Trip to Japan in late June 2025

Nikko makes a good day (or overnight) trip from Tokyo. Beautiful nature options and temples. Another day trip from Tokyo - Kamakura. Giant Buddha, interesting temple complexes, hiking.

In my opinion, you don’t have enough time in Kyoto. Hiroshima is a longer, full day trip and Nara minimum of 1/2 to 2/3’s of a day if you do the touring fast. A full day may be better to enjoy multiple sites in the town.

Kyoto has many worthy in town sites - you could easily spend a couple days exploring the city- temples, markets, interesting traditional areas, etc.. Check Arashiyama and Fushimi Inari also for day trips. More nature than city for both.

Hiroshima could be an overnight with Miyajima Island visit.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3401.html

Hakone is a typical day trip for Mt Fuji from Tokyo. Or spend a night when en route between Tokyo and Kyoto. Check the weather report before leaving if you stay with the day trip. Volcanic area, museums, hiking in addition to possible glimpses of Fuji.

Two nights gives you one full day. Bullet trains are fast, but you still lose part of a day when traveling between overnight stops.

I have a number of sightseeing spot favorites in Tokyo. What are your interests?

Thanks ORDTraveller for your insights. I could modify my itinerary as follows:
1. Spend 4 nights in Kyoto doing the day trips to Nara and Hiroshima besides local sightseeing (May think of spending one night in Hiroshima)
That still leaves 2 nights - Could I fit in the cooler Sapporo city into my itinerary and fly out from Sapporo back home instead of Tokyo ?
Well, we will be first time visitors to Japan, so dont have too many fixed choices, except that we (must) want to experience traditonal Japanese hospitality and cuisine - tea ceremony, teppanyaki - anything else ?
Easy nature hikes and temple/garden visits are also on the list
Need advice on the must do/see/visit/experience things in Tokyo city.
Also will be looking at a day trip from Tokyo
Sumeet

It would be too much for me, personally, to try for Sapporo with your suggested itinerary, but I don't know where you originate from and return to. Check the air connections from Osaka to Sapporo. That would be close to Kyoto and likely have the best connections. Train would be very long. (Kyoto and Osaka are commuting distance.)

Take a look at the tea ceremony offerings in Kyoto. There are a number. Not my interest, so I can't advise personally, but you can find some suggestions searching this board and probably TripAdvisor. This article has some websites for companies - again, no personal experience. https://www.insidekyoto.com/kyoto-tea-ceremony

Must sees in Tokyo will depend on personal interests. Lonely Planet has an extensive list: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/japan/tokyo/attractions

Another day trip from Kyoto that is a bit different from temple sites in Tokyo and Kyoto - Himeji with its castle and Mt Shosha. The castle alone can be done in a half day, allocate a full day if adding the mountain hike.

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3500.html
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3501.html
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3503.html

Rather than add another city for only two days, would you consider extending your time in Tokyo and Kyoto by a night each and adding day trips? From Tokyo, Nikko, Kamakura, and Kawagoe are all very worthwhile. From Kyoto, you hardly have any time there if you are also going to Hiroshima and Nara. Between Kyoto and Nara, Uji is worth a stop or a separate half day trip.

Don't miss a day trip from Tokyo to Nikko.
Kyoto and Nara are worth 4 nights
Osaka and Kobe are worth short visits. I remember Osaka Castle.
Himeji Castle is great, it was in a James Bond movie.

I agree you should look at extending your time where you already are. You are barely spending any time in Kyoto it seems as you are using 2 of the days for day trips. Also, it's not clear, does your 4 nights in Tokyo include your arrival day? If so, I am assuming your first day will be pretty much shot after arrival, jet lag, navigating a new city, checking in to the hotel, etc.

Mt. Fuji is absolutely worth it if you can see it but you are correct it can be hit or miss and very often miss. The months with the best chances to see it are usually the winter months when the air is drier. That said, of course it is still possible you may get a good day. I assume you are thinking of doing it as a day trip from Tokyo. I would check the weather the night before and the morning of when you are planning to go. There are also webcams you can check to see the current visibility and then decide if you want to go or not. You might also be able to see it from the shinkansen on the way from Tokyo to kyoto.

Also, something to keep in mind, it seems you'll be there during rainy season so just keep that in mind when planning your days and activities.

In that case, probably best to keep Sapporo for another trip and maximise time in Tokyo/Kyoto. Will be looking at all your suggested day trips from both cities. Thanks a lot!
Also have decided to stay a night in Hiroshima and do a day excursion to Miyajima.
Need advice regarding the 7-day JR Rail pass, given the following facts:
1. our trip is at least 9 nights (maybe 10 also) and I will be flying in and out of Tokyo (BTW we are from India and will be travelling from/to Delhi so can try for return flight from Osaka too - will that offer us any advantage ? pls suggest)
2. Our itinerary will most likely be : Tokyo 4 nights (+2 day excursions)- Kyoto 4 nights (+2 day excursions) - Hiroshima 1 night (+excursion to Miyajima) - back to Tokyo (or Osaka) for return flight
3. We will need the JR rail pass on the last day to travel to Haneda (or Kansai) airport
Given these facts, when do you suggest should I activate the JR pass ? If I do so after the first 3 days, I will need to use the SUICA card for local Tokyo travel - does the Suica card cover for local excursions from Tokyo e.g., Nikko, Kamakura etc ?

Run the numbers on the JR Pass website for your planned travel. The prices for the pass went up significantly just over a year ago. It is often cheaper these days to buy individual point to point tickets for itineraries such as you have in mind.

The local trains for day trips are very reasonable. Not all routes are JR trains - the best connections for Nikko, for instance, may be a Tobu train.

https://japantravel.navitime.com/en/area/jp/route/calculator/

https://www.jrpass.com/farecalculator

Suica is fine for Tokyo - Kamakura. I like using the Suica phone option rather than a plastic card. Others prefer dedicated Suica (or Paso or Icoca or other IC) cards.

I would suggest this Nikko Pass option for Nikko from Tokyo's Asakusa Station using the Tobu Railway:
https://www.tobu.co.jp/en/ticket/nikko/all.html
(more general info) https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_002.html

The best thing about Japan rail operators are that they are quite understanding and have multiple ways to correct an underpaid or ineligible payment method. If you get "buzzed" at the exit because you didn't pay enough or used a Suica on an ineligible route, you will be treated politely and shown how to correct the error - no fine. Don't ask me how many times I have managed to miss something and been helped to the Fare Adjustment machines.

You will not need a JR pass with your route. Especially not if you are able to fly out of Osaka.
By the way, if you are able to fly out of Osaka, I would reshuffle the trip and do Tokyo - Hiroshima - Kyoto. Osaka airport is easily reached from Kyoto, 80 min by direct Haruka train. That way, you won't need to change hotels once more.

Oh, and Mt Fuji views in late June are indeed unlikely.