Hello! I’m visiting Japan for the first time this May. I’m going with my gf, we are staying 13 days. Can you help me fix/optimise our itinerary?
Day 0 – departure
Day 1: Tokyo – arrival at Haneda Airport before noon. Train/subway to the Hanzomon Station. We have a hotel near it. Is it a good/strategic place? Chilling and walking around imperial palace and jimbocho during the afternoon, nothing stressuful or tiring.
Day 2: Tokyo – Asakusa (senso-ji, kaminarimon, temples), Akihabara and, if there’s still time left, Ueno Park
Day 3: Tokyo – Tokyo Sky Tree, Pokémon center, Shibuya (we’d like to book Shibuya sky at sunset). Is sky tree worth it?
Day 4: Kamakura and Enoshima day trip
During day 4 we are planning to ask the hotel to send our luggages to Kyoto. We still can use our backpacks. What do you think?
Day 5: Tokyo – Nakano broadway, Shinjuku and Kabukicho
Day 6: Hakone – before Kyoto, we plan to stay one night in some Ryokan in Hakone. We hope to see Mt. Fuji, chill around the Ashi lake and relax in the Ryokan onsen.
Day 7: Kyoto – don’t know how much time from Hakone to Kyoto. Hotel check-in and chilling around the city without anything planned ATM. Suggestions?
Day 8: Kyoto – kinkaku-ji, nishiki market, Kiyomizudera, gion
Day 9: Kyoto – fushimi inari and bamboo forest
Day 10: Nara day trip
Day 11: Osaka or Hiroshima/Miyajima?
Day 12: Osaka or Hiroshima/Miyajima?
Day 13: Return to Tokyo – what’s left? Odaiba and harajuku maybe or Ueno park. Some last-day shopping, souvenirs, friends and family gifts
Day 14: comeback ðŸ˜
As you can see, day 11 and 12 are still missing a plan. We’d like to see Hiroshima and Miyajima but a lot of guides tell that Osaka is worth a visit, especially the castle.
What about the rest of the itinerary? Is it doable or there’s something hard to do/wrong that you would fix or change? ATM we only have the first hotel in Tokyo booked, near the Hanzomon station. It has free cancellation though so if you suggest me something better, I can take it in consideration.
We’d love to try both wagyu and sushi experience.
Do you know any ryokan in Hakone with a private onsen worth to stay in?
I checked JR Pass costs and I don’t think it’s worth for us. What do you think?
Also, we can use suica card in Tokyo, right? What about Kyoto and Hiroshima? Is there any other pass we should consider?
Any other tip/suggestion? Thank you very much!
by lewisher