Our 10 Day Japan Itinerary with the JR Kansai Hiroshima Pass

If this sounds like your thing, our 10-day Japan train itinerary using the JR Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass might just be your thing too.

So, go west. Ride the trains. Eat the noodles. Bow back at the deer. And when you leave (because you must), leave already planning your return.
Let’s ride.

Here is a brief overview of our trip:

Days 1-2: Hiroshima and Miyajima. Stay at Smile Hotel.

Day 3. Kinosaki Onsen. Stay at Sennennoyu Gonzaemon.

Days 4-7. Kyoto and day trip to Nara. Stay at Piece Hostel Sanjo.

Days 8-9: Osaka. Stay at R Hotel Namba Daikokucho.

Day 10. Limousine bus to Kansai Airport (KIX) for morning departure.

We activated the pass on the second day in Hiroshima. The airport bus isn’t included, and we spent the first day in Hiroshima on foot anyway.

On day 2, we activated the pass at Hiroshima Station and also got tickets to Kinosaki for the next day.

With the pass live, we headed to Miyajima (the train and ferry ride were both included). The next morning, the Nozomi rocketed us to Osaka at 300km/h, where we hopped the Express Kounotori straight to Kinosaki Onsen.

Next leg: Kinosaki to Kyoto on the same Kounotori Express line. On days 4 and 5, we squeezed the last yen out of the pass with a day trip to Nara and a side trip to Fushima Inari.

After the pass expired, we paid cash for a local train from Kyoto to Osaka (¥580, 30 minutes). The Shinkansen does it in half the time, sure, but for over ¥3,000? We’d had our fill of speed. Sometimes, slow travel wins.

When the weight of it all gets too heavy, go find a convenience store. Seriously. A cold strawberry milk, an Ohayo milk pudding, or a fluffy egg sandwich can put you back together. It’s not just food, it’s part of the culture. A soft reset.

Dinner? We kept it simple: Ichiran Ramen (location).
Vending machine orders. Private booth. No talking. Just you, your bowl of noodles, and silence. 24/7.
It’s as Japanese as it gets, and exactly what the day needed.

➜ Read more: 2 Days Hiroshima & Miyajima itinerary

A quick train ride to Miyajimaguchi Station, followed by the JR ferry (included in the pass), takes you across the Seto Inland Sea to Miyajima Island.

Miyajima, officially called Itsukushima, is one of Japan’s most sacred places. The entire island is considered holy. Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was built to float on the water, and its famous torii gate appears to hover between sea and sky.

At the massive wooden Hokoku Shrine, we sat for a long time doing absolutely nothing. Breathing. Listening. Just being.

Then we wandered through Omotesando Shotengai, the island’s bustling main street. We gorged on Hiroshima oysters, snacked on warm momiji manju (maple-leaf shaped cakes), and devoured soft serve so beautiful we almost couldn’t eat it. Almost.

Deer strolled past like they owned the place. (They do.) Between shops and shrines, we found those fleeting moments of peace Japan does so well.

At Itsukushima Shrine, we walked through red lacquered corridors, looking out to sea. The tide was out. The torii gate stood tall but not floating. No matter. The drama’s still there.

Then we found Gebura (location), a tiny whisky bar with no pretension. Just good vibes, highballs served in plastic cups, and lemon slices floating like poetry. We drank slowly. Smiled a lot. Waited for the tide.

And when it came in, that iconic floating torii gate finally lived up to its name, rising from the water, slightly blurry from the whisky.

On the way back to Hiroshima, we made one last stop: Ueno Anagomeshi (location), just outside the ferry terminal. Their anago-meshi (grilled conger eel on rice) is legendary. Sweet, smoky, unforgettable. We washed it down with an ice-cold draft beer.
Day done.

In between baths, we sip beer at a convenience store and boil eggs in hot spring water. No plans. No rush. Just heat and stone and the occasional nod to a fellow traveller wrapped in the same thin robe we saw naked a few minutes ago.

It’s raining when we arrive. Not the downpour kind, just a soft, soaking drizzle that settles in and doesn’t leave. We don’t fight it. Instead, we lean into one of the best rainy day things to do in Kyoto: eat our way through it.

First stop: wagyu gyukatsu at Tonkatsu Katsuda (京都とんかつ) (location). A thick slice of premium marbled beef, breaded, flash-fried, and served rare. A little wasabi, lots of sauce. It’s absurdly good. Hands down the best katsu I’ve had. And I’ve had a few.

