Hi, I would love if you guys could check this itinerary I put together for a friend travelling to Japan in early september 2024.
I went to Japan myself a few times, and I am gladly helping my friend, but I might have been influenced by my own experiences and preferences in setting up this trip. So it would be a great help if somebody could point out any outdated stuff, new experiences I am missing, or anything you're thinking of that I overlooked. This trip takes place in early september, the plane tickets are already booked, but nothing else yet, such as the hotels, train tickets or passes, or any museums. My friend and his companions (4 in total) will be spending 17 days in Japan and arriving/leaving from Osaka Kansai International Airport.
I don't know the other guys' preferences, but my friend told me they want to visit the "animal islands" so I included Nara, Miyajima Island in Hiroshima, and the Monkey Park in Kyoto.
Day 1: OSAKA
- Arriving in Kansai Airport at 9:30.
- Find way to hotel, drop of luggage by lunch.
- Discover the area around the hotel and take in all the Japanese sights. Book train tickets if necessary.
- Before dinner, visit Shinsaibashi Shopping Street.
- Dinner around Dotonbori
- Relax around Dotonbori and early bed time.
Day 2: OSAKA
- Morning: Osaka Castle and gardens
- Around lunch: Namba area and Nipponbashi (Denden Town)
- Afternoon: Shinsekai and Tsutenkaku
- Tennoji Park and Harukas 300 observation deck
- Dinner around Tennoji
- Relax
Day 3: OSAKA
- Minno Waterfall Hike
- After lunch: Osaka Aquarium
- Umeda Sky Building (Umeda Pokemon Center)
- Dinner and after: Umeda Area/Tenjinbashi-Suji Shopping street
Day 4: NARA
- Nara daytrip from Osaka
- Dinner and relax in Osaka
Day 5: TOKYO
- Shinkansen train to Tokyo
- FInd hotel, drop off bags, discover area around hotel
- Afternoon: Ueno Park, Ueno Ameyoko Street
- Dinner around Ueno
- Relax around Ueno
Day 6: TOKYO (a Saturday)
- Senso-Ji Temple complex
- Area around Senjo)Ji (Lunch etc.)
- Tokyo Sky Tree
- Akihabara
- Dinner around Akihabara
- Relax around Akihabara
Day 7: TOKYO (a Sunday)
- Imperial Palace Gardens and Tokyo Station area
- Pokémon Café?
- Ginza street (Car free I believe on Sunday afternoon?)
- Teamlab Borderless
- Shinjuku (Metropolitan observation tower)
- Shinjuku entertainment district (Kabukicho) with dinner
- Shinjuku Golden Gai
Day 8: NIKKO
- Daytrip to Nikko
Day 9: TOKYO
- Meiji Shrine
- Harajuku and Takeshita street, Omotensando area
- Shibuya Crossing (Shibuya Park, Miyashita Park)
- Shibuya Shopping and dinner
- Shibuya area relax
Day 10: KAMAKURA or MT. FUJI
- Daytrip to either Kamakura (Tsurugaoka, Komachi-dori, Kotoku-In, and Enoshima) or Mt. Fuji (Either with a bus or train) depening on the weather. (or swapped around with another day in Tokyo for good weather)
Day 11: KYOTO
- Shinkansen to Kyoto
- Find hotel
- Ginkaku-Ji and Philosopher's Path from north to south
- Dinner and relax in Kyoto centre
Day 12: KYOTO
- Fushimi-Inari
- Geisha District
- Kennin-Ji
- Sannenzaka Street and Kiyomizu-Dera
- DInner around Pontocho Alley
- Relax
Day 13: KYOTO (a Saturday)
- Ginkaku-Ji
- Arashiyama (lunch, Bamboo Forest and Monkey Park)
- Dinner in Kyoto centre and relax
Day 14: HIMEJI (a Sunday)
- Shinkansen to Himeji
- Himeji Castle and Gardens
- Shinkansen to Hiroshima
- Find hotel in Hiroshima and dinner/relax in Hondori Area
Day 15: HIROSHIMA
- Miyajima Island (Floating Torii)
- Miyajima Island (Cable car to the top (Misen Observatory) and hike back down)
- Dinner in Hondori Area (Okonomiyaki tower)
Day 16: HIROSHIMA
- Hiroshima Peace Museum and Park (if up for it)
- Hiroshima relax and shopping
- Shinkansen to Osaka
- Osaka relax
Day 17: OSAKA
- Free day
Day 18: OSAKA
- 12:00 Departure from Kansai Airport
by Gyunyuken