Hi all,
Second time in Japan, first time traveling with my partner : – ). Looking forward to get recommendations/suggestions and improvements.
​
\##Day 1 (28 Dec, Thu):
Evening:
\- Marunouchi Apple
\- Peak Design
\- Iyoshi Cola
\- Attoaroma
\- Montbell
\- Shibuya Scramble Crossing
\- Tower Records pick up
\- Miyashita Park
\- Rainbow Bridge
\- Daiba Park
\##Day 2 (29 Dec, Fri):
Morning:
\* Tokyo:
\- Toyosu Market
\- Sushi Dai
\- Tsukiji Outer Market
\- Tokyo Tower
\- Zozo-ji
\* Kamakura:
\- Rental bike
\- Check-in
\- Hokokuji
\- Starbucks
\- Komachi-dori street:
\- Arbre Noir Yakumi
\- Tsurugaoka Hachimangu
Afternoon:
\- Gokurakuji Station
\- Lunch:
\* おそば手繰
\- Enoshima Island
\- Cafe Maru
Evening:
\- Slam Dunk location
\- Enoden train
\- Dinner:
\* Beach Muffin
\##Day 3 (30 Dec, Sat):
Morning:
\- Engakuji (6AM meditation)
\- Meigetsu-in
\- Kencho-ji
\- Jochiji (Daibutsu Hiking trail)
Afternoon:
\- Lunch:
\* Kamakura 24sekki
\* Kamakura Neko no Ma
\- Kotoku-in (Great Buddha)
Evening:
\- Dinner:
\* Beach Muffin if cannot make it on day 1.
\##Day 4 (31 Dec, Sun):
Morning:
\- Hakone:
\* Hakonetozan line
\* Hakone Open Air Museum
Afternoon:
\- Owakudani
\- Hakuryu shrine
\- Hakone-en
\- Hakone shrine
\- Heiwa no torii
\- Amasake Tea House
Evening:
\- Onigiri Bongo
\- Nihonbashi bridge
\- Yurakucho
Midnight:
\- Meiji Jingu hatsumode
\- WOMB
\##Day 5 (1 Jan, Mon):
Morning:
\- Edogawa -> Misato, Edo River Cycling Road
Afternoon:
\- TeamLab
\- Lunch:
\* Vegan ramen UZU
\- Sumida Park
Evening:
\- Asakusa
\- Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center Observation Deck
\- Tokyo Skytree (7:00PM)
\- Rilakkuma cafe
\- Kaitenzushi Toriton
\##Day 6 (2 Jan, Tue):
Morning:
\- Meiji Jingu
\- Glitch coffee
\- Imperial Palace
\- Harajuku:
\* Peanuts cafe (9:00AM)
\* Takeshita Street
\- Omotesando
\- Cat street
\- Shibuya Sky (11:40-12PM)
\- Mandarake
\- Starbucks Shibuya crossing
\- Yoyogi Park
Afternoon:
\- Ikebukuro
\- Lunch:
\* Vejiro
\- Tokyo Photography Museum
\- Meguro River
\- Onibus coffee
\- Starbucks Reserve
Evening:
\- Dinner:
\* Ekiben
\- Traveling to Aomori
\##Day 7 (3 Jan, Wed):
Morning
\- Kizokuri Station
\- Stove train
Afternoon:
\- San’nai-Maruyama Special Historical Site
\- Aomori Museum of Art
\- Lunch:
\* café 4匹の猫
Evening:
\- A-FACTORY
\- Dinner:
\* Kikufuji (Kenoshiru course)
\- Hirosaki Park
\- Aoimori Park
\- Utou Jinja Shrine
\- Hirota Jinja Shrine
\##Day 8 (4 Jan, Thu):
Morning:
\- Traveling
\- Check-in hotel
\- Starbucks Coffee – Ginza Matsuya-dori Street
\- Shimokitazawa
\- Bear Pond Espresso
\- Koenji
\- Hattifnatt
\- Nakano Broadway
Afternoon:
\- Inokashira Park
\- Tsurunoyu
\- Gotokuji Temple
\- Akihabara
Evening:
\- Dinner:
\* Onigiri Bongo
\- Wrestle Kingdom 18
\- Golden Gai
\- Omoide Yokocho
\##Day 9 (5 Jan, Fri):
Morning:
\- Breakfast:
\* ?
