My partner and I are planning to visit Japan next year, in either May or November.
As huge fans of Japanese pop-culture, we are planning to stay in the main areas of Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka without venturing to many other areas.
Disclaimer: We are hoping this is just the first trip of many and would love to plan a much more slower paced trip throughout the countryside and northern parts of Japan in a few years time, but for now we’re going to indulge in all of our niche interests while we can lol
However this is just a simplified itinerary. I’m a repeat over-planner, so instead I have saved several places and restaurants that are off the beaten path and rated highly by locals that we can go to if we don’t stumble across something on our own. My partner and I can both read a tiny bit of Japanese and I know the some of the basics so getting around won’t be much of a problem.
We’re not necessarily looking for recommendations of things to do—but rather whether or not we have still managed to over plan!
It feels as if I am severely underestimating the time it takes to travel between areas/see certain things and any input on that would be much appreciated.
FIRST DAY IN JAPAN
[Staying in Shinjuku]
Day 1: HND→ Shinjuku, the goal is to stay awake, visit Kabukicho Tower + Ryu no Miyako
Day 2: Shopping in Harajuku/Shibuya. Takeshita/Cat street, Shibuya PARCO + Sky, etc.
Day 3: Lunch @ Pokemon Cafe/Pokemon Centre Tokyo DX → Retro game (window) shopping in Akihabara
Day 4: Day trip to Sunshine City + Nakano Broadway
Day 5: Day trip to Kichijoji. Touring Ghibli Museum → relaxing @ onsen Yumori no Sato
TOKYO → KYOTO
[Staying near Higashiyama]
Day 6: → Shinkansen to Kyoto, wander around Ninenzaka/Sannenzaka
Day 7: Nishiki Market + Shopping around the area/Pontocho alley, dinner @ Kichi Kichi
Day 8: Arashiyama—Bamboo forest, Hozugawa river ride, and Sagano railway
NARA → OSAKA
[Staying around Tennoji]
Day 9: → Rokuen park + explore → settle in @ stay in Tennoji, visit Shinsekai in the evening
Day 10: Universal Studios + Umeda Sky afterwards
Day 11: Kuromon Ichiba Market, Dotonbori + river tour, eat all of the street food, collapse, etc.
OSAKA → FUJI
[Staying @ ryokan on Lake Kawaguchi]
Day 12: → Shinkansen to Shin-Fuji station, visit Arakurayama Sengen park, relax in private onsen with Fuji View
FUJI → YOKOHAMA
[Staying near Yokohama station]
Day 13: → Yokohama, shopping/exploring + Ramen museum
YOKOHAMA → TOKYO (again)
[Staying around Asakusa]
Day 14: → Visit Roppongi, TeamLabs + Azabudai Hills, Tokyo Tower → Shop in Ginza
Day 15: Tokyo Skytree, lunch @ Kirby Cafe → explore Nakamise-Dori + Nishi-sandō shopping street
Day 16: Tokyo Disneysea → HND
Questions:
1. Is this all too much/too ambitious?
2. Should we extend our trip for better pacing?
3. Is there a way to book luggage shipments through Yamato in advance? We’re hoping to travel hands free and carry backpacks.
Thanks so much if you’ve made it this far! We may just be overthinking everything but so much of our research has ended up with such mixed reviews and polarising results. We appreciate anything you can tell us!
TLDR: is this itinerary unrealistic?
by aubrigato