Hi! I am planning a trip in April 2023 to Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Most of my research into my itinerary came from japan-guide.com. I basically organized each day based on a section of the city. My biggest issue is that I’m afraid I’m overscheduling my days. This is my first trip to Japan so I don’t want to miss anything. Should I plan for more days in each city? Thanks in advance!
Basic Itinerary:
**TOKYO**
Day 0 – Arrive
Find Hotel
Explore streets around hotel
Perhaps do a thing on the itinerary that time may not permit?
Public bath?
Day 1 – **West Tokyo**
Meiji Shrine
Yoyogi Park
Harajuku
Shibuya
If Time Permits:
Shinjuku
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
Shinjuku Gyoen
Day 2 – **North Tokyo**
Asakusa
Sumida River
Tokyo Skytree?
Ueno Park
Rikugien Garden or Akihabara or anything that time didn’t permit on day 1
Day 3 – **Central Tokyo**
Akihabara (if not done on day 2) or anything that time didn’t permit on day 1
Koishikawa Korakuen
Imperial Palace East Gardens?
Tokyo Station?
Ginza or one of the places that time didn’t permit
Day 4 – **South Tokyo**
Toyosu Market and/or Tsukiji Outer Market (if open)
Hama Rikyu
Kyu Shiba Rikyu
Zojoji Temple
Tokyo Tower (if we didn’t do Tokyo Skytree or the Gov Building)
Roppongi
Gyukatsu Motomura
If Time Permits:
Rainbow Bridge (lit up at night)
Odaiba
Day 5 – Do anything time didn’t permit in Tokyo
**KYOTO**
Day 6 – **Central Kyoto**
Kyoto Tower
Higashi Honganji Temple
Nishi Honganji Temple
Kyoto Railway Museum
Nishiki Market
Pontocho
Kyoto Manga Museum
Kyoto Imperial Park
Day 6 continued – **Eastern Kyoto**
Kyoto National Museum
Gion
Higashiyama District
Shorenin Temple
Chionin Temple
Yasaka Shrine
Maruyama Park
Kodaiji
Kiyomizudera
The Shogunzuka Mound (if time permits)
Heian Shrine
Nanzenji Temple
The Philosopher’s Path
Ginkakuji Temple
Shinnyodo Temple (if time permits)
Day 7 – **Southern Kyoto**
Fushimi Inari Shrine
Yotsutsuji intersection
Tofukuji Temple
Fushimi Sake District
Daigoji Temple
Toji Temple (if time permits)
Day 7 continued – **Western Kyoto**
Arashiyama
Tenryuji Temple
Daikakuji (if time permits)
Hozugawa River Cruises (if time permits)
The Sagano Scenic Railway
Day 8 – **Northern Kyoto**
Ninnaji Temple
Ryoanji Temple
Kinkakuji Temple
Daitokuji
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine
Shimogamo Shrine
Kamigamo Shrine
Enkoji Temple (if time permits)
Manshuin Temple (if time permits)
Kibune AND Kurama (if time permits)
**OSAKA**
Day 9 – **Kita / Umeda (Uptown)**
Osaka Station City
Grand Front Osaka
Umeda Sky Building
Kitashinchi entertainment district
Nakazakicho District
Tenma
Day 9 continued – **Osaka Bay Area**
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
Tempozan Ferris Wheel
Tempozan Marketplace
Mount Tempozan
Sakishima Island (if time permits)
Day 10 – **Central Osaka**
Osaka Castle
Osaka Museum of History
Sumiyoshi Taisha
Day 10 continued – **Minami / Namba (Downtown)**
Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade
Amerikamura
National Bunraku Theater
Kuromon Market
Dotonbori
Day 10 continued – **Tennoji**
Abeno Harukas
Abeno Harukas Kintetsu Department Store
Abeno Harukas Art Museum
Shinsekai District
Tsutenkaku Tower
Shitennoji Temple
Day 11 – Fly home
1 comment
**TLDR: Tokyo part is manageable, but your Kansai itinerary tries to fit 12 days+ of itinerary into 5 days and you are not even planning to visit Nara or Himeji.**
Day 1: If you want to visit Shinjuku Gyoen, probably the best time would be to visit it between Meiji-jingu and Harajuku. I generally do not recommend Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building to catch views of Tokyo – the only thing going for it is that it is free and in that respect Bunkyo Civic Centre has a better location. Since you are already ending up the day in Shibuya – Shibuya Sky will make a lot more sense.
Day 2: Rikugien is awkward fit for the day. Sumida Park is only recommended if you go during cherry blossom season, otherwise is not particularly memorable. In general, I would go with Asakusa → Ueno-koen → Akihabara and end up either in Ameyoko or Skytree in the early evening.
Day 3: Be on the lookout for possible opening of new location of TeamLab Borderless in Azubajuban district as it may well fit this itinerary.
Day 4: Skip Tokyo Tower and go to Mori Building in the evening. The visit to Observation Deck is usually best combined with one of the exhibitions.
Day 6: This is absolutely and stupidly overloaded. This is realistically speaking 2½ day itinerary fit into one day. Even doing Higashiyama itinerary would be challenging (and only possible if you arrive in Kyoto on the previous day).
Kyoto National Museum should be skipped – unless there is very, very specific exhibit that you must visit.
Typically, I would recommend starting the day with Kiyomizu-dera and ending in Ginkaku-ji, but you may start the day at 6am at one of the Honganji temples.
Day 7: I’ll be honest, even if you start at 6am at Fushimi Inari, just making through the Southern Kyoto itinerary would be an achievement.
Southern Kyoto + Northwestern Kyoto elements in this day are about three day’s worth.
Day 8:
> Ninnaji Temple Ryoanji Temple Kinkakuji Temple Daitokuji Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Shimogamo Shrine
This is a full day’s worth. And that’s counting on Ninnaji not being filled with *yaezakura* queues.
Day 9: Actually, it’s possible to do Kaiyukan and Tempozan Marketplace in the morning and Umeda area in the late afternoon/evening.
Day 10: This is about two day’s worth of itinerary and considering your time, I would probably choose to visit Himeji castle in the morning and Shinsaibashi/Dotonbori area in the evening.