Hey everyone!
After months of meticulous planning, I can finally say that my itinerary for our trip to Japan is finally complete. I have been planning this since last October, and I’ve poured over every detail to ensure we make the most of our time in each city.
I’ve meticulously researched every point of interest using Google and gathered as much insights as I could (for example, the amount of visit time we need for each point of interest)
I am fully aware, that our schedule is tightly packed, leaving no room for mistakes or tardiness. We’re fully prepared for potential lines at popular attractions and have factored them into our plans.
While our goal is to see everything on the itinerary, we understand the importance of flexibility. This trip isn’t just a vacation for us; it’s a chance to immerse ourselves in the beauty and culture of Japan. This trip will be the only time we’ll visit Japan in our lives, and we want to see and experience as much as we possibly can.
We all love food and taste new stuff, so expect plenty of visits to bakeries, candy stores, cafes, and restaurants along the way.
To stay on track, we’re considering renting e-Scooters if we’re running behind schedule. Plus, I’ll be double-checking our routes and train schedules daily to ensure smooth travels.
Flexibility is key, and I’ll be daily reevaluating our itinerary as needed. If we encounter any challenges with transportation or dining, we’ll adjust our plans accordingly.
PS: To protect our travel dates, locations, and other details, some train stations and times have been reduced or omitted.
|**Time**|**Point of Interest**|
|:-|:-|
|**Sapporo**||
|**Day 1 – Sunday:**||
|6:35 (AM)|Arrival at New Chitose Airport|
|-|Get Wifi|
|-|Get Pasmo|
|-|Get money from ATM cause it’s cheaper than converting to YEN|
|8:05 – XX:XX|Arrival at a specific train station|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Arrival at the next train station|
|9:00 – 9:30|Arrival at Hotel and leave suitcases at reception|
|10:05 – 11:00|Odori Park and casual walk to the fountain (西11丁目噴水)|
|11:30 – 12:30|Breakfast at Donguri Odori|
|12:35 – 13:35|Sapporo TV Tower|
|13:40 – 14:45|Nijo Market|
|??:?? – ??:??|Afterwards just walking around|
|??:?? – ??:??|Whenever we feel like, go to hotel to check in.|
|18:00 – 19:00|Sapporo Ramen Haruka|
|19:00 – 21:00|Susukino St|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Back to hotel|
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|**Day 2 – Monday:**||
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Walking around|
|10:00 – 12:00|Tanukikoji Shopping Street|
|12:05 – 13:30|Lunch at izakaya 北海道ろばた居心地|
|13:50 – 14:15|Odori Station -> Maruyama Koen Station|
|14:35 – 16:00|Hokkaido Jingu|
|16:10 – 16:30|Bus from 円山公園駅前（バス） -> Moiwa Sanroku Station (11 stops)|
|??:?? – ??:??|Mount Moiwa Observation Deck|
|20:35 – 20:50|Moiwasan Ropeway Bus Stop -> Odorinishi 25-chome Bus Stop (9 stops)|
|20:55 – XX:XX|Maruyama Koen Station -> specific train station|
|XX:XX|Back to hotel|
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|**Tokyo**||
|**Day 3 – Tuesday:**||
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Specific station -> Sapporo Station|
|8:05 – 8:50|Sapporo Stastion -> New Chitose Airport Station|
