This is the 2nd draft of our itinerary. Thanks to the feedback on our first draft and to the advice given on this subreddit, we have put together a more solid plan! We are planning to visit Tokyo, Hakone, Osaka (with day trips to Nara, Himeji, and Kobe), Hiroshima (with a day trip to Fukuoka), Naoshima, and Kyoto during those days.
Please let us know if you think our itinerary is crazy packed and if there’s too much travel! We remain flexible and this is more of a guide than a strict itinerary.
Based on train trips, we think that a 21-day JR Pass makes sense. We are thinking of activating it on the 2nd day, the first and last day we would pay for the train to and from the Narita Airport.
If you have any suggestions or recommendations of things to include, it’s all welcome!
Our interests are anime, art, design, history, Japanese culture, gaming/Nintendo, and Pokemon. We would like to do some shopping as well.
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# Here’ a summary of the trip:
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|Dates|City / Stay location|Nights|
|:-|:-|:-|
|✈Wed, Mar 22 – Thu, Mar 23|Tokyo / in Ueno|1|
|Thu, Mar 23 – Sat, Mar 25|Hakone / at a Ryokan|2|
|Sat, Mar 25 – Thur, Mar 30|Osaka / near Osaka Station|5|
|Thur, Mar 30 – Sat, Apr |Hiroshima / near Hiroshima station|2|
|Sat, Apr 1 – Mon, Apr 3|Naoshima / Benesse Museum Hotel|2|
|Mon, Apr 3 – Thur, Apr 6|Kyoto / in the Gion District area|3|
|Thur, Apr 6 – Thu, Apr 13 ✈|Tokyo / in Ueno|7|
​
# Below is the full itinerary day by day.
I added emojis throughout to represent the following:
🌸 Possible places where we could see the Sakura if in bloom
🚅 Transportation (only main transportation between cities, not including other train or buses to get to other locations)
🎟️ Ticket/passes
**Day 1 (03/22) – Toronto > Tokyo**
Arrive at Narita Airport. Take the Skyliner 46Toll Limited ExpressKeisei-Ueno to Ueno station. Check-in to the hotel, dinner nearby, and rest.
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🚅 Travel from Narita Airport to Ueno by Skyliner 46Toll Limited ExpressKeisei-Ueno: \~¥2,570
**Day 2 (03/23) – Tokyo > Hakone**
Check out from the hotel and leave for Hakone. Activate 21-day JR pass.
Drop bags at ryokan.
Explore Hakone and have lunch. Possible things to do:
* Hakone Open Air Museum
* Gora Park
* Hakone Museum of Art
Come back to ryokan for check-in, onsen, and dinner.
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🌸 Ueno Park and/or Hakone Gora Park
🚅 Travel from Tokyo to Hakone by JR Tokaido Shinkansen
🎟️ Get Hakone Free 3-day Pass at Odawara Station: \~¥5,400
**Day 3 (03/24) – Hakone**
Have breakfast at ryokan, enjoy onsen, Hakone loop, and lunch in-between.
* Hakone Tozan Cable Car
* Hakone Ropeway Sounzan Station to Togendai Pier
* Owakudani (buy black egg and maybe have lunch)
* Hakone’s pirate boat
* Hakone Shrine Torii gate
* Back to Hakone-Yumoto to visit Evangelion Store and Kikukawa Candy Shop
Get back to ryokan for more onsen time and dinner.
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🌸 Onshi-Hakone Park or Haya River
**Day 4 (03/25) – Hakone > Osaka**
Last breakfast at ryokan, more onsen time, and check out.
Leave for Osaka.
Check-in to the hotel near Osaka Station. Sumo tournament at EDION Arena Osaka and dinner in the Namba/Dotonbori area.
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🚅 Travel from Hakone to Osaka by JR Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen
**Day 5 (03/26) – Osaka**
A slow day to enjoy Osaka, go to the Pokemon center, cat cafe, etc.
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🌸 Osaka Castle Park or Daisen Park or Kema Sakuranomiya Park
**Day 6 (03/27) – Osaka**
Universal Studios Japan (Flexible, it could be the 27, 28, or the 29)
**Day 7 (03/28) – Osaka**
Day trip to Himeji and Kobe.
In Himeji:
* Himeji Castle
* Koko-en Garden
* Lunch before heading to Kobe
In Kobe:
* Ikuta Shrine
* Kobe Harborland
* Nanki-machi
* Have Kobe beef for dinner
* Take cable car up to Mount Rokko for views of Kobe and Osaka at night
Head back to Osaka
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🌸 Himeji Castle
🚅 Travel from Osaka to Himeji by JR Tokaido-Sanyo Line
🚅 Travel from Himeji to Kobe by JR Tokaido-Sanyo Line
🚅 Travel from Kobe to Osaka by JR Tokaido-Sanyo Line
**Day 8 (03/29) – Osaka**
Leave for Nara and spend the day there.
