Firstly, this subreddit has been so helpful for planning this trip of a lifetime, can't thank you folks enough for sharing your knowledge.
Bit of background info: UK/Irish married couple in our 30s, both into gaming and anime (DH more so, I'm more into the historic and traditional, appreciating architecture etc.). We've decided on the Hokuriku route to Kyoto for something different – the end of the trip seems a little rushed atm, but I think it's still doable.
Only things I'm not sure about are the time allocated to Kyoto and Osaka, and the half-day trip to Nara. Just a morning really wouldn't do Nara justice, but is it better than not going at all? Realistically we'd only be visiting the deer park and Todai-ji temple, we can always see deer later on in the trip.
For the Kyoto/Osaka split – DH wants to stay in Osaka so we can enjoy its nightlife without worrying about the last trains, I'd prefer to base in Kyoto so we have more sightseeing time there. The below itinerary is a compromise on this.
We accept we're not going to see everything Kyoto has to offer, so we've decided not to checklist attractions and just visit what we feel like once we're there (e.g. if we're in Higashiyama, we're likely to end up near Kiyomizu-dera). We're staying near Karasuma Oike station, so will probably end up visiting Nijo Castle as well. Will be less stressful and it's half the fun of travelling, hopefully it can work out 🙂
DAY 1 (4th March) – ARRIVAL
- Land at Haneda 7:30AM, drop off/forward bags to our hotel in Akasaka
- No plans for arrival day – priority is to maximise sunlight and caffeine to try and get over the jet lag (recommendations for good coffee around Akasaka appreciated)
DAY 2 – SHIBUYA & HARAJUKU
- Shibuya Scramble/Hachiko statue
- Takeshita St
- Meiji Jingu
DAY 3 – SHINJUKU
- Shinjuku Gyoen
- Observation deck at Tokyo Metropolitan Building
- Late PM – Kabukicho, arcades, Golden Gai/Omoide Yokocho (though recommendations for less touristy spots appreciated)
DAY 4 – ROPPONGI
- TeamLabs Borderless
- No other plans – maybe catch a show in Roppongi in the evening. Thinking the Rokusan Angel burlesque show, if anyone has been and can recommend?
DAY 5 – AKIHABARA & ASAKUSA
- Aki for figure/retro gaming shopping and arcades
- Senso-ji temple – late afternoon/early evening to try and avoid the worst of the crowds
DAY 6 – SHIBU ONSEN
- Leave Akasaka early AM for Shinkansen to Nagano (possible quick visit to Zenko-ji temple), then train to Yudanaka
- Check into ryokan, enjoy onsen, relax
DAY 7 – KANAZAWA
- Check out of ryokan, Shinkansen to Kanazawa
- Omicho Market
- Nagamachi district
DAY 8 – KANAZAWA
- Kenroku-en
- Higashi Chaya and Kazuemachi Chaya districts
DAYS 9-12 – KYOTO
- See intro – only concrete plan is to have dinner at Teppan Tavern Tenamonya at some point, was recommended by a friend
DAY 13 – NARA (maybe) & OSAKA
- If visiting Nara – check out early AM, try to get to Nara for an early breakfast. Deer park, Todai-ji temple
- If not visiting Nara – check out normal time, head straight to Osaka
- Drop bags off at hotel in Namba, explore surrounding area (Amerikamura etc.)
- Late PM – Dotonbori
DAY 14 – OSAKA
- If we're lucky, we'll be watching sumo at the Basho. If not, maybe exploring Shinsekai
- Night out at an Irish bar to celebrate St Patrick's Day (heard Murphy's in Namba is good, but other suggestions welcome)
DAY 15 – HIROSHIMA
- Check out early AM, Shinkansen to Hiroshima, drop bags off at hotel near Hatchobori
- Peace Park and Peace Memorial Museum
- Okonomimura for dinner
DAY 16 – MIYAJIMA
- Full day on Miyajima – Itsukushima jinja, walk up to Daishon temple, deer
DAY 17 – BACK TO TOKYO
- Check out early AM, Shinkansen back to Tokyo, drop bags off at hotel in Hamamatsucho
- Souvenir shopping
- Possibly have dinner at Ribera Steak House in Gotanda (DH is a big wrestling fan), but not a biggie
DAY 18 (21st March) – DEPARTURE
- Early AM checkout for 8:30AM flight from Haneda
Thank you if you've read to the end, and if you have any suggestions or questions, they'll be appreciated!
by EmmTheEmuu