Hi all!
Hoping you can help me with a draft itinerary. Me and my partner will be travelling to Japan first time in mid-October. We don't mind fast-paced some days, and are well used to it, but similarly don't want to be massively rushing around constantly. I'm aware however that we are limiting our time in some places like Hiroshima and Osaka.
I have detailed out a lot of places and transport times between them, including some time either side to be conservative and understanding that it's not as simple as straight to station, straight to train, etc. On the other hand, timings I've made for myself are not strict on most days and I am contented that we may not get to do everything, and that when we are actually there, we might not WANT to do everything! And that's ok. The times I've listed are just guided start times to help work out what's actually doable. If some are so out of whack please let me know.
I've tried leaving space for food also, but most early mornings etc. I assume that we will eat konbini breakfast if early start.
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated however; if we are going overboard in places, leaving gaps elsewhere, or if there are some really great opportunities that we may have missed out. We are going quite mid-range, and have skipped out on a ryokan because it's a bit late now and prices are very high for not quite perfection. Maybe something for next time! We want to soak up culture and nature most of all, of all kinds.
Sun 13th Oct – Overnight Asakusa Tokyo:
Arrive Narita @ 08:50
Arrive at hotel (Asakusa) and leave bags @ 11:45
Asakusa Tourist Center observation deck @ 12:10
Asakusa Underground street lunch @ 12:40
Nakamise Shopping Street and Senso-ji Temple @ 14:00
Check in hotel @ 16:15
Izakaya dinner @ 18:00
Skytree @ 20:00
Hotel and bed @ 21:30
Mon 14th Oct (Health & Sports public holiday) – Overnight Asakusa Tokyo:
Leave hotel @ 07:30
Breakfast at Tsukiji Outer Market @ 08:00
Teamlab Planets @ 10:00 – 10:30
Leave Teamlab Planets @ 12:00
Lunch
Tokyo National Museum @ 15:00
FREE TIME REST OF DAY
Tue 15th Oct – Overnight Hiroshima:
Send luggage ahead to Kyoto from Tokyo hotel bar day pack
Shinkansen Nozomi to Hiroshima @ 08:00 (want to specifically use Shinkansen over plane)
Arrive Hiroshima @ 11:57
JR Ferry to Miyajima @ 12:30
Miyajima Island
JR Ferry to Miyajimaguchi @ 18:40
San-yo Line to Okonomimura for dinner @ 19:00
Hotel (east side of river from peace park) @ 21:00
Wed 16th Oct – Overnight Kyoto:
Hiroshima Peace Park, Museum, & Atomic Dome @ 10:00
Lunch
Shinkansen Nozomi to Kyoto @ 13:43
Arrive Kyoto @ 15:19
Hotel (10min walk north of Gion district) @ 16:00
FREE TIME REST OF EVENING
Thu 17th Oct – Overnight Kyoto:
Keihan Main Line to Fushimi Inari @ 07:30
Fushimi Inari (to top) @ 08:30
Leave Fushimi Inari @ 10:30
Lunch
Kinkaku-ji & Ryoan-ji @ 14:00
Leave @ 17:00
Fri 18th Oct – Overnight Kyoto:
Sagano Romantic Train from Torokko Arashiyama @ 09:05
Hozugawa Boat Ride back @ 10:00
Arashiyama Monkey Park @ 13:00
Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street (taxi to from bottom of monkey park) @ 14:20
Otogi Nenbutsuji Temple @ 15:30
Unagi dinner around Pontocho @ 18:00
Sat 19th Oct – Overnight Kyoto:
Nanzen-ji Temple @ 10:00
Suirokaku & Nanzenin Garden @ 11:00
Okunoin Temple & Komaga Falls @ 12:00
FREE TIME REST OF DAY
Sun 20th Oct – Overnight Osaka:
Send luggage ahead to Tokyo from Kyoto hotel bar day pack
Kintetsu Kyoto Line to Nara @ 11:01
Arrive Nara @ 11:49
Coffee & Lunch
Nara Park & Kasuga Taisha @ 13:00
Kintetsu Namba-Nara to Osaka @ 18:34
Arrive Osaka @ 19:11
Dotonbori & Dinner @ 19:30
Check-in hotel (just off Dotonbori) @ 22:00
Mon 21st Oct – Overnight Osaka:
Midosuji/Tokaido-Sanyo to Kobe @ 09:01
Kitano-cho & coffee @ 10:30
Nunobiki Herb Gardens @ 11:30
Lunch
Maya Cable Station to Kikuseidai @ 16:20 (really want to do this view, miffed that last return is so early at this time!)
Arrive back Maya Cable Station @ 17:45
Dinner/Return to Osaka
Tue 22nd Oct – Overnight Shinjuku Tokyo:
Shinkansen Nozomi to Tokyo @ 10:06 (the rest of these days are far looser and open to what times and things we want to do)
Arrive Tokyo @ 12:33
Shibuya @ 13:00
Hotel Shinjuku @ 16:00
Shinjuku evening
Wed 23rd Oct – Overnight Shinjuku Tokyo:
Imperial Palace @ 10:00
Akihabara maid cafe and shopping @ 13:00
Dinner
Rooftop bar (Andaz? Or other) @ 20:00
Thu 24th Oct – Overnight Shinjuku Tokyo:
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden @ 09:00
FREE TIME REST OF DAY
Fri 25th Oct – BYE BYE:
Flight out of Haneda @ 09:55
Big thanks ahead of time!!!
by KirethidaeUK