|8:50 – 10:15|Time to go to gate|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|New Chitose Airport -> Haneda Airport|
|12:35 – 13:00|Haneda Airport Terminal 2 Station -> Hamamatsucho Station|
|13:00 – 13:05|Hamamatsucho Station -> Shimbashi Station|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Shimbashi Station -> Specific train station|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Arrival at hotel|
|XX:XX – 14:50|Specific station to Yoyogi-koen Station|
|15:20 – 16:50|Meiji Jingu|
|17:15 – 18:00|Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden|
|18:20 – 18:40|TOURNAGE Jingumae|
|18:50 – 19:00|Anakuma Café|
|19:20 – 20:00|Shibuya Scramble Crossing and visit “Shibuya109” bar|
|20:00 – 20:05|Hachiko Memorial Statue|
|20:10 – 21:00|Hakushu Teppanyaki (if they server us, cause they close at 21:00)|
|||
|**Day 4 – Wednesday:**||
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Specific station -> Specific station|
|8:14 – 8:27|Shimbashi Station -> Ueno Station|
|8:30 – 9:15|Starbucks Coffee – atre Ueno (casual coffee)|
|9:30 – 10:45|Tokyo National Museum|
|11:15 – 11:30|Ueno Station|
|11:15 – 12:00|Brunch at “Pelican”|
|12:30 – 12:35|Asakusa-Kotobukicho -> Asakusa-Kaminarimon|
|12:45 – 13:45|Senso-ji|
|14:00 – 14:30|Snack at Mūya|
|18:00 – 19:30|Tokyo Skytree (on a specific hour between these hours, the sun will set)|
|19:35 – 19:37|Oshiage Sta. (SKYTREE) -> Hikifune Station|
|19:45 – 20:20|Hikifune Station -> Aoyama-itchome Station|
|20:23 – 20:25|Aoyama-Itchome Station -> Roppongi Sta.|
|20:35 – 22:00|GYOPAO Gyosa Roppongi|
|22:15 – XX:XX|NOBU Tokyo|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Back to hotel|
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|**Hakone**||
|**Day 7 – Saturday:**||
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Specific train station -> Akasaka-Mitsuke Station|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Akasaka-Mitsuke Station – Shinjuku Station|
|7:25 – 9:10|Shinjuku Station – Shimoyoshida Station|
|9:10 – XX:XX|Hotel in Shimoyoshida|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Shimoyoshida Honcho Street (for the iconic photo)|
|XX:XX – 13:00|Chureito Pagoda|
|13:25 – 13:45|Shimoyoshida Station -> Kawaguchiko Station|
|13:55 – 14:15|Ide Sake Brewery|
|14:25 – 14:45|Kawaguchiko Herb Hall|
|??:?? – ??:??|Kawaguchiko Bridge on our way to our next stops|
|??:?? – ??:??|Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum|
|17:45 – 18:10|Kawaguchiko-orugorunomori -> Kawaguchiko Station|
|18:15 – 18:30|Kawaguchiko Station -> Gekkouji Station|
|18:45 – 19:00|Shimoyoshida Honcho Street (photo during late afternoon)|
|19:15 – 21:15|Dinner at “Yamitsuki Shimoyoshida”|
|||
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|**Nagoya**||
|**Day 8 – Sunday:**||
|5:35 – 6:20|Shimoyoshida Station -> Ōtsuki Station|
|6:25 – 7:10|Ōtsuki Station -> Hachiōji Station|
|7:15 – 8:10|Hachiōji Station -> Shin-Yokohama Station|
|8:15 – 9:40|Shin-Yokohama Station -> Nagoya Station|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Nagoya Station -> Specific train station|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Hotel (leave suitcases at reception)|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Hotel -> specific train stations|
