I’ll be staying in Japan for about 5 weeks, what do you guys think of this plan? Any suggestions to add/remove? I have DSLR that I want to take dope photography with. I’ll also have people to hang with in Osaka and Tokyo. Thanks!
**—- KYOTO (1 WEEK) —-**
**TEMPLES**
* **Kinkaku-ji** \- Gold temple
* **Yasaka Pagoda street / Gion St** \- Classical view of the Yasaka Pagoda.
* **Kiyomizudera temple** \- Looks dope at night, with a view and temple lit up.
* **Eikando Zenrinji Temple** \- Looks good during fall with leaves and reflections.
* **Bishamondo** \- Could look dope with all the leaves too.
**SHRINES**
* **Fushimi Inari** \- Endless rows of Torii gates.
* **Kifune shrine** \- Red lantern lit entrance to shrine.
* **Enkoji temple** \- Cool temple with lots of details.
* **Yasaka shrine**
**MORE SPOTS**
* **Arashiyama Kimono Forest** \- 600 poles lit up at night.
* **Arashiyama Bamboo Grove**
* **Iwatayama monkey park**
* **Sagano scenic railway**
* **Yasaka shrine**
**STREETS**
* **Gion Geisha District** \- Kyoto’s most famous geisha district
* **Kamogawa river** \- Kyoto’s most famous geisha district
* **Nishiki market**
​
**—- OSAKA ( 1 WEEK, 3 DAYS )—-**
**VIEWS**
* **Cosmo Tower -** Panoramic of city at night.
* **Umeda Sky Building -** Cool building.
* **Harukas 300 -** Highest view of Osaka.
**STREETS**
* **Dotonbori Channel**
* **Tsutenkaku towe**r – Considered to be the symbol of Osaka.
* **Kuromon Market**
* **Amerikamura** \- japans take on american culture.
* **Ebisu Tower Ferris Wheel -** Osaka’s Dotonbori area feels like a small Shinjuku.
**CASTLES**
* **Osaka Castle** \- The castle is one of Japan’s most famous landmarks.
* **Himeji Castle -** 17th century Japanese castle .
**OTHER**
* [**25 Restaurants to Visit for Outstanding Food in Osaka**](https://www.willflyforfood.net/osaka-food-guide-25-must-try-restaurants/)
​
**—-TOKYO (3 WEEKS)—-**
**TEMPLES**
* **Senso-ji Temple -** Lights up at night.
* **Hie Shrine** \- The shrine was established in 1478.
* **Imperial Palace**
* **Gotokuji** \- Thought to be the birthplace of the iconic Japanese beckoning cat maneki-neko
**ARCHITECTURE**
* **Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building**
* **Tokyo international forum** \- Looks intricate.
* **Nakagin Capsule Tower -** Dope looking architecture of capsules.
* **Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel -** Dope photo.
**BRIDGES**
* **Eitai Bridge viewpoint -** Neon bridge.
* **Rainbow Bridge -** Looks dope at night. A replica of the Statue of Liberty with bridge.
**LIGHTS**
* **Shibuya Blue Cave -** Tunnel of blue lights. Dope for portrait.
* **Meguro River -** 800 lit cherry blossom trees line the river.
* [https://jw-webmagazine.com/tokyo-winter-illumination-guide-2017-2018-13d71df4af67/](https://jw-webmagazine.com/tokyo-winter-illumination-guide-2017-2018-13d71df4af67/)
**STREETS**
* **Kabukicho gate -** Famous. In heart of **Shinjuku**.
* **Shibuya Center Gai Street -** Street crossing with neon lights.
* **Takeshita Street -** Famous street in Harijuku. fashion boutiques, cafes and restaurants.
* **Akihabara -** Anime and otaku culture hub.
* **Shinjuku Golden Gai -** Small area, dope for night street photography.
* **DiverCity Tokyo Plaza -** Gundam Statue, shops.
* **Omoide Yokocho / piss alley -** Landmark alleyway featuring a selection of food stalls for simple fare & alcoholic drinks.
* **Yanesen -** Tokyos old fashioned neighborhood (non tourist) / authentic vibes.
* **Hoppy Street -** Craft beer.
**PORTRAITS**
* **Mori Art Museum**
* **Samsung Harajuku -** Mirrored room that projects IG, dope for portrait.
