We are planning our first trip to Japan next month. After several hours of watching videos and studying maps, we have an action-packed but hopefully not overwhelming schedule lined up.
* **Day 1:** Arrive at the Haneda airport around 3pm, get money and pocket wifi etc.. Make our way to Asakusa. Explore a bit, get dinner, visit the Sensoji Temple, stay in a Ryokan.
* **Day 2:** Visit Koto – Monzen-Nakocho, Teamlabs Planets, Toyosu Market. Go to Chiyoda to visit Akihabara (part 1) and check into the Tokyo Stay hotel.
* **Day 3:** Tokyo Tower, Zojoji Temple, Shiba park, Roppongi Street, the Pokemon Cafe, and Shinjuku: Golden gai in the PM. More of a general exploration day. Sleep in the Tokyo Stay hotel again.
* **Day 4:** Visit Shibuya: Go to Shibuya Parco for the nintendo store, pokemon center, and other nerdy things. Visit shibuya crossing and the Shibuya Sky observation deck. Visit the Meiji-Jingo shrine. If there’s enough time, visit the Gotokuji temple in Harujuku. Stay the night in a love hotel.
* **Day 5:** Leave for the Haneda airport around 10am
In those days, we have a few miscellaneous things we’d like to visit if time permits: the Asakusa underground, Don Quijote, Kurande Sake markets, and food places like Cafe Aaliya, Asakusa gyukatsu, and Ramen hayashida or Ichiran.
Also an important question: We will be visiting between Christmas and New Years. Does this mean that shops will be closed for the Holidays?
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>We will be visiting between Christmas and New Years. Does this mean that shops will be closed for the Holidays?
Although there will be Xmas decorations everywhere, it’s not actually a holiday in Japan, until it gets to New year.
Can’t you exchange money before you go to the airport?
From Japan Rail Faq – “Many stores, restaurants, and entertainment attractions are closed between December 29 and January 4.”