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Japan itinerary: 88 days from Hokkaidō to Okinawa, hotels and bookings

88 days sequenced Morning / Afternoon / Evening / Hotel.

Compiled by Kylian, updated on Sep 27, 2026

The Chureito pagoda and the snow-covered Mount Fuji, above the town of Fujiyoshida
  • 88 days
  • 335 places
  • 87 nights
  • fast pace
Start
Sapporo (New Chitose airport)
End
Naha (Okinawa), flight home
Main transport
Rental car over about 8,650 km (5,370 mi), six domestic flights, one shinkansen, two ferries
Recommended season
Departure in September: Hokkaidō and Tōhoku in autumn colors, the alpine roads still open until late November, then a clear Fuji and the south in a mild winter; a June departure ends in the typhoons

What you get

  • The complete itinerary: 88 days sequenced Morning / Afternoon / Evening / Hotel
  • The card of every hotel, with the address and a direct booking link
  • Quota tickets, fixed-date tickets and surcharges flagged in advance
  • The country quick guide: weather, transport, formalities, budget
  • A PDF file of 186 pages

What the price does not include

  • Flights
  • Hotel nights
  • Tickets and admission fees
  • Travel insurance
  • On-the-ground assistance during your trip

The itinerary preview

The free day in full, with its hotel card. This is the sample.

Day 72

Asakusa and the Skytree

Morning

Kaminarimon and Nakamise

The thunder gate, guarded by the gods of wind and lightning, and its paper lantern four meters (13 ft) tall and seven hundred kilos (1,540 lb), renewed every ten years. Behind it, the Nakamise lines up craft and cake shops over two hundred and fifty meters: it is one of the oldest shopping streets in Japan, born in the 18th century of the right granted to local residents to sell in exchange for sweeping the alleys.

Sensō-ji and Asakusa-jinja

The oldest temple in Tokyo, founded in 645 after two fisherman brothers pulled a statuette of Kannon up in their nets. Destroyed in 1945, rebuilt identically in concrete by public subscription. The neighboring shinto shrine, Asakusa-jinja, honors those two fishermen and the notable who believed them; built in 1649, it survived the bombing and is therefore the genuinely old building on the site.

Booking · Tokyo tourist office: www.gotokyo.org/en/spot/15/index.html (new tab)

Afternoon

Tokyo Skytree

Six hundred and thirty-four meters (2,080 ft), completed in 2012: the tallest tower in the world and the second tallest structure of any kind. Its height reads mu-sa-shi in Japanese, the old name of the province of Tokyo. Its central concrete column, decoupled from the outer structure, follows the earthquake-proof principle of five-story pagodas.

Booking · Tower, official website: www.tokyo-skytree.jp/ (new tab)

Solamachi and Sumida Aquarium

At the foot of the tower, three hundred shops and restaurants on seven levels. The aquarium, on the 5th and 6th floors, is built around a large open pool of penguins and seals watched from two levels, and a collection of Japanese bred goldfish.

Evening

Tembō Galleria

Beyond the first observatory at 350 meters (1,150 ft), a spiral glass ramp climbs to 450 meters, the highest public viewpoint in Japan. Go at nightfall: the city lights up during the climb. A time-stamped ticket is advised.

Good to know

Skytree: the ticket is time-stamped and access to the Tembō Galleria, the level at 450 meters (1,480 ft), is charged on top of the first observatory. The sunset slots go first. In overcast weather the visit loses all its point: check the forecast in the morning and postpone if necessary.

Hotel · Night 72

Richmond Hotel Asakusa

One hundred and twenty-eight rooms three minutes' walk from Asakusa station on the Tsukuba Express, ten from Sensō-ji and within reach of the kitchenware street of Kappabashi. 24-hour reception, bureau de change, laundry, restaurant and buffet breakfast. Four nights here, in the east of the city, before switching to the west.

Address
· 2-7-10 Asakusa, Taitō-ku, Tokyo 111-0032
Website
· richmondhotel.jp (new tab)
Check-in
2:00 PM · Check-out 11:00 AM
Book this hotel (new tab) affiliate link

Buy this itinerary

€119 incl. tax

that is €1.35 per day of travel

Billed in euros. If your card is in another currency, your bank converts at its own rate.

  • Secure payment through Stripe, bank card, Apple Pay and Google Pay
  • Available immediately in your customer account: online reading with clickable booking links, downloadable PDF for offline use
  • Method: what is checked, and when

A hotel in the itinerary closed or impossible to find, a place to visit permanently closed?