\- Tokoname:
\* Manekineko Street
\* Pottery Path
\- Nagoya:
\* K-House
\* Super potato
\* Nagoya Castle
Afternoon:
\- Tajimi
\- Toki
\* Kakuyama Pottery
\##Day 10 (6 Jan, Sat):
Morning:
\- Magome
\- Breakfast:
\* Nakaizutsuya – gohei mochi
Afternoon:
\- Tsumago
\- Lunch:
\* Fujioto
\* Ebiya – dessert
\- Narai
Evening:
\- Dinner:
\* Echigoya/kokoro
\##Day 11 (7 Jan, Sun):
Morning:
\- Traveling
Afternoon:
\- Lunch:
\* 作助
\- Shirakawa-go
Evening:
\- Rest (?)
\##Day 12 (8 Jan, Mon):
Morning:
\- Breakfast:
\* Takazuri Guest House
\* Ainokura – 合掌茶屋 相倉屋
\- 喜平商店 (Tofu shop)
\- Ainokura village
\- Washi paper workshop
Afternoon:
\- Lunch:
\* Sakaide
\* 羽馬製菓 (Bakery)
\- 和紙の里 和紙工芸研究館 (Museum)
\- Kuroba Onsen
Evening:
\- Dinner:
\* Takachiyo
\##Day 13 (9 Jan, Tue):
Morning:
\- Traveling
\- Kanazawa:
\* Kenroku-en Garden
\- Breakfast:
\* Shigure-tei tea house
\* Kanazawa Castle
Afternoon:
\- Lunch:
\* Marichou-K
\* Dessert: Morihachi
\* Higashi Chaya district / Asano River
\- Fukui:
\* Daihonzan Eiheji
\##Day 14 (10 Jan, Wed):
Morning:
\- Eiheji
\- Echizen:
\* 85-57 Ota -> house I’m interested on
\* Echizen pottery village
Afternoon:
\- Lunch:
\* Daikonya
\- Echizen washi village (if possible)
Evening:
\- Nara:
\* Nara National Museum
\- Dinner:
\* Awa Naramichi
\##Day 15 (11 Jan, Thu):
Morning:
\- Breakfast:
\* Starbucks Nara Park
\- Mount Wakakusayama
\- Nara National Museum
\- Nara Park
\- Todaiji Temple
Afternoon:
\- Lunch:
\* Todai-ji Emado Chaya (tea porridge, koji amazake)
\* Nakatanidou (mochi)
Koya:
\- Eko-in:
\* Meditation
Evening:
\- Dinner:
\* Eko-in
\- Okunoin Cemetery tour
\##Day 16 (12 Jan, Fri):
Morning:
\- Meditation
\- Breakfast:
\* Eko-in
\- Walking down to cable car
Afternoon:
\* Sakurai:
\- Yamanobe-no-michi
\- Omiwa shrine
\- Lunch:
\* Morisho (persimmon leaf sushi, somen noodles, Warabi mochi)
Evening:
\- Yakushi-ji
\- Hard off
\- Dinner:
\* Sarusawa Pond Starbucks (?)
\##Day 17 (13 Jan, Sat):
Morning:
\- Breakfast:
\* (?)
\- Traveling
\- Yoshihiro Togashi Exhibition
\- Mandarake
\- Ohori Park
Afternoon:
\- Lunch:
\* Hanafusa (? make reservation)
\- Ainoshima Island
\- Maruyama
Evening:
\- Dinner:
\* Nekocafe Keurig
\- Yatai
\##Day 18 (14 Jan, Sun):
Morning:
\- Breakfast:
\* ?
\- Onomichi:
\* Cat Alley (Neko no Hosomichi)
\- Shimanami Kaido
Afternoon:
\- Lunch:
\* ?
\* Matsuyama:
\- Matsuyama Castle
\- Taste mikan at 10 ten factory
\- Dogo Onsen Honkan
\- Starbucks Dogo Onsen
\- Dogo Park
\- 一六茶寮
Evening:
\- Dinner:
\* Botchan
\- Travel to Takamatsu
\##Day 19 (15 Jan, Mon):
\* Morning:
\- Traveling
\- Ochiai Village:
\* Nagoro Village
\* Oku-iya double vine bridge
\* Afternoon:
\- Lunch:
\* 霧の峰
\##Day 20 (16 Jan, Tue):
\* Morning:
\- Vine bridge
\- Statue of a Peeing Boy
\* Afternoon:
\- Lunch:
\* Tsuzuki Syoten restaurant
\##Day 21 (17 Jan, Wed):
\* Morning:
\- Traveling
\- Breakfast:
\* ?
