Hello, Just a month out from our trip(father/son) and finally brave enough to ask for advice here. Any help or recommendations would be appreciated. First international trip for my son. We are both into video games, anime, Japanese culture, etc and want to see historical sites and shrines as well. My itinerary feels light, open to any suggestions. Would you bullet train back from Kyoto to Tokyo the day prior to departure flight?
DAY 1 6/6/24
Fly into Narita around 3pm.
Activate esim.
Get pasmo (if available)
Keisei Skyliner to hotel in Ueno
Day 2
Shinjuku and Shibuya – planning to do Shibuya Sky.
Nakano Broadway, tower records, Nintendo, Capcom, Shibuya scramble, Meiji jingu shrine.
Either do Shibuya sky this day 2 or Tokyo skytree on day 5 – opinions?
Day 3
Akihabara / Ikebukuro
Super Potato, Mandaraje, Animate. Is there any other non videogame/anime stuff worth doing in Akihabara?
Day 4
Asakusa, sensoji temple, Tokyo national museum
Day 5
Imperial Palace
Teamlab borderless
Tokyo skytree if not doing Shibuya sky..
Day 6
A.M bullet train to Kyoto
Arashiyama
Day 7
Fushimi inari
Nishiki market
Day 8
Bullet train back to Tokyo, free time for anywhere
Day 9
Head to Narita at 12pm
General questions: purposely leaving the itinerary each day lighter as I read most here are told they have too much planned.
*What’s the consensus on bullet train from Kyoto to Tokyo the day before departure flight? Is it safe to bullet train back the morning of and spend another night in Kyoto?
*We will probably just use tabelog when hungry and check the immediate areas we are in – is that wise?
*Thoughts on important shrines or historical sites I should be adding to the must dos?
by Key_Purpose8121