Within 12 months of purchase, email contact@etaperia.com

Itinerary corrected within 7 days, or refunded in full. Terms in article 12 of the terms of sale, on top of the legal warranty (new tab)

€119 incl. tax · 88 days

Buy

A question before buying? Email Kylian, reply within 2 business days.

The day-by-day rundown

87 stops, 5,310 km as the crow flies

Days 1–18 Hokkaidō · 18 days
  1. Day 1 Arrival in Sapporo, from Ōdōri Park to Susukino Ōdōri Park Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  2. Day 2 Sapporo, red brick and the memory of the pioneers Hokkaidō Aka Renga Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  3. Day 3 Noguchi, chocolate and the baths of Jōzankei Moerenuma Park Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  4. Day 4 Otaru and the blue of Shakotan Otaru Canal Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  5. Day 5 The Orōron coast to the far end of Japan Rumoi and Cape Ōgon Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  6. Day 6 Crossing to Rishiri island Ferry from Wakkanai to Oshidomari Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  7. Day 7 The climb up Rishiri-Fuji The climb up Rishiri-Fuji Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  8. Day 8 Back to the mainland, heading for Asahikawa Tokiwa Park Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  9. Day 9 Asahiyama and the hills of Biei Asahiyama Zoo Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  10. Day 10 Furano lavender and the Shirogane valley Farm Tomita Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  11. Day 11 The Sōunkyō gorge, gateway to Daisetsuzan Sōunkyō gorge Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  12. Day 12 Asahidake, the roof of Hokkaidō Asahidake ropeway and the Sugatami ponds Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  13. Day 13 Bihoro Pass and the Sea of Okhotsk Bihoro Pass Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  14. Day 14 Into Shiretoko, the end of the world Lake Tōfutsu Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  15. Day 15 The cliffs of Shiretoko seen from the sea Shiretoko cruise Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  16. Day 16 Crater lakes and Ainu land Lake Mashū Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  17. Day 17 The hell valley of Noboribetsu Bokke Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  18. Day 18 From Lake Tōya to Hakodate Lake Tōya Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
Days 19–35 Tōhoku · 17 days
  1. Day 19 Aomori, festival floats and a neolithic village Nebuta Warasse House Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  2. Day 20 Red torii of Tsugaru and Hirosaki Castle Takayama Inari Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  3. Day 21 The marshes of Hakkōda and the bath of a thousand Hakkōda Ropeway Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  4. Day 22 The Oirase gorge and Lake Towada Nenokuchi to Yakeyama trail Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  5. Day 23 Lake Tazawa and the samurai of Kakunodate Lake Tazawa Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  6. Day 24 Toward Hiraizumi, forgotten capital of the North Tsurunoyu valley viewpoint Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  7. Day 25 The gold of the Fujiwara and the Geibikei gorge Chūson-ji and Konjikidō Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  8. Day 26 The Okama crater and the baths of Zaō Okama crater Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  9. Day 27 Yamadera and the gas lamps of Ginzan Yamadera (Risshaku-ji) Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  10. Day 28 Mount Haguro, first of the three mountains of Dewa Mount Haguro, first of the three mountains of Dewa Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  11. Day 29 Mount Gassan, the mountain of the dead Gassan-jinja Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  12. Day 30 Sendai, the city of the One-Eyed Dragon Zuihōden Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  13. Day 31 Matsushima, one of the three finest views in Japan Zuigan-ji Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  14. Day 32 The Azuma Skyline and the craters of Fukushima Hanamiyama Park Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  15. Day 33 Colored ponds and the loyalty of Aizu Goshiki-numa Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  16. Day 34 Ouchi-juku and the road to Niigata Ouchi-juku Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  17. Day 35 Niigata, harbor and rice fields Minato Market Pier Bandai Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
Days 36–52 Nikkō, the Alps and Hokuriku · 17 days
  1. Day 36 The Mikuni pass and the Minakami valley Takumi no Sato Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  2. Day 37 Dams, waterfalls and an underground station Doai station Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  3. Day 38 Ikaho, Lake Haruna and the road to Nikkō Ikaho Onsen Stone Steps Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  4. Day 39 The shrines of Nikkō Shinkyō Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  5. Day 40 Irohazaka and Lake Chūzenji Irohazaka road Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  6. Day 41 Senjōgahara and the gorge of a hundred statues Senjōgahara Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  7. Day 42 From Nikkō to Nagano across the plateaux Kusatsu Onsen Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  8. Day 43 Zenkō-ji and the Jigokudani monkeys Zenkō-ji Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  9. Day 44 Togakushi and the Matsumoto