Going to Japan with three friends at the end of May to early June. Going the golden route with Tokyo for the first half of the trip and Kyoto for the second. It will be my third time going and my friends’ first time. Eating, sightseeing, coffee, and shopping are their main interests for the trip. I want to show them some of the iconic sights of Tokyo and Kyoto while adding things that are new for all of us. Looking for thoughts on the things I have planned and ideas of things to include or remove. Recs for breakfast and dinner restaurants would also be appreciated. Thanks!
Day 1: Land at Narita in the evening and check into hotel in Akasaka. Rest and try to recover from jet lag.
Day 2: Asakusa. Sensoji Temple and Kappabashi Street. Fuglen coffee and Unatoto Unagi. Other options: Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo National Museum, Ueno Park.
Day 3: Ginza. Tsukiji Outer Fish Market and shopping (Uniqlo, Loft, Muji, Itoya, Sanrio World, etc). Glitch Coffee. Dinner reservation at Manten Sushi Nihonbashi. Other options: Imperial Palace, Art Aquarium, Tsukiji-Honganji Temple.
Day 4: Odaiba. Teamlabs Planets, Gundam Statue/Gundam Base, Book-Off Super Bazaar Minami Fubashi. BunCoffee. Other options: Diver city mall, Odaiba seaside park, Small Worlds museum, Daiba Itchome Shotengai, Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai.
Day 5: Shimokitazawa. Post Coffee and Aoyama Flower Market. Dinner at Ohitsuzen Tanbo Omotesando.
Day 6: Day trip to Lake Kawaguchiko. Chureito Pagoda, Music Forest Museum, Oishi Park. Anyone have experience with renting bicycles to ride along the red line route?
Day 7: Kyle’s Good Finds and Edo Tokyo Open Air Architecture Museum. Other options: Shibuya and Akihabara?
Day 8: Check out of hotel, take shinkansen to Kyoto and check into new hotel. Activate JR Kansai Hiroshima Pass at Kyoto Station (is it worth getting this pass?). Gion and Yasaka Pagoda in the evening.
Day 9: Fushimi Inari Taisha, Takashi Murakami exhibit at Kyocera Museum. Tatami Starbucks. Other options: Kiyomizudera, Bunny Shrine, Omihachimaru, Hikone, Otsu.
Day 10: Day trip to Hiroshima to see Peace Memorial Museum. Davada Coffee and Records. Other options: Miyajima Island, Himeji Castle, Mitarai Preservation District, Onomichi.
Day 11: Free Day. Options: Choya Ume plum wine experience and Osaka, Nara, Arashiyama, or Kinosaki Onsen town.
Day 12: Fly home from Itami airport.
by notanotheralias1