As a prologue, my partner and I are from the US and are well traveled through Europe. Typical itinerary is to land in a major city such as Oslo, get our bearings for a few days, grab a car hire, then tour for 10-14 days. Japan seems so different as it’s so train centric! JR pass is under consideration though with the price hike its usefulness is in doubt. Have international drivers permit so no worries driving in Japan either.
Below is not set in stone as far as daily things. The cities are hard targets though some days are flexible, such as extending Tokyo in the beginning or end, or adding to Kyoto. It’s a checklist of all things considered on the journey!
18 Days Leaving JFK nonstop HND 5/16/24.
– (2) Travel Days
– (4) Tokyo
– (1) Nikko- Tokyo Day Trip (2-3 hr train) Nikko Pass ($25) leave Tokyo by 7AM
– (2) Lake Kawaguchiko
– (2) Kyoto
– (2) Osaka
– (1) Nara – Day Trip from Osaka
– (2) Hiroshima
– (1) Travel Day back to Tokyo
– (1) Travel Day
prebook pocket WiFi & JR Pass???
**Tokyo
Day 1 (Central City)**
Shibuya Crossing – go at dusk, best view from above Shibuya Scramble Square tower (Hachikō) 1hr
– Takeshita Street (Anime Heaven) 2hr
– Meiji Shrine 2hr
– Metropolitan Government Building 45th floor (free) closed on weekends / Tokyo Skytree ($25 to observe deck) 1hr
– Golden Gai (omoide yokocho) back-street ally bars) – Piss Alley (at night) cash only places – seat charges
– Shibuya Center Gai – see at night
**Day 2 (Eastern Side)**
– TeamLab Borderless 4hr – TeamLab Planets 1hr (March – Tickets)
– Tokyo Tower (Japan’s Eiffel Tower) 2hrs
– Imperial Palace (need to register for tour inside (1.5hr tour 10-130 – gardens free) closed Mondays and Fridays 2hr
– Ramen street – Rokurinsha/Oreshiki Jun/Tonkotsu) 2hr
– Heiwa Doburoku Brewery Kabutocho
– Monzan-Nakacho (Mon-Naka) neighborhood – Tomioka Hachiman Shrine and the Fukagawa Fududo temple (shitamachi – downtown)
**Day 3 (Central Tokyo)**
– Senso-ji Temple Buddhist (Kaminari Gate/Kannon Statue) 2hr
– Ueno Park 4hr
– Kimono Shoes
– Sumo Wrestling – Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Stadium 830AM-6PM (book ahead 1 month)
**Day 4 (West Side) / (Shinjuku)**
– Ghibli Museum 2hr (buy tickets April 10)
– Cat Cafe – Kichijoji Petit Mura
– Yayoi Kusama Museum (90 min)
– Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden 1hr
**Day 5**
– Disney
– Akihabara District
Tokyo Additional Options
– Nonbei Yokocho (bar hopping tour)(closed Sunday/Days) 3hr
– Food/Bars: Uogashi Nihon-Ichi (Standing Sushi Bar), Nemuro Hanamaru KITTE Marunouchi, Motodane, Tokyo Whisky Library, Ichiran Shibuya, and Uohama
– Toyosu or Tsukiji (largest fish market)
– Owl Cafe
– Unko Museum (Poop museum)
– Ramen Tours
– Park Hyatt New York Bar Tokyo
**Nikko (Day Trip from Tokyo)**
– Shinkyo Bridge
– Hongu Cafe
– Toshogu Shrine (8-4 1hr) buy tickets at bus station tourist info centre
Kanmangafuchi Abyss (hike)
– Takino shrine – hike
– Futarasan-jinja – play games
– Oku-nikko High Moor (hike)
**Lake Kawaguchiko (Fuji Five Lakes)**
– JR-Otsuki then to Fujikyu line -Kawaguchiko
stay:Fujikawaguchiko Onsen Konanso
– Oishi Park
– Kawaguchiko Enkei Hall/Music Forest Museum
– Arakurayama Sengen Park & Chureito Pagoda – go another 5min higher past the view point for a better view
– Narusawa Ice Cave
– Ide Shuzo Sake Brewery)
– Momiji Tunnel
– Oshino Hakkai
– Eat: Hoto Noodles
– Fuji Shibazakura Festival – Mount Fuji Framed in Pink
– Shimoyoshida Honcho Street (SHIMOYOSHIDA STREET)
**Kyoto
Day 1 (Northern Kyoto)**
– Stay: Southern Higashiyama, including Gion / Miyagawacho geisha district
– Arashiyama (Bamboo forest/Tenryu-ji Temple) go early(bamboo at sunrise), Okochi-Sanso villa, cycling? – Gio-ji Temple / Moss Gardens 4hrs
– Kinkaku-ji Temple (Golden Pavilion) 1.5hr (opens 9am!)
– Ryoan-ji Temple – houses the 7 emperors 1hr
– Pontocho (alleyway)
– Tea Ceremony 2hr
– Motoshiro (washi shop)
**Day 2**
– Kiyomizu Dera Temple 1hr (b4 8am) Kiyomizu-Zaka St(souvenirs)
– Nishiki Food Market (Aritsugu knife shop)
– Fushimi Inari Taisha (2/3 hr hike) – Torii Gates (visit: 6am / 8pm) (Secret Fushimi Inari hike??)
– Kōdaiji Temple (less crowded bamboo grove) 1-2 hrs
– Gion (geisha district)
Suntory Yamazaki Distillery (btw Kyoto and Osaka)
**Osaka
Day 1**
– Osaka Castle
– Food Tour
– Dotonbori (Minami District)
– Hanamaruken Namba Houzenji (ramen
– TeamLab Botanic
– Harukas 300 (view of Osaka)
**Day 2**
– Shitennoji (Buddhist Temple)
– Shinsekai District (Tsutenkaku Tower modeled after the Eiffel Tower)
– Namba Yasaka Shrine (lion head)
– Osaka Aquarium
**Nara (day trip from Kyoto-leave befor 8am)**
– Yamato Kano Rental Cycle (book ahead
– Nara Deer Park
– Isuien Garden
– Todai-ji Temple (Giant Buddha)
– Kofuku-ji Temple
– Mochi – (fresh)
**Hiroshima/Miyajima**
– Hiroshima Peace Memorial
– Atomic Bomb Museum (Dome)
– Peace Arch
– Will need to take a ferry and train to island
– Torii Gate of Itsukushima-jinja Shrine
Places for next time::
Fuji Five Lakes
Lake Yamanaka (Yamanakako Hananomiyako Park/Lake Yamanakako Panoramic Deck/Oshino Hakkai/Paper moon(bakery) $20 2.5hr ride
Hakone (pirate ship cruise across Lake Ashi, ropeway (cable car) up a mountain to Owakudani, an active volcanic valley, and a train through the mountains)
Shikoku
Ritsurinko-en gardens
Sanuki udon (local specialty)
Spotted Pumpkin on Naoshima Island
One Bridge in Iya Valley
by shinseiromeo