Hi everyone!
This fall I’ll be spending 18 nights traveling solo around Tokyo and Kanto and I’m trying to set a realistic and well organized itinerary to know the city well.
Initial note – I’ll be sleeping ALL the nights in Tokyo, in a well connected area, but always in Tokyo
So far I have planned:
**Day 1 – Arrival**
* Arrival, Immigration, Suica, SIM, Check-In, Roam Shinjuku
**Day 2 – Asakusa**
* Nakamise Street, Senso-ji, Tokyo Solamachi, Tokyo Skytree
**Day 3 – Shibuya**
* Starbucks Reserve, Shibuya Crossing, Disney Store, Japanese Fashion Shopping, Shibuya Sky
**Day 4 – Odaiba**
* Toyosu Market, TeamLab Planets, Ariake Tennis Park, Joypolis, Walk Rainbow Bridge, Odaiba Beach
**Day 5 – Chuo**
* Hamarikyu Gardens, Tsukiji Market, Central Station, Pokemon Café (reserved), Ginza
**Day 6 – Hakone**
* Amazake Tea, Hakone Shrine, Lake Ashi Boat, Owakudani, Open Air Museum, Onsen
**Day 7 – Chiyoda**
* Marunouchi, Imperial Palace from Kokyo Gaien, Hie Shrine, National Diet, Yurakucho
**Day 8 – Yokohama**
* Chinatown, Gundam Factory, Walk Harbor, Cup Noodles, Landmark Tower
**Day 9 – Harajuku**
* Meiji shrine, Yoyogi park, Tokyu Plaza Omotesando, Takeshita Street, *Busy in the evening*
**Day 10 – Kamakura**
* Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Hokokuji temple and bamboo forest, Komachi-dori, Kamakura Buddha, walk around the coast
**Day 11 – Disney Area**
* Disney Sea, Oedo Onsen
**Day 12 – Kawagoe and Ikebukuro**
* Kawagoe Snacks and Sake, Little Edo, Kawagoe Castle, Back to Ikebukuro, Nakiryu, Sunshine City
**Day 13 – Shinjuku**
* *Busy in the morning*, Metropolitan Building, See Skyscrapers, Gyoen Park, Sobahouse, Ni-Chome
**Day 14 – Kawaguchiko**
* Fuji Panoramic Ropeway, Fuji Q-Highland, Chureito Pagoda
**Day 15 – Ibaraki**
* Ushiku Buddha, Kairakuen Park, Hitachi Seaside Park, Oarai Shrine and Beach
**Day 16 – Nikko**
* Shinkyo Bridge, Rinnoji Temple, Tosho-gu Complex, Taiyu-in Temple, Kegon Falls
**Day 17 – Ueno**
* Ueno Park/Zoo, National Museum, Ameyoko, Kanda Myojin, Walk Akihabara, Mandarake
**Day 18 – Minato**
* National Art Center, Mori Tower Complex, Zojoji Temple, Shiba Park, Tokyo Tower
**Day 19 – Leave Tokyo**
* Check-out, shinkansen to Osaka, apartment move-in
**My main questions**
* Which days could be better balanced, cut or expanded?
* Which days could better include some rest or change of rhythm?
* Which days would be the less affected/enjoyable in the case of rain?
* Which days could be more or less enjoyable in weekends/weekdays?
**Some extra details**
* I’m a man in my 20’s, have never been to Japan but speak some Japanese. During the more activity-loaded days I might not go through all of them, but I also might not spend long amounts of time in some places (given that I’ll be alone and at my pace)
* I already have a visa and will be living around Kansai after the trip. I also plan to travel later so don’t worry about expanding into other regions of Japan. This will be my longest, and perhaps only stay in Kanto.
* While my current itinerary already shows some relevant spending in transportation and admission fees, I wouldn’t like to splurge further than that. I won’t be taking premium tours, shopping expensive or eating at 3-michelin-starred restaurants.
* My interests include scenic views, architecture, nature, music, shopping, food, tennis, anime and theme parks. I might be less prone than others to enjoy very obscure museums, lesser known temples and very intense nightlife.
Please write as much as you want, be objective, and share your previous experiences!
8 comments
Oedo onsen in Odaiba closed, mayube a year ago.
I know you have different observation deck in your itinerary, but for sure Shibuya Sky and Roppongi Hills Mori Tower would be my choices before Tokyo Gov. Building and Tokyo Tower (unless there is an interesting exhibition).
