Below is my Japan travel itinerary for April of 2024. Anyone recommend anything extra or changes?? This is my lifelong dream and I work a minimum wage job so I’m planning to save 6.5k for my trip. Flying from Florida to Cali and from Cali straight to Tokyo and flying out of Osaka. Not sure if I should do the Jr pass but might do it for the second half of the trip.
MARCH 25 WED
– TRAVEL DAY
– Exchange currency before
– Download Google maps and Google translate
– Get SIM card and Suica
MARCH 26 THURS
– ARRIVE IN TOKYO
– Visit Ueno park and shrine (9AM-4:30PM)
– Visit Nezu Shrine (6AM-5PM)
– Lunch @ Nabezo Hot Pot (5PM-10:30PM)
– Explore area near airbnb
– Pick up 7-11 snacks
– Dinner @ Onigiri Bongo (11-11)
MARCH 27 FRI
– 7-11 breakfast
– Visit Meji shrine (6AM-4PM)
– Explore Harajuku (Takeshita street, cat street, Yoyogi park, kiddy land, Daiso, crepes) (9AM-5PM)
– Lunch @ Harajuku Gyozaro (11:30AM-10PM)
– Visit MiPig cafe/ shibu shibu / Hedgehog (9AM-8PM)
– Visit Shibuya crossing (Get Disney Park tickets from Disneystore, Magnet by Shibuya 109 for a rooftop view of the crossing, go up the glass stairs, Hachicko square, One piece Mugiwara Store, Nintendo Tokyo, Supreme, Bape, Amore vintage, 2nd street thrift) (11AM-7PM)
– Dinner @ Uobei Sushi (11AM-11PM)
– Drinks @ maruhachi shibuya
– End the night @ Meguro River for cherry blossoms
MARCH 28 SAT
– Visit the Imperial palace (9AM-2:45PM)
– Visit hie-jinja shrine (6AM-5PM)
– Breakfast @ Sukemasa Coffee (11AM-6PM)
– Lunch @ Onigiri Asakusa Yadoroku (11:30AM-3PM – 5-9PM)
– Explore Asakusa (Senso-Ji shrine, Sakura Jingu shrine, Nakamise shopping street, Tokyo sky tree) (9AM-5PM)
– Dinner @ Kikanbo – Devil Ramen (11-9:30PM)
– Party @ Ibex-tokyo hip hop club/Harlem (10PM-5AM)
MARCH 29 SUN
– Breakfast @ Family Mart
– Inokashira Park for cherry blossoms
– Explore Akihabara (Super potato store, arcade buildings, chuo street) (11AM-8PM)
– Dessert @Home cafe (10:30AM-10PM)
– Dinner @ Gyukatsu motomura/ Gyukatsu ichi ni san (11-11)
MARCH 31 MON
– Breakfast @ Lawsons (egg sandwhich)
– VISIT TOKYO DISNEYSEA (9AM-9PM)
– Dinner @ Dominoes/Mcdonalds
APRIL 1 TUES
– Tsukiji fish market for breakfast – try Maguroya, teppanyaki jyu-jyu, huge oysters, tsukiji sushi dai (8AM-1PM)
– Visit Sanrio store (11-8PM)
– Visit Monzen-Nacacho town @ sunset (Tomioka Hachimangu, Tomika street, Izakya street, Kokufune Bridge, have a drink in tatsumi shindo)
– Find somewhere to eat dinner or @ Uosan Sakaba
APRIL 2 WED
DAY TRIP TO KAWAGUCHIKO OR NIKKO
– visit Chureito pagoda to see mt. Fuji
– Daisho-Ji Temple
– Fuji Q highland
– Lunch @ Daikokuten
– Oishi park
– Back to Tokyo
– Explore ikebukuro @ night
– Dinner @ Ichiran Ramen (11-5AM)
APRIL 3 THURS
– Visit Tokyo Tower
– Kyunaka River for cherry blossoms
– Look @ cherry blossoms in Shinjuku Gyoen
– Visit Aoyama Cemetary
– Lunch @ Butagumi or fast food (11:30-2PM) (6-9PM)
– Shinjuku Kabukicho @ sunset (Toho Cinema, Hanazono Jinja Shrine)
– Look @ city from the Tokyo metropolitan building
– Eat @ Omoide Yokocho @ night
– Drink at Shinjuku Golden Gai tonight (Bar Albratross/ Death match in hell)
APRIL 4TH FRI
TRAVEL TO GINZA ONSEN
– check into Ryokan
– Explore Ginza and take a dip in an onsen
– Explore Shirogane falls
– Lunch at Izu No Hana
– Check out the Warashiyu
– Take a dip in the hot springs
APRIL 5TH SAT
– travel to Kyoto
– Check in @ Airbnb
– Breakfast @ Happy Pancake (11-8)
– Watch cherry blossoms @ philosophers path
– Ride the Jikkou Fune boat
– Fushimi inarii shrine @ sunset (mitsurugi-sha, the love rock here, Kifune Jinja, Fushimi castle)
– Dinner @ Coco curry (11-11)
– Dessert @ Otani Chaen
– Drink @ Pontocho
– Hang out in the Kamogawa River (maybe)
APRIL 6TH SUN
– Conbini breakfast
– Visit Arishiyama forest/ Monkey park/ Tenryuji Temple, Togetsu-Kyo Bridge (9AM-4PM)
– Lunch in arashiyama dauizen (12-8:30)
– Hirano shrine, Kinkaku-Ji, Daitoku-Ji Temple day!!