In Nara Park:
* Isui-en Garden
* Toda-ji Temple
* Meet the deers
* Kasuga Grand Shrine
* Walk to the base of Mount Wakakusa
* Higashimuki Shopping Arcade
Head back to Osaka and grab dinner
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🌸 Himuro Shrine or Kasugano-enchi or Chayama-enchi or Koriyama Castle
🚅 Travel from Osaka to Nara by JR Osaka Loop Line/Yamatoji Line
**Day 9 (03/30) – Osaka > Hiroshima**
Leave for Hiroshima, drop bags early at the hotel near Hiroshima station. Spend the day visiting the Peace Memorial and nearby area.
In Hiroshima:
* Peace Memorial Park
* Peace Memorial Museum
* Atomic Bomb Dome
* Hiroshima Castle
* Shukkei-en Garden
* Eat Okonomiyaki
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🌸 Peace Memorial Park or Hiroshima Castle or Shukkei-en Garden
🚅 Travel from Osaka to Hiroshima by JR Tokaido-Sanyo Line
**Day 10 (03/31) – Hiroshima <> Fukuoka**
Leave early for Fukuoka and spend the day there.
In Fukuoka:
* Canal City Hakata
* Ohori Park
* Fukuoka Castle Ruins
* Have lunch at ポルテーニョand eat white mochi taiyaki at ろっぽんぽん
* Yatai (food stalls) in Tenjin and Nakasu-Kawabata for dinner
Return to Hiroshima and go straight to the hotel.
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🌸 Ogi Park or Aburayama Citizen’s Forest or Fukuoka Castle Ruins or Nishi Park
🚅 Travel from Hiroshima to Fukuoka by JR Tokaido-Sanyo Line
**Day 11 (04/01) – Hiroshima > Naoshima**
Head out early for Naoshima. Drop bags at Benesse House Hotel and head to Honmura Port.
Honmura port:
* Art House Projects
* Kadoya
* Ishibashi
* Haisha
* Minamidera
Head back to the hotel and see Yayoi Kusama’s Yellow Pumpkin on the way back, have dinner, and enjoy the Benesse museum at night.
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🚅 Travel from Hiroshima to Okayama by JR Tokaido-Sanyo Line
**Day 12 (04/02) – Teshima <> Naoshima**
Leave for Teshima in the morning and spend half-day there.
In Teshima:
* Teshima Art Museum
* Les Archives du Coeur
* Teshima Yokoo House
* Have lunch
* Head back to Naoshima
Arrive at Miyanoura port and explore:
* See the Yayoi Kusama’s Red Pumpkin, the Bunraku Puppet, and the Naoshima Pavilion
* Public Bath I Love You
* Vist Chichu Art Museum or Lee Ufan Museum
Head back to the hotel and rest.
**Day 13 (04/03) – Naoshima > Kyoto**
Leave early for Kyoto. Check-in to the hotel in the Gion area. If we have energy, explore the area, have dinner, and rest.
**Day 14 (04/04) – Kyoto**
* Fushimi Inari Taisha
* Kiyomizu-dera
* Yasaka Shrine and Maruyama Park
* Lunch in Downtown Kyoto
* Samurai Ninja Museum Experience + Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya
Dinner at Pontocho Alley.
—
🌸 Maruyama Park or Kyoto Botanical Garden or Philosopher’s Path
**Day 15 (04/05) – Kyoto**
A slow day to enjoy Kyoto and do anything that we couldn’t complete the day before.
* Miyako Odori
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🌸 Maruyama Park or Kyoto Botanical Garden or Philosopher’s Path
**Day 16 (04/06) – Kyoto > Tokyo**
Head to Tokyo. Check-in in the hotel, explore the Ueno area and have dinner.
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🌸 Ueno Park
**Day 17 (04/07) – Tokyo**
Explore Ueno and Akihabara.
In Ueno:
* Ueno Park
* Tokyo National Museum (near the park)
* Ameyoko
In Akihabara
* Square Enix Cafe
* Super Potato Akihabara
* Arcades (Taito Hey or Game Center Mikado)
* Sega Towers
* Owl Cafe “Fukurou”
* Akihabara Gamers
* Don Quijote Akihabara
* Character G Mart
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🌸 Ueno Park
**Day 18 (04/08) – Tokyo**
Explore Ginza and Imperial Palace.
* Chidorigafuchi Park
* Hayao Miyazaki’s NTV Clock
* Shopping around Ginza’s Chuo Dori street
* Shopping in Marunouchi District
* Pokémon Center Tokyo DX / Cafe
* Ginza Sony Park
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🌸 Chidorigafuchi Moat
**Day 19 (04/09) – Tokyo**
Explore Shibuya and Harajuku.
In Shibuya:
* Have breakfast in Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo
* Mag’s Park Rooftop & Shibuya Crossing
* Tokyo Anime Center
* Nintendo Tokyo
* Miyashita Park
* Tokyu Hands
* DAISO
* Yoyogi park
In Harajuku
* Tokyu Plaza Omotesando
* Shopping
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🌸 Yoyogi Park
**Day 20 (04/10) – Tokyo**
Explore Odaiba.
