Hi, I’m traveling to Japan in February with my wife, and am looking for tips or advice on our itinerary. We’ll be staying in Shinjuku (Tokyo), Kyoto, and a couple places on the Izu peninsula. This is our second time in Japan!
Thanks in advance for any helpful input, we really appreciate it!
**Day 1**
– Fly to Tokyo, train to Shinjuku.
– If we’re up for it, grab dinner or a quick snack.
**Day 2**
– Relaxing morning, grab breakfast, coffee.
– teamLab Planets.
– Walk around Koto City, get lunch or a snack.
– Train back to Shinjuku, plan to take a short nap to help with jetlag.
– Shinjuku Izakaya.
– Check out the shopping area of Shinjuku.
– Ramen for dinner.
**Day 3**
– Coffee near Shinjuku station, then train to Tsukiji market.
– After we’ve eaten enough street food at the Tsukiji market, walk or train to Ryogoku. We may walk, don’t mind a longer walk.
– Chonkonabe in Ryogoku.
– Nakamise Dori street and Senso-ji Temple.
– Izakaya back in Shinjuku.
**Day 4**
– Walk from Shinjuku to Harajuku, stop for coffee anywhere that’s open.
– Cafe ReIssue for latte art.
– Gyukatsu for lunch nearby, we’ve really been wanting to try this!
– Takeshita street.
– Meiji shrine.
– Walk to Shibuya.
– Keitan sushi for dinner.
– Bar hopping/drunkard’s alley to finish the night.
**Day 5**
– Day trip to Fujiyoshia, hopefully good weather for Fuji views.
– Chureito Pagoda.
– Hike Mt. Arakurayama, possibly further depending on energy levels and weather.
– Honcho Street.
– We’ll probably have some random food/coffee/ice cream, I don’t know how much there is to do in Fujiyoshida.
– Bus home, expecting to be pretty tired.
**Day 6**
– Breakfast in Shinjuku.
– Train to Kyoto, check in to B&B near central Kyoto.
– Soba lunch!
– Yasuka shrine, Maruyama park.
– Sukiyaki dinner.
– Walk back to accommodations through Gion.
**Day 7**
– Walk to Nishiki Market for street food, possibly stop for coffee along the way.
– Walk to Yasaka Pagoda.
– Sannenzaka Path.
– Kyomizu-Dera Temple.
– Kodai-ji Temple.
– Walk home through Potoncho Alley, stop for drinks.
– Izakaya Dinner.
**Day 8**
– Stock up at Flip Up! Bakery in Kyoto before day trip to Osaka.
– Osaka Castle.
– Osaka market district.
– Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine.
– Back to market district for Yakiniku dinner.
– Hozenji Shrine.
– Arcade.
– Walk along Dotonburi river.
– Can’t forget Takoyaki when you’re in Osaka!
– Train home late, probably exhausted.
**Day 9**
– Relaxed morning with coffee, matcha, whatever we’re feeling.
– Tsukemen ramen early lunch.
– Train to Uji.
– Byodo-in Temple.
– Try various tea/matcha desserts in Uji, buy some matcha/tea to take home.
– Kosho-ji Temple.
– Walk along Uji river.
– Train back to Kyoto.
**Day 10**
– Coffee and load up on more local baked goods before catching the train to Izu peninsula.
– Check in to Ryokan (Onsen) near Izu Okawa.
– Try public Onsen off the beach near Izu Okawa.
– Kaiseki dinner at Ryokan.
– Onsen again at the Ryokan.
**Day 11**
– Breakfast at Ryokan and check-out.
– Train to Ito, drop baggage at Onsen hotel there.
– Coffee+desserts+lunch in Ito.
– Train to Izu Kogen.
– Jogasaki coast hike from Hashidate suspension bridge to Kadowaki suspension bridge.
– Dinner back in Ito (Omakase?).
– Check out a local grocery store, there’s an upscale Aoki in Ito.
– Onsen some more before bed!
**Day 12**
– Local fish breakfast in Ito.
– Cafe for matcha and/or desserts.
– Bus for Mt. Omuro.
– Izu Shabuten Zoo.
– Bus back to Ito.
– Joynt Brewing in Ito.
– Izakaya+Sashimi+whatever we’re feeling for our last night in Ito/Japan.
– Why not hit the Onsen again before bed?
**Day 13**
– Stop by local bakery in Ito before catching the train back to Tokyo. We really, really like Japanese baked goods!
– Hang around Shinagawa or Tokyo station area until time our evening flight. Should be lockers available for luggage.
– Coffee/Lunch/Whatever relax.
– Fly home 🙁
by doise