Please let me know any suggested changes for this itinerary, thank you! Any and all feedback welcome.
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Days 1-8: Kyoto
Booked stay at Tokyu Stay Kyoto Sakaiza from Wednesday 6/12 – Thursday 6/20 (8 nights)
Day 1: Wednesday, June 12th
Settle into hotel, explore neighborhood around hotel and central Kyoto
Sunset on the Kamo River (pick up some food from Nishiki Market – crab tempura, oysters, sweets – for a picnic)
Day 2: Thursday, June 13th
Morning: Fushimi Inari Shrine – get there early in the morning – higher you hike, fewer people there are
Lunch: Men-ya Inoichi Hanare (Ramen with side of special rice)
Afternoon: Gion Neighborhood – no photos allowed, Hanamikoji Street
Dinner: Yamafuku (Shabu Shabu Hot Pot)
Day 3: Friday, June 14th
Morning: Higashiyama Neighborhood (Ichinenzaka, Sannenzaka, Ninenzaka – go to historic Starbucks here and get osatsu butter frappe, also go to Apple Pie Lab (opens at 10:00) and get warm apple pastry filled with custard, also go to Hokan-Ji Temple
Lunch: Omen – Shijo Ponto-cho (Soba) + Maccha House (Tiramisu)
Tea ceremony booked at 2:00 at Tea Ceremony Camellia FLOWER,
Afternoon: Kiyomizu-dera Temple + Park
Day 4: Saturday, June 15th
Morning: Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama – big hike – arrive as early as possible
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Lunch: Arashiyama Rilakkuma Tea House
Afternoon: Explore Arashiyama Area (Katsura River), visit Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
Dinner: Tai Sushi (Omakase)
Day 5: Sunday, June 16th
Morning: Kyoto Imperial Palace/Gardens
Lunch: Shoraian (tofu)
Afternoon: Nijo Castle
Dinner booked at Gion Karyo (Kaiseki Cuisine) at 6:00
Day 6: Monday, June 17th
Day trip to Nara – go to Nakatanidou (mochi pounding and matcha mochi) and Todai-ji Temple
Day 7: Tuesday, June 18th
Day trip to Hiroshima/Hiroshima Peace Park/Dome/ floating shrine outside Hiroshima/Miyajima Island – eat Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki (Micchan Restaurant)
Day 8: Wednesday, June 19th
Day trip to hike Kuruma to Kibune, and also do Kibune Onsen
Dinner at Wajoryomen Sugari (ramen)
Days 9-11: Osaka
Hotels: consider Royal Park, Boly Osaka, or Hotel Vista Osaka-Namba
Stay from Thursday 6/20 – Sunday 6/23 (3 nights)
Day 9: Thursday, June 20th
Chill Day:
Morning: travel Kyoto -> Osaka
Brunch at Mon Cher for local favorite rolled cakes
Dinner at Shunsaiten Tsuchiya for tempura
Day 10: Friday, June 21st
Morning: Kuromon Ichiba Market, get breakfast from food vendors
Late Morning: Osaka Castle
Lunch: Sushitsune
Afternoon: Pokemon Cafe
Evening: Dotonbori area to try famous street foods like takoyaki and okonomiyaki (similar to Times Square)
Visit Izakaya Toyo for a blowtorch tuna experience
Day 11: Saturday, June 22nd
Morning: Breakfast at Kissa Sunshine for fluffy pancakes
Late Morning: Explore the various mochi stalls around the city
Lunch: Soba Takama for soba (open 11:00-2:30)
Afternoon: Explore Shinsaibashi and Namba shopping districts for shopping and local snacks
Evening: Dinner at Ayamuya for yakitori
Days 12-13: Hakone
Stay at Gora Hanaougi – onsen, dinner, breakfast included
Stay from Sunday 6/23 – Tuesday 6/25 (2 nights)
Day 12: Sunday, June 23rd
Morning: travel Osaka -> Hakone
Take the pirate ship sightseeing cruise across Lake Ashi (Ashinoko), chair lift up Mount Hakone and try eggs cooked in the sulfur pools
Enjoy the onsen
Day 13: Monday, June 24th
Hakone Komagatake Ropeway to the top to see Hakone Mototsumiya Shrine
Hakone Open Air Museum
Eat lunch at Itoh
Hakone Shrine on Lake Ashinoko
Days 14-19: Tokyo
Consider staying at hotel MONday Premium Ueno Okachimachi or The Gate Hotel Ryogoku by HULIC
Stay from Tuesday 6/25 – Sunday 6/30 (5 nights)
Day 14: Tuesday, June 25th
Morning: travel Hakone -> Tokyo
Hike Mount Takao in afternoon – take Trail 1
Wander around, explore, and rest for the remainder of the day
Day 15: Wednesday, June 26th
Morning: Asakusa district with Senso-ji Temple – very touristy, try to go early
Late Morning: Visit Asakusa Sakura (get melon bread with ice cream)
Lunch: Eat at a restaurant in Asakusa (recs?)
Afternoon: Ueno Park and Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park
Dinner in Ueno
Day 16: Thursday, June 27th
Morning:
Meiji Jingu Shrine
Breakfast at Micasadeco Cafe in Harajuku for fluffy pancakes
Lunch: Restaurant in Harajuku (recs?)
Afternoon: Harajuku shopping district, including Takeshita Street
Harajuku Kawaii Zoo Land
Evening: Shibuya district – make sure to see Shibuya Center-gai including Shibuya Crossing and the Hachiko dog statue
Shibuya Sky observation tower sunset tickets
Dinner: Sushi Mizukami
Day 17: Friday, June 28th
Morning: Shinjuku Gyoen
Visit the Mori Art Museum and Mori Tower/observation deck in Roppongi
Lunch: Eat in Shinjuku neighborhood (recs?)
Afternoon: Yanaka Ginza
Evening: Golden Gai district at night for a drink/tavern – eat dinner at Ramen Nagi
Day 18: Saturday, June 29th
Morning: Explore Fish market at Tsukiji – start early, like 8 am – get one of everything and share – Matcha Stand Maruni
Tokyo Imperial Palace
Afternoon: Explore Ginza shopping district, eat at Ginza Kagari and get tori paitan
Dinner: Chuka-soba Fuji for soba, ramen, gyoza
Visit the Penguin Cafe
Day 19: Sunday, June 30th
Morning: Studio Ghibli Museum
Lunch: Get ramen at Mutekiya (best ramen – very crowded)
by Justcatsnplants