– Dinner @ Omen Ginkaku-Ji (11-9PM)
APRIL 7 MON
Day trip to Nara
– Train station breakfast
– Walk to Isuien Garden area (Nara park, Nakatanido for Mochi, Kichi castle park, Ukimido, Todaji shrine, Nogaku hall, Kasuga-Taisha, Nigatsu-an temple)
– Lunch @ tonkatsu ganko or Kitahara
– Visit Saho River
– Travel back to kyoto
– Dinner @ kichi kichi Omurice (5-9PM)
APRIL 8 TUES
– visit traditional Starbucks (8-8)
– Byodo-Ji Temple (8:30-5:30)
– Visit Nishiki Market (Kimura fresh fish)
– Lunch @ Hinodoe Udon (11AM-3PM)
– Gion district (Kiyomizu Temple, Kodaji Temple, Yasaka Shrine, Tower of Yasaka, Gion corner, Sannenzaka street, Ninenzaka street, hanamikoji street, tatsumi bridge, Keage Incline, Nanzen-Ji, Tenji-An, Sanjo Bridge, Donguri store)
– Visit Maruyama Park
– Eat @ Hanamichi (7PM-12AM)
APRIL 9 WED
TRAVEL TO MT.KOYA
– Visit Danjo Garan Temple
– Visit Daimon Gate
– Visit Konbogu-Ji (head temple of Buddhism)
– Visit Okunion Cementary
– Stay at Yochi-in
APRIL 10 THURS
TRAVEL TO OSAKA
– Check into Airbnb
– Head to Den Den town
– Explore Shinsekai
– Explore Kuromon Ichiba Market
РExplore Dotombori (Pok̩mon center, dotonbori bridge, Namba Yasaka Shrine, don quijote, Gyoza, Ajinoya honten, Takoyaki Wanaka Sennichima, Kushikatsu)
APRIL 11 FRI
– Lawsons breakfast
– UNIVERSAL STUDIOS!!!!! (hello kitty cafe in city walk)
– Dinner @ Kaiten Sushi Sakae
– Party @ club Piccadilly Umeda or explore near where we stay
APRIL 12 SAT
– Visit Osaka Castle
– breakfast @ Endo sushi (6AM-1:30PM)
– Have a bite at Izakaya Toyo (12-7PM)
– sakura tunnel in the Expo 70 Commemorative Park/ Kema Sakuranomiya Park
– Umeda sky building for city views @ sunset
– Dinner @ Kobe beef steak Ken/ Tsurugyu/ Matsusakagyu Yakiniku
– Get a drink at PC and retro space station bar/ Bible club
– Drink my ass off n celebrate my dreams 💞
APRIL 13 SUN
– LEAVE OSAKA
APRIL 14 MON
– TRAVEL DAY
5 comments
Ginzan onsen is quite out of the way, would make much more sense to do onsen is more accessible places like Hakone, Izu peninsula ( Shuzenji onsen), Arima onsen or Kinosaki onsen.
I am honestly amazed at the number of food establishments you have listed, might be cribbing some of these! But also leave yourself open to trying stuff not necessarily on your schedule for that day – we never know where our mood takes us, and spontaneity can lead us to amazing dining experiences too. Personally I would prioritize really special meals like wagyu beef, kaiseki or a special sushi place.
Just a general comment as well that you have listed a lot of activities in each day, and while it’s good to have at least a plan be prepared to drop some or many of them. You may be underestimating the amount of time you’d actually spend in each place and in transit, or you’d have to rush through them just to tick off items in a list. Also, leave in room for just resting or chilling every few days, to avoid travel fatigue.
Regarding currency, exchange before your flight date in a regular bank. Airport money changers don’t have the best rates. You can put your extra cash for the trip into a debit card with no/small foreign transaction fees, and bring a no fee credit card too if possible.
First off, congrats on achieving your dream! Let’s see how we can improve the iternary. What I mention, please do your own additional research to confirm it.
W.r.t JR Pass, use the JR Pass calculator to see if it’s worth it. Travelling within Tokyo by itself doesnt require one. I believe you will save a bit if you buy it in the second half going to Kyoto.
For Harajuku, Shiba Cafe requires queuing. MiPig requires online reservation. Cant rmb Hedgehogs.
Tsukiji Sushi Dai is NOT at Tsukiji Outer Market – they changed to be at Toyosu instead. It’s a 30 minute walk so its quite a distance. You must go very early – they will close shop once they hit a certain number of customers per day.
Kichi Kichi after day trip to Nara… seems to be difficult. Again, expect long queues.
On March 26, dinner at Onigiri Bongo is a bit far from Nezu and does not accept reservations to eat in the restaurant, so you will have to wait in line for a long time. so it is not recommended to have it for dinner. It is possible to order by phone in advance and pick it up on time, so in that case you do not have to wait in line. So it would be better to take it with you when you go to gardens or parks like Rikugien or Shinjuku Gyoen and eat it as lunch.
Congratulations! I plan to visit japan too some day 🙂 one of my biggest wishes also. Im impressed of how well you considered everything..