Still raining, we dive into Shinkyogoku Shopping Street, a neon-lit covered arcade that buzzes even in bad weather. Japanese denim. Gachapon machines. Trinkets you don’t need but somehow want. It’s organised chaos, but the kind you don’t mind getting lost in.

We duck into Nishiki Market, also known as Kyoto’s Kitchen. It’s a mixed bag. Wax food display that looks good on TikTok but with no aroma. But behind the showroom feel, there’s gold to be found. Grilled eel on sticks. Fresh oysters. Real-deal sake stands. You just have to dig a little.

Dinner is at Aiyo! Sanjo (location), a lively neighbourhood izakaya that might be the best izakaya in Kyoto if you ask my beer-soaked memory. Loud, warm, packed with locals. We slide into our corner, order whisky highballs and beer and start working our way down the skewer menu. Fried oysters. Shrimp. Beef. Spring onions. All golden, all crisp, all on sticks. But it’s the uni and beef skewers that knock us sideways. Absolutely unforgettable.

Rain’s still falling when we head back to the hostel. Doesn’t matter. Kyoto glows in the wet.

➜ Read more: 4 Day Kyoto itinerary

First stop in Nara: breakfast-slash-early-lunch at Kanoko, a cosy spot run by an elderly couple who seem to have been cooking since the Heian period. We get bowls of somen noodles, grilled eel, and rice with mountain vegetables. It tastes like home…if your home was an ancient farmhouse surrounded by deer. Here’s the location.

Fueled and full, we wander the Shimononegi-michi Pathway, a wooded trail that winds through Nara’s primaeval forest. Stone lanterns guide the way to Kasuga Taisha Shrine, thousands of them, mossy and stoic under the canopy.

And then, the deer. Everywhere. Polite little beggars who bow for snacks. Naturally, we bow back. Because this is Nara, and that’s just what you do.

Next up: Todaiji Temple. Very big. Very old. The largest wooden building in the world. A thousand-year-old wooden behemoth that houses a 15-metre tall bronze Buddha. If you’re ticking off things to do in Nara, this one tops the list.

In the afternoon, we slow things down. A stop at Sanshutei Tea House for matcha and stillness, then a wander through Isuien Garden. It’s a place that feels like it was designed to make you breathe slower: ponds, moss, and manicured beauty in true Japanese form.

Dinner is back in Kyoto, on the 11th floor of Kyoto Station, where the future and tradition meet. Kyotofu Fujino serves one thing only, tofu, but does it in more textures than you thought soy could handle. Chewy, silky, grilled, sweet, salty. If you’re looking for the best tofu restaurant in Kyoto, this is your guy. The set menu is a quiet masterclass in subtlety. Who knew bean curd could be so emotional?

➜ Read more: Nara day trip from Kyoto

The iconic Fushimi Inari Taisha torii gates snake their way up the mountain in that deep vermillion red you’ve seen in every travel brochure.

Yes, it’s beautiful. But also? Chaos. Imagine a Black Friday at Walmart, but replace TVs with selfie sticks. If you go expecting zen, you’ll be disappointed. Go expecting a spectacle, and you’ll love it.

After escaping the crowd, a couple of buses get us to Kiyomizu-dera Temple, perched high on a hill with sweeping views over Kyoto. Still busy, but way calmer than the torii situation. We stop for lunch at Takinoya, a tranquil little spot hidden inside the temple grounds among the trees. We slurp noodles and eat tofu while birds chirp around us.

Heaven.

Next, we brave the crowds again to wander down Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka, charming old streets lined with machiya townhouses. We snack on mitarashi dango and matcha soft serve—classic Kyoto treats—while shuffling shoulder to shoulder with every other tourist in Kyoto.

Eventually, we break away and stroll through Higashiyama, Gion, and Sanjo. We pass by Ryozen Kannon, Yasaka Shrine, and Kenninji Temple. We hope for a Geisha sighting in Gion. No dice, but the walk is still lovely.

Then dinner.
Yakiniku Asuka.
Write this down. Here’s the location.

If you’re searching for the best wagyu in Kyoto, this is it. We each order the Prime Wagyu Set for ¥6,200 and sit at the counter, grilling slices of A5 Japanese Black Beef like it’s an art form. Tongue, cheek, skirt steak, sirloin—every bite a revelation in marbled beef. Ask me about Kyoto and I won’t tell you about the torii gates or geishas. I’ll tell you about this meal.