crow Togakushi-jinja Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  10. Day 45 Kamikōchi, the sanctuary of the Alps Kappa bridge and Taishō pond Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  11. Day 46 Wasabi, sculpture and the foot of the Northern Alps Daiō Wasabi Farm Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  12. Day 47 The Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route Kurobe dam Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  13. Day 48 Toyama, then the Kenroku-en of Kanazawa Toyama Castle Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  14. Day 49 The castle and the tea districts Kanazawa Castle Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  15. Day 50 Contemporary art, gold leaf and samurai 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  16. Day 51 The praying hands of Suganuma and Shirakawa-gō Suganuma Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  17. Day 52 Takayama, the little Kyoto of the mountains Sanmachi Suji Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
Days 53–66 Nagoya, Fuji and Hakone · 14 days
  1. Day 53 The waters of Gujō, then the neon of Nagoya Gujō Hachiman Castle Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  2. Day 54 The castle, the sword and the Kannon Nagoya Castle Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  3. Day 55 A day of science and technology Nagoya City Science Museum Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  4. Day 56 The art museums of Nagoya Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art and Aichi Arts Center Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  5. Day 57 At the foot of Fuji Arakurayama Sengen Park Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  6. Day 58 Fuji-Q Highland Fuji-Q Highland Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  7. Day 59 Clear springs, lava forest and five lakes Oshino Hakkai Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  8. Day 60 Hakone and Lake Ashi Hakone-en and the Komagatake ropeway Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  9. Day 61 The boiling valley and the sculptures Ōwakudani and the Hakone ropeway Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  10. Day 62 Odawara and Cape Manazuru Amasake Chaya Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  11. Day 63 Kamakura, the great Buddha and the gardens Hase-dera Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  12. Day 64 Zen temples of the north and the island of Enoshima Engaku-ji and Kenchō-ji Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  13. Day 65 Yokohama, from a merchant's garden to a futuristic port Sankei-en Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  14. Day 66 Mount Takao Mount Takao and funicular Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
Days 67–81 Kantō and Tokyo · 15 days
  1. Day 67 Kawagoe, little Edo Toki no Kane Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  2. Day 68 Sawara and Sakura, the Chiba of before Ono canal Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  3. Day 69 Narita-san and the end of Chiba Narita-san Shinshō-ji Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  4. Day 70 Tokyo DisneySea Tokyo DisneySea Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  5. Day 71 Tokyo Disneyland Tokyo Disneyland Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  6. Day 72 Asakusa and the Skytree Kaminarimon and Nakamise Free
  7. Day 73 Ueno, museums and the lotus pond Tokyo National Museum Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  8. Day 74 Sumo at Ryōgoku, electronics at Akihabara Kokugikan and the sumo museum Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  9. Day 75 The Nerima studios, then rest The Making of Harry Potter Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  10. Day 76 The palace, Marunouchi and Ginza East Gardens of the Imperial Palace Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  11. Day 77 Odaiba, teamLab and Zōjō-ji Miraikan Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  12. Day 78 Shinjuku, from the imperial garden to the lanes Shinjuku Gyoen Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  13. Day 79 Two Edo gardens and the roller coaster Koishikawa Kōrakuen Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  14. Day 80 From Meiji-jingū to the Shibuya crossing Meiji-jingū Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  15. Day 81 Aoyama, Roppongi and the west of the city Meiji Jingū Gaien, Aoyama and the cemetery Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
Days 82–88 Yakushima and Okinawa · 7 days
  1. Day 82 Flight to Yakushima, first cedars Yakusugi Land Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  2. Day 83 The Jōmon-sugi by the Arakawa trail The Jōmon-sugi by the Arakawa trail Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  3. Day 84 Moss, waterfalls and a bath in the rocks Shiratani Unsuikyō Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  4. Day 85 Naha and the old kingdom of Ryūkyū Shuri Castle Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  5. Day 86 Potters of Naha, then the Motobu peninsula Tsuboya Yachimun-dōri Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  6. Day 87 The Churaumi aquarium and Kaiyōhaku park Churaumi Aquarium Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  7. Day 88 Flight home Flight home Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF

1 day is free to read above. The other 87 unlock when you buy. Buy the itinerary, €119

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Country quick guide and logistics

The essentials of the country, scannable in ten seconds.