|11:40 – 13:40|Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry|
|13:55 – 15:25|Noritake Garden|
|15:35 – 15:45|Kamejima Station -> Fushimi Station|
|15:50 – 17:00|Nagoya City Science Museum|
|17:15 – 18:30|Lunch at “餃子のネオ大衆酒場 ニューカムラ栄プリンセス大通り店”|
|18:45 – 19:00|Osu Kannon (we don’t have to walk in)|
|19:05 – 20:30|Osu Shopping District|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Specific train station -> Specific train station|
|XX:XX|Back to hotel|
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|**Kanazawa**||
|**Day 9 – Monday:**||
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Specific train station -> Nagoya Station|
|9:15 – 9:50|Nagoya Station -> Maibara Station|
|9:55 – 11:50|Maibara Station -> Kanazawa Station|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Hotel to leave suitcases|
|13:00 – 14:00|Lunch at “Pan Brother’s”|
|14:20 – 15:20|Myouryuji|
|15:30 – 17:00|Ninjabuki Museum|
|17:15 – 18:15|Naga-machi District|
|18:30 – 19:30|Kourin Sushi 香りん寿司|
|19:30 – ??:??|Free time to chill and walk around|
|||
|**Day 10 – Tuesday:**||
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Specific train station -> Specific train station|
|XX:XX – 8:15|Specific train station -> Musashigatsuji･Ohmicho Market (Bus stop)|
|8:30 – 8:35|Musashigatsuji･Ohmicho Market -> Korinbo|
|8:40 – 9:00|Breakfast at “Pan Brother’s”|
|9:05 – 10:15|Nomura-ke Samurai Residence|
|10:30 – 10:35|Korinbo -> 広坂・２１世紀美術館（バス） (with bus)|
|10:40 – 12:15|Kenroku-en|
|12:25 – 12:30|兼六園下・金沢城 -> Hashibacho 1 2 5 Bus Stop|
|12:45 – 13:15|Kinpakuya Sakuda Head Shop & Workshop|
|13:15 – 15:15|Lunch at “Higashiyama Wakon”|
|15:20 – 16:30|Higashi Chaya District|
|16:30 – ??:??|Chill and walk around|
|??:?? – ??:??|Dinner at “Kyoumi Kai” (if we get hungry)|
|XX:XX|Back to hotel|
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|**Kyoto**||
|**Day 11 – Wednesday:**||
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Hotel to leave suitcases|
|11:00 – 12:00|Brunch at “Slō”|
|12:30 – 14:30|Kiyomizu-dera|
|15:00 – 16:00|Rengeōin (Sanjūsangendō) Temple|
|16:30 – 17:45|Lunch at “Saijiki Toshigami”|
|18:00 – 19:30|Higashiyama Ward|
|20:00 – 21:00|Gion|
|21:00 – 22:00|Dinner at “Yagenbori”|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Back to hotel|
|||
|**Day 12 – Thursday:**||
|6:45 – 8:45|Fushimi Inari Taisha|
|8:50 – 9:50|Breakfast at “Eight”|
|10:20 – 10:30|Inari Station -> Kyoto Station|
|10:31 – 10:50|Kyoto Station -> Uzumasa Station|
|10:50 – 10:53|Uzumasa Station -> Satsueisho-mae Station|
|10:53 – 11:05|Satsueisho-mae Station -> Ryōanji|
|11:15 – 12:15|Ryōanji|
|12:45 – 14:15|Kinkaku-ji|
|14:20 – 14:40|Wara Tenjin mae (bus) -> Saiin Station|
|14:50 – 15:00|Saiin Station -> Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station|
|15:10 – 15:45|Aritsugu Nishiki Market|
|16:00 – 16:10|Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae Station -> Nijojo-mae Sta. (Nijo-jo Castle)|
|16:15 – 17:00|Nijō Castle|
|17:00 – 18:15|Lunch at “enen”|
|18:25 – 19:25|SAMURAI NINJA MUSEUM|
|19:45 – 20:45|Dinner at “Premium Pound Gion”|
|XX:XX|Back to hotel|
|||
|**Day 13:**||
|XX:XX|Saga-Arashiyama Station|
|7:25 – 9:00|Arashiyama Bamboo Groove|
|9:15 – 10:00|Marche マルシェ|
|10:15 – 11:00|Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama|
