Hi Everyone,

Very overwhelmed with all the options – especially in Tokyo. My wife and I are huge Japanese food lovers, and want to immerse ourselves in all the colors and sounds while we're there. We love unique experiences.

I've put together the below itinerary from a number of different sources so far. I was wondering if I could get your feedback please!

See below:

Day 1-4: Tokyo 

See: https://trulytokyo.com/tokyo-4-day-itinerary  for basis of itinerary

Day 1: Modern Tokyo – West Side.

–          Morning in Harajuku
–          Meiji-jingu Shrine
–          Nezu Museum
–          Mid day in Shibuya
–          Evening in Roppongi
–          Roppongi Hills Compex (view)
–          Tokyo Midtown
–          Nogi-jinja Shrine
–          Roppongi For evening drinks

Day 2: Traditional Tokyo – East Side.

–          Toyosu Fish Market
–          Team Labs Planets
–          Tokyo Station
–          Asakusa-Jinja Shrine
–          Tokyo Sky Tree
–          See Senso-ji Temple
–          Explore Shinjuku
–          Shinjuku for evening drinks? Check out Omoide Yokocho (old school), and kabukicho (red light district)

Day 3: Open

 Suggestions?

Day 4: Imperial Palace Area and Shinuku

–          Imperial Palance
–          Visit Palace East Garden
–          Kitanomaru-koen Park
–          Yasukuni-jinja Shrine
–          Yushukan Museum
–          Eat lunch in Shinjuku after 1:00PM to avoid crowd
–          observation deck of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offices
–          Check out east side shopping areas around station
–          Go to Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza or Roppongi

Day 5-6: Kanazawa

See https://nerdnomads.com/kanazawa

Day 5

–          Start at the Nagamachi Samurai District, a preserved area with samurai houses and museums.
–          See the Ashigaru Museum and the remains of the Takada Family House.
–          Take a break at the Naga-machi Buke Yashiki Kyukeikan Rest House.
–          Visit Omicho Market for lunch and fresh seafood.

Day 6

–          Explore Kenrokuen Garden, one of the top three gardens in Japan.
–          Other options include Kanazawa Castle Park and Gokusen Inmaru Garden.
–          In the afternoon, visit the geisha districts of Kazuemachi and Higashi.

Day 7-11: Kyoto

See: https://nerdnomads.com/kyoto-itinerary

Day 7 – Southern Higashiyama Walking Tour

–          Start early morning at Shoren-in Temple
–          Walk to Chion-in Temple next
–          Maruyama Park is a great place to relax afterwards
–          Yasaka Shrine is nearby

Day 8 – Golden Pavilion & Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

–          Take a taxi to save time, as the Bamboo Forest closes around 5-7 pm
–          The Golden Pavilion can be crowded, so consider going early

Day 9 – Downtown Kyoto, Fushimi Inari Shrine & Gion Geisha District

–          Visit Nishiki Market before 5 pm
–          Fushimi Inari Shrine is open 24/7, but aim for earlier to see the surroundings
–          Gion district is beautiful at night, so plan dinner there

Day 10 & 11 – Open

Suggestions?

Day 12 – 14: Osaka

Day 11 – food food food

–          Kuromon Ichiba Market
–          Dotonbori
–          Shinsekai.
–          Explore the area in general

Day 12 – More culture

–          Osaka Castle
–          Osaka Museum of History
–          Umeda Skybuilding
–          Kitashinchi

Day 13

–          Tsutenkaku Tower
–          Kujo Shotengai
–          Amerikamura

Day 15 Onward: Back in Tokyo

Nothing planned. Wait and see.

 Questions:

1.       Day 3 and Day 10 I have nothing explicitly planned. Any ideas? We love exploring, are massive foodies, and like unique experiences.

2.       I would like to incorporate a nice scenic hike complete with an Onsen visit. I’ve heard Hakone is good for this – how can I incorporate it into this trip? Any other recommendations?

3.       Day 13 in Osaka I am not very keen about. My wife and I don't care that much for fashion or trends or anything like that. Any ideas?