March 2025 itinerary for 12 day solo trip

Hi guys,

I'm planning to go to both Tokyo and Kyoto next year, and hope to spend five and two full days in those cities respectively. It will be my first trip to Japan, and my first solo trip abroad in general, and I'm really looking forward to see in Japan when the sakura trees bloom. I will be flying from the UK if that makes any difference. I aim to stay in Shibuya for the Tokyo leg of the trip, but I am still undecided on Kyoto.

This itinerary is a general plan – I can move some attractions to different days and I may end up not going to some. Any advice on where to go/not go in Tokyo and Kyoto, as well as places to stay in the latter would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!!

23 March

• Arrive at HND circa 6pm
• Travel to accomodation/get Suica card, drop off bags, etc
• Walk around Shibuya (depends if I'm not too tired)
• Eat a small meal from a restaurant/konbini and sleep

24 March

• Tokyo
  • Plan to spend time in Shibuya and Harajuku
    • Shibuya Crossing
    • Hachiko Statue
    • Nintendo store
    • Meiji Jinju Shrine
    • Myashita Park
    • Takeshita Street
    • Omotesando
    • Tokyo Tower at night

25 March

• Tokyo
  • Plan to spend time mainly in Shinjuku
    • Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
    • TeamLab Planets
    • Godzilla head
    • Meal at Omoide Yokocho/Piss Alley at night
    • Kabukicho at night? (big fan of the Yakuza game franchise)

26 March

• Tokyo
  • Plan to spend time in Asakusa
    • Imperial palace?
    • Yasukuni shrine?
    • Sesnoji Temple (early in morning)
    • Sumida River park walk
    • Ginza
    • Art aquarium

27 March

• Tokyo
  • Plan to spend time in
    • Disney sea or universal theme park?
    • Otherwise this day is free for rest/going somewhere inside or outside Tokyo

28 March

• Tokyo
  • Plan to spend time in Akihabara
    • Don Quijote
    • Akihabara Gachapon Kan
    • Mandarake Complex
    • Yodobashi-Akiba
    • Maid cafe lol

29 March

• Tokyo -> Kyoto
  • Shinkansen to Kyoto
  • Drop off bags

30 March

• Kyoto
  • Kinkaku-ji Temple
  • Ginkaku-ji Temple
  • Fushimi-Inari-Taisha Shrine
  • Otowa waterfall

31 March

• Kyoto
  • Tenryu-ji Temple
  • Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
  • Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka
  • Teramachi Shopping Arcade

1 April

• Kyoto -> Toyko
  • Shinkansen to Tokyo, and local trains to HND
  • Go home