Japan in 5 Days — Tokyo + Kyoto, the First-Timer Plan

Land, drop your bags at the hotel, and ease into the trip at Asakusa — old-town Tokyo, home to Senso-ji, the city's oldest temple. Walk in under the giant red Kaminarimon lantern, browse souvenirs all the way down Nakamise Street, make a wish at the main hall, then stroll along the Sumida River with Skytree off in the distance. It's an opening day that doesn't push too hard after a tiring flight.

Hop the train over to Shibuya after dark and watch the scramble — thousands of people crossing at once with every cycle of the lights, the image of Tokyo you have to see with your own eyes. Say hello to the Hachiko dog statue, then ride up to the Shibuya Sky deck atop Scramble Square to see the whole city lit up. On a clear night you'll pick out Tokyo Tower and the faint silhouette of Fuji — a satisfying way to finish day one.

Start the morning in a forest in the middle of the city at Meiji Shrine — so leafy you forget you're in Tokyo, and if you're lucky you'll catch a traditional wedding procession. Then walk out onto Takeshita Street in Harajuku, the home of teen fashion and offbeat snacks. In the afternoon, pick your lane — Akihabara for anime and electronics, or book ahead for the digital art museums of teamLab.

End day two on a high — Tokyo Skytree, at 634 metres the tallest tower in Japan, where the whole metropolis spreads out below you as a sea of light. The Solamachi mall at its base is good for eating and browsing. If you'd rather something more upscale, swing by Ginza, a top-tier shopping district that lights up beautifully at night and is packed with restaurants. Pick one or the other, depending on how much energy you have left.

Check out of your Tokyo hotel, wheel your bags onto the Tokaido Shinkansen, and roughly 2 hours 15 minutes later you're in Kyoto. Stash your luggage in a station locker or drop it at the hotel first, then head straight to Fushimi Inari Shrine to walk beneath thousands of vermilion torii gates climbing the mountainside — the iconic image of Kyoto. As evening falls, wander the old streets of Gion, where, if you're lucky, you might catch a maiko slipping past.

A full day in Kyoto. Start early at Kinkaku-ji, where the golden pavilion mirrored in its pond is so lovely you'll have to stop and stare. Move on to Arashiyama to walk through the towering green bamboo grove and over the Togetsukyo Bridge. Finish the afternoon at Kiyomizu-dera, the wooden temple on the hillside whose veranda juts out over the whole city, then wander down the old wooden lanes of Sannenzaka to shop for souvenirs.