Hi everyone. I’m making my first trip over to Japan in Late October for two weeks. I’ve looked at some other people’s itineraries and I seem to be making less stops than most other people. I also don’t have it planned with as much detail as some others!
I’m mainly constructed this trip based on online guides and tourist recommendations on Youtube. So it’s probably fairly basic and entirely Golden Route. Since I’ve been following online guides it’s very heavy on temples, shrines, and museums. I’d love recommendations on some things a little more out there! I’m particularly interested in getting out into the countryside for more walks, and perhaps seeing native animals. I’ll pack hiking clothes. I also haven’t planned out meals or booked trains yet but I may do soon.
I don’t know exactly what I want in terms of shops just yet either. I’m not really a theme park sort of guy so I don’t want to go to Disney. I like anime and videogames but with Studio Ghibli closed to foreigners there isn’t anything related to otaku stuff that I particularly want to see. This trip is mainly taking in history, food, and the landscape.
I’m also not entirely sure how much time this will take. Am I trying to see too much stuff or too little?
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29th of October, Tokyo- Land in the afternoon in Haneda. Hotel is in Ueno. Walking around the local area and maybe Ginza is really the only option.
30th of October, Tokyo – Visit Senso-ji. Edo-Tokyo Museum. Ueno park and it’s museums (perhaps just the Tokyo National Museum?), Hibiya park. Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum in Ginza. Wander through Ginza, Akihabra, Ueno. Window shopping in Ginza Malls and Checking out Akihabra Arcades and Niki’s.
31st of October, Leaving for Kyoto – I will try and get an early Shinkansen to Kyoto. Hopefully I will arrive in Kyoto before lunchtime. Tenryu-ji, Bamboo Forest, Kameyama park, Ryoan-ji Temple, Kinkaku-ji Temple, Daitoku-Ji temple. Iwatayama monkey park.
1st of November, Kyoto – Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Sannei zaka, Ninen Zaka, Kodai-ji, Maruyama Park – Chion-in and Shoren-in, Wander around Nishiki and Gion, Fushimi Inari Taisha and the thousand Tori gates.
2nd of November, Kyoto – Hike between Kurama Station and Kibune-guchi Station. Ginkaku-ji Temple, Philosopher’s path, Tetsugaku no michi, Nanzen-ji temple, Honen-in temple, Pontocho alley, Kiyamachi-dori.
3rd of November, Day trip to Nara – Nonorioji Park, Isuien Garden, Yoshiki-en, Todai-ji temple. Daibutsu-den hall. Nandai-mon gate, Nigatsu-do hall, Kasuga-taisha shrine, Kofuku-ji temple, wander through Naramachi before heading back to Kyoto.
4th of November, Last day in Kyoto – A little less fixed in my plans. This will involve souvenir shopping but I still want an activity or two. Hike Mt Daimon-ji? Tea Ceremony? Imperial Palace garden and Teramachi-dori street? Hosoo textile museum?
5th of November, Travelling to Hiroshima – Again I’ll try and get to an early Shinkansen to spend more time in Hiroshima – Atomic Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Museum, Peace Memorial park, Shukkei-en garden.
6th of November, Day-trip to Miyajima – Itsukushima-jinja Shrine, Daisho-in temple, lunch, Momiji-dan-koen park, cable-car up mount Misen, maybe hike back down. Boat back to Hiroshima.
7th of November, back to Tokyo – Long Shinkansen trip so again I hope to leave early. My hotel is in Shinjuku this time. When in Tokyo – Meiji-jingu shrine, Nezu Museum, Yoyogi Park, Walk from Meguro River through Daikanyamacho, Aoyama, Shibuya – window shopping.
8th of November, Day trip to Mt Fuji’s lakes – Take the bus to Lake Kawaguchi. Cable car to Kawaguchiko Tenjozan Park. Itchiku Kubota Art Museum, Maple Corridor, walk around the lake and across Kawaguchiko Bridge. Get the bus back to Tokyo.
