Hello! I am visiting Japan with my boyfriend and another couple in late May 2024 (5/17-5/30). We are all in our late 20s/early 30s and will be visiting for the first time. We have varying interests, so this itinerary attempts to balance those (culture, sightseeing, entertainment, shopping, nature, etc.).
I am looking for feedback on our itinerary, as well as some advice regarding logistics. I promise to pay it forward by posting a trip report when we return!
* JR Pass (14 days). Will will be taking the Shinkansen 5 times. We could also use the JR lines in Tokyo, and potentially for the Nara day trip from Kyoto (haven’t looked into this yet). I have done copious amounts of research and transportation is the most intimidating/overwhelming aspect for me. Should we get the 14-day JR pass or forgo it?
* Mt. Fuji Rental Car. We are considering renting a car in the Mt. Fuji area. International driving permits are not an issue. Shin-Fuji station to our ryokan is 3 hours by public transportation v. 1 hour by car. Does anyone have any advice one way or another?
* Takuhaibin. I would like to use baggage delivery services throughout the trip to save time and avoid the hassle of carrying everything around, etc. Are these services generally reliable and widely available? I’m not particularly worried about the cost, as my research shows that it is about 1,000-5,000 yen per item.
* Hotels/Ryokan. Admittedly, we haven’t booked accommodations in Kyoto or Osaka yet. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. We would like to stay near the JR stations (just to make things easier on travel days) but are open to other options as well.
* Itinerary. See below. Most of our days are packed but probably feasible. I’m open to any and all suggestions, recommendations, tips, etc. 🙂
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Friday, May 17 | Seattle – Tokyo
14:55 Land in Tokyo (Narita Airport)
16:00 Shinkansen to Tokyo (1.5 hours)
18:00 Arrive at Hotel (Ginza area)
20:00 Omoide Yokocho (dinner) (alt. option, ?)
Saturday, May 18 | Tokyo
8:00 Tsukiji Outer Market (breakfast)
10:00 teamLab Planets (tickets available late-February)
12:00 Ginza (shopping/lunch)
15:30 Imperial Palace and Kokyo Gaien National Garden (briefly explore)
16:30 Akihabara and Kanda Myojin Shrine (explore)
20:00 Gyukatsu Ichi Ni San (dinner) (alt. option, ?)
Sunday, May 19 | Tokyo
8:00 Senso-ji Temple and Nakamise-Dori Street – Sanja Matsuri Festival
11:00 Tokyo Skytree (alt. option, Kameido Tenjin Shrine and Wisteria Frames)
13:00 Kirby Cafe (snack/lunch) (reservations available 4/10/24 at 10:00 Japan time)
14:00 Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arena – Sumo Tournament (tickets available 4/6/24) (alt. option, Tokyo National Museum)
18:30 Yūyake Dandan and Yanaka Ginza (alt. option, Ameyoko Shopping District)
Monday, May 20 | Tokyo
8:00 (breakfast)
10:00 Ghibli Museum (tickets available 4/10/24 at 10:00 Japan time)
13:00 Gotokuji Templej
15:00 Meiji Jingu Shrine and Yoyogi Park (explore/relax)
16:30 Harajuku, Takeshita Dori, and Cat Street (self-guided walking tour)
18:00 Shibuya (explore)
21:00 Sukiyaki Matsukiya (dinner) (alt. option, ?)
22:30 Golden Gai (bar-hopping)
Tuesday, May 21 | Tokyo
7:00-21:00 Disney Sea (tickets available on 3/21/24)
Wednesday, May 22 | Tokyo – Mt. Fuji
8:00 Shinkansen to Mt. Fuji Region (2.5 hours)
11:00 Pick up rental car
12:00 Obuchi Sasaba
14:30 Check-in Ryokan (Kawaguchiko area)
15:00-21:00 Ryokan/Onsen
Thursday, May 23 | Mt. Fuji
7:00 Ryokan (breakfast)
8:00 Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine and Arakurayama Sengen Park
10:00 Fuji Go Q Tours (Fujikawaguchikokanko Tourist Information Center)
13:30 ? (lunch)
15:00-21:00 Ryokan/Onsen
Friday, May 24 | Mt. Fuji – Kyoto
8:00 Drop off rental car
9:00 Shinkansen to Kyoto (2.5 hours) Shin-Fuji Station to Kyoto Station
12:30 Nishiki Market (lunch)
14:00 Hanamikoji Street & Tsujiri Tea House
14:30 Hōkanji Temple & Yasaka Pagoda
15:00 Ninenzaka/Sannenzaka
15:30 Kiyomizu-Dera
17:30 Fushimi Inari Taisha
20:00 Gion District and Pontocho Street
Saturday, May 25 | Kyoto
8:30 Kinkaku-ji Temple
11:00 Kitano Tenmangu Shrine and Tenjin-san Flea Market (lunch)
14:00 Monkey Park Iwatayama
16:00 Tenryu-ji Temple
17:00 Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
18:00 Kimono Forest
18:30 Kyoto Kitcho Arashiyama (dinner) (alt. option, Unagi Hirokawa)
Sunday, May 26 | Kyoto/Nara
8:00 Train to Nara (1 hour) (Shinkansen?)
9:00 Konbini (breakfast & pick-up lunch)
10:30 Kōfuku-ji
11:30 Tōdai-ji
13:00 Isuien Garden (picnic lunch)
14:00 Nara Park
15:00 Kasuga-Taisha
16:30 Higashimuki Shopping Street
17:30 Train to Kyoto (1 hour)
19:00 ? (dinner)
Monday, May 27 | Kyoto – Osaka
7:30 Shinkansen to Osaka (30 minutes) Kyoto Station to Osaka Station
9:00 Osaka Castle
11:30 Tenmangu Shrine
12:30 Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Street
14:30 Nakanoshima Museum of Art and Graf Store
16:30 Pokemon Center and Grand Front Osaka
19:30 Umeda Sky Observatory
Tuesday, May 28 | Osaka
10:00 Kaiyukan Aquarium
16:30 Dontobori Street
21:00 Bar Nayuta
Wednesday, May 29 | Osaka
7:00-18:00 Universal Studios Japan
Thursday, May 30 | Osaka – Tokyo – Seattle
? Shinkansen to Tokyo (3.5 hours)
16:55 Depart Tokyo to Vancouver
Thank you!
by noodle_oodle505