\* Afternoon:
\- Naoshima:
\- Lunch:
\* Aisunao
Evening:
\- Himeji Castle
\- Dinner:
\* ?
\##Day 22 (18 Jan, Thu):
Morning:
\- Kurasu Kyoto Stand
\- Kosan-ji
\- Jingo-ji
Afternoon:
\- Lunch:
\* Shoemon
\- Ippodo Tea
\- Marukyu Koyamaen
\- Black Cat Lemonade
\- Kiyomizudera
Evening:
\- Yasaka-jinga shrine
\- Dinner:
\* Shigure
\##Day 23 (19 Jan, Fri):
Morning:
\- Ryoanji
\- Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
\- Tenryu-ji
\- Rilakkuma
Afternoon:
\- Lunch:
\* Shigetsu
\- Togetsu-kyo bridge
\- % ARABICA coffee
\- Monkey Park
Evening:
\- Tsuraya Yoshinobu
\- Sanjo Ohashi Bridge
\- Kamo River
\- Pontocho
\- Dinner:
\* しぐれ茶屋侘助
\##Day 24 (20 Jan, Sat):
Morning:
\- Breakfast:
\* Maruki Bakery
\- Uji:
\* Uji River
\* Byodo-in Temple
\* Tea ceremony at Taihoan
\* 通園 oldest tea shop in the world
\* Buy Hojicha at 宇治日の出園
Afternoon:
\- Lunch:
\* Itohkyuemon
\- Go back to Kyoto
\- Snoopy CHA-ya
\- Mandarake
\- Nishiki Market
\- House I want to buy
(Imakumano Minamihiyoshicho)
\- Sanjusangen-do
\- Kameya Kiyonaga
Evening:
\- Dinner:
\* Gojo Cafe
\- Fushimi Inari Shrine
\##Day 25 (21 Jan, Sun):
Morning:
\* Snoopy museum
\* Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum
Afternoon:
\* Flight back
by asimonv
2 comments
* Day 1: Impossible.
* Day 2: Impossible.
* Day 3: Feasible, but doesn’t look enjoyable.
* Day 4: Exhausting on a normal day; likely impossible on 31 December.
* Day 5: Possible.
* Day 6: Impossible.
* Day 8: Impossible.
I presume you just copied and pasted every possible thing you have seen on other itineraries, forgot to check whether places are open or not (or exist or not, for which the answer is ‘not’ for the Starbucks at the Shibuya crossing, which closed permanently this year), look at map, or consider travel times between or within the places you list. You also did not seem to consider that other people, sometimes literal tens of thousands of them, will be at the same places you list on the same days.
I’ve commented only on places I am familiar with and have visited (or been in the neighborhood of) within the last year, but I’m guessing the people who are familiar with the areas outside Tokyo you list are going to have the same comments.
My advice: scrap the entire itinerary and start again with *one* essential destination for each day, then add one other alternative/spare-time destination for each day. Scrap all of the restaurant/coffee shop destinations because, if you’ve heard of them from outside of Japan they’ll be both crowded and likely not any better than a uncrowded place 100 or fewer meters away.
Agree with @dougwray’s comment – the first couple of days are utterly insane and you simply don’t have enough time to travel around and fit things in.
Also, some of the Kamakura itinerary makes little sense. On one day, you plan to do the Daibutsu hiking trail, but on another day you’re planning to visit the Daibutsu – why not visit the Daibutsu on the same day you do the hiking trail that leads to the Daibutsu?
It seems crazy to spend all that time travelling from Tokyo to Aomori and back again, just to spend one day in Aomori. It will take more than 4 hours to get to Aomori and the same to get back again so spending a single day there seems to be a waste of time and money.
Your last day is also impossible. The Snoopy Museum is in Machida, in far south-west Tokyo, and it opens at 10am. It will then take you at least an hour to get from Machida to Yokohama to the Cup Noodle Museum. Of course, you then need to factor in time actually spent in both places, and walking time to and from train stations and venues.
As @dougwray said, you really need to scrap the itinerary, do more research on locations and how to get between things, and how long it will take to do so. You need to group things in similar locations together.