Hello! I'll be doing a solo trip to Japan in October and wanted to get people's thoughts on my itinerary. It gets a bit funky near the end, because I'm going out of my way to hie the Nakasendo Trail. I love walking around neighborhoods, cafe hopping, food, and will bring my camera for photography.
Tokyo Home Base
Day 1: Tokyo – Arrive & Akasaka
- Arrive in afternoon, get everything together and check into hotel
- Walk around Akasaka a bit to find food and check out the local shrine
- Maybe go to LoFT or Tokyo Hands to get a Gochuincho if I still have energy
Day 2: Tokyo – Asakusa, Ueno, Akihabara
- Sumida Park early to see Tokyo Skytree from accross the river
- Senjo-Ji Temple around when Gochiun opens up
- Head south through Nakamise Street as places open up then hit other streets around
- Kappabashi Street, mainly to get custom chopsticks
- Depending on time, chill in Ueno before dinner
- Kirby Cafe or Pokemon, if I can get a reservation (deciding which one)
Day 3: Tokyo – Mount Takao + Shimokitazawa
- Mount Takao in the morning
- Head back to Tokyo to the Shimokitazawa to cafe and vintage store hop
- Gotokuji Temple
- I'd love to go the Shiro-hige Cafe, but it might be too late in the day for it
- Omoide Yokocho & GoldenGai for street photography
Day 4: Tokyo – Shibuya & Harujuku
- Meiji Jingu Temple
- Walk around the streets of Harujuku to various points of interest (Takeshita Street briefly)
- Shibuya: Nintendo Store/Pokemon Center in Shibuya Parco
- Shibuya Scramble Crossing & Shibuya Center Street
- Hachiko Memorial Statue
- Go up Shibuya Sky at night
Hakone Home Base
Day 5: Hakone – Ryokan
- Tokyo -> Hakone
- Stay in Ryokan and relax
Day 6: Hakone – The Loop
- Breakfast at Ryokan
- Do the typical Hakone loop
- Dinner at Ryokan
Kyoto Home Base
Day 7: Kyoto
- Hakone -> Kyoto
- Arrive and eat at Ramen Koji
- Cafe & check in
- Walk along River to Kamogawa Delta
Day 8: Kyoto – Gion
Start in Gion VERY early. Will try to walk through all of these areas, depending on time, but can go back other days.
- Yasaka Pagoda & Shrine
- Kodaji Temple
- Nishiki Market
- Kiyomizu-dera Temple & Higashiyama Ward, if have time
- Ninenzaka & Sannenzaka
- Kiyomizudera temple
- Higashiyama Ward
Day 9: Kyoto – Nara Day Trip
- Nakanidou Mochi Pounding, should pass by on the walk to the Park
- Kofuku Temple
- Isuien Garden & Tea House
- Nara Park & Deer (toto-ato-enchi and other places in park)
- Kasuga Taisha Shrine (if have time)
- Todaiji Temple
- Dinner/Brewery then head back
Day 10: Kyoto – Arashiyma
- Basically go from train station south to cross the river then head north again. Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple as the furthest
- Lots of points of interest pinned, but will decide what to based on how crazy. The bamboo forest is skip-able for me, but might decide just to arrive super early and go to it first
Day 11: Kyoto – Kurama to Kibune hike & Philosophers Path
- Kurama to Kibune hike. Honestly I'm not sure it's worth it with other walks/hikes I'll be doing. I'll miss out on the restaurants that are on the river in the summer.
- Walk Philosophers path later in the day/evening
Day 12: Kyoto – Fushimi Inari Shrine
- Arrive at the shrine early and walk up to the top and back
- Planning to hire a photographer in the afternoon
- Would love to see the Nintendo Museum in Uji, but there is no info right now other than it'll be open in Autumn
- Michelin star meal (still deciding which one)
Nagoya Home Base
Day 13: Nakasendo trail
- Forward bags to Tokyo
- Kyoto -> Magome-juku
- Nakasendo trail: Magome-juku to Tsumago-juku
- Tsumago-juku -> Nagoya
- Stay the night in Nagoya
Tokyo Home Base
Day 14: Tokyo – Rest-ish
- See Nagoya Castle in the morning
- Nagoya -> Tokyo
- Rest. hit some stuff I might have missed
- Michelin star meal for dinner
Day 15: Leave
- Leave Tokyo for Narita Airport
- I have time to go to Ototesando Street, so might do that before heading back
by Sonderence