Hi there thanks for the help on my previous post ([Itinerary v1](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/qm9psx/3_weeks_solo_travel_ideally_in_marchapril_2022_or/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)), after some consolidating and changes here is the latest version!
Tokyo 1
1: Arrive in Tokyo from Melbourne, staying in Shibuya. If I arrive in the morning take a nap then do light exploring, if I arrive later then just settle in and rest
2: Shinjuku: Visit Meiji-jingu and Shinjuku Gyoen in morning, Harajuku in the afternoon. Visit Golden Gai,Kabukicho and Omoide Yokocho at night (Samurai museum open until 8pm, go before visiting bars?).
3: Shibuya: Explore Shibuya (Supeinzaka, Centre Gai, crossing), Daikanyama and Nakameguro during the morning, Sengakuji before lunch, and have lunch nearby. Visit Odaiba (Teamlab borderless and the Gundam) in early afternoon then head back to the hotel. Explore Roppongi and Shibuya at night.
4: Kichijoji: Travel out to Kichijoji in the late morning, visit Ghibli Museum (Open 10am-6pm), explore Mitaka and Kichijoji in the afternoon after lunch, return to the hotel in early evening.
Kyoto
5: Shinkansen in the morning to Kyoto, staying near Gion/Kawaramachi/Sanjo, go out to Fushimi Inari Taisha, have lunch afterwards, then visit Toji Temple on the way back to the hotel.
6: Visit Nijo Castle in the morning, then the Manga Museum (closed Tues+Wed) before lunchtime. Have lunch then visit the Imperial palace gardens. Finish at Shimogamo shrine (closes at 5pm). Have drinks and or dinner in Pontocho .
7: Explore Gion in the morning, heading towards Maruyama park to see Yasaka shrine and Chion-in. Head south stopping by Kodai-ji, have lunch, then continue to Yasaka pagoda, afterwards continuing south to finish at Kiyomizu-dera. If there’s time, explore Higashiyama.
8: Head to Ginkaku-ji in the morning, then afterwards walk the Philosopher’s path, stopping at the temples, shrines and gardens along the way, finishing at Nanzen-ji. Then visit Heian shrine, before heading back across the river to have lunch, exploring the area south of the palace gardens and finishing at Nishiki market.
9: Take a train out to Kinkaku-ji in the morning, then walk southwest stopping at Ninna-ji, finishing at Tenryu-ji. Have lunch then head across the river to Arashiyama, exploring for the afternoon before heading back to the hotel.
Himeji and Hiroshima
10: Take an earlyish morning Shinkansen from Kyoto stopping at Himeji. Visit the castle and the gardens around, then have lunch. Explore central Himeji for the early afternoon, then take another Shinkansen to Hiroshima, staying central.
11: Visit the peace park and museum in the morning, then head over to the Mazda museum (if open) just before or after lunch. Head back to central Hiroshima afterwards and visit Shukkeien in the afternoon before exploring the area. Eat dinner at Okonomimura.
12: Check out of the hotel in the morning and take the train to Miyajima ferry. Visit Itsukushima shrine and explore the surrounding area, having lunch there. Take the ferry back to Hiroshima, then take the Shinkansen to Osaka in the late afternoon. Arrive in Osaka in the early evening, staying near Umeda/ Tenma. Go out and explore at night if energetic, if not then rest.
Osaka
13: Visit Osaka Castle in the morning, then walk south to Shitennoji. Have lunch then walk northwest through Shinsekai to Namba and Dotonbori, exploring the areas around. Then head slightly north to Orange street and America town. After resting at the hotel, have dinner and a night out in Tenma/ Umeda.
14: Take a morning train to Nara, explore Nara park and Todai-ji. Have lunch and walk west to the Heijo palace ruins, explore central Nara until late afternoon then train back to Osaka. Have another night out this time around Dotonbori.
15: Check out of the hotel and take the train south to Sumiyoshi Taisha, then afterwards if there’s time head further south to Sakai to see Daisen park plus the tombs. Have lunch in Sakai, then take the train back to Shin-Osaka, catching a Shinkansen to Tokyo in the late afternoon. Arrive in Asakusa in the evening, check into a hotel, eat out if energetic, rest.
Tokyo 2
16: Asakusa: Visit the Hokusai Museum across the river in the morning, visit Senso-Ji on the way back as well as the Nakamise shopping street. Have lunch in the area, do more exploring, return to the hotel. Then have drinks on Hoppy street after dinner.
17: North Tokyo: Train out to Koishikawa gardens in the late morning, then head over to Yanaka, having lunch around the main shopping strip. Visit Yanaka cemetery and the temple inside it in the afternoon, then take a train to Ikebukuro, exploring the area until I get tired (including dinner)
18: Palace + Akihabara: Take a train out to the Imperial Palace, explore the gardens and visit MoMA before lunch. Take the train afterwards to Akihabara, have lunch and explore until I get tired.
