I’ve got a few questions regarding the itinerary below that I was hoping for some help with. First week involves a fair bit of movement but the second is for chilling out in Tokyo and enjoying sakura season (excludes travel days).
* Day 1 Tokyo (Shinjuku): Explore Shinjuku, catch evening views of the city from the Tokyo met building north tower
* Day 2 Hirayu Onsen: Shinjuku to Hirayu Onsen, then to Shin-hotaka for the ropeway
* Any other way to buy the Takayama 2-day pass other than at the station (which we won’t be going to on day 1)?
* Day 3 Shirakawago: Day trip to Shirakawago via Takayama
* Day 4 Tokyo (Asakusa): Hirayu Onsen to Shinjuku, then Asakusa. Explore Asakusa
* Day 5 Nikko: Asakusa to Nikko (using the All-area pass) and explore
* I understand that the limited express and rapid services from Asakusa Tobu St. have an extra charge over the local ones. I found this [timetable](https://www.tobu.co.jp/en/_assets_l/pdf/timetable1out.pdf?20220314) but it seems to suggest there are no local trains to take at all, so is this charge unavoidable both ways?
* Day 6 Okuhida: Bus to Senjougahara marshlands for a small hike and Chuzenki lake. Nikko to Tokyo
* I couldn’t find much info on this but we’d like to go straight from Hirayu Onsen to the marshlands for a small hike, before heading to Chuzenki lake for lunch, then back to Nikko. Is this possible and if so, any links to hiking paths we can follow (preferably on the boardwalks and max 2 hours)?
In Tokyo for the remainder of the trip, staying in Shinjuku. I’m not sure what night illuminations are going ahead in 2023, if any at all, but I’ve popped some in from previous years.
* Day 7: Fuchu Ichigogarien (strawberry farm) and Yayoi Kusama museum. Shinjuku gardens late afternoon or sakura illumination at night
* Day 8: DisneySea
* Day 9: Shopping in Harajuku and Shibuya. Meguro river for sakura illumination
* Thought I’d pick one of the rivers but not sure if Meguro or Sumida are better?
* Day 10: Tsukiji food market, TeamLabs planets, Sometime Jazz Café
* Day 11: Explore Akihabara, head to Ueno for Ameya Yokocho and to the park for hanami
Would appreciate any tips on optimising the Tokyo portion and any cherry blossom viewing recommendations. Only the Yayoi Kusama museum can’t be changed but the rest are flexible. Is it worth getting any sort of metro pass? How much can we expect to spend on public transport in a week in Tokyo?
2 comments
The view from the Metropolitan governmental offices in Shinjuku is a bit meh. Its only advantage is being free, besides that you won’t get a good view of the skyline (you’re -in- it), you get a fair view of the Eastern suburbs, and that’s it.
Go to the newly open Shibuya Sky, infinitely better unobscured views of the city.
Meguro river has some sakura dedicated illuminations near Nakameguro (and much closer to shibuya), Sumida is a much larger river without any specific illuminations.
Tsukiji market is closed since 2018.
No, there would be local train going to Nikko, it might just not be a single train. Use an app like Japan Travel by Navitime, it have filter for limited express. However, it will take longer to reach Nikko by local train than by limited express.
You seems to have some strange stuff. Like day 6… why are you talking about Okuhida and Hirayu onsen when you are supposed to be in Nikko on t hat day…
Day 9, yeah, Meguro if you want to see sakura and a river. If you do something like Sumida park in Asakusa, the river is much larger and you won’t get the same ambiance.
Subway pass might be good… only way to know is open Google map and calculate how much subway you would use in a day. The down side is that you might force yourself to use the subway only when using JR might make more sense between some locations.