Hello, I have seen many people posting their itineraries and asking how realistic they are, and I wanted to do the same to get advice from those who are well experienced. I am traveling with a group of 5 however, 2 of the group members don’t arrive until the night of day 6. Our time in Kyoto pretty packed due to everyone wanting to see everything they can. One of our group members has been to Japan before with family and has helped to make the itinerary, however I’ve been fine tuning it.
We will be in Japan during February and staying in Tokyo (Shinjuku) for the first 7 nights, Kyoto (Nakagyo) for 5 nights and Tokyo (Roppongi) for the last 6 nights. We are getting JR pass for the time we are staying in Kyoto and are planning on using the hotel luggage transportation service, so we don’t have to lug around our bags. We are still looking into restaurants around where our attractions are hence little plans for food as of yet.
**Rough itinerary:**
Day 1 (Tokyo) – Arrive that night. Get food at airport to save on hassle of finding a restaurant. Get necessary items such as sim card (may get e-sim beforehand) and suica card. Travel to hotel in Shinjuku
Day 2 (Tokyo) – Explore area around hotel in morning and get convenience store breakfast. Shop for some winter essentials at Uniqlo Flagship Ginza, GU Ginza and others stores nearby. Go to Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building for free lookout at sunset.
Day 3 (Tokyo) – Spend the day visiting the Meguro Parasitological Museum and the Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa.
Day 4 (Tokyo) – Visit National Museum of Nature and Science and Tokyo National Museum. Get lunch. Visit Nezu Shrine.
Day 5 (Tokyo) – Disney Sea
Day 6 (Tokyo) – No plans. Rest from Disney, probably venture out for food in Shinjuku. Rest of group arrives this night.
Day 7 (Tokyo) – Visit Togo shrine after breakfast. Explore Takeshita street. Visit Laforet Harajuku, sailor moon store and kiddy land. Have lunch at an animal café in Harajuku (will make reservation). Explore Mega Don Quijote Shibuya, Shibuya 109 and other stores in the area. Visit Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building for free lookout at sunset.
Day 8 (Tokyo > Kyoto) – Wake up and sort out luggage delivery to Kyoto hotel. Visit Hie shrine after breakfast. Go shopping in Ginza (Uniqlo, Sanrio, toy park). Travel to Kyoto that afternoon using JR rail pass.
Day 9 (Kyoto) – Use JR pass to visit Nara. Explore Nara park and feed deer. Visit some of the many attractions in the park (Isuien Garden and Neiraku Museum, Todai-ji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Temple, Kofuku-Ki Temple).
Day 10 (Kyoto) – Use JR rail pass to visit Ghibli park.
Day 11 (Kyoto) – Use JR rail pass to explore Osaka. Visit Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan and Round1 Stadium.
Day 12 (Kyoto) – Use JR rail pass to visit Universal Studio
Day 13 (Kyoto > Tokyo) – Sort out luggage delivery to Tokyo hotel for that night. Explore Kyoto. Visit Nijō Castle, Gionmachi Minamigawa, Yasaka Pagoda Photograph Spot and Higashiyama Ward. Travel back to Tokyo that evening.
Day 14 (Tokyo) – Spend day second hand shopping in Shimokitazawa (). Visit Gotokuji Temple at the end of the day.
Day 15 (Tokyo) – Disney Land
Day 16 (Tokyo) – Explore Ikebukuro and Akihabara
Day 17 (Tokyo) – no plans (some of the group is going to Puroland)
Day 18 (Tokyo) – spend day at Ghibli museum.
Day 19 – no plans. fly home that afternoon
by tayj230