Hi! Made some revisions to our itinerary and looking for any recommendations/advice! We want to prioritize food, anime/games, and pretty places!
ITINERARY:
MARCH 20TH LEAVE
21ST ARRIVE AT TOKYO HANEDA AIPORT 3:00 PM
FIRST NIGHT IN JAPAN 😀
-Check in at Sunshine City Prince hotel at Ikebukuro around 6 PM (~30 min taxi)
-Explore around hotel if energy
22 TOKYO TO UENO/AKIHABARA (20-30 min train ride)
-Ikebukuro station to Ueno Station
-Ameyoko market *MUST SEE*
-Ueno park
-Walk to Akihabara (16 min walk) *MUST SEE*
-Gashapon stores
-Super Potato/Bookoff
-Dinner in Akihabara (good ramen options)
-Akihabara to Ikebukuro
23 TOKYO TO ASAKUSA (30 min train ride)
-Ikebukuro Station to Asakusa Station (try to be there around 9 AM)
-Kaminarimon gate *MUST SEE*
Senso-ji temple
Nakamise street
-Walk to Nishi Sando shopping street
-Sumida park for cherry blossoms (10 minute walk) *MUST SEE IF BLOSSOMS*
-Train to Tokyo Skytree at night/eat at Kirby Cafe (try for 6 PM reservation) (30 min train) *MUST SEE*
-Tokyo Solamachi
-Tokyo Skytree station to Ikebukuro station (45 mins)
24 TOKYO TO SHIBUYA/SHINJUKU (20 min train ride)
-Ikebukuro station to Shinjuku station (20-30 min)
-Walk to Shinjuku Gyoen Gardens (early to avoid crowds)
-Shinjuku station to Harajuku station (5 min train)
-Harajuku shopping
-Harajuku station to Shibuya Station (5 min train)
-Yoyogi park for cherry blossoms
-Pokemon Center/Nintendo Store Shibuya *MUST SEE*
-Shibuya One Piece Main store *MUST SEE*
-Shibuya SKY at sunset *MUST SEE*
-Shibuya station to Shinjuku station
-Dinner/drinks at Omoide Yokocho and -Golden Gai (16 min train) *MUST SEE*
-Back to Ikebukuro (30 min train)
25 (SATURDAY) TOKYO TO NAKANO/ROPPONGI (20 min train)
-Nakano Broadway
-Shop at Nakano
-Akihabara again (?) (20 min train)
-Roppongi (20 min train) (night time)
-Eat at Butagumi, drink in Roppongi
-Roppongi to Ikebukuro (30 min taxi)
26 (SUNDAY) TOKYO/IKEBUKURO (Foward luggage before leaving)
-Teamlab Planets (9a-9p) (try for 10 AM reservation?) (40 min train or 20 min taxi) *MUST SEE*
-Back to Ikebukuro
-Explore Sunshine City mall
-Aquarium (?)
-Gashapon store *MUST SEE*
-One Piece Mugiwara store *MUST SEE*
-Pokemon Center
-Back to hotel
27 TOKYO TO OSAKA (2.5 hour JR shinkansen ride)($300)
-Leave from Ikebukuro Station to Tokyo Station, (30 min train), explore Tokyo station (character street), leave Tokyo Station to Osaka Station around noon (2.5 hours), Shin-Osaka station to Shinsaibashi station (20 mins)
-Bridge Hotel Shinsaibashi check-in at 3 PM (luggage should be forwarded already)
-Aquarium at 4:30 PM (14 min taxi or 30 min train from hotel) *MUST SEE*
-Americamura/Dotonbori for dinner/drinks *MUST SEE*
28 OSAKA (EARLY DAY)
-Universal Studios (opens at 9 am) *MUST SEE*
All day USJ
-Dotonbori/Shinsaibashi at night
29 OSAKA TO KYOTO DAY TRIP (EARLY DAY)(45 min train ride)
-Leave Osaka early (8 AM) to Kyoto station
-Go to Nishiki market (30 min walk or 10 minute taxi from Kyoto Station) *MUST SEE*
-Snoopy Cha-ya cafe
-Go to Kiyomizudera temple (30 min walk from Nishiki market or 10 minute taxi) *MUST SEE*
-Walk to Yasaka Shrine (lots of shopping on the way), Maruyama park for cherry blossoms
-Walk around Gion streets at night *MUST SEE*
(Go to Fushimi Inari at night if extra time)
-Back to Osaka at night (30 min train ride)
30 OSAKA TO KINOSAKI ONSEN *ASK OSAKA HOTEL IF WE CAN LEAVE LUGGAGE OVERNIGHT?* (3 hour JR shinkansen ride) ($50)
-Leave from Osaka Station to Kinosaki by 10 or 11 AM
-Check into Morizuya ryokan 3 PM
-Find dinner/shop (dinner at Sanpou Nishimuraya possibly?)
-CHILL!!!!!!!!!!!! Go to baths (most open until 11 PM)
31 KINOSAKI TO OSAKA (3 hour JR shinkansen ride) ($50)
FINAL NIGHT IN JAPAN 🙁
-Wake up early (7/8 AM)
-Private bath at Morizuya
-Breakfast
-Explore/shop
-Leave Kinosaki
-Check into Bridge Hotel again
-Dinner/last minute souvenirs
APRIL 1ST LEAVE FROM OSAKA ITAMI AIRPORT 3:00 PM
30 min-1 hour taxi to airport from hotel, customs, and want to do airport souvenir shopping, try to leave for airport by 10/11 AM
2 hour layover in Haneda airport for more quick souvenir shopping
5 comments
Glad to see that Morizuya is still around. Just FYI, a ryokan like Morizuya will provide a kaiseki dinner as part of your accommodation, so there’s no need to look for dinner elsewhere. Same with breakfast.
I don’t know if you can request accommodation without meal service, but it would be a shame to do so, IMO, as a ryokan dinner is usually great.
>Gashapon store MUST SEE
You’ll have a hard time missing it. Your hotel is literally next door.
I won’t comment on exact spots, since it’s up to your interests, but Tokyo geography seems to be off a little.
1. Ueno, Asakusa and Akihabara are all within a walking distance between each other. There’s no need to ride a train unless you don’t want to walk a little.
2. Yoyogi park is next to Harajuku station. Also, Harajuku and Shibuya are quite close to each other. However, during Sakura season Yoyogi park is crowded to the point of being a sea of people, it’s truly insane. And Sakura isn’t that good there at all. Maybe visit Naka-Meguro for some nice Sakura river trees or Chidorigafuchi.
3. You don’t need to ride train from Shinjuku to Golden Gai, because Golden Gai is a part of Shinjuku area.
4. Unless you’re past midnight, you can easily get from Roppongi back to Ikebukuro.
Also, it seems that there are some expectations of food from non-food places. First of all, Akihabara isn’t the best place to eat at all. Same about Golden Gai, it’s a drinking place, not eating place.
> Harajuku station to Shibuya Station
Harajuku and Shibuya are within walking distance of each other. Cat street is a decent route to take, although it has changed a lot since the pandemic. This route will take you by Miyashita park
Well if you’re into anime, anime Japan happens on the weekend of the 25th and 26th in person in Tokyo.