Hi,
First, thank you for all the information on this sub-reddit. It is really helping me to plan everything!
So, I \[29M\] am travelling solo to Japan for the first time from May 10 to May 27. I’ve been reading a lot of the guides on Japan Travel, as well as blogs and would like some advice / tips on my itinerary.
I’m originally from Bangladesh but live in London, and have travelled solo all around Western Europe. This would be my first solo trip to Asia.
I’m super excited about this trip! I’ve always wanted to travel to Japan ever since I took a Japanese language class back in University. While my Japanese is not conversational, i’ve been learning Japanese using Duolingo for the last 3 months and can probably ask for directions / order things in restaurants, etc.
I love walking down alleys and sidestreets, exploring shops, etc., love the outdoors, nature walks and hiking, love Japanese food (everything really but especially, sushi, ramen, gyudon, and unagidon). I’ve seen a fair bit of Anime as well (Attack on Titan, FMA, Jujutsu Kaisen) etc, and would like to pick up a few souvenirs back home. I like going to bars (whiskey/cocktail bars) and meeting new people, but not interested in late night clubbing, etc. I’m not super into (indoor) museums, but love walking through historical sites
Here is my itinerary, I’ve put in a few specific questions in italics below as well as some general questions later. Would love to get your thoughts and recommendations!
**Tokyo – May 10:**
* Arriving at Haneda Airport at 5:20 PM. Given it’ll probably be late at night by the time I get to my hotel, I will probably just walk around the area, get some food locally and crash for the night
* Haven’t decided where to stay, but was thinking either Ueno/Asakuka/Shinjuku.
**Tokyo – May 11:**
* Meiji Shrine early morning
* Check out Takeshita Street and Omotesando Hills
* Shibuya, Center-Gai & Scramble Crossing
* Shibuya Sky
* Head to Shinjuku in evening
* Omoido Yokocho
* Golden Gai in evening
**Tokyo – May 12:**
* Kaminarimon Gate, Sensoji Temple & Asakusa Shrine
* Nakamise Market
* Ueno Park and some museum nearby
* Akihabara in the late afternoon/evening
**Nikko (Daytrip) – May 13:**
* Early morning train from Tokyo – Get Nikko Pass
* Shinkyo Bridge
* Rinno-ji Temple, Toshogu shrine, Futarasan Shrine
* Tamozawa Imperial Village
* Kamangafuchi Abyss
* Train back to Tokyo
**Tokyo – May 14:**
* Tsukiji Outer Market early morning *(is it worth it? Have heard food is overpriced)*
* Imperial Palace
* Hamarikyu Gardens
* Zojoji Temple & Tokyo Tower (only from outside)
* Roppongi (view from Mori Tower)
* Ginza in evening *(maybe a nice omakase for dinner – any recommendations)?*
**Hakone – May 15:**
* Leave Tokyo for Morning Train to Hakone
* Check in to Ryokan (Any recommendations for a Ryokan with Onsen which allows solo travellers? Saw Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu in another post)
* Ride Ropeway to Owakudani
* Visit Hakone Shrine
* Kaiseki Dinner at Ryokan
**Takayama – May 16:**
* Take morning train to Takayama (Hakone>>Odawara>> Nagoya via Shinkansen>>Hida Limited Service to Takayama), arrive in Takayama in afternoon
* Check into Takayama Machiya
* Explore Sanmachi Suji, maybe visit a sake brewery if still open
* Try Hida Beef Restaurant
**Kanazawa (via Shirakawago) – May 17:**
* Explore Sanmachi Suji & Takayama Showa-kan Museum
* Bus to Shirakawago
* Explore Shirakawago in early afternoon for 2-3 hours
* Bus to Kanazawa
* Check in to Kanazawa Machiya
**Kanazawa (Overnight in Kyoto) – May 18:**
* Explore Omicho Market
* Explore Higashi Chaya District
* Explore Naga-machi District and Oyama Shrine
* Kenroku-en
* Evening JR Thunderbird to Kyoto, check in to hotel late at night *(Is this possible/practical? should I leave for Kyoto next morning instead? I’ve read that Fushimi Inari Taisha gets crowded quickly so better to visit first thing in the morning)*
**Kyoto – May 19:**
* Fushimi Inari Taisha
* Nanzenji-Temple
* Philosopher’s Path
* Higashiyama Jisho-Ji
* Explore Gion
**Kyoto – May 20:**
* Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
* Tenryu-ji
* Monkey Park Iwatayama
* Kinkaku-ji
* Kiyomizu-dera for sunset
* Omi Beef Dinner in Gion
**Osaka – May 21:**
* \[Spend some time on Kyoto in morning on anything missed\]
* Arrive in Osaka around lunchtime/early afternoon
* Check into hotel near Dotonbori/Namba
* Shinsekai
* Hozenji Yokocho
* Dotonbori
