Hey all! Had posted in the past and with the feedback and some iterations, I landed on an itinerary I’m proud of! We’re 4 x 25M friends, wanting to go out to Japan for the first time. In terms of priorities for what we’re looking for in Japan, it would go something like Food >> Sightseeing, Shrines & Culture > Shopping for clothes/etc. >> Anime stuff/Museums/etc.
Trip is during the middle of May, so a little check-up, wanting to get some feedback and recommendations from people who have experienced this route. whether it’s for resto recs or if something needs moving around to be more efficient. Thanks in advance! Have the itinerary as an image too if it makes it easier to read through.
The days sections aren’t strict hours, just a general idea of time.
*With that being said…*
[Japan Itinerary](https://imgur.com/a/oHgzSMw)
# TOKYO
**Day 0** – *AIR*
Fly out from home, in the air all day
—
**Day 1** – *Shinjuku*
*Afternoon:* Land in Narita @ 3PM, wait for friend to land around 4PM. Head to Hotel @ Tokyu Stay Shinjuku Eastside
*Evening:* Find Food (will probably end up in Ichiran to knock that out), maybe head out to Golden Gai/Kabuki-cho/Omoide Yokocho OR crash at the hotel to recover
—
**Day 2** – *Asakusa, Harajuku*
*Morning:* Tsukiji Market, Senso-ji (roam in Asakusa)
*Noon:* Sumida Park, Sky Tree
*Afternoon:* Harajuku, Omotesando (shopping)
*Evening:* Golden Gai/Kabuki-cho/Omoide Yokocho
—
**Day 3** – *Shinjuku, Shibuya*
*Morning:* Yoyogi Park, Meiji Shrine
*Noon:* Shinjuku Gyoen, Chuka Soba Ginza Hachigo (famous duck broth ramen)
*Afternoon:* Shibuya (personally want to see Nintendo Store + Pokemon Center at the least, will find other things to do here too), Shibuya Sky @ Sunset (6PM seems like sunset?)
*Evening:* Nightlife in Shibuya
—
**Day 4** – *(do the below? half-day trip somewhere and move these activities to the last day? Maybe Hakone or Kawaguchiko? Open to ideas here)**
*Morning:* Atago Jinja + Tokyo Tower OR Mori Observation Tower OR Tokyo Metropolitan Gov. Building
*Noon:* Yokohama Cup Noodle Museum (Do we need to reserve for the Chicken Noodle Making Workshop or can you walk in? Same for the Cup Noodle decorating + packing, need to res that too?)
*Afternoon:* Akihabara, Ginza
*Evening:* Sushi Umi reservation
—
# KYOTO
**Day 5** – *Higashiyama*
*Morning:* Transit to Kyoto
*Noon:* Check in hotel in @ Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Kawaramachi Jokyoji, Kiyomizu-dera, Sannenzaka + Ninennzaka, Kodai-Ji
*Afternoon*: Yasaka Shrine, Nijo Castle
*Evening:* Pontocho Alley / Gion walk-through
—
**Day 6** – *Fushimi, Sakyo*
*Morning:* Fushimi Inari, Tofuku-Ji
*Noon*: Nishiki Market
*Afternoon*: Philosopher’s Path, Ginkaku-Ji, Kichi Kichi Omurice (if we land a res)
*Evening*: Kiyamachi Dori / Pontocho Alley
—
**Day 7** – *Arashiyama*
*Morning*: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Tenryu-Ji, Iwatayama Monkey Park
*Noon:* Ninna-Ji, Ryoan-Ji, Kinkaku-Ji
*Afternoon:* Transit to Osaka, Check in @ Candeo Hotels Osaka Shinsaibashi
*Evening:* Dotonbori
—
# OSAKA
**Day 8** – *Umeda, Namba*
*Morning:* Namba Yasaka Jinja, Kuromon Market
*Noon:* Osaka Castle, and maybe Blue Birds Rooftop Terrace for *views*
*Afternoon:* Osaka Aquarium, Umeda Sky Building (for sunset around 7PM)
*Evening:* Dotonbori
—
**Day 9** – ***Himeji, Kobe***
*Morning:* Transit to Himeji
*Noon*: Himeji Castle, Koko-en Garden
*Afternoon:* Nunobiki Ropeway, Herb Gardens, Ikuta Jinja (maybe), Kobe Beef Dinner
*Evening*: Kobe Chinatown OR Mount Rokko Night View OR Back to Dotonbori right after dinner
—
**Day 10** – ***Nara, Uji***
*Morning:* Transit to Nara
*Noon:* Sanjo-dori (Nakatanidou), Kofuku-Ji, Isui-en Garden, Todai-Ji, Nara Park, Kasuga Taisha
Afternoon:* Byodoin-Ji, Fukujuen Ujicha Kobo (maybe), Kosho-Ji, Mampuku-Ji (maybe)
*Evening:* Team Labs Botanical Garden (maybe if we have energy?), Dotonbori
—
# TOKYO
**Day 11** – *????? (Move stuff from Day 4 here to do day trip at Day 4? Or just leave a rest day to recover?)*
*Morning:* Transit to Tokyo, Check-in to Hotel Groove Shinjuku
*Noon-Afternoon:* ?????
*Evening:* Probably chill and get food, or go out to Golden Gai one last time.
—
**Day 12**
*Morning:* Tsukiji Market maybe for one last time if we liked it a lot? Rest and recover/ last minute shopping? Or some site we missed? Free day essentially
*Noon:* ????
*Afternoon:* Head to Narita Airport @ 3PM latest and chill there, Fly out @ 6PM
**Thanks in advance for all the suggestions!**
by RoosterVking