Start your foodie adventure in Tsukiji fish market, Japan's largest fish market famous for its fresh seafood. After enjoying a sushi breakfast, head to Harajuku, a district known for its trendy street food, such as crepes, cotton candy, and rainbow-colored cheese toast. End the day at Shinjuku Golden Gai, a small alley full of tiny bars and restaurants.
Start the day in Asakusa, where you can enjoy traditional Japanese "party bread" and visit the famous Senso-ji temple. Then, head to Shibuya for some street-food-style sushi and explore the famous Shibuya Crossing. End the day at Yakitori alley in Omoide Yokocho for some grilled chicken skewers and sake.
Take a day trip to Yokohama, a city famous for its Chinatown and ramen. Start at Yokohama Chinatown for some steamed buns, dumplings, and Chinese sweets. Then, head to Ramen Museum, where you can sample different types of ramen from all over Japan. End the day at Cup Noodles Museum, where you can create your own cup noodles.
Start your Kyoto journey in Fushimi Inari, where you can climb the famous torii gates and enjoy some street food such as inari sushi and yakitori. Then, head to Nishiki Market, a traditional food market with over 100 shops and restaurants. End the day in Gion, Kyoto's famous Geisha district, with some upscale kaiseki cuisine.
Start the day in Arashiyama, famous for its bamboo forest and street food such as yuba, tofu skin, and mitarashi dango. Visit Tenryu-ji temple and the famous Togetsukyo Bridge. Then, head to the Kyoto Station for some unique and gourmet foods such as matcha-flavored Kit Kats and wagashi sweets. End the day in Gion for some more upscale kaiseki cuisine or sushi.
Start your Osaka journey in Kuromon Ichiba Market, Osaka's largest food market with over 180 shops and restaurants. Sample some takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and kushikatsu. Then, head to Dotonbori for some street food such as giant crab legs, octopus balls, and cheesecake. End the day with Osaka's famous "oyako" bowl, chicken and egg rice bowl.
Take a day trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima Island, both famous for their unique foods. In Hiroshima, try the famous Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, a savory pancake with various toppings, and oysters. Then, head to Miyajima Island for their famous maple leaf-shaped momiji manju, a sweet red bean-filled cake. End the day with some specialty sake.
Visit a sake brewery and enjoy some premium sake paired with traditional Japanese cuisine. Then, head to Kiyomizu-dera temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site, for some street food such as warabimochi and yaki-imo, roasted sweet potatoes. End the day with some more upscale kaiseki cuisine or sushi.
Visit Nagoya Castle and Atsuta Shrine, then head to Sakae District for some street food such as miso-katsu, fried pork cutlet with miso sauce. End the day at one of Nagoya's famous izakayas, casual Japanese gastropub, with some local sake and Japanese tapas.
Visit Kenroku-en garden, one of Japan's three most beautiful gardens, and Kanazawa castle. Then, head to Omicho Market for some fresh seafood, especially the famous kaisendon, sashimi rice bowl. End the day with some wagyu beef at a local restaurant.
Visit Hida Folk Village, a museum featuring traditional Hida region houses, and Takayama Old Town, a beautifully preserved old town. Then, head to Miyagawa Morning Market for some street food such as grilled soy milk cake and Hida beef buns. End the day with some Hida beef sushi and sake.
Visit Kobe's Chinatown for some Chinese dim sum and steamed buns. Then, head to Nankinmachi for some Kobe beef, especially the steak and the beef sushi. End the day with some sake at a local pub.
Visit Nara Park and its famous deer, Todai-ji temple, and Kasuga-taisha shrine. Then, head to Kintetsu Department Store and enjoy some local snacks such as kakinoha-zushi and sweets such as narazuke. End the day with some yakitori and sake at a local izakaya.
Visit Katsura Imperial Villa, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and enjoy some sushi at a local restaurant. Then, head to Pontocho alley for some upscale kaiseki cuisine or sushi. End the day with some matcha desserts at Gion.
End your foodie journey by revisiting your favorite food spots in Tokyo, such as Tsukiji Fish Market, Harajuku street food, and Yakitori Alley in Shinjuku.
For intercity transportation, we recommend using Japan Rail (JR) Pass, which provides unlimited access to most JR trains and buses for 7, 14 or 21 consecutive days. Prices start at ¥29,650 for a 7-day pass. For local transportation in each city, consider purchasing a prepaid IC card such as Suica, Pasmo or Icoca, which is valid on most trains and buses as well as in some shops and vending machines.
To save time, consider hiring a local guide who can take you to the best food spots and provide a deeper cultural and historical context. If you have more time, consider visiting other foodie destinations such as Hokkaido (ramen and seafood), Osaka (street food), or Fukuoka (ramen and yatai, street stalls).
JR Narita Express connects Narita Airport (NRT) to Tokyo Station in about 1 hour and costs ¥3,020. Haneda Airport (HND) is closer to central Tokyo and connected by monorail, train or bus. It takes around 30-40 minutes to reach Tokyo Station and costs around ¥600-1000. Osaka is served by Kansai International Airport (KIX), connected to Osaka Station by train or bus, and Itami Airport (ITM), mainly for domestic flights. Kyoto is served by Kansai International Airport (KIX) and Osaka International Airport (ITM) and connected to Kyoto Station by bus or train.