Ive been to Japan once before in Summer 2016. Ive attached that literary to the bottom to show what Ive already seen. This was a canceled trip in 2020 and fast foward to now! We are fast travelers and quick walkers not very interested in strolling around to go shopping. Even so, does this current itnerary seem crazy? Im obsessed with spring and blooming trees so I am so excited to come for the sakura. Our dates are flexible but as of now is March 31- April 8th.
Any good Matcha store suggestions in Kyoto?
Stationary stores (To get stuff for my friend)
Kobe beef stop for lunch?
Thanks for any help!
Day 1 March 31
Land in Tokyo 7pm
Realistically we settle into hotel by 830 earliest
Dinner nearby
Day 2 April 1
Tokyo
-Chidorigafuchi Park
-Arrive latest 830am to line up to take boat around. (opens 930, lines start around 8)
-Walk around, Imperial Palace from outside
Lunch somewhere
-Shinjuku gardens and area
-Sunset evening stroll Meguro River ?
Dinner
Day 3 April 2
Tokyo -> Kyoto
Ueno Park to explore
Prefer to Arrive in Kyoto by 5pm (leave around 2pm)
Dinner Gion district
Day 4 April 3
Kyoto
7AM
-Path of Philosophy (30+ minute walk)
-start at Shishigatani Honenin Nishimachi
-end at nanzen-ji
-Keage Incline
-Would be nice to do a tea ceremony around lunchtime
-?Fushimi inari ? 530-6pm hike (will only go until halfway point) or morning hike 6am?
Day 5 April 4
Kyoto-> Osaka
-Arashiyama park
-Bamboo Grove
-Tenryu-ji (opens 830am)
– Monkeys?
-Travel to Osaka (leave around 2pm ish)
-Osaka evening food tour (530)
Dontonburi (assuming food tour hits around here)
Day 6 April 5
Half day trip Himeji Castle ->Kobe?-> Osaka
Arrive before 9AM Himeji Castle (aka leave around 730 Osaka 45 min)
Himeji Castle-> Kobe (15-30 min?)
Should we stop in Kobe on the way back? for lunch
-Kobe Beef lunch
(option 1)
-Shin-Kobe Ropeway
-Nunokibi herb gardens
-Nunokibi falls
(option 2)
-Kobe Port Tower (check if reopened)
-wander Chinatown
-tetsujin28 robot
Kobe-> Osaka
Evening dinner Okonomiyaki
Day 7 April 6
Osaka -> Tokyo
Osaka Castle
Osaka Mint
Shinsekai or Amemura
Go to Tokyo around 2pm
Evening Sakura viewing (Meguro River if we did not go prior would they still be pretty?)
Day 8 April 7
Day Trip Mt. Fuji Lake Kawaguchi
(Earlier we leave the better for clear views of Fuji san
Should we rent a car for this? 1hr 40 drive tolls approx 2500 yen each way/ more flexibility
Other option is longer train/bus ride 3.5/ 2.5hrs and rent bikes to bike around)
Arakura Fuji Sengen Jinja Shrine
Chureito Pagoda
Day 9 April 8
teamlab Planets
Hello Kitty store (if no souvenir for mom)
Yayogi Park/ Meji
Harujuku/ cat st
Leave by 4pm airport
Hopefully 6pm ish flight to leave
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Japan Trip 2016
31st July Thur.
-Arrive late into Tokyo
-sleep in Tokyo
(we stayed in Park Hyatt)
1st Aug. Friday
-Morning visit world’s largest fish market Tsukijii
-sushi breakfast
-Edo-Toyko Museum
-Asakusa/ Sensoji temples
-Otemachi/Imperial Palace – we did not go
-Akibahara? (Electronics and manga Hub)
(I believe we went to a maid cafe for lunch in this area)
-Hotel by 6 so we have time to chill before dinner
-Gonpachi Restaurant 8pm
-Lost in translation bar
2nd Aug. Sat
-Harujuku
-go to Kyushu Jangara for Ramen Lunch
-have crepes
Shibuya
-crossing
-hachiko statue
-Shinjuku – back to hotel (around 4?)
–Robots 6pm
-Seryna Dinner 830
-Sleep in Tokyo
3rd Aug. Sun
-Early Morning train to Kamakura (7:37 depart arrive 8:39)
-rent bicycle near station
-Hokokuji? Bamboo (opens at 9) 9-10
-Tsurugakoe Hachimangu (I don’t think we did this, I honestly can’t remember going)
-Daibatsu (great Buddha)10.30-11
-Hasedera Temple 11-12
-LUNCH 12-1
Good Mellows
-leave by 3-330pm***(so there is time to enjoy the hakone hotel)(3:36 prime train time)
-Travel to Hakone
Gora Hanaougi
-Experience Ryokan Onsen (baths) (they also have hot spring baths)
-Ryokan traditional dinner ‘kaiseki’ can be up to 2 hrs long plan for 8 or 830?
4th Aug. Mon
-traditional breakfast in Ryokan (730?)
-Explore Hakone
-cab to Hakone Shrine*** (prefer to get there before 930 when boat tourists arrive)
(has the really cool photo opportunity where we can stand under the Torii gate by the lake)
-Cab to Cable Car Ropeway
–Owaku-dani Valley via cable car
-Lunch in Gora?
(We ended up at a random Soba noodle place, as the broth was fish based I personally did not enjoy it)
-Travel to Kyoto
-4Hrs +
(ask hotel what restaurant is open nearby)
-Sleep in Kyoto
5th Aug. Tuesday
-Kinkaku-ji Temple (Golden Pavillion)(arrive early to avoid crowds)
-Ginkaku-ji Temple (silver Pavillion)
-kiyomizu-dera Temple(closes around 6)
-Fushimi-Inari Taisha Srine (closes at dusk)
-Depending on time maybe go to Gion to Geisha spot around 530 prime time
-Dinner in Gion District 830
6th. Aug wed
-Nijo Castle
-Travel to Hiroshima (leave Noon latest)
-2+ hrs
-Visit Peace Park (museum and still standing building)
-Eat Okonomiyaki (specific in Hiroshima)
-Sleep in Hiroshima
7th Aug. Thur
-Head back to Tokyo
-Stop to visit Nara
-3 hrs.
-Deer Park
Nara park and Todajai-ji.
-Nara to Tokyo
-4hrs
-Sleep in Tokyo
8th Aug. Fri
-Last minute Tokyo stuff
-Fly to Seoul for 2-3 days
3 comments
Sorry if the formating is weird…. I haven’t post such a long message on Reddit before, I copy pasted my itinerary over.
Don’t mind if I will take some from you 😀
Be aware that most recent years have had tokyo finish blooming during the last week of March, with kyoto and osaka following in the week immediately afterwards.
Ueno to kyoto is a bit strange of a combination in a single day.
Team lab planets is closing in December, and borderless likely won’t be open again until after sakura season.
If you are squeamish at all about animal treatment, I would strongly recommend against any tourism involving animals. Japan doesn’t have the animal rights activist community that many countries in the west do.
I would add the ninja museum and the himeji garden to your himeji trip.
If you are really into anime, dragon quest or godzilla, awaji Island has some cool stuff you can pair with himeji.