My SO and I will be spending 12 days in Japan in 2 weeks. We are not crazy ambitious travelers (as in cram as much as possible) but do like seeing the weird/offbeat things. I feel this trip is a pretty standard first time trip to Japan.
Some questions:
Think our day in Shibuya/Shinjuku is attainable? It's our 1 really packed day. If there are other days that seem too packed or are inefficient or perhaps not packed enough, let us know.
Our day in Nara is relatively light; any chance it would be possible to stop by Uji for a tea festival without breaking our backs?
I wanted 1 or 2 "fine dining" experiences while in Japan. Probably 1 in Tokyo and the other in the Kansai region. It doesn't need to be super expensive, but something that is by reservation and has good ambiance and above average food. Any recommendations?
I only have like 5 or 6 specific food places planned; otherwise, the rest is just what we're around. I figure the "popular" name places probably won't be as good as just some mom and pop hole in the wall. Anyone feel differently?
IC card and Shinkansen are confusing the hell out of me for travel. Correct me if I'm wrong but I can use an IC card like Suica for basically all the train/bus travel on my itinerary EXCEPT my trips from Tokyo to Kyoto, Kyoto to Hakone, and Hakone to Haneda? I haven't bought an IC card yet because every time I look into it, it just confuses me further in terms of what it actually covers.
TOKYO Homebase Days 1-4
DAY 1 – Travel
Land in Haneda 3pm
Grab SIM cards from airports
Train into Shinjuku to hotel
Grab dinner in Shinjuku/walk around if not tired
DAY 2 – Asakusa/Ueno/Nishinippori
Train to Ueno Park – Grab breakfast and maybe look at smaller temples
Asakura Museum of Sculpture
Yanaka Ginza street for lunch
Yanaka Cemetery
Asakusa Kannonn Senso-ji temple
Sumida Park/River
Dinner (undetermined)
DAY 3 – Central/South central Tokyo
Tsukiji Outer Market at 8am
Head to multicourse breakfast place
TeamLABs 11-11:30
Lunch/shopping at Ginza
Akihabara
Dinner
DAY 4 – Shinjuku/Shibuya (busiest day on the list)
Koukokouji Buddhist Temple early morning
Kagurazaka – coffee/sweets at some French place
Train to Harajuka (brunch/shopping)
Harry Hedgehog cafe 1pm
Yoyogi Park + Menji Jingo Shrine
Train to Shibuya scramble cross
Shibuya Sky – view + light snack
Back to hotel to change
Kabukicho
KYOTO Homebase Days 5-9
DAY 5 – Travel and relax
Late start morning – Train to Kyoto
Leave luggage at hotel in Higashiyama; may walk around the area and explore if we aren't too tired
Check in at hotel at 3pm
Massage from 5-7pm
Dinner in Gion
DAY 6 – Fushima Inari and Northeast Kyoto
Early morning Fushima Inari
Go to bamboo forest behind shrine
Train back to Nishiki Market for lunch
Kodaiji Temple
Kameya Kiyunaga or some other sweet place
Head back to hotel
Walk around Ninenzaka/Sannenzaka
Dinner
DAY 7 – Arashiyama
Breakfast
Train to Arashiyama
Gioji Temple
Otaginenbutsuji Temple
Lunch
Okochi Sansa Garden
Monkey park
Dinner (either in Arashiyama or near hotel)
DAY 8 – Osaka
Train to Osaka
Osaka Castle from outside
Umeda Sky bridge
Dotonburi for food
Amerikamura
Silver ball planet
Speakeasy/dinner
Train to Kyoto
DAY 9 – Nara
Train to Nara
Pudding at station
Todaiji and Kasuga taishi temple
Park and feed some deer
Lunch
Check out if there is anything at the visitor center
Mochi hammering
Manyo Botanical Gardens
Dinner
Train to Kyoto
HAKONE Homebase Days 10-11
DAY 10 – Travel and Ryokan
Travel to Hakone
Ryokan
DAY 11 – Mt Fuji vs relax in Hakone
Not sure if we'll have energy to take a 3 hour trip to Yamanokako to see Mt Fuji or not. If we do great, if not, we'll probably spend time at an onsen relaxing for our last day
DAY 12 – Travel
Travel to Haneda and fly out
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by EphesusKing