[Itinerary Check] 2 weeks Tokyo – Kawaguchiko – Kyoto – Osaka, Fall 2022

My partner and I are visiting Japan for the first time this November for two weeks. We plan to start as early as possible each day, keeping in mind that some places don’t open until around 10am and also that we may not be able to make it to everything planned in a single day. I’ve enjoyed reading posts on here for the last several months, especially during all the travel restriction changes. Excited to hear any suggestions from your experiences. Thanks for reading!

**Day 1 – Sunday – Tokyo**

· Afternoon arrival at Haneda

· Pick up pocket wifi, activate JR Rail Passes, load money on IC cards etc…

· Take limo bus to Shinjuku and check into hotel.

· Attempt to buy tickets for the Ghibli Museum at a Lawson. We know it’s unlikely to be available but are willing to switch any of our Tokyo days around in order to go. Any suggestions for how to purchase welcome!

· Walk around, pick a place for dinner and explore Omoide Yokocho area if we’re not too fatigued.

**Day 2 – Monday – Tokyo**

· Ideally go to the Ghibli Museum for 1st entry, but understand getting tickets is unlikely.

· Harajuku – visit Meji Shrine, Takeshita Street, maybe Yoyogi Park

· Shibuya evening exploration – Crossing, shopping, Hachiko statue

· Sunset reservations for Shibuya Sky

· Dinner and exploring in Shibuya or Shinjuku

**Day 3 – Tuesday – Tokyo**

· Senso-ji Temple

· Explore Asakusa, Nakamise shopping street. Any side streets that we should check out?

· Akihabara shopping

· Possibly check if tickets are available at Kabuki-za Theatre for 4pm show.

· Look at booking an Omakase experience this day.

**Day 4 – Wednesday – Kamakura & Yokohama**

· Day trip to Kamakura/Enoshima

· Afternoon/evening in Yokohama on the way back to visit Gundam Factory.

**Day 5 – Thursday – Tokyo & Kawaguchiko**

· Tokyo National Museum at opening

· Late lunch and then take train or bus to Kawaguchiko

· Enjoy the ryokan and Kaiseki dinner.

**Day 6 – Friday – Kawaguchiko**

· Panoramic Ropeway ride to observation deck near Mt. Tenjo, do the 30 min hike down or make it a round trip

· Chureito Pagoda

· Itchiku Kubota Art Museum and Tea Room

· Oshino Hakkai Village

Would love advice on if we should use the Mt. Fuji World Heritage Bus Loop pass or best order to visit the above based on the best method of transportation.

**Day 7 – Saturday – Kawaguchiko & Kyoto**

· Travel from Kawaguchiko to Kyoto. Is the best way to return to Tokyo and take Shinkansen to Kyoto or to take a bus to Mishima Station and then Shinkansen the rest of the way?

· Check into hotel in Higashiyama area

· Ninja/Samurai interactive museum

· Dinner then walk around Gion, Yasaka Shrine in evening, possibly evening illuminations at Kiyomizudera and Kodaiji Temple

**Day 8 – Sunday – Eastern Kyoto**

· Kiyomizudera Temple (if we haven’t been yet)

· Kodaiji Temple –see bamboo grove

· Kenninji Temple

· Keage Incline

· Nanzenji Temple

· Philosopher’s Path

· Ginkakuji Temple

· Breaks at hotel as needed

**Day 9 – Monday – Fushimi Inari Shrine & Osaka**

· Go to Fushimi Inari Shrine early

· Rest after at hotel if needed

· Take the Kyo-Train Garaku or Shinkansen to Osaka for the rest of the day

· Shinsekai area

· Grand Front Osaka for Harry Potter Illuminations

· Namba area and dinner on Dotonbori Street – What are your favorite places to eat?

· Shinkansen back to Kyoto

**Day 10 – Tuesday – Osaka**

· Universal Studios Japan – Arrive at least 30 minutes before opening.

· Anything else in the evening in Osaka

**Day 11 – Wednesday – Himeji Castle & Open Afternoon**

· ½ day trip to Himeji Castle – Take Shinkansen and arrive at opening.

· Afternoon undecided – Kyoto or other interests in the area

**Day 12 – Thursday – Arashiyama, Kyoto**

· Go to Arashiyama bamboo grove early

· Okochi Sanso Villa

· Gioji Temple

· Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple

· Possibly Sagano Scenic Railway ride (if open for peak season)

· Possibly Nishiki Market on way back to hotel

Can you walk between main Arashiyama area to Otagi Nenbutsu-ji? Google Maps is giving me some really strange directions. We might take a bus to Otagi Nenbutsu-ji and walk back with a stop at Gioji.

**Day 13 – Friday – Nara & Tokyo**

· Half day trip to Nara – Nara Park, Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine

· Shinkansen back to Tokyo

· Check into Tokyo station area hotel.

· Visit Odaiba Illumination Yakei and TeamLAB Planets in the evening.

**Day 14 – Saturday, 12/3 – Tokyo**

· Shopping – Daiso, 100 yen stores, area in and around Tokyo Station

· Time to do anything we missed

· Plan a nice dinner.

**Day 15 – Sunday, 12/4 – Tokyo & flight home**

· Any last minute Tokyo interests or souvenir shopping

· Late afternoon flight home

**One last general question –** Do you all feel good about the luggage forwarding option between Tokyo and Kyoto? I know Japan is regarding as very safe and services are reliable, but makes me kind of nervous to hand over the majority of my clothing when I know it would be difficult to purchase replacements. Is it worth not handling a larger case on buses and trains?