Must see places in Japan

I%26#39;m planning a trip to Japan in April. Have just over two weeks there in total, arrive on a Thursday afternoon, depart on a Saturday morning two weeks later. We have already booked five nights in Tokyo and hope to do a 7 day rail pass, taking in Kyoto. I%26#39;m overwhelmed by all the places and things to see and would really appreciate some advice from a seasoned Japan traveller! Where should we definitely not miss?

Must see places in Japan

It depends on your particular interests. A good resource - http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e623.html

Cruise through recent posts on this forum. Similar questions have been posted.

Must see places in Japan

If it%26#39;s your first time to Japan, basically stick to the main tourist route - it%26#39;s the main tourist route for a good reason! - basically Tokyo/Nikko to Hakone to Osaka/Kyoto/Nara to Himeji to Hiroshima/Miyajima Island. If you want an excursion from this, my wife and I also enjoyed Takayama and Kanazawa, so I%26#39;d recommend them. You know to plan your 7 day rail pass times using www.hyperdia.com (and then reserve your seats when you arrive in Japan, there is no extra cost; make sure you check the ';exclude Nozomo'; box, as the JR Pass is not valid for the Nozomo train), that the JR Pass also includes the JR Ferry to Miyajima, and that you should try to arrive at Miyajima when it is high tide.

Go to Hiroshima and Nagasaki to see what Americans did to this country.

Everybody must see it.

From a traveler%26#39;s standpoint, Hiroshima is a good site to go as it%26#39;s easier to reach. Nagasaki is a bit out of the way.

I hope the contributors here can keep the visitor%26#39;s best interest in mind. This is a board about helping travelers. It is not about politics or inferiority complex.

';I hope the contributors here can keep the visitor%26#39;s best interest in mind. This is a board about helping travelers. It is not about politics or inferiority complex.';

Well said, Sammy!

If you do go to Hirsohima, definitely make the trip to Miyajima, where the shrine there is a World Heritage Site. Hiroshima castle is one of my faves as it is an unusal wooden structure. If you will be stopping off at places heading west, definitely Himeji castle, and you might want to see Okayama and Kurashiki for a day or two...

For your 7-day JR Pass from Tokyo:

Kyoto (3 days)

Himeji (1 day)

Hiroshima/Miyajima (1 day or 1 overnight)

Nara (1 day)

With a JR Pass, I%26#39;d be tempted to stay at Osaka since there is a bit more to see, eat and do there at night. On Shinkansen, Kyoto is just 15 minutes from Osaka.