Your Ibaraki day is in my opinion quite unrealistic. You might be able to hit 2 spot in a day, but all 5 spots in unrealistic in my opinion. You might have slightly more chance to do more if you rent a car, but that is still a lot.
Nikko, in my opinion if you you want do both the lake area and the temple/shrine area, you are better with 2 days.
The day the least affected by rain are obviously the shopping days or days you spend mostly in museum, guess it’s not too hard to figure what these days are.
In general, I really love your schedule. Honestly, most your days are quite well balanced in my opinion.
With regards to the weather, I would say your trip to Kawaguchiko is where you should be most cautious. If it is a rainy or even especially cloudy day in the area, you run the risk of not seeing Mt. Fuji at all. I would be prepared to move days around to ensure you have a good day for that trip.
Also, it might just be me, but I think your itineraries for Hakone and Nikko might be slightly over-ambitious with travel times factored in. Several of your stops have travel in between them and require you to take buses or a cab. We had an especially hard time in Nikko and ended up missing Tosho-gu because it took too long to get up and back from Kegon Falls. Granted this was during peak Koyo season, so it may be easier to get around on your trip. On a related note, be careful to plan your train from Tokyo into Nikko well too, since there are a few limited express trains that can really cut down on your travel time and if you miss them, you can lose a lot of time. If I recall correctly, the best one is reserved seating only, so you will want to purchase it in advance.
Hope you have a safe and enjoyable trip!
wow this made me realize how many things there are to do in tokyo lol…
This all looks very fun written out, but I can’t help but feel you’re overlooking the physical toll this will take on you. Just from skimming through, it seems like you’ll essentially be on your feet walking all day every day for 19 days straight. Even though you’re young, I’d advise making day 10 (or around there) a “nothing” day where you can just laze around and recover. You’ll probably need it. My buddy and I did two weeks in Japan at essentially the same pace and as two 30 year olds who were both pretty fit, we felt pretty f-ed by day 12.
I know it may feel counterintuitive because you want to make every minute count but my advice would be to pick one day to sleep in, go to a sento, maybe get a massage. Recharge. You can always choose not to do that if you’re feeling fine when that day comes.
Hakone and Kawaguchiko can be done together instead of separate day, over at least 3 days 2 nights stay in the area.
1. There will be extra cost travelling back and forth
2. You will get to enjoy the area more compared to a day trip.
Pretty much most days in Tokyo can be chill because most stores only open around 10am and 11am, so you don’t have to wake up super early.
It is good that you could go this fall. Beware of travel times between from main stay and where you going to. Many forget to count the walking time from one place to another place. If you can hop on the bus and know where you going that is better. But, waiting times at train stations or bus stops could delay fast travel.
Plan your trip in day’s plans into two parts: Morning and Afternoon. Don’t plan too much in evening as most public places like museums would be closed at before sunset.
Plan places like Zoo, Parks and Museums taking up part or most of the day.
Don’t visit huge popular places on weekends and holidays. You won’t get in as fast and the crowds down grades your experiences. I suggest going to shopping district or a huge park.
Problem going to Kawaguchiko and Hakone; these place are far to travel from Tokyo center. Plan to go to one of them and have at your later days to visit. Maybe even stay a night there before going to Kansai. You can take the Shinkansen at Odawara Station when leaving from Hakone. As for Kawaguchiko you have to take local trains to get to Shin-Fuji Station.
Ibaraki might be out of your way and will take some time to travel for a day. Plus going to Oarai as well. You looking at two days at least.
I went to Kamakura before. I had to stay another day to sightseeing area because it is tourism hotpots and it was a holiday.
Nikko: I would cut this; as it too far to travel and do every thing in a day would be hard.
Give Akihabara it own day as there many shops to explore, arcades to visit and many cosplay cafes.
Some of places sound like you want to do a Anime pilgrimage? I can advice on that a bit more.
I heard some districts have “English Pub”. You might meet other tourists there… But a few Japanese do come in to these places to practice their English. Also local governments do have English events near a city hall or community center normally. But elderly and very young do these events more often. For people your age, I would check college public events.
I recommend cut down the places are too far from Tokyo center and have a whistle stops during the travel westward to Kansai.
I’m excited for you! I’d love to go back! I think it’s also nice to see some of these places at night like shibuya. I noticed you left out akihabara. Was that on purpose? I’d probably skip it too but that’s because I wasn’t really amazed with it compared to the other places you have listed on the itinerary.
I also think it’s important to stop and rest when you feel tired – even just a little bit. I’ve had itineraries that felt like work rather than fun lol
Wow this is pretty intensely planned but actually well balanced.