Hello! Here is my itinerary for September 18-28. I know its a bit much so please help me adjust!

Itinerary by day

Day 1: TRAVEL

• Will attempt to adjust to time zone change the day before departure and on the plane

Day 2: TOKYO

• Land in HND around 130 pm
• *Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand in airport*
• Relax and unwind
• MAYBE make it out to a quiet part of town ()

Day 3: TOKYO > KYOTO

• Sumo match! @ Ryogoku Kokugikan (starts at 10am)
• 3 hr train ride to Kyoto – arrive around 3pm
• *Smile Hotel*

Day 4: KYOTO (full day)

• Nara in the morning for deer > back by 1pm
• Nishiki Market for food
• Bar tour
• *Smile Hotel*

Day 5: KYOTO (full day)

• Spa day! Hope to get a full body massage & maybe a scalp massage with a blowout
• Kichi Kichi Omurice
• Nintendo Store
• *Smile Hotel*

Day 6: KYOTO (full day)

• day trip to Osaka or Kobe
• Explore Kobe chinatown or Dontonburi Osaka
• *Smile Hotel*

Day 7: KYOTO > FUKUOKA

• 3hr train ride to Fukuoka – make it there by 12pm
• Canal City Mall
• "Blue bucket" for dinner
• Nakaga river cruise
• *Hotel in Tenjin or Nakasu neighborhoods*

Day 8: FUKUOKA (full day)

• Sakurai Shrine Futamigaura Torii or Nanzoin Temple
• *Hotel in Tenjin or Nakasu neighborhoods*

Day 9: FUKUOKA > TOKYO

• Flight from 10-12
• Land at NRT
• Akihabara Electric town
• Asakusa Mame Shiba Cafe
• * Hotel in Kichijoji neighborhood*

Day 10: TOKYO (full day)

• Shop in Shibuya
• Childs Perspective Cafe
• Evening car tour – Ichioku tours

Day 11: TOKYO > HOME

• Grab breakfast in neighborhood
• Last second stores (a pit autobacs in Koto city)
• Lunch
• Get to airport by 3pm

Notes

I would ideally like to go some where "off the beaten path" of the usual Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka trip, hence why I added in Fukuoka. That said, its a bit out of the way and definitely makes for a tighter schedule. I have heard Shibuya and parts of Tokyo are a bit overwhelming/busy which I think will drain me. Some changes Im considering:

• Should I make Day 3 a full Tokyo day and leave for Kyoto the next morning (Day 4)? This way I give breathing room for jetlag. Can focus on low key experiences like shiba cafes, light shopping, etc.
• Should I remove Fukuoka entirely or adjust something else to give more time? Should I spend that extra time in Tokyo and just rely on day trips to surrounding areas?

My main interests for traveling to Japan:

• Food!! I want to EAT. Which I have heard Tokyo is just O.K. for food but Fukuoka is supposed to be a hotspot.
• Cars! My partner is a car enthusiast and we plan to do some type of sports car tour – plus hope to find a meet up (Ive looked into Daikoku but seems tough/$$ to plan).
• Culture & sights! Would love to experience the culture outside of food – hoping to catch a sumo match or maybe a street festival.
• Shopping! Not my biggest concern but I definitely want to check out some thrift/vintage and grab a few gifts while Im there. Plus my partner wants to check out auto shops (momo wheel ftw)

Also has anyone done the flight from Fukuoka to Tokyo? Its a little less than 2 hours and $40-60 usd. Thought it was worth it over the 6hr train ride option.