Rate my Itinerary Tokyo in July with 2 teens (12 and 14 yr olds)

Hi everyone, we will be in Japan early July for 2 weeks. Here is my rough itinerary. We love to eat, walk around and explore different neighborhoods and culture. Our kids love anime and video games. We typically are very flexible with our plans and just go with the flow when we travel. We just plan to eat wherever we are at the moment, no reservations. This will be our first time and are super excited. Below is a rough itinerary, what do you think? We know it’s going to be super hot and humid but it’s the only time we can travel with the kids. Our plan is to only bring backpacks (Osprey 40 L for the adults, kids black amazon 35 L travel backpack) and when flying back home will buy a suitcase in Japan for the souvenirs. Our accommodations have a washer/dryer.

**~Day 1  – Arrival from Narita Airport and  check-in Hotel UENO~**

* Settle in  Hotel (&Here Ueno Hotel)
* Eat in UENO Area (Ameyoko Market)

**~Day 2  – Akihabara & Asakusa~**

**Explore Asakusa (Morning-Afternoon)**

* Nakamise Dori Street.
* Senso-ji Temple
* Samurai Ninja Museum (Tokyo) – Experience
* Asuka Yokocho Food Court Market

**Explore Akihabara Electric Town (evening)**

* Play in retro arcades
* Gigo Akihabara Building 3 (Formely Sega building), Tokyo LeisureLand.
* Animate Akihabara

**~Day 3  – Shibuya & Harajuku~**

**Harajuku**

* Takeshitadori street.
* Crepes on Takeshitadori street.

**Shibuya**

* Shibuya Crossing
* Hachiko Memorial Statue (Dog)
* Shibuya Center Gai
* Shibuya Sky (book tickets in advance)

**~Day 4  – Shinjuku & Ikebukuro~**

**Shinjuku**

* See the CAT on Billboard screen
* Omoide Yokocho (Landmark alley featuring food stalls)
* Hotel Gracery Shinjuku (see the Godzilla head )

**Ikebukuro**

* Anime Tokyo Station (Exhibit)
* Pokemon Center Mega Tokyo
* Donguri (Ghibli Store)
* Sunshine City (mall)
* Kiddy Land
* Pikachu Sweets Café

**~Day 5  – Mt Fuji (Day Trip) if weather is nice or YOKOHAMA Chinatown~**

* Take Express bus from Tokyo station to Kawaguchiko ( book japanbusonline.com) for tickets.

**~Day 6 – Ginza and Team Lab~**

* Team Lab Borderless or Planets (Book tickets in advance)
* Azabudai Hills observation deck floor 33 of main skyscraper (need to be a paying customer at Skyroom Café to access it)
* Ginza (flag ship stores) : Ginza Loft, Itoya, Uniqlo, Muji, Sanrio World

**~Day 7 – Tokyo to Kyoto & Downtown~**

* Take train to Kyoto
* Arrive Kyoto Station (get Kansai Wide Area pass and book train tickets advance for Kinosaki Onsen)
* Check -in Airbnb (Machiya)
* Explore Downtown Kyoto ( Nishikiki Market, Nishikiki Tenman-Gu Shrine, Sanjo-Kai Shotengai (shopping arcade) 7 km worth of shops, Kyukyodo (Stationary Store) )

**~Day 8 – Kyoto (Central)~**

* Walk down and Explore Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka slopes start (narrow street slopes) area.
* Kiyomizudera Temple.
* Explore Gion Area (Gion Matsuri Festival, Yasaka Jinga Shrine)

**~Day 9 – Kyoto (South Kyoto)~**

* Fushimi Inari shrine (Early morning)
* Fushimi Otesuji Shopping District
* Fushimi Sake District
* Fushimi Sake Museum

Evening:

* Explore Downtown (Gion Matsumi Festival)
* Pontocho narrow alley (evening)

**Day 10 – Kyoto to Kinosaki Onsen (overnight stay)**

* Check out Airbnb
* Take train to Kinosaki Onsen
* Check in (Morizuya Inn) :
* Change into Yukata provided by the Inn
* Take pictures with our Yukata and  stroll around the area
* Take advantage of the onsens (7 choices) in the village  before supper
* Kaiseki dinner (provided by the Inn)

**~Day 11 –  Kinosaki Onsen back to Kyoto~**

* Early morning onsens
* Breakfast (provided by the Inn)
* Check-out
* Maybe stroll around area again.
* Take train back to Kyoto
* Check in  (Hotel Emion)
* Matsuri Festival (Kyoto downtown) evening – July 17th

**~Day 12 –  Kyoto (West) and Osaka (evening)~**

* Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
* Arashiyama Miffy Sakura Kitchen
* Explore streets around that Area
* Shinsaken to Osaka (evening for dinner?)

**~Day 13 – Day trip to Osaka~**

* Shinsaibaishi Shopping Street
* Kuromon Market
* Tsutenkaku Hondori Shopping Street
* Dotonbori (evening)
* Train back to Kyoto

**~Day 14 – Kyoto to Tokyo~**

* Check out Hotel
* Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) ???
* Train back to Tokyo

**~Day 15 – Tokyo (Last Day)~**

* Shopping Souvenirs (Tokyo Station, Don Quijote, Whiskey???)
* Maybe visit sites we missed or other neighbourhoods

**~Day 16 – Fly back home to Canada  ☹~**

* Take train to Narita Airport
* Souvenir shopping in Narita Airport

by Civil-Selection8218