9th of November, Tokyo – Walk around imperial palace east garden, Yasukuni-jinja shrine, Yushukan Museum (Not sure about this one), Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (can I get to viewing platform near the top?). Shinjuku Gyoen park. Walk around Kabukicho and Shinjuku again for more window shopping.
10th, 11th, and 12th of November – Less planned on these days. I suppose these are for just wandering Tokyo and taking everything in! Or I guess if one of my earlier days are too packed I could move something to here. I should also buy any souvenirs I want or anything I’ve seen when window shopping that I like. I haven’t planned a visit to Ikebukuro, Shinagawa, or an onsen so I guess this would be the time. I wouldn’t mind a hiking day if anyone has any suggestions for something not too far out of Tokyo.
A part of me wanted to go to Hokane but my word that’s a long trip from Tokyo and I don’t want to risk my terrible Japanese if I get lost or confused with the buses.
My flight home from Tokyo on the 12th is so late in the day I can easily eat dinner before grabbing my bags to go.
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So that’s my plan as it stands, what do people think? I’d be particularly interested if anyone thinks I’ve gotten too much on one day, it’s hard to judge the timings for everything, just sitting at my computer.
5 comments
Have you considered just flying into Tokyo and out of Osaka? Even if it’s an extra 2-400 bucks, you’ll save it in Shinkansen tickets and wasted traveling time.
Your Kyoto time is too busy so it’s good to leave the last day unplanned. For example, Kinkakuji is a little far out of the city and might take 1/3 or 1/2 of a day on its own. Fushimi Inari can be a 1/2 day if you walk the full distance, which I think is the way to go.
See all of that and just go Tokyo – Fuji – Kansai – Hiroshima – Osaka fly out
> 30th of October, Tokyo
That’s a lot in one day.. 3-4 museums, and several big areas in a day is very unrealistic. This is at least 2-3 days worth of activities.
> 31st of October
Again, you have a half day, and are planning 2-3 days worth of stuff. Loads of temples, which can be a bit much. There really isn’t a need to see all the temples and shrines. Rest of the Kyoto days are very packed also.
Please be aware that it takes time to travel between locations, and that you probably want to spend some time at each location. Add some overhead, because you will most likely not catch the perfect bus/train with 0 waiting every time. And add time for resting and eating/snacking.
I kind of stopped there, because pretty much every day is very packed. Shave it down to the stuff you absolutely want/need to do, and put some stuff in a bucket of “maybe if I have some extra time”, and then the rest in a “next time” bucket
Edo Tokyo Museum is closed for renovations until 2023. Sorry.
Kyoto is a LOT more spread out than you think it is. Be prepared to cut some from your itinerary.
Tokyo Metro Govt Building has a great observation deck and you can see Mount Fuji on a clear day!
It’s a tight itinerary. Make sure you rest the last couple days here and chill. Also, look into ferries from Kansai to Tokyo. Could be cheaper than Shinkansen and get you a chance to breathe.
In my opinion, Osaka is better than Hiroshima but too each their own.
Have a good trip!
I don’t know where you are flying in from, but if you may be jet lagged on arrival and not get much sightseeing done on the 29th or 30th. So I don’t get the “rush’ to leave Tokyo so soon on the 31st.
I also don’t know why you are splitting your trip into two separate Tokyo visits. Why not get an immediate train to Kyoto when you arrive at Haneda and see Tokyo at the end of your trip, or, alternatively, spend the first 5-6 days in the Tokyo area and then visit Kyoto, Hiroshima, etc. and then on the last day you can get a train from just about anywhere in Japan and go right to the airport and fly out on your late night flight.
Here’s one more idea. Haneda is very close to Yokohama, which is also on the way to Kyoto by train. You could land in Haneda, go to Yokohama for two nights, then continue on to Kyoto, Hiroshima, etc. then visit Tokyo proper when you come back.
Be aware the miyajima shrine is under construction until the end of the year.
Nakano Broadway has been much more recommended than akihabara in recent years if you’re looking to explore your inner otaku.