|11:35 – 11:53|Saga-Arashiyama Station -> Kyoto Station|
|11:55 – 12:40|Kyoto Station -> Shiga Station|
|??:?? – ??:??|Biwako Valley Ropeway|
|13:30 – 15:00|Biwako Terrace The Main-Grand Terrace (including lunch)|
|??:?? – 16:45|Biwako Valley Ropeway|
|17:50 – 18:35|Shiga Station -> Kyoto Station|
|18:35 – 18:44|Kyoto Station -> Karasuma Oike Station|
|19:15 – 20:45|Dinner at “muni”|
|XX:XX|Back to hotel|
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|**Nara**||
|**Day 14 – Saturday:**||
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Specific train station -> Specific train station|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Specific train station -> Kyoto Station|
|7:16 – 8:35|Kyoto Station -> Nara Station|
|8:35 – XX:XX|Nara Station -> Nara Hotel|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Specific Station -> Specific station|
|9:30 – 10:30|Breakfast at “Rokumei Coffee”|
|10:45 – 12:45|Nara National Museum|
|13:00 – 14:00|Todai-ji|
|14:15 – 15:45|Nara Park|
|16:00 – 17:00|Kasuga Taisha Shrine|
|17:30 – 17:45|Snack at “Nakatanidou”|
|17:50 – 18:05|Snack at “Daibutsu Pudding Kintetsu Nara Shop”|
|18:30 – 19:30|Naramachi|
|19:45 – 21:00|Dinner at “Steak Ciel Bleu”|
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|**Day 15 – Sunday:**|(Ask hotel to forward suitcases to next hotel)|
|7:15 – 8:00|Breakfast at Starbucks Coffee – JR Nara Station Former Building|
|8:05 – 8:30|JR Naraeki Bus Stop -> Yakushiji Bus Stop|
|8:40 – 9:40|Yakushiji Temple|
|10:00 – 10:20|Nishinokyō Station -> Shin-Hōsono Station|
|10:30 – 11:05|Hōsono Station -> Hoshida Station|
|11:15 – 13:45|Hoshida Park|
|14:00 – 14:20|Hoshida Station -> Kyobashi Station|
|14:25 – 14:35|Osaka Station|
|14:40 – 15:40|Pokemon Center Osaka|
|15:45 – XX:XX|Specific train station -> Specific train station|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Hotel to (hopefully) get the suitcases and check in|
|16:55 – 18:20|Dinner at “Torico Meat Umeda”|
|18:20 – ??:??|Chill and walk around|
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|**Osaka**||
|**Day 16 – Monday:**||
|8:05 – 8:20|Osaka Station -> Ōsakajōkōen Station|
|8:50 – 10:50|Osaka Castle|
|11:20 – 11:35|Tanimachiyonchome Station -> Tenjimbashisuji 6-chome Station|
|11:35 – 13:45|The Osaka Museum of Housing and Living|
|13:50 – 14:00|Temma Station -> Osaka Station|
|14:05 – 14:30|Snack + gifts from “CHOCOLATIER PALET D’OR”|
|14:40 – 15:00|Snack at “Kohakudo Dojima”|
|15:05 – 15:10|Nishi-Umeda Station -> Hommachi Station|
|15:15 – 15:16|Hommachi Station -> Sakaisuji Hommachi Station|
|15:35 – 16:00|CheeseTart DesserShop Bombony Honmachi|
|16:20 – 17:15|Pokemon Café|
|17:20 – 17:45|Cheese Tart Pablo Shinsaibashi|
|17:50 – 19:00|OKO – Fun Okonomiyaki Bar|
|19:15 – 20:00|Rikuro’s Namba Main Branch|
|20:10 – 21:00|Dinner at “Takoyaki Wanaka Namba”|
|21:00 – 22:00|Kuromon Ichiba Market|
|22:15 – 23:45|Dotonbori|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Back to hotel|
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|**Day 17 – Tuesday:**||
|7:10 – 8:10|Breakfast at “レストラン CONA（ジョイテルホテル新世界堺筋通）”|
|8:30 – 10:00|Shitenno-ji|
|10:30 – 11:30|Snack at “SAKImoto bakery Montensakimoto”|
|11:45 – 12:15|Namba Yasaka Jinja|
|12:30 – 13:15|Snack at “Canelita Sweets”|
