Trip to Osaka/Kyoto/Tokyo Spring 2023

Hello everyone,

I’ll be visiting Japan for the first time from the 28th of March until the 11th of April. I arrive in Narita because it’s the only direct flight from Zurich.

Hopefully I’ll be able to have a day or two seeing some cherry blossoms (I could split Tokyo in two trips for example if you think I’d have more chance to see them in Tokyo first).

I want the trip to not be too packed and know I’ll never be able to see everything. I prefer to take it a bit more relax and keep things for a second trip. I also am a Pokemon fan and would really love to see all the possible attractions around it.

Here is my itinerary, please feel free to suggest ideas and changes 🙂

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***28th of March until the 2nd of April: Osaka***

***28th of March***: Arrival early in the morning in Narita airport.

Taking plane to Osaka – Relaxing and sleeping

**29th of March**: Visit of Himeji with the castle, Kokoen gardens, Shoshazan Engyoji Temple & Mount Shosha. Cherry blossom pictures.

**30th of March**: Visit of Nara with Park, Isuien-Garden, Todai-ji Temple, Nigatsu-do Hall, Kasuga-Taisha Shrine and Kofuku-ji Temple. Hopefully able to see some cherry blossoms

Visiting Poke Center of Oasaka on the way back.

**31st of March**: Visit of Osaka with the castle, Sumiyoshi-taisha, Tombori river walk et Tsūtenkaku. Shopping around.

**1st of April**: Trip to Mt. Yoshino

**2nd of Apri**l: Full day at Universal Studio Japan

Train to Kyoto end of the day

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***2nd of April of March until the 5th of April: Kyoto***

**3rd of April**: Kiyomizu-dera (arriving at 6 AM) then Yasaka Pagoda and its streets then Kiyomizu-dera Temple then Nanzen-ji Temple then Philosopher’s Path and finishing by heading to Ginkaku-ji Temple

Shopping at the end, visit of the Kyoto Poke center.

**4th of April****:** Fushimi Inari shrine early morning (around 6 AM), Kinkaku-ji Temple – *Free to add visits*.

**5th of April**: Trip to Kurama

Train to Tokyo at the end of the day

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***5th of April of March until the 11th of April: Tokyo***

**6th of April**: Shibuya and Harajuku (with Meiji-jingū, Shibuya Crossing Walk, One Piece store, Cat Street, Yoyogi Park), Shinjuku Gyoen. Hopefully able to see some cherry blossoms if they are not too early. Then Nakano Broadway.

**7th of April****:** Visit Senso-ji, then Skytree and the Poke Center Tree Town then of the Poke Center Mega Tokyo and One Piece store in the same area.

**8th of April**: Change of hotel – Zojoji Temple, Odaiba, Teamlab and DiverCity Plaza. Follow with strolling around Akihabara.

**9th of April**: Start with Imperial Palace and Kokyo Garden, then Yasukuni-jinja. Visit of Poke Center Tokyo DX.

Evening around Shinjuku and its nightlife.

**10th of April**: Trip to Mt Fuji

**11th of April**: Return to Narita and ZH.