Going to Japan with my husband this May: 1-12 May. Couple of mentions before I go into the schedule:
* I have been to Japan multiple times, speak Japanese (that’s getting worse though!) but it’s the first time for my husband;
* I know it’s golden week, that’s the only time we can go because it matches with holidays in Paris and LDN, where we work.
* We will be in Tokyo for Golden week so hopefully that’ll be less busy as people leave the city (Japanese friends confirmed that, fingers crossed!)
* It’s wisteria season in Japan then so want to incorporate this throughout the visit
With that in mind, our itinerary is a very vanilla first time to Japan cross the main attractions one but i’d like to sense check it broadly makes sense, we won’t have some very packed days and others far too chill and to get any ideas and recommendations anyone will have. Haven’t booked much in terms of restaurants yet..that’s another ordeal in itself – any recos welcome.
**1 May:**
* 18.30 Arriving to Haneda – go to Shinjuku where we’re staying 1 night
* chill evening: Kabukicho, Memory Lane, Golden Gai, eat at an izakaya in the area
* Grab a drink at the American Bar, PH
**2 May:**
* AM: Move to Hoshinoya
* AM: teamlabs borderless Mori building in the AM: 2-3h
* Shibuya crossing ->Omotesando -> Harajuku: walk around and explore (Hachiko, check out omotesando hills, Monster Cafe)
* Meiji Jingu and Yoyogi
* Ce La Vi – rooftop overlooking shibuya crossing for some nibbles
* The Roof at Shibuya Sky for a drink that evening
* Dinner TBC
**3 May:**
* AM: asakusa, sensoji -> kameido shrine (wisteria viewing)
* Afternoon: ueno park (Tokyo National Museum – worth it?)
* Akihabara (go to a Maid Cafe :)), play some SEGA arcade games, DonQ – we love anime so this will be fooling around time)
* Dinner: TBC
**4 May:**
* AM: Nikko day trip (Edo Wonderland?)
* Afternoon: Ashikaga Flower park for the wisteria festival and night time illumination
* Dinner: TBC no idea where we’ll be
**5 May:**
* Unsure about this day – might not do all the rest so leaving this freer to adapt
* Tokyo tower – see the 333 colorful koinobori
* Maybe pop by Tsukiji?
* Odaiba -> Miniature Worlds Museum
* 18:00: potentially head out to: Okunitama-jinja – Kurayami Matsuri (Darkness Festival) in Fuchu
Any other things we could do in tokyo? cool museums, events, places?
Will send bags from Tokyo to Kyoto and pack a backpack for Fuji
**6 May:**
* Early morning head to Fuji – Fufu Kawaguchiko
* Fuji Shibazakura Festival (flower viewing over lake and fuji)
* Chureito pagoda
* Early dinner@ hotel and relax
**7 May:**
* leave early -> tokyo -> kyoto shinkansen – Four Seasons
* will get to Kyoto after 4pm, most shrines will be closed
* evening stroll towards Tofukuji (closed most likely and Fushimi Inari Jinja (24h)
**8 May:**
* Dress up in Kimonos and then visit:
* Kiyomizu dera ->Yasakasa Jinja ->Chion-in ->Gion
**9 May:**
* Nanzen-ji (murin-an villa +konchi-in temple +tenju-an temple->Heian Shrine (wander around any and all small temples in the area basically)
* Kamogawa Odori (at Pontochō Kaburenjō) (traditional dance performance by geiko and maiko)
* Nishiki market after
* higashiyama jisho ji (ginkakuji) ->tanukidani san fudoin ->enkoji
might be too much in a day?
**10 May:**
* Checkout FS, moving to Hoshinoya Arashiyama – need to see if we’ll be able to send our luggage so we don’t go with it
* Kinkakuji ->Ryoan-ji -> Ninnan-ji (order depends on whether we have to go by hoshinoya w luggage first)
* get to Hoshinoya earlier, enjoy
**11 May:**
* Leaving for osaka but before that, in the AM:
* Arashiyama – Monkey park ? worth it? – Tenryu-ji – okochi sansho garden
**11 May:**
* Osaka – Osaka castle then: Shinsaibashi suji, Namba, Dotonbori, Shinsekai Tsutenkaku (mega DonQ) – taking in all the fun parts of osaka – streets and signs, munching away at food stalls
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**Potential Restaurants – Tokyo:**
* **Kaiseki:** Ginza Yuina booked; alternative high end: Ryugin, Kanda (in case I can get them through one of the sites)
* **Tempura:** Motoyoshi, Kondo, Mikawa Zezankyo (booking not opened yet, let’s see what I can get..if any!)
* **Yakiniku:** yakiniku jumbo, yoroniku omotesando
* **Soba:** Towada Asakusa or Kanda Matsuya
* **Izakaya:** Ninja Akasaka (for a funky izakaya experience)
* Sushi…most sushi places are great in japan tbh – sushi suzuki? Idk i’ll look at anything over 3.5 on tablelog
* teppanyaki, wagyu, sukiyaki…
**Potential restaurants – Kyoto**
Haven’t even started. Staying at the FS so hoping to get some help from the concierge to book stuff
* (sukiyaki/shabu shabu by Kamo river I hear should be awesome)
* Endo tempura, Hassun, Kiyama
* Kobe Beef in Osaka? – feels like we should 🙂
Too many types of food, not enough evenings! No idea what to actually pick as a food style, before I even go into restaurants 😀
In conclusion, want to have a good combination of culture, funny and funky things, and simply wandering about and taking in the place. This is a rough idea to follow so we know what location we should be in each day but apart from booked or ticketed activities, the rest is up in the air! We’ll do what we’ll be able to 🙂
Any recommendations of stuff we shouldn’t miss? Museums, fun exhibition, activities, places etc?
Anything that seems weird, isn’t worth it, should be changed around?
by ioanajj