Hello, everyone! I’ve been obsessively scrolling through this sub reading everyone’s itineraries and the sub’s advice. The community seems super helpful. I would especially appreciate any advice on the efficiency of our routes. Thank you in advance 🙂
We are travelling in a group of 4 adults and 1 child (2 grandparents, 2 parents, 1 four-year-old). We only have a 1 hour time difference, and most of us have been to Japan at least twice. One of us speaks Japanese. However, on those trips, I didn’t know I could harness the power of reddit…
**Key info:**
* Trip dates: 10-17 March 2023.
* Kyoto accommodation: Airbnb, 5 minutes walk from Kiyomizu-dera.
* Tokyo accommodation: Hoshinoya Tokyo, 10 minutes walk from Tokyo Station.
* My kid sleeps at 7-730pm.
**ITINERARY**
**Day 1**
* 0730: Arrival at Narita
* Buy Suica cards, pick up pocket wifi, etc.
* Forward luggage using TA-Q-BIN
* Take Nozomi Shinkansen to Kyoto Station
* Samurai & Ninja museum
* Settle in early, dinner nearby/at home
**Day 2**
* Walk to Fushimi Inari along the Kamo river
* Inari hike
* Bus home to rest
* Walk to Kiyomizu-dera
* Dinner nearby
**Day 3**
* Arashiyama Monkey Park
* Bamboo forest (Giou-ji, Adashino Nenbutsu-Ji, Otagi Nenbutsu-ji)
* Lunch at Aeon Mall, which is apparently a 30 minutes walk from the bamboo path? Is this true/achievable? Are there lots of stairs/inclines/roads I can’t see on Google Maps?
* Forward luggage to Hoshinoya Tokyo
* Dinner nearby
**Day 4**
* Rent car from Kyoto Station, drive to Miyama
* Explore Miyama thatched village on foot, since e-bikes for children aren’t available
* Folklore museum
* Since we have the car, is there anything else we should see nearby before heading back?
**Day 5**
* 0900: Check out of Airbnb
* Take Nozomi Shinkansen to Tokyo Station
* Lunch and shopping at Tokyo Station
* Check in to Hoshinoya, relax at hotel (onsen, sake tasting, etc)
**Day 6**
* Ueno Park, National Museum of Nature & Science
* Wander around Ginza, making sure to stop at Ginza Takumi craft shop
**Day 7**
* teamLab Planets
* We would like to do one more activity near teamLab Planets — any recommendations?
We depart the next morning, on Day 8. Our flight is at 1055.
**QUESTIONS**
1. Question above about walking from bamboo path to Aeon Mall
2. Question above about any driving recommendations in Miyama
3. Would you recommend pocket wifi or SIM cards?
4. While my kid and I will be sleeping early, my spouse + the grandparents might go explore at night. Apart from wandering around Gion at night in Kyoto, what would you recommend they do in Tokyo? They are not into drinking but love eating supper. My spouse is into manga and history.
Thank you all wonderful people in advance!