**Nara (Half Daytrip) – May 22:**
* Coming from Osaka early in the morning
* Nakatanidou
* Nara Park, Todaiji Temple, Great Buddha Hall, Kasuga Taisha, Kofuku-ji
* Return to Osaka in late afternoon
* Evening in Dotonbori
**Hiroshima & Miyajima (Daytrip) – May 23:**
* Early morning train to Miyajimaguchi station
* Take Ferry to Miyajima
* Itsukushima Jinja
* Ropeway to Mount-Misen (if enough time)
* Late Afternoon Ferry to Hiroshima
* Explore Peace Park
* Train back to Osaka in evening
**\[Himeji\] Daytrip / Osaka – May 24:**
* Half Day Trip to Himeji *(Is Himeji Castle worth it? I don’t plan on going inside, just walking around the grounds. Or is it better to have an extra day somewhere else in the trip / spend more time in Osaka)*
* \[Explore Osaka in late afternoon / evening\]
* Either (1) Late night Shinkansen Train back to Tokyo and overnight in Tokyo or (2) Sunrise Express from Osaka to Tokyo *(I’ve read that you can buy tickets up to one month in advance online if you don’t get a JR pass. I can always book a cancellable hotel in Tokyo for the night)*
**Tokyo – May 25:**
* \[Arrive in Tokyo via Sunrise Express\]
* Teamlabs Planets – *worth visiting?*
* Explore Tokyo \[TBD, maybe Ikebukoro/Shimokitazawa/Odaiba\]
* Visit a Cocktail/Whiskey Bar in Tokyo – *Recommendations welcome!*
**Tokyo – May 26:**
* Tokyo Buffer Day \[buying souvenirs / exploring / revisit anything missed
**Tokyo – May 27:**
* Flight back to London at 9:45 AM from Haneda Airport
A few questions/thoughts would love your feedback on:
* Is this trip too crammed? I’ve tried to leave a bit more space in some areas like Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka in case i want to spend a bit more time here and there. Currently have 5 days in Tokyo, two full days and a morning in Kyoto, 2 afternoon and 2 evenings in Osaka (have heard Osaka is generally more alive in the evenings)
* I’m gravitating towards staying near Asakusa/Ueno given proximity to Tokyo Station (both Nikko day trip and trains to Hakone from Tokyo/Ueno/Shinagawa, plus easier access to/from Haneda).
* Would you recommend staying in Shinjuku instead? I get the feeling it’s equivalent to staying near Times Square in NYC/Piccadilly Circus in London (i.e. bright lights, super busy, etc.)
* I do want to stay in a Ryokan and also have an Onsen experience atleast once. I’ve heard Hakone has Onsen Ryokans, hence have tried to include an overnight in Hakone, but open to suggestions if there’s other, better alternatives
* I understand most Ryokan tend to be booking for 2 people so will have to see what options there are for solo travellers
* I looked into staying in Miyajima for a night, but it seems like all the Ryokans on booking/com are sold out / too expensive. hence the crammed Hiroshima/Miyajima daytrip.
* I’ve used [this](https://www.daisuki.com.br/jrpass_calculator.html#acalctop) calculator from Daisuki to calculate whether a JR Pass is worth it and from a pure monetary standpoint the 14 day one is if I add Himeji (it’s barely below if I exclude the Himeji daytrip)
* How early in advance do you need to buy/reserve tickets on the Shinkansen/limited express Lines (Hida Express from Nagoya, Thunderbird, etc.)? Can this all be done when I’ve landed in Japan
* Given its tight, is it still better to get the JR pass given the convenience of travel? I understand with the JR pass i can practically hop on any train that’s covered vs buying tickets normally for a specific train journey
* Anything on the trip that i might have to take a JR specific travel route on which makes it better to get individual tickets instead (thinking Nozomi vs Hikari Shinkansen from Osaka-Kyoto, but i’d only be saving 20 mins on the Nozomi)?
* Are Lockers generally available across all major stations? I think a few legs of the trip will involve me checking out and exploring town. I’m travelling with a carryon backpack only, so can definitely travel / walk with it if i need to, but would prefer to leave the backpack in a locker for a couple hours (e.g. in Shirakawago, etc.)
* Do I need a jacket for rain and/or insulation? I’ve heard June is the rainy season and late May tends to be relatively dry. That being said I could bring a light windbreaker/softshell in case it gets chilly in Takayama or there are drizzles
* How strict are dress codes at nicer dinner establishments (Omakase, etc.) – will a button down / chinos and and everyday sneakers suffice?
Thank you all!
by kalabandor_neat