Hi!
Firstly hope everyone in Japan is doing OK under the circumstances of this horrible earthquake.
Hope it’s not distasteful to post my itinerary as it’s my first trip to Japan and really could do with your help!
**Sunday 17th**
* Arrive in Japan, Haneda Airport 2:30pm
* Likely need to fix things at the airport like Welcome Suica. Maybe also wifi / mobile?
* Check in to hotel in Shibuya
* Explore the immediate Shibuya/Shinjuku areas. Walk around and have dinner before going back to the hotel.
**Monday 18th**
* Explore Shibuya and Shinjuku areas. Mostly want to have no real plan, and not do any shopping on this day. It will be mostly spent walking around (as much as possible) and visiting parks and temples etc.
* Lunch in the Shibuya or Shinjuku areas
* Yoyogi Park – Meiji Jingu – Meiji Jingu Gaien Park – Shinjuku Gyoen Garden
* Kinryu no Mai (Golden Dragon Dance) Nakamise Street (apparently held on the 18th of March every year?
* Dinner in the Shibuya or Shinjuku areas
**Tuesday 19th**
* My girlfriend will be working from 19th – 22nd at an exhibition, so this will be my first day “solo”.
* Explore the Shibuya area and probably doing some shopping
* 84Hashi Nintendo Cafe + Lunch in the area
* Miyashita Park – Shibuya Parco – Mega Donki – Mandarake – Loft – Tokyo Hands – Soccer Shop KAMO
* Go out for food and drinks in Shibuya/Shinjuku.
**Wednesday 20th**
* Another solo day.
* Would like to visit the Ghibli Museum (If I can get tickets)
* Inokashira Park
* Lunch in the area (Tokyo Bakery, Wakasa Sushi?)
* Head back into the city and go out for food and drinks in Shibuya/Shinjuku area.
**Thursday 21st**
* Another solo day.
* Akibahra Town for more shopping, anime and gaming.
* Ueno Park
**Friday 22nd**
* Another solo day.
* Ginza area and the piers close by.
* Tsukiji Market
* Meet up with my girlfriend and check out the Imperial Palace & Gardens
* Go out on a “pub crawl” kind of thing. I saw a cool video by “Japan by Food” then went to different bars under Tokyo Station. They had a small dish and a drink at each place and move on to the next. Andy’s Shin Hinomoto – Bimi Sennari – Tsujihan Zeitaku Don – Motsoyaki Fuji
**Saturday 23rd**
* Train to Kyoto. Not sure 100% on the time but likely early in the morning.
* Check in at the Hotel.
* Check out the Kinkaku-Ji (Golden Palace) and then explore the Nishiki Market / Gion District
* Nijo Castle Illumination? 6 p.m. and 9 p.m
* Food and drink somewhere near the Kano River or Pontocho Alley
**Sunday 24th**
* Mainly stay around the Arashiyama area (West side of the city)
* Adashino Nenbutsuji and Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple
* Sagano Forest
* Sagano Romantic Railway
* Footbath (Onsen) of Arashiyama Station
* Toketsukyo Bridge / area
* Lunch in the area
* I heard there is a boat trip that takes you back from the Romantic Railway, but this takes over 2 hours so not sure if worth it? I’m also opening to going from Kyoto to Kameoka Station to explore the Tanya Kameyama Castle Ruins / Park & take the Sagano Romantic Railway back to Arashiyama.
* Food and drink either in Arashiyama or somewhere near the Kano River or Pontocho Alley
**Monday 25th**
* Mainly focus on the East side of the city
* Likely get on the train to see first the Ginkaku-Ji and walk along the Philosophers path
* Go past the Eikandō Temple / Bridge
* Nanzen-Ji Temple -and Keane Incline (abandoned tracks blossom)
* Heian-Jingu Shrine – Shoren-in Temple – Yasaka Shrine (Maruyama Park)
* Hanamikoji Street / Gion District for lunch
* Kodaiji Temple (+ Bamboo forrest)
* Hokan-Ji Temple + Ninenzaka Streets & Sanenzaka Streets (Street food, shops like Ghibli Studios Shop Kyoto etc)
* Kiyomizu-Dera (Monestairy)
* Dinner somewhere in Gion probably
* Head to Fushimi Inari Shrines/Gatesfor the late afternoon/evening when hopefully it will be less busy
Note: – Higashiyama Hanatoro (Lantern Temple Route) Shoren-in Temple, Yasaka Shrine, Entoku-in Temple, Hokan-ji Temple, and Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Kodaiji Temple Illumination 5:00p.m. to 9:30p.m.