In Odaiba:
* TeamLab planets
* Flying Tiger
* Tsukiji Jogai & Tsukiji Markets
* Unicorn Gundam Statue
* Flying Tiger
* DAISO
**Day 21 (04/11) – Tokyo**
Explore Nakano Broadway and Shinjuku.
In Shinjuku:
* Shinjuku Gyoen
* Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
* Don Quijote
* General Shopping
* tokyu plaza
* Daiso Harajuku
* Takeshita street
* Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
* Evening: Golden Gai
In Nakano:
* Nakano Broadway
* Nakano ZERO
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🌸 Shinjuku Gyoen or Meguro River
**Day 22 (04/12) – Tokyo**
Visit the Ghibli Museum and explore the nearby area. (We are aware of the current limitations for tickets, if don’t get tickets we would just use this day to have a slow-day to explore Tokyo)
**Day 23 (04/13) – Tokyo > Toronto**
Fly back home
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🚅 Travel from Ueno to Narita Airport by Skyliner 46Toll Limited ExpressKeisei-Ueno: \~¥2,570
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**Questions:**
1. Do you think our itinerary is too packed? Anything you would change?
2. Did we miss anything that you think is a must-do?
3. Does the 21-day JR pass make sense?
4. Any Owl Cafe that are good, not abusive to animals
THANK YOU for reading this far! Please let us know what you think. We are really excited for this trip! Any and all feedback and recommendations are welcome.
7 comments
First, I’m pretty sure that 14 days pass is enough.
Skyliner is fine, but instead of staying in Ueno, take the Yamanote line and spend the night in Shinjuku.
Next days you can walk to Shinjuku station and ride the Odakyu Romancecar to get to Hakone. Side note, you can drop luggage at Hakone-Yumoto station and get your bag delivered to ryokan the same day (of course if you pass close to it, you might as well drop it there).
This mean you can use the 14 days pass from day 4 to 17. There is no reason the have a pass active just for Tokyo, instead just get a Suica or Pasmo to make payment easier.
Just as a side note, you can buy the Hakone Free Pass online, check the pass website, there is a link.
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To answer the other questions, some days have a lot and I would suggest you to be flexible. See your itinerary as options of things you can do and not as must do everything. Just take your time to enjoy what you do when you do instead of running from one place to the other.
Owl Cage and not abusive is apparently a contradiction as they are nocturnal animals. Apparently some cat cafe are ok, but for sure would be better to do some research.
The Tsukiji Jogai, which was scheduled for 4/10, looks like it should be on 4/8. Perhaps it is mixed up with Toyosu. Also, many of the stores in Toyosu are for the people who work there, so many of them close before noon. Therefore, if you are going on April 10, it would be better to go in the morning.
I have no advice, but how much does a 23-day trip cost? Was maybe looking at a 2023 trip myself.
Advice: have fun
Not sure about all the specifics there might be lots of lines. You’re coming to Japan when everyone is taking vacations and all the schools are finishing up so there might be a lot of people traveling. Because of this some things may take longer than expected. One example would be the yatai in Fukuoka. Those will usually have pretty long lines, but if it’s on a Friday right after everyone got out of work the lines will be much longer than usual. Just keep this in mind when alotting time for things.
Hope it works out.
Not much to add. I’m more posting because I’m basically doing this trip right now and also from Toronto lol.
I really liked the Hakone Open Air Museum which you could probably spend 3 hours there if you take it all in. I did it as part of the Hakone loop so I was there for about 2 hours and the sun was setting so I rushed the back half.
I’m in Osaka right now and even the travellers I’ve spoken all agree there’s not much here. However, you’re fitting in 2 day trips from Osaka so your allotment seems ok. For the most part I enjoyed the Osaka Aquarium. Did Universal Studios Japan (USJ) yesterday which was 11.5 hours of fun. I would not do it without an Express Pass. Most rides are a min 1-2hr wait and I went on a Monday. I got the 7 attraction pass which also got me into Super Mario World. They were having ticket lotteries for people to get into Super Mario World so don’t rely on just walking into the attraction same day. I ran into three travellers and they did not get an express pass. They immediately went to Super Mario World and shortly after they were behind me in a line for Jurassic Park ride (so as far as I can tell, they did not get to go in) I found no use for the Super Mario World Power Up Band.
You didn’t set aside any time for laundry btw.
I saw “drop bags off at ryokan” and stopped.
Use takkyubin – forward your luggage to your destination and you don’t have to worry about lugging it on the train. Have your hotel front desk fill it out for you , they do it commonly. We forwarded majority of our luggage to Kyoto and spent two nights jn Hakone with just a carry-on. There is not too much in Gora itself. You can arrive in Odawara a little earlier, store small luggage in locker at train station or near it, explore Odawara a little then go back and pick up luggage and continue on to Hakone and reach ryokan at check-in time.
Also have some flexibility built in. We were in Kyoto a week too early for peak bloom. My partner flew back on schedule but I stayed behind an extra week after scoring a bucket-list restaurant reservation. Saw that Kyoto hit peak bloom at that time and made a detour there. It was gorgeous.