19: Central: Take a train to Tsukiji, explore and eat an early lunch, then explore Ginza, Kyobashi and Nihonbashi throughout the day until I get tired.
20: Kamakura: Take a train out to Kamakura as early as I can, visit Kotoku-in (great buddha) in the morning, then Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, have lunch along Komachi Dori. Visit any other shrines or spots during the afternoon then take the train back to Asakusa in the early evening.
21: Departure day: depending on flight times either explore in the morning or just head straight to the airport.
I’ve tried to make this schedule a lot more detailed including the order in which I see things in, and I’ve got a few questions to really iron it out:
1. Is Kabukicho worth going to alone? I’ve heard its probably the roughest area in Shinjuku let alone Tokyo, apart from the Samurai museum and the general atmosphere I’m debating leaving it until I visit with friends. Same also goes for Roppongi.
2. Is Ikebukuro worth visiting? I’m already going to be visiting other areas that have similar attractions to Ikebukuro, should I double back after Yanaka or give it a go?
3. Any recommendations for Sakai? Apart from the tombs and its proximity to Osaka I don’t really know much about it, its really an inbetween spot in from my time in Osaka to my second Tokyo stay so if theres not much to see I could skip it.
4. Anything on this schedule that looks a bit tight or doesnt make sense? I’d like to believe I’ve thoroughly researched each area but I haven’t been to Japan before, so I’d love the input of people that have been to the areas mentioned!
Thanks in advance!
3 comments
Meijl-jingu is in Harajuku, located right next to Harajuku station.
Harajuku is a part of Shibuya.
I highly suggest looking at a map and noticing the distance between places.
Also, most places, shops, restaurants and the like, don’t open until 10am. You mention mornings, but not what time. Keep this in mind.
Ghibli Museum only got specific timed entries 10am,12pm,2pm & 4pm, and is not guarantee or easy to get the timing of your choice so u might have to plan accordingly to whichever timing you can get for the day.
For 13, i think could be better if u do Tenma/Umeda after Osaka Castle then take a train down south and end the day with a dinner at Shinsekai. Doesn’t seem logical to walk from the castle to Shitennoji, that would take you an hour at least on a fast walking pace.
5: Would make more sense to stop by To-ji first, take train to Fushimi Inari-taisha, then direct to the area of the hotel, as there is a direct train from Fushimi. In my opinion going back to Kyoto station is not optimal as you would want to take a bus toward your hotel or the subway to Sanjo station. Maybe the downside is that if you do not want to carry your luggage you have to store it in both Kyoto and Fushimi, while in your plan you could store it in Kyoto station only.
7 : Why do you want to go ti Gion ? Chance to see a geisha ? Then go when it’s more likely they are out, so in the afternoon. Also, it’s strange to say “if there is time, explore Higashiyama”, because you will have been exploring Higashiyama for the whole day.
8: Nishiki market is more a mid day thing that a late day thing. Could make sense to eat lunch arount there on day 6 as it’s kind of between manga museum and imperial palace.
13 : walk from Osaka castle to Shitennoji ? You know that this is a good 4km. Let’s say that walking from Shinsekai to Namba (passing by denden town) make much more sense. I would only do one of the two.
14 : Nara park is already a lot of walking so I would consider taking the bus from inside Nara park all the way to Heijo Palace, you can easily save 4 km of walking this way.
16 : The Hokusai museum is close to Ryogoku station, it is not across the river from Asakusa, well, yes across the rive, but close to 2km south. But still the plan is good. If you can spare some time and have interest into history, check the Edo-Tokyo Museum next door.
​
Kabukicho : the big danger is not being alone per say, but it’s following people that will try to lure you in sketchy and scammy places. Just walking around is not an issue. And to minimize chance of being scammed, then you can research the places before going an make sure they are legit ang only go in places you think you can trust, like read reviews. Roppongi, I guess that if you mention it it’s because you would go clubbing ? Then maybe just check for reviews of places to be sure they are ok.
Ikebukuro, could be cool, just keep it as an option. If you cross Yanaka cemetery, you can end up in Ueno park and from there go to ameyokocho. So just keep options open and go with how you feel.
Sakai, the other big thing is knife making, so the knife museum is king of cool, but I went with the impression it would not be too hard to see blacksmith in action as there is picture in the tourist brochures and there is address, but unless you got something arranged in advance, you won’t see anything. If you go for the Kofun, I would aim to go direct to Daisen park and probably check the Sakai City Museum and the Japanese garden. So why not, and if you kind something more interesting you want to do while you are in Osaka, then just change your plan.
In general things make sense, just be flexible. If you see you are short on time, then try to focus on enjoying what you are doing and not try to rush from place to place.