**Tuesday 26th**
* Train to Osaka to explore the main areas and eat and drink
* Train back to Kyoto (hotel)
**Wednesday 27th**
* Train back to Tokyo
* Ring making at Ringram (Shibuya)
* Walk around, shop, eat in Shimokitazawa
**Thursday 28th**
* Train to Kawagachiko / Mount Fuji
* Take a tour?
* I’ve seen a cable car ride to a view?
* Rent a bike?
**Friday 29th**
* Train to Kamakura and explore. Rent a bike?
* Train to Enoshima
* Train back to Tokyo and stop at Yokohama for food in China Town
**Saturday 30th**
* Current free day.
**Sunday 31st**
* Current free day.
* Hanazono Shrine Antique Market
* Rikugien Gardens: A Mystical Weeping Cherry Illumination
**Monday 1st April**
* Fly back from Haneda airport at 21:50pm
* Spend this day relaxing and doing nothing but probably eat again our favourite place and last minute shopping
If anyone has any general comments, it’s much appreciated! If you prefer to answer my specific questions, I’ve got some below..
My own questions:
1. While my girlfriend is working I want to try and do as much Anime and Gaming related stuff as possible. Is there anything anyone would recommend in addition to what I’ve already mentioned?
2. Is there anything particularly fun to do as a solo person? This includes any cool restaurants tailored for solo people.
3. We will likely be taking a large suitcase each, is it fine for us to take this on the bullet train to Kyoto? We are staying in a small guesthouse in both Kyoto AND when we return to Tokyo so we are not sure these even except luggage deliveries.
4. Have I over-planned Kyoto? There is so much cool stuff I want to see in Kyoto and I’ve tried to separate it into how I think could be most efficient time wise. If there is anything I’ve included that I should just skip, or go/do/try instead I’m open to people’s recommendations/tips.
5. Is it too rushed to go to Nara in the day and Osaka for the evening? We have 2 1/2 days “assigned” for Kyoto so it has only left us with one day remaining before we travel back to Tokyo. Nara looked cool but if it’s best to spend the whole day in Osaka we can do that too. We just thought Osaka seemed like a mini Tokyo so wanted to spend more time in Kyoto/Nara for the nature instead, as we have almost 10 days in Tokyo.
6. I still need to look further into our day trip planned for Kawagachiko. Is it highly recommended to book some kind of tour that offers transport there, food and a tour around the lake(s) etc? Or is free-balling it easy? Kawaguchiko takes 2 and a half hours apparently so if there is someone just as nice/nicer (with good views of Mount Fuji) and closer then open to hear about it
7. I watched videos that said you could do Kamakura on its own but also could combine it with Enoshima? We also wanted to checkout out Yokohama but to be honest it didn’t really look like much to do I much preferred how it would feel to go at night with the harbour, lights and china town. Is this too crammed into one day?
8. If anyone has any recommendations for our “free days” please let us know. We’d ideally still like it to be chill as we’re pretty busy every single day before that. We will mostly likely want to go with the flow in Tokyo etc.
9. We would really like to do an Onsen, but a private one just the two of us. We’re not really sure how to fit that in anywhere. I did find Fuji Yurari Hot Spring near Kawaguchiko but it takes like 2 1/2 hours from Tokyo to get there. Could do it if you think still enough time to tour the Kawaguchiko area/lakes/Mount Fuji. Any tips?
10. I would like to watch a football (Soccer) game. I’m not 100% sure on which team I should even watch, but will likely definitely be Tokyo. I don’t have an “allegiance” to any team but the local team I see would become my J League team for life. I don’t ideally want to watch the Yokohama Marinos as they are part owned by the City (Manchester City) Football Group and don’t want them as my team haha. I understand the League starts in February – not sure how easy it is to get tickets or which team is best / most fun to watch? Currently have Saturday and Sunday “free” which I know is the usual days for teams to play..
11. If your phone providing allows you to use data / minutes abroad free of charge is there still any benefit to have a Japan wifi box or Japan mobile?
12. I think the J Pass is now far too expensive for it to be worth the money. We will be taking bullet trains to and from Kyoto. And also from Osaka to Kyoto. Then “normal” trains to Nara/Osaka, Kawaguchiko, Enoshima, Yokohama etc. Then all the trains and metro in Tokyo. I’ve seen different Regional Passes, or discount passes on Klook but still don’t 100% know what’s best tbh. Any thoughts?
Thanks so much guys!
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by JWLGunner95