Hello everyone!
Just like the title says I am going to be spending 27 days (May 22 – June 17) in Japan with my wife. Our current itinerary plan looks like the below. We only put 1 “main” activity per day to keep this as concise as possible.
A bit about us to help guide activity suggestions : We are open to day trips, we love nature/hiking, love vintage/thrift shopping (looking for particular stores), love manga/anime, love techno music (looking for club suggestions).
We are looking for activity suggestions/advice based on the cities/neighborhoods we will be in 🙂
Also if anything we noted is overrated we are open to change!
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**Day 0 – May 21 – Tokyo Asakusa**
Landing in Tokyo – Narita. Checking in our 1st airbnb in Asakusa, getting groceries/food at 7/11?
**Day 1 – May 22 – Tokyo Ueno**
Ueno Zoological Gardens, aiming to stay near Taito city as we get our Metro cards
**Day 2 – May 23 – Tokyo Shibuya**
Go to Shibuya, stop by the MiPig Cafe and chill around the area till nightime and maybe a comedy show at Tokyo Comedy Club
**Day 3 – May 24 – Tokyo Shimokitazawa**
Go do some vintage shopping in Shimokitazawa and stay in that area (any particular stores recommended here are welcome)
**Day 4 – May 25 – Mount Takao**
Day trip out to Mount Takao, do some hiking and explore the little city/market
**Day 5 – May 26 – Tokyo Koenji**
Go to Koenji/Nakano city and check out the Ghibli museum
**Day 6 – May 27 – Tokyo**
Go attend the May Sumo tournament at the Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arena
**Day 7 – May 28 – Tokyo Roppongi**
Mori Art Museum in Roppongi + Other museums/Walk around
**Day 8 – May 29 – Kyoto**
Take the train to Kyoto and check in to our hostel/airbnb near Kyoto Tower
**Day 9 – May 30 – Kyoto**
Explore Gion neighborhood / check out some temples + Maybe a pottery class
**Day 10 – May 31 – Kyoto**
Hike to Mount Kiei Day trip – Try and find an Onsen to stay at over night
**Day 11 – June 1 (My Bday!) – Kyoto**
Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama + Tenryu-Ji temples
**Day 12 – June 2 – Osaka – Namba**
Travel to Osaka, check in to hostel/airbnb in Namba walk around + explore
**Day 13 – June 3 – Osaka**
Universal Studios day
**Day 14 – June 4 – Nara**
Nara Deer Park day trip (anything else to do around there would be perfect) + Stay in an Onsen near there (Need a rec)
**Day 15 – June 5 – Osaka**
Explore Minoh Park / Expo 70 park / Osaka Castle
**Day 16 – June 6 – Ghibli Parc**
Ghibli Park
**Day 17 – June 7- Zamami Island**
Fly from Osaka to Okinawa then ferry to Zamami Island – Check in to Hotel/Airbnb
**Day 18 – June 8- Zamami Island**
Tan and swim & Snorkel
**Day 19 – June 9- Zamami Island**
Tan and swim & Snorkel
**Day 20 – June 10- Zamami Island**
Tan and swim & Snorkel
**Day 21 – June 11- Zamami Island**
Tan and swim & Snorkel
**Day 22 – June 12 – Tokyo – Asakusa**
Fly then take the train all the way back to Tokyo
**Day 23 – June 13 – Kawatsura**
Day trip out to Kawatsura Strawberry Farm
**Day 24 – June 14 – Tokyo Jinbocho**
Go to Jinbocho Book Town
**Day 25 – June 15 – Mount Fuji**
Day trip out to Mount Fuji
**Day 26 – June 16 – Tokyo**
Picnic in a park / Go to a reallyyyy nice SPA for a massage before leaving
**Day 27 – June 17 – Tokyo**
Catch our flight back to Canada 🙁
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If you made it down here, thank you so much if you take the time to answer!! 🙂
5 comments
willing to take any advice / tips / comments ! all knowledge is good knowledge 🫶🏽
Your schedule looks, more or less, fine. A couple of thoughts.
1. This is posted all the time. Don’t go to animal cafes. You are encouraging abuse.
2. Lots of other temples and shrines in Nara. As far as onsen go, what is your budget?
3. Jinbocho is not that interesting unless you read Japanese.
4. You will probably be coming during the rainy season; thinking of alternatives to some of your outside activities may be a good idea. Okinawa, in particular, might be a “wash.”
5. Osaka Castle looks nice from the outside. It is a recreated museum. Go to Himeji for a “real” castle.
Are you going out on tours in Zamami or just intending to swim from the beach?
FYI booking the fast ferry may be challenging, but there is a slow ferry if you can’t get tickets.
The ‘deer park’ is the worst attraction in Nara, as the deer are often really aggressive. Nara Park proper has an impressive and historically important range of temples, and the Nara National Museum is great.
You’ll likely get a good view of Mount Fuji from the trains from and to Tokyo, so if you’re not going to climb it you might not find it necessary to travel out there.
I’d have to look and see what else the strawberry farm has, but it’s definitely after strawberry season by June. If they grow other things then you’re probably fine though