Finally crossing Japan off my bucket list in mid-October so welcome your feedback on my plan. I've read feedback on other posts, trip reports, spoke to a friend who used to live in Japan and trying to ultraplan to make this the best possible trip. But I'm sure I'm missing things or overplanned it.
- Big transit nerd, traveling solo in my upper 30s.
- Purposely starting in Tokyo, then heading west in order to hit Kyoto during the week, hoping for lighter crowds, before circling back. Can get overwhelmed in massive crowds
- Other then one Shinkansen , plan to book others day of
- Love to take things in and just explore/walk around/feel like a local
- All my hotels are near the Shinkansen train station to avoid lugging a suitcase around
- Big believer of go big and sleep when you are back in your home country
- Don't eat seafood, so going to play meals by ear and just wing it
Sunday
- Arrive Haneda off a 15-hr flight at 3:30 p.m., so take it easy today
Monday – Tokyo
- Tokyo Metro (Subway) Museum
- Nissan Crossing
- Asakusa-Shrine and Senso-ji
- 6-9 p.m. Train to Himeji (will book in advance on SmartEx)
- Hotel in Himeji
Tuesday – Himeji/Osaka
- Morning at Himeji Castle
- Train to Osaka, store luggage at station
- Osaka: International Peace Center, Castle Park, Walk from Dotomobori to Tstenkaku
- Train to Kyoto
- Hotel in Kyoto
Wednesday-Kyoto (Arashiyama Walking)
- Tenryuji Temple
- Bamboo Forest
- Togetsukyo Bridge
- Monkey Bridge
- Toward sunset, Fushimi Inari Shrine
- Hotel Onsen
- Hotel in Kyoto
Thursday-Kyoto (North)
- Kinkakuji Temple
- Ryoanji Zen Temple
- Ninnaji Temple
- Kiyomizu-Dera
- Kyoto Railway Museum
- Hotel in Kyoto
Friday-Nara
- Train to Nara
- Arranged a walking guide so I don't have to plan this day
- Evening at local Onsen in Kyoto
- Hotel in Kyoto
Saturday-Nagoya
- Morning train to Nagoya, store luggage at hotel
- Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology
- Toyota Automobile Museum
- Hotel in Nagoya
Sunday-Nagoya
- SCMAGLEV and Railway Park
- Nittaiji Temple
- If time allows, Marine Museum
- Train to Tokyo
- Hotel in Ginza, Tokyo
Monday-Tokyo
- Hie Shrine
- 2pm-National Diet tour
- Harajuku: Backstreets, Meiji Shrine
- Around sunset, head to Shinjuku: Golden-Gai, Tokyo Metro Govt Building Overlook, Shopping Areas
- Evening: Walk Kabukicho
- Hotel in Ginza, Tokyo
Tuesday-Tokyo
- Ueno: National Museum, Nezu+Jinja Shrine, Market Street, Kiyomizu Kanon-do Temple
- Shibuya: Crossing, Hachiko, Don Quixote MEGA, Walk around
- Takeshita Street
- Sunset at Shibuya Sky (book far in advance)
- Hotel in Ginza, Tokyo
Wednesday-Tokyo/Leave
- Imperial Palace East Gardens
- Ni-ju-bashi Bridge
- Yasukuni Shrine
- Police Museum
- 3pm Train to Haneda and 14hr flight home!
by nsjc