–2 hours for the castle and its broad city views. The ropeway and chairlift have separate operating hours and may be affected by weather; check the last uphill service before setting out. Budget around ¥520 for the castle entry, plus roughly ¥520 round-trip for the ropeway or chairlift.
From the castle area, take a tram or taxi to Dōgo Onsen—allow around 20–30 minutes by tram, depending on your starting point. At Dōgo Onsen Honkan, set aside 1½–2 hours to bathe and appreciate the historic building. Bathing options, capacity and entry procedures can change, so check the official arrangements in advance and be prepared to queue; bring a small towel or rent one there. Afterward, spend about 45 minutes wandering Dōgo Shopping Street, where you can browse local crafts and Ehime sweets. Look for vegan-friendly packaged treats, but check ingredients carefully: dashi, honey and dairy can be easy to miss.
Choose a well-reviewed restaurant near Dōgo for an Ehime dinner, budgeting about ¥2,000–5,000 per person. Vegan meals aren’t guaranteed, so contact the restaurant ahead of time and clearly ask for food with no meat, fish, dashi, egg, dairy or honey; confirm sauces and cooking oil when you arrive. Keep the evening unhurried after the long transfer, and check the tram timetable or take a taxi back to your hotel.
Set out early from Matsuyama: take the ferry to Hiroshima, transfer from the port to Hiroshima Station, then continue by Shinkansen to Hakata. Although the ferry-and-train legs can take around 4–5 hours, allow 6–8 hours door to door for getting to the ports and stations, transfers and waiting time. Check the ferry and rail schedules together before booking; a late departure or missed connection could push sightseeing into the evening.
After arriving, spend about 45 minutes around Hakata Station to stretch your legs and browse the shops. Then walk or take a short taxi ride to Kushida Shrine for its festival displays and a visit to the grounds; allow about an hour. Continue to Tōchō-ji in Gion, also around a short walk or taxi ride away, and allow another hour for the temple, pagoda and Great Buddha. Check current visitor access and last-entry times before setting out: the temple’s indoor areas may close in the late afternoon, so arriving early matters after a long travel day.
Finish at Evah Dining in the Hakata area. Budget roughly ¥1,500–3,500 per person and check its current hours and reservation policy ahead of time. If the journey runs late, the shrine grounds may still be visitable, but confirm the temple’s access and dinner service rather than counting on late entry.
Begin at Ōhori Park for an easy, roughly hour-long loop beside the lake; the paths are open year-round and the park is free. From central Fukuoka, take the subway to Ōhorikōen Station or Tōjinmachi Station. Then walk into Maizuru Park for the Fukuoka Castle Ruins—allow about an hour for the stone walls and viewpoints. Both parks are pleasant in December, but bring a warm layer for the breezy waterside paths. There’s no admission charge for the grounds.
Continue by taxi or bus to Momochi Seaside Park in Momochihama (roughly 20–30 minutes, depending on traffic). Take a relaxed 1–1½-hour coastal walk; December is for sea views, not swimming. From there, it’s a short walk to Fukuoka Tower. Allow about an hour for the observation deck, and check its current hours, admission price and visibility before setting out—cloud or haze can soften the views. If you want lunch, plan it around the park visits and confirm vegan options directly with a nearby restaurant; ingredients such as dashi and fish-based sauces are common in Japan.
This sequence works best with a late-evening international flight. From Fukuoka Tower, allow around 30–45 minutes to reach Fukuoka Airport by taxi or bus and subway, allowing extra time for traffic, luggage and the walk between terminals. Be at the airport at least 3 hours before departure. Keep the flight timing flexible until booked: if your flight leaves earlier, the full park-and-tower itinerary may not fit comfortably, so plan an extra night in Fukuoka rather than rushing your airport check-in. Book the India-bound itinerary before fixing the day’s sightseeing pace; no particular route or connection is assumed.
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