5 day itineary? Is this doable?

I reach Tokyo at 5:00 PM on Dec 7th and leave Tokyo on Dec 12th and 6:00 PM and so have 4 - 5 days. My proposed itinerary is:

Dec 7th: Reach hotel by 8:00 PM. Cannot do much?

Dec 8: See Tokyo

Dec 9: Take bullet Train early morning to Kyoto. (Earliest train??) Check in a Kyoto hotel with hot spring. See part of Kyoto

Dec 10: See Kyoto (Gold pavilion, Nara, Fushimi, Arashiyama, Kinkakuji, Ginkakuji, Philosopher's Path and Kiyomizudera Temple)

Dec 11: See Kyoto and leave for Tokyo by evening

Dec 12: See Tokyo in the morning. Head to Airport by 4:00.

Will this give me enough time to do justice to Tokyo and Kyoto?


I think this gives me 2.5 days in Kyoto and only 1.5 days in Tokyo?

This is my first trip to Japan.

With that limited time, it is obvious that you won't be able to see�@the cities in great detail.

Whether it is worth it or not depends on your personal opinion! Some people do not mind covering Kyoto in a day trip, while others won't bother visiting the city if they don't have at least a week to spend there.

there is no way that you can do all that you have planned in Kyoto! to see the Fushimi Inari shrine takes at least 2 hrs plus travelling time and that is only if you see the start of the walkway under toriis and turn back after 40 minutes..Going up the mountain then back takes 3 hrs a a bare minimum but is fascinating. Nara is a 4 hrs trip at least and this is by seeing only the bare minimum. same with Arashiyama. Kiomizu Dera and the streets around it are another 2- 3 hrs etc .etc.

Dec 9 first nozomi shinkansen lv Tokyo 06.00 h arrive Kyoto 08.11, too early to check in ryokan, so luggage storage only, then full day for Kyoto, back to ryokan at 18.00 h . Check with ryokan because of fixed dinner times.
Dec 10 full day for Kyoto
Dec 11 full day for Kyoto , lv 18.06 by nozomi shinkansen arrive Tokyo 20.30 h
So this means you have 3 full days sightseeing and so your program is doable for a fast traveller. But as mentioned Fushimi Inari Shrine although only 5 min train ride from Kyoto it is time consuming because of size and mountain walk. You will need one of the three days in Kyoto for Fushimi and Nara ( 45 min train ride one way )