18 days in East Asia Itinerary

Kyoto is known for historic sites, sightseeing, and shopping. Your trip includes some of its best attractions: steep yourself in history at Kiyomizu-dera Temple, step into the grandiose world of Nijo Castle, take in the pleasant sights at Philosopher's Walk, and stop by Gion.

To see other places to visit, ratings, and tourist information, go to the Kyoto trip website.

Dusseldorf, Germany to Kyoto is an approximately 17-hour combination of train and flight. You'll lose 8 hours traveling from Dusseldorf to Kyoto due to the time zone difference. Expect somewhat warmer temperatures when traveling from Dusseldorf in April; daily highs in Kyoto reach 22°C and lows reach 11°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 21st (Fri) so you can drive to Takayama.

Change things up with these side-trips from Takayama: Shirakawa-mura (Wada House, Shirakawago Gassho Zukuri Minkaen, &more). And it doesn't end there: admire the striking features of Takayama Jinya, examine the collection at Hirata Folk Art Museum (Hirata Kinen-kan), browse the eclectic array of goods at Hida-Takayama Miyagawa Morning Market, and indulge your taste buds at Food & Drink.

To find more things to do, ratings, traveler tips, and other tourist information, read Takayama tour itinerary site.

Drive from Kyoto to Takayama in 3.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or take a bus. In April, daytime highs in Takayama are 20°C, while nighttime lows are 9°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 24th (Mon) to allow enough time to drive to Fujiyoshida.

On the 24th (Mon), explore the activities along Chosi Pond, then make a trip to Oshino Hakkai, and then contemplate the waterfront views at Waku Pond.

To see maps, where to stay, photos, and tourist information, read our Fujiyoshida trip planner.

Getting from Takayama to Fujiyoshida by car takes about 4 hours. Other options: take a bus; or take a train. Traveling from Takayama in April, you will find days in Fujiyoshida are little chillier (15°C), and nights are about the same (13°C). Wrap up your sightseeing on the 26th (Wed) to allow time to drive to Tokyo.

You'll find plenty of places to visit near Tokyo: Nikko (Taiyuimbyo Shrine & Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Villa Memorial Park). Next up on the itinerary: admire the natural beauty at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, don't miss a visit to Meiji Jingu Shrine, make an unforgettable trip to Tokyo DisneySea, and admire the landmark architecture of Tokyo Skytree.

To find ratings, photos, and tourist information, read our Tokyo online travel planner.

Drive from Fujiyoshida to Tokyo in 2 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus; or take a train. Traveling from Fujiyoshida in April, expect nights in Tokyo to be about the same, around 12°C, while days are somewhat warmer, around 22°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 30th (Sun) to allow time to fly to Osaka.

Your day by day itinerary now includes Sarume Shrine as well as Sarutahiko Shrine. Change things up with these side-trips from Osaka: Nara (Nara Park & Nigatsu-do Temple) and Ise (Ise Shrine Geku, Okage Yokocho, &more). The adventure continues: step into the grandiose world of Osaka Castle, wander the streets of Dotombori District, examine the collection at Glico Museum, and observe the fascinating underwater world at Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan.

For traveler tips, other places to visit, where to stay, and other tourist information, read our Osaka road trip planning app.

You can fly from Tokyo to Osaka in 3 hours. Other options are to take a train; or drive. Expect a daytime high around 23°C in April, and nighttime lows around 12°C. Cap off your sightseeing on the 3rd (Wed) early enough to catch the flight back home.