Day 0 Tokyo
Arrival. Portable wifi rental. Check in Shinjuku.
Day 1
Meiji Shrine & Shibuya
Day 2
Studio Ghibili Museum [Tokyo National Museum if cannot get tickets]
Izakaya tour of Shinjuku
Day 3 Hakone
Shinkansen to Odawara. Hakone Tozan Railway to Ryokan at Miyanoshita Station.
Ryokan Onsen with Private Open Air Bath: https://www.hakoneginyu.co.jp/en/
Day 4 Kyoto
Tour Hakone?
Shinkansen to Kyoto.
Check in Gion district? Bed early.
Day 5
Fushimi Inari ~6:30am
Rent Kimonos 9am
Toduku ji Temple
Tea Ceremony in Gion (https://mai-ko.com/tour/kimono-tea-ceremony-gion-kiyomizu-at-the-registered-cultural-property/)
Wander Gion or Higashiyama District
Return Kimonos 5pm
Day 6
Nijo Castle
Honno-Ji Temple
Nishiki Market
Day 7
Himeji Castle
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest after Dark
Day 8
Nara Day Trip
Day 9
Free day in Kyoto
Day 10 Osaka
Shinkansen to Osaka.
Check in Dotonbori.
Visit Kuromon Market, bars & Dotonbori.
Day 11 Tokyo
Shinkansen to Tokyo.
Check in Shinjuku or Shibuya.
Day 12
Akihabara – Shopping, Shopping, Shopping, and Maid Cafe
Day 13
Tokyo Bay- Joypolis & Gundam Statue (a must for bf)
Day 14
Harajuku – Shopping, Sweets & Cafes
Day 15
Free Day in Tokyo I
Day 16
Free Day in Tokyo II
Day 17
Depart from Japan.
Notes: It doesn’t make financial or time saving sense to fly into/out of Kyoto or Osaka for me.
I am honestly more likely to remove Osaka than add more time there; I remain unconvinced in the necessity of going haha.
We could add more days to the trip if desired.
Questions:
How should we best get back to the shinkansen line (which station) while potentially touring Hakone on the day of our departure to Kyoto?
Are there any foods I should specifically try to eat in Kyoto or Osaka?
Would late october or early december be good times for this trip? I’m from a cold climate.
And any insight that strikes you of course! Thank you for reading <3
by VoluptuousValeera