So my girlfriend and I are visiting my family in Malaysia for 10 days. There’s always a layover in Japan anyway so we figure we could spend a week there. I have our trip planned out with times and specific reservations just so we don’t have to worry while we’re there. This plan, reservations aside, is open to explore more at certain areas and linger if we really like some place. 7 days in Japan, then to Malaysia for 10 days with the fam, and then back to the US. I don’t know if it matters but I’m also N3 level in Japanese. So not fluent, but I can manage
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Japan specific Pre trip checklist
\- Get E-sim ready
\- Book hotels (I have to book early so I can use points for freeee)
\- Book Team Labs reservation
\- Hakone Ginyu Ryokan Reservation (Already booked and so excited. Even though it was $600 for one night haha)
\- Load Suica digitally on phone
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Aug 8th
Arrive in Narita (3pm)
Ride train to hotel in Tokyo and decompress/explore local area (Eat 7-11 food like I’ve dreamed about)
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Aug 9th
Hato bus Tour (I wanted to do one day of a guided tour just for the kicks of being a tourist and getting to a bunch of different hot spots efficiently. Plus you get a bunch of free time at places to walk around and free meals)
The Hato bus tour is from like 8:30AM to 6pm and includes:
Imperial Palace
Asakusa
Matcha ceremony experience
Rainbow Bridge
Odaiba
Tokyo Bay Cruise
Tokyo Tower
After the tour, get dinner and walk around in the evening back to the hotel
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Aug 10th
Ride bus to Team labs
After Team Labs, head over to Shibuya area and get lunch/explore
Meji Shrine
Tokyo Plaza Omotesando (For the instagram clout of the mirrored ceiling)
Shop around
Dinner and back to hotel
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Aug 11th
Get breakfast
Head to Hakone for HAKONE GINYU RYOKAN (we splurged heavy on this and I’ve heard it’s 100% worth it.)
Basically enjoying the Ryokan AMAP and the beauty of Hakone (Ropeway?)
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Aug 12th
Head to hotel in Osaka
Check in at hotel
Ride train to Osaka Castle
Explore around Osaka
Fill our bellies senseless
Spend rest of the evening around Dontonbori for cool night life
Aug 13th
Breakfast
Take train to Imperial Palace in Kyoto
Live our Samurai life in the palace
Get lunch around Nishiki
Free explore for Gion/Sannenzaka/Maybe a day spa
Dinner and back to the hotel
Aug 14th
Breakfast, then back to Tokyo
Check in at hotel, then free time the rest of the day on what we enjoyed most/want to check out now that we have somewhat a lay of the land and ideas on what we like
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Aug 15th
Breakfast
Last bit of exploring before our flight at 5pm (Planning to get to Narita at 2pm.
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Aug 16th-25 Malaysia
Aug 26th Back in the US
by tyrellesound