My husband (40M), and my son (14 years old), and I (42F) will be going to Japan for 16 days at the end of May and beginning of June. This is my second trip, but my last trip was almost 10 years ago and I only went to Tokyo and Yamanouchi (for snow monkeys). This will be my husband’s first time ever to Japan and my son’s 3rd time (lucky kid went with his dad last year to Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka). We are very excited about the food most of all. My husband and son are anime and video game lovers as well and we all love nature and animals. We are happy to see some temples, but do not feel the need to see all the temples by a long shot. Please let me know if the below itinerary sounds feasible and if you have any recommendations. Thank you so much!
TOKYO
Day 1 – Saturday – May 25th
– arrive at 2:00 pm > check in to hotel in Shinjuku
– explore around hotel area and maybe check out Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden if not too exhausted/too late
Day 2 – Sunday – May 26th –
– Giant Ghibli Clock
– Tsukiji outer market
– teamLabs Planets (2pm)
– Akihabara
IF we are not up for Akihabara, we might check out one or more of the below near teamLabs:
Miraikan Science Museum
Tokyo Trick Art museum
Gundam base Tokyo
Day 3 – Monday – May 27th
– Mitaka no Mori Ghibli Museum day tour (this Klook tour was the only way we found that we were able to get Ghibli Museum tickets which was a big priority for my son) departs 10 am and includes:
– Pick up at Shinjuku West exit Mitsui Banking Corporation 10:00am
– Kichijoji (1 hour)
– Ghibli Museum (2 1/2 hrs)
– Inokashira Park (2 hrs)
– Kichijoji Petit Village (1 hour)
– Return to mtg pt 6:20pm
Day 4 – Tuesday – May 28th
– Explore Harajuku and Takeshita street
– Meiji Jingu shrine and Yoyogi Park
-Shopping and exploring in Shibuya including Nintendo, Jump Shop, and One Piece stores
– Ramen Tasting Tour with 6 Mini Bowls of Ramen – booked for 6:30pm (GetYourGuide)
Day 5 – Wednesday – May 29th
– Travel from Tokyo to Kyoto – bullet train to Kyoto > check in to ryokan
– Explore around hotel (Gion) area as time allows before tour
– Casual Ponchonto Evening Food Tour 4:30-7:30pm (GetYourGuide)
KYOTO
Day 6 – Thursday – May 30th
– Kameoka Hozugawa River Boat Ride 10 am reservations – 2 hr rafting on traditional boat to Arashiyama
– Explore Arashiyama – if too crowded, take taxi up to Otagi Nenbutsuji > walk down to Adashino Nenbutsuji temple and bamboo grove > walk or take bus back down through Saga Toriimoto preserved street past other temples back to Arashiyama area > maybe rent e-bike at Arashiyama station and explore around > cross the bridge to Monkey Park > if possible, take Sagano Romantic Train back > back to hotel
– After some rest at hotel, explore in Kyoto near hotel if time and not too exhausted – Kodaji temple, Yasaka shrine, Kiyomizu-dera
Day 7 – Friday – May 31st
– Fushimi Inari shrine (arrive as early as possible – well before 8am suggested) and the nearby shopping and sake district
anything we missed in Kyoto that we want to and have time to do afterwards
-Maybe go to Uji since we love tea, especially matcha
– arrange luggage transfer to Takayama to arrive by June 4th and keep a bag for a couple days for Nara and Osaka
NARA
Day 8 – Saturday – June 1st
– Kyoto > Nara in AM
– Spend day exploring Nara temples and deer park
– Check in to Nara Ryokan 4pm or later > sign up for and enjoy private onsen and dinner at ryokan or nearby
OSAKA
Day 9 – Sunday – June 2nd
Stay in Nara in AM to explore whatever we missed
Travel to Osaka
Osaka Castle and Castle Park
Donguri Kyowakoku (Ghibli) store in the Shinsaibashi PARCO mall
Check in to hotel in Namba area 3pm or later
Explore Namba and Dotonbori and hopefully the Tombori River Cruise
Day 10 – Monday – June 3
– Explore Kuromon Ichiba Market and Nippombashi Denden Town
– 5:30 pm – Shinsekai Food Tour with 13 Dishes at 5 Eateries (GetYourGuide)
TAKAYAMA
Day 11 – Tuesday – June 4th
– Travel from Osaka to Takayama and check in to hotel (check in starts at 3pm) – no other plans for the day
Day 12 – Wednesday – June 5th –
– Explore Takayama
– Hida-Takayama Miyagawa morning market
– Sanmachi Suji – breweries, food, shopping,
Day 13 – Thursday – June 6th –
-Higashiyama Walkway
-Hida Minzoka Mura Folk Village (Hida no Sato) OR Shirakawa-go mountain village
Dekonaru Yokocho – street food 5pm to midnight
TOKYO
Day 14 – Friday – June 7th
– Check out of hotel by 10 am – check times for transport back – anything we still want to do in Takayama that we have time for?
– check out Nagoya on the way back? Or go straight without stopping?
– Get back to Toyko and check in to hotel in Asakusa (check in time is 3pm or later)
– No set plan today in Tokyo – explore around Asakusa area depending on level of tiredness
Day 15 – Saturday – June 8
– Explore Asakusa area
– Kappabashi area
– Senso-ji, Asakusa Shrine and Nakamise-dori street
– Akihabara
June 9th (Sunday)- NRT Flight leaves 4:45pm
– pack and check out by 11:00 am
– anything we still want to do in Tokyo for an hour or two before going to the airport
by Momster582