|13:25 – 13:35|Yotsubashi Station -> Nishi-Umeda Station|
|13:40 – 13:50|Osaka Station -> Nishikujō Station|
|13:45 – 13:55|Nishikujō Station -> Universal-City Station|
|14:05 – closure|Universal Studios Japan|
|21:50 – 22:05|Sakurajima Station -> Nishikujō Station|
|XX:XX|Back to hotel|
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|**Hiroshima**||
|**Day 18 – Wednesday:**||
|7:20 – 8:50|Shin-Osaka Station -> HIROSHIMA STATION|
|8:50 – 9:15|Breakfast/Snack at “Base Cheese Tart”|
|10:15 – 12:15|Hiroshima Castle|
|12:30 – 12:45|Snack at “PRESS BUTTER SAND そごう広島店”|
|12:50 – 13:15|Snack at “メランジュ・ドゥ・シュハリ 広島本通店”|
|13:25 – 13:45|Snack at “CUBE THE BAKERY”|
|13:55 – 15:30|Lunch at “Nagataya” (if we’re not full from the previous snacks…)|
|15:40 – 16:00|Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (Park \[no time to visit the museum\])|
|??:?? – ??:??|Chuden-Mae Station -> Ebisucho Station|
|17:15 – 18:15|Shukkeien Garden|
|??:?? – ??:??|Hiroshima Station Station -> Dobashi Station|
|19:30 – 20:45|Dinner at “Parco della Pace”|
|??:?? – ??:??|Walk around or go to hotel|
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|**Okinawa**||
|**Day 19 – Thursday:**||
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Specific train station -> HIROSHIMA STATION|
|8:10 – 9:00|HIROSHIMA STATION -> Shiraichi Station|
|9:20 – 9:40|Shiraichi Station -> Hiroshima Airport|
|11:20 – 13:20|Hiroshima Airport -> Naha Airport|
|14:15 – 14:30|Naha Airport Station -> Prefectural Office Station|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Specific train station -> Specific train station|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Hotel to leave suitcases|
|15:45 – 16:20|Kencho Kitaguchi \[Okinawa\]（via Kokusaidori/Kumoji） -> Convention Center mae（via Eigyosho/Chatan/Hutenma）|
|16:20 – 16:45|Convention Center mae（via Eigyosho/Chatan/Hutenma） -> Mihama American Village Iriguchi（via Kadeno）|
|16:45 – 19:45|American Village|
|20:20 – 20:55|Mihama American Village Iriguchi（via Kadeno） -> Uenoya（via Kokusaidori/Kumoji）|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Back to hotel|
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|**Day 20 – Friday:**||
|10:00 – 14:30|Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium|
|14:45 – 15:45|Kokuei Okinawakinenkoen Emerald Beach|
|15:50 – 17:00|Sea Side Café & Bar BuLL’s|
|17:20 – 19:30|Bus from “Hotel Orion Motobu Resort and Spa” -> Kencho Kitaguchi(Okinawa Prefectual Office)|
|19:35 – 21:00|Naha Kokusai Dori Shopping Street|
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|**Day 21 – Saturday:**||
|8:05 – 8:35|Kencho Minamiguchi \[Okinawa\]（via Yogi jujiro） -> Aichi \[Nanjoshi\]（via Hyakuna）|
|9:10 – 9:20|Aichi \[Nanjoshi\]（via Hyakuna） -> Gyokusendo Mae|
|9:39 – 11:00|Valley of Gangala|
|11:15 – 13:30|Okinawa World|
|13:55 – 14:25|Gyokusendo mae（via Naha/Hyakuna/Itoman） (Bus) -> Kohagura \[Nahashi\]（via Kainan/Naha Airport）|
|14:50 – 15:10|Ohashi（via Oroku） -> Oroku（via Toyosaki）|
|15:30 – 17:00|Japanese Naval Underground Headquarters|
|17:30 – 17:55|Onoyama Park Station -> Shuri Station|
|18:10 – 19:00|Shuri Castle|
|19:05 – 19:30|Shuri Station -> Prefectural Office Station|
|19:35 – 21:00|Dinner at “黒門徳乃介”|
|XX:XX – XX:XX|Back to hotel|
by Quantum-Moron