Rate My 14-day Itinerary, by an overplanner

Hi everyone. This sub has helped me a lot with info and inspo for my upcoming February 2025 trip to Japan for 2 weeks with my SO.

I would love your insights, opinions and experiences. I understand its very early for me to be planning, but I love planning and visiting Japan has been a childhood dream.

Context:

Two 25 year olds that love food, arcades, anime, and drinking (not clubs, more like bars with food or with entertainment). I speak some basic Japanese and can read katakana and hiragana but not Kanji (I'm trying)

Day 1 – Shinjuku:

Haneda Airport (14:30) -> Tokyo Central Station (40 mins) -> Hamamatsucho Station -> Our nearby hotel at around 17:00, being very generous, but aware I need to get the following things together at the airport:

• Pre-do immigration QR
• Buy Suica card
• Withdraw Cash
• Buy Portable Wifi

We are staying in Shinjuku for this day. My plan for this day is:

• Go to Metropolitan Government Building (Open till 21:30) for views of the city.

• From there, enjoy some food and drink at nearby Torikizoku (I know this is a silly first meal but I will never turn down a cheap good food + cheap drinks combo)

• Then go to Tokyo Kabukicho Tower and explore it

-Finally and optionally walk around Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai until we're ready to go to sleep.

Day 2 – Asakusa/Akihabara:

Wake up around 7:00 for Shinjuku -> Asakusa (1H Subway).

Arrive around 9:00 to Asakusa, from station short 2-minutes to:

• Nakamise Dori Market towards Sensoji Temple, Kaminarimon, Asakusa Yokocho and Asakusa Underground (All 5 minutes from each other)

Around 15:00 Asakusa -> Akihabara (30 mins subway)

• Gigo Arcade, Animate, Super Potato, M's

Akihabara -> Shinjuku (30 mins subway, 2H walking)

Have food and a drink in Shinjuku

Day 3: Harajuku/Shibuya:

Wake up around 8:00 to Gyoen National Park. (Opens at 9:00, thinking of bringing breakfast here and chill)

Shinjuku Station -> Harajuku Station (20 mins subway)

OPTIONAL: Harajuku. I feel like all the negativity on this sub has strayed me away from Takeshita Dori and surrounding areas. Thinking of skipping this or move it to the end of the itinerary.

Visit Meiji Jingu Shrine.

Harajuku Station -> Shibuya (20 mins subway)

From Yoyogi Park to Nintendo Store, Pokemon Center, Tower Records, Taito Station Arcade and Love Hotel Hill. (Not sure yet how viable this is or if we'll be too exhausted)

Around 17:00 go to Shibuya Skytree (Been hearing its difficult to get tickets so I'm sadly preparing myself for disappointment)

Eat around Shibuya and take a train around 22:00 to Shinjuku.

Day 4:  Tokyo -> Hakone

Check-out around 10:00 A.M Breakfast / Lunch in Shinjuku.

Shinkansen Shinjuku Station -> Hakone Yumoto Station (2H) -> Check in at Ryokan

Hopefully around 13:00 be ready to go to the Hakone Open-Air Museum (Closes at 17:00, unsure how viable this is)

Chill in ryokan onsens and enjoy their food.

Day 5: February 21 (Friday): Hakone -> Osaka

Wake up around 9:00 for breakfast included at the Ryokan.

Take the train Hakone -> Osaka around 12:00 and arrive around 14:00 for check-in.

Explore the arcades of Osaka-Dotonbori, Dotonbori Night Market, Round 1, etc.

Day 6: February 22 (Saturday) : Osaka

Wake up when we want suspecting we would have had a long night in Dotonbori, about 12:00-13:00 Go to Namba:

Kuromon Market, Namba Shrine, Hozen-ji Temple.

TeamLabs Botanical around 17:00.

Subway to Amerikamura/Dotonbori.

Go out and have fun again.

Day 7: Osaka -> Nara or Kobe

• Visiting Nara or Kobe. Personally I would like to visit Nara, but I could do this from Kyoto too, so I'm still unsure if I want to visit more things in Osaka like the castle.

Explore Shinsekai in the evening.

Day 8:Osaka -> Kyoto

Check-out of hotel at 10:00 AM, unsure of where or what to do with luggage as Check-in in Osaka wouldn't be till 15:00. Thinking of having lunch in Osaka before heading to Kyoto around 14:00.

On this day, check out Pontocho Alley and Gion and temples/shrines during the dark/sunset hours.

Day 9: February 25 (Tuesday): Kyoto

Wake up around  6:00 AM to go to Fushini Inari and close-by attractions in hopes to avoid the crowd.

Currently investigating more Kyoto activities, or maybe a day trip to Nara in the afternoon.

Days 10: Kyoto -> Hiroshima

TBA

Day 11: Tokyo/Gift shopping and chilll

Either hang out in Tokyo for some final shopping or consider a daytrip to Kamakura

Day 12:  Tokyo/Free range

Whatever we didn't get to do in the first Tokyo stretch, will be done here.

Thank you !! 😀