Weather and when to go

  • For the Hokkaidō stage, June to September: the high roads and the passes of Shiretoko and Daisetsuzan are only clear from late May or June, and the climb up Rishiri is only reasonable from mid-June to September. Mild summers in Hokkaidō, 20 to 26 °C (68 to 79 °F), cool nights in the mountains.
  • Hokkaidō largely escapes the rainy season of the rest of Japan, which runs from May to June over the central stages.
  • Typhoons from late August to October, peaking in September: they cancel the Yakushima flights and the Okinawa ferries first, which is exactly the end of the route. Never put a tight international connection behind them.

Transport and permits

  • About 8,650 km (5,370 mi) of driving, an average of a hundred kilometers a day, very unevenly spread: Hokkaidō, Tōhoku and the Alps take up most of the driving, Tokyo and Okinawa are done almost without a car.
  • To this are added the international flight to Tokyo and its connection to Sapporo, a shinkansen from Hakodate to Aomori, two ferry crossings to the island of Rishiri, four flights to reach Yakushima and Okinawa and the return flight from Naha: about 4,500 km (2,800 mi) of domestic flights.
  • Japan only accepts an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format (UK, US and Spanish licenses, among others) or, for French, Belgian, Swiss, German and Monégasque licenses, the official Japanese translation from the JAF; valid for one year. Without the right permit no agency hands over the car, and the itinerary needs it from day 3 in Sapporo. Driving on the left, low speed limits, few gas stations in the north and east.

Formalities and safety

  • Valid passport, no visa for a tourist stay of up to 90 days. This route runs to 88 of them: two days' margin, no more. The return flight on day 88 is not optional, it closes the stay; keep the boarding pass and the exit stamp, they prove that the exit actually took place.
  • No compulsory vaccination; universal vaccines up to date recommended, and Japanese encephalitis to discuss with a doctor for a long stay in rural areas. Travel insurance with medical costs and repatriation is essential: the health system is excellent but expensive without cover.
  • Brown bear country at Shiretoko, in Daisetsuzan and on Rishiri: make yourself heard with a bell, never leave food, respect path closures. Deer and foxes cross the roads at dawn and dusk.

Budget and meals

  • Japanese yen. Cards are accepted in hotels and large chains, but bring cash for small restaurants, temples and country parking lots: the ATMs at 7-Eleven and post offices accept foreign cards. On Yakushima they are rare, withdraw in Kagoshima or Anbo.
  • Excluding accommodation and long-distance transport: ¥900 to ¥1,500 for lunch, ¥2,000 to ¥3,500 for dinner, ¥1,000 to ¥2,000 of entry fees and ropeways on busy days. No tipping.
  • Gas and tolls are the items that surprise most: Japanese expressways are expensive, and Hokkaidō as well as Tōhoku are covered largely on national roads. A spa tax of ¥150 to ¥300 a night is often added to the advertised ryokan rate.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly do I receive?

Your Étaperia itinerary, available immediately in your customer account after payment: readable online with clickable booking links, and downloadable as a PDF for the trip. Every day is sequenced Morning / Afternoon / Evening and says where you spend the night, with the address and booking link for each place to stay. Timed-entry tickets are flagged in advance.

How is this better than what an AI gives me?

A generative AI composes a plausible list in seconds, without saying what was checked or when. At Étaperia, every itinerary is compiled day by day, with the booking constraints spotted before it is too late to get them. The Method page says what is checked, against which source and on what date.

Can I adapt it to my dates and my pace?

Yes. The days are self-contained blocks: you can shift the departure, stretch a stage or skip a day without breaking what follows. Only timed-entry tickets require adjusting the dates accordingly, and they are all flagged.

What if a hotel or a place in the itinerary has closed?

Email contact@etaperia.com within 12 months of your purchase. If a hotel in the itinerary is closed or can no longer be found, or a place to visit has closed permanently, the itinerary is corrected in your customer account within 7 days, or you are refunded in full. A hotel fully booked on your dates, a seasonal closure or a change in opening hours or prices is not covered. This guarantee comes on top of the legal warranty of conformity; details in article 12 of the terms and conditions of sale.

Module, classic or complete itinerary: which one should I choose?

A classic is a short trip built to stand on its own, designed for a first visit to the country. A module covers one region in depth. The complete itinerary crosses the whole country, and buying it also unlocks each of its modules in your customer account.

Can I get a refund if the itinerary doesn't suit me?

No. It is digital content delivered right away, and you waive your right of withdrawal at checkout. To judge before you pay, every product page gives one full day for free and the list of every stop. After purchase, the guarantee applies: a closed hotel or a permanently closed place is corrected within 7 days, otherwise you get a refund.

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