Hi!
I'm heading to Japan for two weeks at the end of November and I'd love any thoughts on the itinerary I've put together. And a bit of background on us as travelers if helpful context – my husband and I love exploring and wandering but don't need to spend too much time at any one place. Since it's our first time, we have to hit some of the major spots, but the priority is experiencing Japanese culture, exploring cool neighborhoods, doing off-the-beaten path things that are more immersive in everyday life!
Thank you in advance!
TOKYO – 7 NIGHTS
Day 1, Sunday
- Asakusa
- Senso-Ji
- Hoppy St
- Kappabashi tools street
- Nakamise-dori Street
- Asakusa Underground Street
- Kuramae
- mostly just wander the neighborhood and see the shops
- Eat dinner at Nezu Station eateries or somewhere near hotel (below Yanaka)
Day 2, Monday
- Start morning with sushi at Shou Toyosu market
- TeamLabs Planet
- Ginza
- spend the day exploring and shopping
- Dinner at an izakaya in Tatsumi-shindo alley
Day 3, Tuesday
- Nakameguro
- start the morning at the Starbucks Roastery (I'm not a Starbucks person, and certainly not when I'm outside the US but seems like it's actually pretty cool?)
- Daikan-yama
- Tsutaya Books
- Log Road
- wandering around the shops & streets
- Ebisu
- cocktail hopping
- dinner within Ebisu Yokocho
Day 4, Wednesday
- Start at Kayaba Coffee in Yanaka (walking from hotel)
- Walk to Yezu Shrine
- Shimokitazawa
- Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory
- Hakko Department
- neighborhood wandering
- Shibuya
- possible – sushi making class
- scramble crossing
- Mega don quijote
- Nintendo store
- Shibuya sky for sunset
- drinks at Grandfather's
- dinner at Shibuya Nonbei Yokocho or Sangenjaya Station (but seems out of the way)
Day 5, Thursday
- See Ōtori Shrine (walking distance and trying to avoid taking trains at rush hour)
- Nakano Broadway
- Koenji vintage shopping
- Asagayakita
- Asagaya Pearl Center Shopping Street
- omakase dinner
- jazz bar hopping
Day 6, Friday
- Bills Ginza
- Team Labs Borderless
- Okubo
- lunch in Shin-Ōkubo Kankoku Yokochō
- Korean beauty shopping
- Shinjuku
- Omoide Yokocho
- Shinjuku Golden-Gai
- bar hopping
Day 7, Saturday
- Yanaka & Ueno
- Ginza shopping street
- Ueno Park
- Ameyoko Shopping District
- Akihabara
- 2k540 Aki-Oka Artisan
- Yodobashi Akiba
- Super Potato
- Jinbocho
- briefly stop in neighborhood to see the bookstores and wander for a bit
- Kagurazaka
- Akagi Shrine
- Zenkoku-ji Temple
- art galleries & shopping
KYOTO
Day 8, Sunday
- Travel to Kyoto
- Lunch at Nishiki Market
- Gion District & Maruyama Park
- Higashiyama Ward
- Ichinen-Zaka St
- Ninenzaka
- Hōkan-ji Temple (Yasaka Pagoda)
- Kiyomizu
- Sannenzaka
- Kyoto Chano-yu Akebonotei
- Kiyomizu-dera
Day 9, Monday
- Arashiyama
- Tenryu-ji
- Bamboo Forest
- Okochi Sanso Garden
- Jōjakkōji Temple
- Giōji Temple
- Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple
- Kamigyo Ward
- Kitano-temmangū Shrine….flea market on the 25th
- Nijō Castle on the way home
- Dinner along Kiyamachi-dori
Day 10, Tuesday
- Fushimi Inari Taisha
- Komyo-in
- Uji
- tea shops & roasteries
- Byodo-in Temple
- Fushimi Sake Village
- Gion District at night
- Pontocho Alley for dinner
Day 11, Wednesday
- Day trip to Nara
- Continue on to Osaka, specifically Dotonbori
- (is this worth it or is there more we should be doing/seeing in Kyoto?!)
KANAZAWA
Day 12, Thursday
- Train to Kanazawa
- Omicho Market for lunch
- Castle Park
- Samurai District
- Katamachi District for dinner
Day 13, Friday
- Kazuemachi Chaya District
- Tea Ceremony
- Higashi Chaya District
- Katouri for dinner (fingers crossed)
TOKYO
Day 14, Saturday
- Travel back to Tokyo
- Shibuya
- Meiji Jingu
- Yoyogi Park
- Harajuku
- Shopping/wandering
- Leave time for anything we weren't able to get to or want to go back to
by Serious-Ordinary-972