For some background, I’ve lived in Japan for 4 years as a university student (2016-2020), specifically in Saitama. So I have a lot of experience living in Japan and can speak Japanese. I’ve visited Tokyo many times so I’m good in that department. But if there’s any new tourist attraction opened between 2020 and 2022, or any special time limited event, festival, etc. happening during my stay, kindly let me know.
But other than Tokyo, I have not traveled that much so I would greatly appreciated your recommendation. I am not that physically fit so I’m not interested in any place that requires a lot of physical exertion. So any hiking trail, mountains, super long walk (30 minute is doable), is a no-no.
I would also like to spend a night in a ryokan at an onsen town (Currently eyeing the Kinosaki area) and check some beautiful illumination place (I know it’s the season when I’m visiting).
My itinerary is as follows:
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Nov 28 (Mon): Landed in Tokyo Haneda at 10.30 PM. Plan to crash at the terminal till next morning. (Not sure if booking a room at First Cabin is worth it)
Nov 29 (Tue): Pick up pocket Wifi at 6.30 AM. Head to Asakusa and store luggage in coin locker as I won’t be able to check into hotel till 3 PM. So I’ll probably loiter around the area till then (Any suggestion is greatly appreciated). After check in, I might just take a proper rest for the rest of the day.
Nov 30 – Dec 1 (Wed – Thu): No concrete plan for this period. Might just do some free exploring in Tokyo. Check the newly renovated Harajuku station, watch the latest Shinkai Makoto movie in Shinjuku TOEI Theaters, go to some ramen shops
Dec 2 (Fri): Visit old university in Saitama and meet some old friends. If there’s some free time, might go to Kasukabe and visit Crayon Shin-chan Game Center. Open for any other suggestion.
Dec 3 (Sat): No actual plan for today so I am open for any suggestion. Will browse this subreddit to get some ideas to fill this day.
**From this period, I would like to use the 7 day JR Pass, so as long as I use JR Line, I won’t have any travel expense restriction, only time.**
Dec 4 (Sun): Head to Osaka. Not sure whether to stop in Nagoya first or not. If it’s worth visiting or committing 1 full day, please let me know. After check in hotel. Explore Dotonbori. Suggest me any good takoyaki stalls, fellow redditors.
Dec 5 (Mon): Full day in Universal Studio Japan. Not sure whether to buy Express Pass or just utilize the single rider queue. Please tell me if Express Pass worth the double price or not.
Dec 6 (Tue): Head to Kyoto. I’ve visited Kyoto before but only been around Kiyomizudera and city center area only. So looking forward to visit Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Kinkaku-ji and Fushimi-Inari Shrine. Head to Kinosaki Onsen. Spend a night there.
Dec 7 (Wed): Head to Kobe. Visit Kobe Mosque. Visit Nijigen no Mori in Awaji (Not sure if worth visiting or not). Head to Himeji. Visit Himeji castle. Head to Okayama to meet an old friend. Head to Hiroshima. Check in hotel.
Dec 8 (Thu): Visit Peace Memorial Park, Peace Memorial Museum, Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Castle. Miyajima (Not sure what’s there but since the ferry is included in JR Pass, might as well go there)
Dec 9 (Fri): Head to Rabbit Island in Okunoshima. Visit the abandoned chemical factory. Return to Hiroshima.
Dec 10 (Sat): Return to Tokyo. Check in hotel. Checking for Illumination venue around Tokyo. Hunt for some yakiniku restaurant if there’s some budget left.
**At this point. the JR Pass period will end. and I will have visited pretty much every place I wanted to go for this trip, so I am open for any recommendations.**
Dec 11-12 (Sun-Mon): No concrete plan for this period. Might visit Yokohama or Odaiba. Check out the moving Gundam Statue. Might visit Tokyo Olympic stadium if they provide any tour.
Dec 13 (Tue): Head to Narita. Return the pocket Wifi. Fly home. My flight is at 9 AM so I’m not sure if I could arrive in time before departure. If not, might stay for a night in Narita Airport on Monday instead.
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This is pretty much a rough plan and is still a work in progress. I’ve only booked a hotel for my 5 days stay in Tokyo only, so my plan is still very much flexible for bigger change. Any advice to further improvise the plan and make it more efficient is greatly appreciated!
1 comment
Crashing in the airport sounds like a terrible idea and a real downer first night. I’m not sure if it’s even possible.
I don’t recommend trying to fit Awaji into your schedule on your Kobe day as there’s no train that goes to Awaji. Especially if you want to spend time in Kobe, Himeji, Okayama, and Hiroshima all in one day. That’s gonna be a real short visit with your old friend!
Does your flight arrive at Haneda and leave from Narita??