* **Teamlab Planets -** Dope museum.
* **Omotesando -** Trendy shopping area with picturesque kaleidoscope.
* **Art Aquarium Museum**
* **Magnet by Shibuya109 -** View of Shibuya crossing.
**VR**
* **Tokyo JOYPOLIS virtual reality**
* **VR Ninja Dojo**
* **VR Park Tokyo**
**VIEWS**
* **Yebisu Garden Place SkyLounge** \- Tokyo Tower at night with cityscape.
* **Roppongi Hills City View -** View of Tokyo Tower and SkyTree, clear day has Mt. Fuji.
**OTHER**
* **Sumo Wrestling** – Ryogoku Kokugikan
* **Mario Kart Tokyo**
* **Robot Restaurant – Bonkers.**
* **Mipig cafe** \- Micro pig cafe.
* **Kit Kat shop**
* **Nintendo official store**
* [**All star food tour**](https://arigatojapan.co.jp/tours/allstar/?rfsn=3321597.f5f3f5)
**MUSEUMS**
* **National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation** \- talk to the lifelike android Otonaroid.
* **The National Art Center -** Souvenir From Tokyo.
* **Museum of Contemporary Art -** Local art scene.
* **Design Festa Gallery -** Gallery of new artist.
* **Yayoi Kusama Museum**
**PARKS**
* **Gyoen National Park** \- Heart of Shinjinku, larger park in Tokyo.
* **Meiji Jingu and Yoyogi Park**
* **yasukuni shrine**
5 comments
Where to start?…
Let’s start from the general issues.
This plan is packed with temples and shrines like if one studied Buddhism academically. In reality, after visiting 4-5 temples they are more or less the same. Shrines, especially big ones, are a bit more diverse, but the idea is the same. Two or three and you’re done. That’s why most temples should be taken off the schedule.
Second, some attractions are seasonal or just temporary existing at some point of time in the past. Namely, Meguro river is only meaningful during that one week in the year when sakura blooms. The blue tunnel which is absolutely awful amount of blue leds was a one-time event last winter and hopefully it never repeats. But that’s just my opinion, however it is a winter event. Same with Gundam and other shows. Well, you get the idea.
Some places don’t exist. Namely, Nakagin capsule tower is no more. Yaesen doesn’t exist (perhaps you meant Yanaka? I have no idea why it’s seen as an authentic part of Tokyo, it’s just the old town, which doesn’t mean the same as old towns in Europe)…
In short, it looks like a typical tourist bucket list from a random website without much thought given to it. Repetitive, focused on temples and “cute” stuff like cat cafes. Japan has more to offer.
My proposition would be to travel around japan and seeing different places and areas instead of wasting time in cat cafes and temples.
Your plan looks a bit pre-pandemic.
Just on Tokyo:
* Robot Restaurant is closed
* Nakagin has been dismantled
* Rather than Magnet, go to Célavi (newly opened) for a much better view of the crossing
* You don’t mention Shibuya Sky, which imho has a much better view than other spots
* Hie Shrine as an establishment is indeed old, but like pretty much ALL in Tokyo, the current structure is postwar. And in the case of Hie Shrine, very much so.
* Yes there are lit up sakura in Meguro River, but only during the very short window where there are sakuras…. So you’ll be there for the season ?
* Same goes for Sumo, it’s not everyday, and the march tournament is in Osaka,not Tokyo.
>Mario Kart Tokyo
Don’t. Please.
As a local driver, these are nothing but pests.
>Shinjuku Golden Gai – Small area, dope for night street photography.
As a regular, mmmh,,,, I don’t like tourists sunddenly entering the bars and taking photos without asking for permission first (happens sometimes). Sometimes the barmaids get quite upset. GG is a private area, you’re not supposed to take pics -at all-, but it’s kind of tolerated when you do it discreetly and without taking the face of others. Just be mindful and don’t post the results online.
If you’re going to visit a lot of shrines I recommend getting a goshuincho or a shrine stamp book
In very biased towards Hiroshima so I think it’s criminal to visit Japan for such a long period without including it in the itinerary.
The gundam unicorn is in front of diver city, the cafe closed. But there is the life-size rx-78
Gundam Factory Yokohama
279-25 Yamashitacho, Naka Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa 231-0023, Japan