➜ Read more: Our guide to Fushima Inari

First, we head to Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion. It’s brilliant—literally. Covered in gold leaf, it glows against the pond like something from a dream. Crowded, yes, but worth it. A beautiful garden loops around the temple, and for a moment, it feels like Kyoto slows down.

Next, we hop a bus to Nijo Castle. The old lady was right; this place is incredible. A moat, stone walls, and serene gardens that feel miles away from the city bustle.

Inside the Ninomaru Palace, we pad across the famous nightingale floor, which chirps like real birds with every step—an ancient security system. The rooms are decorated with gold wall panels: tigers mid-prowl, leopards lounging in bamboo, blossoms drifting across gold leaf. Regal and quiet and powerful.

Slightly tipsy and warm, Jin leads me to Yakitori Daikichi (location). It’s dinner time. More drinks, more small plates. Grilled chicken wings, charred tofu, cucumber salad, smoky onigiri, meat skewers one after the other. A few beers in, we’re floating. Nothing fancy, just one of those simple, satisfying meals that sneak up on you as a favourite.

A perfect end to Kyoto.

After lunch, we head into Nipponbashi, also known as Den-Den Town. It’s a playground of pop culture: shelves stacked with retro Nintendo cartridges, anime figurines posed mid-battle, capsule toy machines dispensing everything from sushi keychains to risqué miniatures. We browse out of curiosity more than interest, but it’s a fascinating subculture to dip into.

Outside, we pass clusters of girls in frilly dresses and cat ears handing out flyers. They’re maids advertising their cafés with practised pouts and precise bows. It’s a little awkward, a little endearing, and very Japan.

Next up is Kuromon Market, which instantly blows Kyoto’s Nishiki Market out of the water. Over 150 stalls heave with real seafood, skewers, and fresh fruit displays. We’re still stuffed from sushi, but we snack with our eyes: grilled scallops sizzling in their shells, thick slabs of eel, plump oysters, glistening mochi. We do stop for a quick sake shot because… when in Osaka.

Dinner is at Kushiyakiyatai Tsuruhashiotokogushi (串焼き屋台 鶴橋男串) (location), a tiny yakitori place beside a tram line with just four tables and a whole lot of charm. You order using a code system—T2, WG1, A-Cab 1—slipping your scribbled strip of paper to the owner like you’re placing a secret bet.
The food?
Perfectly charred skewers of beef or porkbelly, chicken wings, whole garlic bulbs, and butter-drenched mushrooms in a cast-iron dish. We sit grilling our skewers over charcoal, sipping sake highballs, and watch it all go up in smoke.

After dinner, slightly tipsy and grinning, we wander into Shinsekai. The neon here hums like a 1980s flashback. Pachinko parlours, glowing fugu lanterns, giant billboards of cartoon characters. It’s loud, chaotic, slightly run-down, and completely captivating. A place that feels like it’s been left behind by time, but refuses to be forgotten.

➜ Read more: How to spend 2 days in Osaka

To digest, we float up 300 metres to the Harukas 300 Observatory. Japan’s tallest building. The view is all sprawl—Osaka’s layered mess of neighbourhoods, train tracks, shopping malls, and high-rises stretching to the horizon. Like someone spilled a box of LEGO and it formed a city. It’s peaceful up here, though, above the noise.

We swing by Namba Yasaka Shrine for a quick look at its quirky centrepiece. A giant lion head with its jaws wide open. Locals say it “eats” your bad vibes, which is probably what we need after a week of sensory overload. Whether it works or not, we pose for a selfie in front of the open jaws, just to be safe.

We weave through aisles packed with wasabi and green tea KitKats, novelty socks, high-end whisky, acupressure foot pads, beauty masks, candy that tastes like fruit but feels like a science experiment, and adult toys tucked between the hand warmers and party wigs. It’s like falling into a parallel universe designed by someone who got lost on Amazon at 2 a.m.

We emerge blinking, slightly overwhelmed, arms full of strange treasures. Our time in Osaka is almost up.
What a ride it’s been!

The drive out of the city is smooth. The skyline thins, the suburbs stretch out, and eventually the sea appears—with the island airport looming at the end of a long bridge like something out of a sci-fi movie.

And just like that, it’s Game Over.

Until next time.