Hello! Finally less than 20 days out from my trip and wanted to get an itinerary check from you all as well as ask some questions. My brother and I will be traveling to celebrate me finishing grad school and securing employment. Long post incoming!
**Kansai area leg:**
Day 0:
Fly into KIX, arrival around 1900
Planning to take the Haruka Express to Namba Station
Check-in to hotel (5 nights at Fairfields Namba), drop off luggage, and then walk/find food at Dotonbori
I know it will probably be late, but have found some late night options if things are closed.
Hozenji Yokocho for some drinks/late night unwind or just go to the convenience store to pick up a beer or two to enjoy in the hotel room.
Day 1:
Haven’t really figured this day out as I just secured the English tour at Yamazaki for noon.
Debating between spending the morning in Kyoto with Osaka in the evening or the other way around.
Kyoto – Wanting to do Nanzen, Philospher’s path, Higashiyama, Daitoku, maybe Fushimi here instead of D5
Osaka – Shitennoji
Day 2:
Himeji Castle
Kobe (Ikuta Jinja, Kitanocho, Herb Gardens, Robeway)
Osaka Castle (gardens)
Kani Doraku reservation at 1930
Day 3:
USJ
Yakiniku M reservation at 1900
Day 4:
Nara (Horyu-ji, Kofuku, Todaiji, Nara Park, Kasuga Taisha)
Food: fish bowls or kakinohazushi, or both; mochi
Osaka in the evening/once done in Nara
Umeda Sky, One Piece store, Nintendo
Day 5:
Check out in Namba/Check in in Kyoto (Park Hyatt Kyoto)
Sending big bags to next hotel in Tokyo
Hoping to leave Osaka early get the password for Kichi Kichi.
Do the sights in Kyoto (Fushimi, Kiyomizu, Sannenzaka, Ninenzaka, Maruyama, Chion-in, Shoren-in, Nishiki, Daimaru, Higashiyama, Gion)
Day 6:
Check out of hotel/drop duffel at Kyoto Station
Rest of Kyoto stuff (Nijo, Arashiyama, Tenryu, Okochi Garden, Kinkaku)
JR station for train to Yokohama (hopefully by 1500)
Arrive in Yokohama, check in to hotel (Westin Yokohama)
Check out Chinatown, Minatomirai, Cosmo world (Ferris wheel), Unga Park -> Sakuragicho air cabin, end night with dinner at Gyukatsu Motomura
**Kanto Leg**
Day 7:
Check out/leave luggage at station vs hotel
Early AM train to Kanagawa for Kotoku
Make it back for opening at Cup Noodle Museum (have reservations for ramen making, hoping for early ticket for BYO cup noodle)
Do remainder of Yokohama stuff that we didn’t get a chance to do.
Train to Tokyo/Drop bags off at hotel (Shinjuku)
Shopping (wanting to get glasses, custom stuff at Uniqlo)
Reservation at Matten Sushi at 1900
Day 8:
Tsukiji Outer market
Odaiba (Decks, Gundam base, Disney store)
Akihabara
Day 9:
Check out of hotel/Send bags to next Tokyo hotel
Shinjuku Station for Romance Car to Hakone (scored seats in the Observation deck – 3rd row)
Plan to use the luggage shipping services at Hakone-Yumoto station (arrival at 0930) to send duffel bag to ryokan while we explore.
Hakone Open-Air Museum, Old Tokaido Road, Onshi-Hakone Park, Hakone Checkpoint
Check in and spend rest of evening at Yoshimatsu
Day 10:
Breakfast at ryokan at 0800
Check out of ryokan, send duffel back to Hakone-Yumoto station
Do the rest of the Hakone loop (Ropeway, Walking tour at Owakudani (1130), pirate ship back to Moto-Hakone, lunch, Hakone shrine)
Debating on trying to do the “Cobbles on Old Tokaido Highway” until the teashop then take bus to station, but will depend on how much time we have.Hakone-Yumoto station for romance car (observation deck- 3rd row) at 1700.
Check in to hotel (Roppongi)/Dinner
Day 11:
Hanging out with brother – likely Shinjuku, Harijuku, Shibuya until rest of family gets here (1700)
Dinner in Nihonbashi, light shopping, do the Tokyo Skytree, walk around Tokyo Tower
Day 12:
Start day at Starbucks Roastery, shopping/eating in Shinjuku, Harijuku, Shibuya (Magnet).
Shabu reservation at 2000
Day 13:
Sensoji, Ueno Park
Day 14:
DisneySea
Toy Story Hotel
Day 15:
Check out/leave duffel at locker
Tokyo Disney
Check in at Asakusa
Day 16:
Ghibli Museum at 1400
Rest of the day is shopping around Asakusa/Ginza area
Day 17:
Flight out of Narita at 1700
Family leaves for home, I start the solo portion of my trip
Narita -> Seoul for me
**Solo leg**
Day 18-21:
Fly back from Busan
Check into hotel (Asakusa – Currently debating between Onyado vs Onyado Bettei)
Hang around and enjoy Tokyo leisurely (solo)
Day 22 (GW):
Shopping/eating around Kameido Tenjin Shrine
Day 23 (GW):
Nothing planned
Day 24/25 (GW):
Meiji Jingu vs Ome for Golden Week festivities (or both)
Day 26 (GW):
Nothing planned
Day 27 (GW):
Samurai festival at Kameido Station
Check out the decorations outside Tokyo Tower
Okunitama Jinja?
Day 28 (GW):
Nothing planned
Day 29:
Nothing planned
Day 30:
Fly back home (Haneda at 1700)
**Questions:**
1. Was really hoping I’d get the observation deck for the romance car, but I guess 3rd row isn’t too bad. Anyone have any experience in the observation car (front facing both ways).
2. I decided to extend my trip last minute (figured I spend some time solo in Korea/Japan) and know it will be during golden week. I really have nothing pressing to do besides shop for myself (wanting a new wallet, some Japanese raw denim, knife shopping in Kappabashi), maybe venture out to check out the Costco (huge fan). I know it’ll be busy but chilling around Tokyo should be OK?
3. Looking to purchase some Japanese whisky while I am out there. Any raffles/lotteries I can enter since I will be there for so long? I looked at airport duty free shops and it looks like they are discontinued.
​
by pickleless