My dad and I are headed to Japan this spring (around late March and early-mid April) as second-timers. My dad and I are comfortable with lots of casually-paced walking and many activities/sights in one day, and also don’t plan anything on transition days going from city to city. Please let me know if I’m being waaay too ambitious and if some days may simply be impossible to do. Also, jetlag is not a big problem for us as our time difference is very insignificant. Just a heads-up that some of these days are based off of Japan Guide’s itineraries.
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**Day 1** \- Arrive in Osaka \~7pm
* Checking into hotel and sleeping
**Day 2** \- Osaka
* As we’ll still be quite exhausted, (\~15 hour travel time from where I live) this is mostly just a super relaxed sightseeing day and acclimating
* Shinsekai
* Nipponbashi Den Den Town
* Kuromon Market
* Doguyasuji Shotengai
* Hozenji Yokocho
* Dotonbori
**Day 3&4** \- Osaka
* Nothing planned quite yet as we’re leaving it open to meet up with family
**Day 5** \- Osaka; Daytrip to Mount Koya
* Okunoin Temple
* Kongobuji Temple
* Garan
* Daimon Gate
**Day 6** \- Osaka
* Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
* Bit of a flex day, may just wander around after the aquarium and see what we feel like doing
**Day 7** \- Osaka > Tokyo
* May do a bit of shopping once in Tokyo if we’re not too tired, but otherwise do not have anything planned
**Day 8** \- Tokyo
* Shopping in Shimokitazawa, Shibuya and Harajuku
* Planning to hit many thrift and vintage stores for the day
**Day 9** \- Tokyo
* Shopping in Ginza and Akihabara
* Hitting brands like Converse, Uniqlo, MUJI, Loft, Don Quijote, etc.
* Looking at anime merch and retro video games
* ART AQUARIUM MUSEUM
**Day 10&11** \- Tokyo
* Flex weekend to meet up with family
**Day 12** \- Tokyo > Kyoto
* May explore the Gion area and take load off of the next day
**Day 13** \- Kyoto
* Kiyomizu-dera
* Sannenzaka/Ninenzaka
* Kodai-ji
* Ishibei Koji
* Yasaka Jinja/Maruyama Park
* Chion-in
* Shogun-zuka
* Teramachi
* Shinyogoku
* Nishiki Market
* Kyoto Samurai Ninja Museum (may leave this to another day)
* Gion
* Pontocho
* Kiyamachi
* (Would not be surprised at all if this is way, way, way too ambitious)
**Day 14** \- Kyoto
* My dad and I are probably going to rent bikes for this day (My question is are there much bike parking around the areas I’m planning to visit?)
* The Philosopher’s Path
* Ginkaku-ji
* Honen-in
* Eikan-do
* Keage Incline
* Imperial Palace
* Demachi Masugata Shopping Street
* Kamo river in the late afternoon to enjoy the view
**Day 15** \- Kyoto
* Hozugawa River Cruise
* Arashiyama Monkey Park
* Eating at Arashiyama Itsukichaya
* Renting bikes from Arashiyama Station
* Tenryu-ji
* Bamboo Grove (Maybe? I’ve heard mixed things about it)
* Jojakko-ji
* Gio-ji
* Saga-toriimoto
* Otagi Nenbutsuji
* Daikakuji
**Day 16** \- Kyoto
* Samurai experience
**Day 17** \- Kyoto
* Traditional tea ceremony
* Calligraphy class
**Day 18** \- Kyoto > Hiroshima
* We’re planning to begin our JR Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass on this day
**Day 19** \- Hiroshima
* Peace Memorial Museum
* Peace Memorial Park
* Atomic Bomb Dome
* Kyudo experience
* Hiroshima Castle
* Shukkeien Garden
* May forego Hiroshima Castle and/or Shukkeien Garden
* Okonomimura for dinner
**Day 20** \- Miyajima
* Omotesando Shopping Street
* Itsukushima Shrine
* Daisho-in Temple
* Mount Misen
* Momijidani Park
* Senjokaku Pavilion
**Day 21** \- Hiroshima > Kinosaki
* I don’t have the exact times just yet, but we’re planning to head to Himeji in the morning
* Check out the Himeji Castle (if time allows) and eat lunch
* Take direct train to Kinosaki in the early afternoon
* Hopefully be there around 3pm, check into our ryokan and lazily roam the town onsen-hopping
* Dinner from ryokan
**Day 22** \- Kinosaki > Osaka
* Breakfast from ryokan
* Head back to Osaka
* Wander around a bit more till it’s time to go to Kansai around \~6pm
Any and all feedback would be really appreciated. Really wouldn’t be surprised if my Kyoto days are way too packed, but please let me know because my dad and I are the type to say ‘doable’ even when it really, really isn’t.
by gravysideup