My girlfriend and I are visiting Japan in May and I’ve been collecting as much information as I can from other peoples itineraries for the past few months. We want to have a fairly loose itinerary where we have a lot of free time to just wander and stumble upon our own interests. We are each planning to bring a checked bag and split a carry on bag to make it easy for luggage shipping.
Please give it a read if you can and let me know if any of these days are too packed or not doable.
Before Departure:
– Add Suica to Apple Wallet
– Purchase eSIM or Pocket WiFi
Tokyo (Day 0-4)
Hotel in Central Shinjuku
Day 0 – Arrival day:
– Arrive at 4:30pm
– Take Narita Express to Shinjuku Station
– Drop luggage off at hotel
– Explore the area, eat dinner, crash
Day 1 – Shinjuku:
– Shinjuku Gyoen garden in the morning
– Takashimaya Times Square for shopping and food
– See the 3D Cat Billboard
– Kabukicho Tower for more shopping and food
– Walk around Omoide Yokocho at sunset
– Golden Gai bars & Kabukicho nightlife
Day 2 – Ueno & Asakusa:
– Take train to Ueno Station in the morning
– Ueno Park
– Explore Ueno area
– Take train to Asakusa Station in afternoon
– See Tokyo Skytree
– Nakamise Street
– Asakusa Shrine at sunset
– Sensoji Temple after sunset
– Hoppy Street nightlife
– Take train back to Shinjuku Station
Day 3 – Ginza & Akihabara:
– Ship checked luggage to Kyoto hotel
– Take train to Ginza Station in the morning
– Shopping around Ginza
– Take train to Akihabara Station midday
– Shopping around Akihabara
– Take train back to Shinjuku Station
– Sunset at Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
– Drinks at the peak bar/lounge in the Park Hyatt hotel Shinjuku
Kyoto (Day 4-9)
Hotel in Gion District
Day 4 – Travel to Kyoto:
– Take Shinkansen to Sanjo Station midday (seats D & E to see Mt. Fuji)
– Drop off remaining luggage at hotel
– Explore Gion District
– Yasaka Shrine
Day 5 – Nara:
– Kyoto Imperial Palace & Gardens in the morning
– Take train to Nara Station
– Nara deer park
– Rent bikes & visit Asuka
– Take train back to Sanjo Station
Day 6 – Fushimi Inari & Kyoto:
– Fushimi Inari Shrine early in the morning
– Toji Temple
– Nishiki Market
– Kyoto Station at night
Day 7 – Osaka:
– Take train to Osaka Station
– Osaka Castle
– Dotonbori street
– Shinsekai
– Take train back to Sanjo Station
Day 8 – Arashiyama:
– Take early train to Arashiyama Station
– Bamboo forest early in the morning
– Monkey park
– Tenryu-ji Temple & Gardens
– Take train back to Sanjo Station
Lake Kawaguchi (Day 9-11)
Hotel on north side of Lake
Day 9 – Travel to Kawaguchiko:
– Ninenzaka for sunrise
– Kiyomizu-dera
– Ship checked luggage to Tokyo hotel
– Take train to Kawaguchiko midday
– Drop off remaining luggage at hotel
– Rent bikes and ride around
– Oishi Park
Day 10 – Kawaguchiko:
– Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway
– Chureito Pagoda
– Oshino Hakkai
Tokyo (Day 11-14)
Hotel: Shibuya Tokyu REI Hotel
Day 11 – Travel back to Tokyo & Shibuya:
– Take train to Shibuya Station in the morning
– Drop off luggage at hotel
– Shibuya crossing
– Shibuya Sky at sunset
– Magnet Building
Day 12 – Free day:
– Take train to Onamiron Station
– Meiji-Jingu Park & Shrine
– Team Lab Borderless
– Zojo-ji Temple
– Andaz Toranomon Hills High Rise Bar
– Tokyo Tower
– Take train back to Shibuya Station
Day 13 – Kamakura & Enoshima:
– Take train to Kamakura Station
– Kamakura Daibutsu
– Hokokuji Temple
– Komachi-dori
– Take train to Enoshima Station
– Explore Enoshima
– Take train back to Shibuya Station
Day 14 – Harajuku & Departure day:
– Mega don quijote
– Take train to Harajuku Station
– Explore Harajuku area
– Take Narita Express midday to NRT Airport
– Leave at 4:55pm
by Brilliant_Maximum328