Itinerary check 9-10 9-22

Hi all,

below is our tentative itinerary for a 2person trip to Japan. I tried to have an emphasis on not scheduling every minute and leaving lots of time to wonder and explore. suggestions and advice welcomed! This will be my 2nd trip to Japan and my wife's 1st trip.

Tokyo – Kyoto – Osaka – Hakone – Tokyo 

9/10 

-overnight flight land 9/11 14:30 HND

9/11 

-Commute to hotel in Ueno: drop bags ~16:00-17:00

-sightsee near hotel:

 Akihabara 

 Ueno park/ Ameyoko shopping street,  closes 20:00 

Nearby family mart / 7/11 for cash and snacks to keep at hotel 

-dinner before /after exploring at tbd restaurant in Ueno

-gacha, arcade?

-hotel and bed early

9/12

Early rise 

-7/11 / family mart onigiri/other for breakfast on the go 

Am activity 

-Sensoji temple before gloms of people 

Sightsee in sensoji temple area after looking at temple and street vendors ~0800

Asakusa,nakamise dori , kappabashi

Early pm ~1130-12ish 

find lunch place either in senso-ji area or 

(Can flex sky tree out if there’s something else we really want to due or inclement weather) 

-commute to sky tree eat or explore shops in sky tree (Pokémon center) 

-sky tree observation deck  for a few hours ~until about 16:00

Late pm 

Return to hotel for rest if needed 

Refuel with coffee / 7/11 snacks and 

• ~18:00 -19:00 25 min train to Shinjuku during /after a drink at hotel. Explore Shinjuku 

Mega Don Quixote, thrift shops 

• Dinner in Shinjuku (yakiniku, sushi?) ~ (Katsu puripo pork katsu) (supaishi kareroka curry) (menya shou hon ten ramen) 20:30ish – 22:00 
• last train at 00:00. Explore Shinjuku , golden gai , kabuki Cho , arcades , omoide yokocho 
• Last train to hotel , sleeeeeeep. 

9/13 

Am

• ~0800-0830 early rise for café breakfast and coffee in Ueno 
• 0930ish Sub to tlp ~30 mins 
• Teamlab planets (timed tickets enter at 10:00-10:30) wear shorts *** water feature. Takes ~2.5 hours 

Pm

~13:00ish 

-return to hotel for rest if needed 

-lunch conveyor belt sushi/ ramen? 

Free afternoon 14:00-18:30

Options:

Ueno park / ameyoko shopping district 

Imperial palace / east gardens 

Yoyogi park / Meiji Jingu shrine 

Go to Shibuya early

Ginza 

(Can do at least one of these when we return to Tokyo) 

Evening 

-Shibuya sky  tickets for 18:30 

-Explore Shibuya (scramble )  

-Dinner in Shibuya, yakiniku? 

-izakaya. Maybe head to a different part of town? ( Chou gaiei) 

-Hotel 

9/14

Am 

• check out of hotel by 10:00
• Head to Tokyo station 
• Grab 7/11/ bentos for Shinkansen 
• Shinkansen to Kyoto ~2hr 10 

Pm

-arrive Kyoto 

-make way to hotel. Check in at 3. Can drop our bags before. Closest sta. Nijojo-mae Sta.

-lunch ____ street food ? 

• goin district sightseeing Hokan-ji temple , kiyomizu-dera (closed 6pm)  yasaka shrine Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka Slopes Start area for a few hours hanamikoji -dori 

free pm: potential places to check out

Rocking chair bar 

Bees knees bar

Rokkun plaza / teramachi street / shinkyogoku shopping street 

Kiyanmachi-dori for lots of izakaya 

Kawamachi-dori 

-dinner At menbaka fire ramen? near hotel or pop into a spot that looks nice

-wander nikishi market/ outdoor shopping area closes 6pm

-Kuoe watches ? 

9/15

Am 

-Breakfast 

-Bus to Arashiyama money park ~ 50 mins opens at 9am

-20-30 minute hike to top

Alt

bamboo forest and kinkaku-ji temple if we want 

-Sagano scenic railway

Early Pm

-return to Kyoto 

-lunch 2-5pm Kyoto cooking sun izakaya class

Late pm

• coffee, relax somewhere nice 
• back to Gion? 

-dinner ____ pontocho alley? Sanjo? In hanamikoji while there? 

-karaoke and drinks? Wondering streets from night 1. Sit by Kamo river banks and look at lights 

Sleep

9/16 

Am

-fushimi inari shrine

(Can climb as much or as little) 

-breakfast in Fushimi inari village 

Late am 

• Uji byodo-in lots o matcha 

Pm

National garden / Nijo castle 

Heian shrine? 

Free pm 

-dinner _____ 

-Nightlife 

9/17

Am 

-Check out of hotel by noon? 

• 1.5 hr train to Osaka 
• Green Osaka amazing pass at station? 
• Arrive in Osaka accommodation: near namba sta. 
• Drop bags
• Yasaka namba shrine 
• Explore namba station if it seems cool 
• Kuromon market (better early)

Pm

-Shinsekai ? 

-Tallest building in Japan for sunset? This night or next. Flexible 

-Dotonbori best at night. 

-Bible club for drinks

-Dinner 

-Street food 

-nightlife 

-Ride oval wheel in Dotonbori

Yokocho alley 

Hotel 

9/18 

Am 

-7/11 breakfast or fluffy pancakes 

-Nara deer park half day trip weather permitting 

Largest wooden structure in Japan / explore the park. feed deer

Pm

Kuromon Market ? If we missed anything

Den den town 

Open. Explore Osaka 

Sunset at tallest building 

Dotonbori 

Shinsekai 

9/19

Am

Check out of Osaka hotel, 11 am 

Breakfast 

Shinkansen to Hakone 2.5 hours 

Travel to Ryokan in Gora

Drop bags / check in if possible

Early pm 

explore Hakone

Lunch 

Pirate boat? 

Pm 

Check in 

Spend time in onsen 

Dinner at ryokan 

Relax  in ryokan

9/20

Am 

breakfast at ryokan 

open am.

Early Pm 

Lunch 

Explore Hakone

Pm 

Dinner at ryokan 

Onsen 

9/21

Am 

Breakfast at Ryokan 

Check out 

Shinkansen to Tokyo 

Early Pm 

Check into Tokyo hotel near Tokyo sta. 

no formal plans. possibilities to explore:

Ueno park / ameyoko shopping district 

Imperial palace / east gardens 

Yoyogi park / Meiji Jingu shrine 

Ginza

Pm 

Shinjuku ? 

Dinner 

Enjoy last night 

9/22

Am

Check out of hotel (leave bags if possible) 12pm

Breakfast 

Last second souvenirs 

Pm 

Head to airport 

Fly home