Hello everyone! This is our first time traveling outside of our comfort zones (we're from the EU). I'm a bit nervous that my plan itinerary is too ambitious. I have the idea that I'd rather have more and delete from the list, but maybe that's stupid and I should remove stuff from the beginning, please let me know your thoughts. Is it absurdly packed with stuff to do? Did we miss some worth places? Just as a note, we're not so much into "private" places – aka Theme Parks, Lab Museums, Aquariums and such.
Thank you so much for your time.
28/10 – LANDING DAY
We land at Narita T2 around 11am. Our plan that day is to get everything ready – withraw money, get Pasmo card (as my SO doesn't have an iPhone, he'll need a physical one), get portable Wifi, actually get to Tokyo. Not much planned that day as I know we'll be wasted from the flight, so I've only scheduled to go see Tokyo Tower + Chill at Prince Chiba Park with some 7/11 drinks and snacks.
29/10 – TRAVEL TO KYOTO
We grab the 6:30-ish Shinkansen to Kyoto, get to the hotel around 9:30-ish, and then we have this tourism plan.
-Nijo Castle (not sure if worth it)
-Ginkakujicho
-Philosopher's Path (lunch around here)
-Eikandocho
-Nanzenji
-Heian Jingu
30/10 – WESTERN KYOTO
This day we're planning on being around 7am at Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, then visit the rest when we're done.
-Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
-Tenryu-Ji
-Kimono Forest (just pass by)
-Monkey Park
-Saga Toriimoto (lunch around here)
-Kinukake Path to see Ninnaji, Ryoanji and Golden Pavilion. We don't plan to visit the inside of the Golden Pavilion.
31/10 – HIMEJI + OSAKA
We're having a day trip to Himeji + Osaka, but our hotel will be in Kyoto.
-Grab the 6am-ish Shinkansen to Himeji
-Himeji Castle
-Koko-en and surrounding gardens
-Grab the 12:30pm-ish Shinkansen to Osaka (lunch on the train)
-Shitennoji Temple
-Osaka Castle (just otside)
-Night at Dotonbori – Dinner and drinks
-Grab the 9pm-ish train to Kyoto
1/11 – NARA
Day trip to Nara
-Grab the 7:30-ish train to Nara
-Nara Park
-Todaji Temple
-Kasuga Taisha
-Kofukuji Temple (just outside) (lunch around here)
-Naramachi
-Grab the 17-ish train either to Kyoto or Osaka again, depending on our energy levels.
2/11 – EASTERN KYOTO
-We plan to start our day early being at Fushimi Inari around 7am. I've allocated 3 hours in case we want to hike all the way up.
-Yasaka / Maruyama Park / Chionin Temple
-Kodai-Ji (lunch around here)
-Kiyomizu-dera
-Yasaka Kamimachi / Sannenzaka / Ninenzaka
-Night at Gion/Pontocho/Miyagawacho (dinner and drinks around here)
3/11 – FREE DAY @ KYOTO
This is a day without any prestablished plan, It's Culture Day se we'll probably will want to explores the festival or whatever is happening that day. Also a day allocated for shopping, resting and just chilling, we'll be tired for sure.
4/11 – TRAVEL TO KAWAGUCHIKO
-Grab the 8am-ish Shinkansen to Mishima and then a bus up to Kawaguchiko.
-Lunch around Kawaguchiko station and get to our hotel.
-Cablecar + chill with the views and the crowds
-Exterior Onsen @ Hotel + Dinner @ Hotel
5/11 – KAWAGUCHIKO LAKE TOUR
We're a bit restricted here because the first buses start at 9am.
-Asama Shrine
-Momiji Path
-Oishi Park (lunch around here)
-Travel all the way with bus+train to:
-Fuji Sengen Shrine + Chureito Pagoda (pre-sunset time is our goal)
-Travel back to our hotel, Onsen + Dinner.
6/11 – TRAVEL TO TOKIO
-Get to Tokyo, not sure how yet but I'd like to be on our hotel in Ginza around 10:30am-ish.
-Tokyo Station + Ramen Street (lunch here)
-Imperial Palace (not sure if it's worth it?)
-Tsujiki Market (just pass by if it's too crowded at that time)
-Hamarikyu Park
-Odaiba sunset view of Rainbow Bridge
-Dinner + Gundam + Just chilling around there without a destination
7/11 – WESTERN TOKYO
HARAJUKU:
-Meiji Jingu
-Yoyogi Park
-Takeshita Street
SHIBUYA:
-Hachicko Statue
-Shibuya iconic crossing (just cross it and that's it)
-Center Gai
-Shibuya Parco (lunch around here)
SHINJUKU:
-Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden (time permitting)
-Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
-Shin Okubo (time permitting)
-Omode Yokocho (dinner / drinks)
-Shinjuku Golden Gai (dinner / drinks)
-Kabukicho (drinks)
8/11 – EASTERN TOKYO
AMEYOKO – UENO – YANESEN
-Ueno Park
-Kiyomizu Kannondo Temple
-Ameyoko Shopping District
-Nikinokashi
-Yanesen (time permitting)
-Nezu Shrine (time permitting)
ASAKUSA (lunch around here)
-Asakusa Cultura Tourist Information Center
-Kaminamiron
-Nakamise-dori
-Kibidango Azuma
-Sensoji
-Asakusa Kagetsudo
-Asakusa Underground Street (time permitting)
-Tokyo Skytree (sunset is our goal here)
AKIHABARA
-Super Potato
-Radio Kaikan
-Animate Akihabara
-Hanabusa Inari Shrine
-Gigo Akihabara
9/11 – FREE DAY @ TOKYO
Same as Kyoto, we've allowed a free day to do shopping, resting, visit anything we've missed on the previous days, or repeat anything we loved, etc.
10/11 – FLIGHT OUT
Sad sad, bye bye Japan 🙁
by Chitansito