After reading up on posts in this sub, I made an itinerary to visit Japan next March. I know that going a bit later could be good for cherry blossom season but I was wondering if I should avoid spring break crowds and prices. Planned as a solo trip but that could change. I would appreciate any additional help! Here are my notes so far:
# Itinerary
**Mar 2 (Thursday):**
* *Fly to Japan*
**Mar 3 (Friday):**
* Afternoon: Arrive in Tokyo
* *Take Shinkansen to Hiroshima*
* Hotel in Hiroshima
Hiroshima/Miyajima Itineraries: [https://www.insidekyoto.com/hiroshima-and-miyajima-itineraries](https://www.insidekyoto.com/hiroshima-and-miyajima-itineraries)
**Mar 4 (Saturday):**
* Atomic Bomb Dome
* Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
* Peace Memorial Park
* Shukkei-en Garden
* Hotel in Hiroshima
**Mar 5 (Sunday):**
* *Take local train and ferry to Miyajima*
* Miyajima Itinerary (Check high tide [https://www.tidetime.org/asia/japan/miyajima.htm](https://www.tidetime.org/asia/japan/miyajima.htm))
* Itsukushima-jinja
* Daisho-in Temple
* Momiji-dani-koen
* Miyajima Ropeway
* *Travel to Hiroshima Station*
* *Shinkansen to Osaka*
* Hotel in Osaka
**Mar 6 (Monday):**
* [https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/zb6i9y/the\_practical\_guide\_to\_nintendoland\_november\_2022/](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/zb6i9y/the_practical_guide_to_nintendoland_november_2022/)
* Buy entry ticket beforehand
* Install USJ App to reserve Nintendo World ticket
* Arrive early
* Head directly to Nintendo World and use USJ app, connect to wifi, select “Timed Entry Ticket” and choose Nintendo World
* Mario Kart VR is recommended first
* Go early to Toad Cafe
* Expected wait times: [https://usjreal.asumirai.info/monthly/6month-expect.html](https://usjreal.asumirai.info/monthly/6month-expect.html)
* Dotonburi
* Hotel in Osaka
Kyoto Itineraries: [https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/5wgxa1/best\_way\_to\_group\_these\_sites\_in\_kyoto/](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/5wgxa1/best_way_to_group_these_sites_in_kyoto/)
**Mar 7 (Tuesday):**
* *Take Shinkansen to Kyoto*
* Arashiyama
* Bamboo Forest
* Tenryu-ji
* Jojakko-ji
* Gio-ji
* Adashino Nenbutsu-ji
* Daikaku-ji
* Sagatoriimoto
* Arashiyama Monkey Park
* Kinkaku-ji
* Hotel in Kyoto
* Kyoto Hotel resol?
**Mar 8 (Wednesday):**
* Southern Higashiyama
* Kiyomizu-dera
* Sannenzaka/Ninenzaka
* Kodai-ji
* Ishibei Koji
* Yasaka Jinja/Maruyajma Park
* Shogun-zuka
* Chion-in
* Gion
* Pontocho
* Kiyamachi
* Teramachi
* Shinkyogoku
* Nishiki Market
* Hotel in Kyoto
**Mar 9 (Thursday):**
* Northern Higashiyama (Bicycle?)
* The Imperial Palace
* Kyoto International Manga Museum
* Demachi Masugata Shopping Arcade
* Shimogamo Shrine
* Kamo River
* Ginkaku-ji
* The Philospher’s Path
* Honen-in
* Eikan-do
* Nanzen-ji
* Heian Jingu
* Hotel in Kyoto
**Mar 10 (Friday):**
* *Shinkansen to Hakone*
* Open-air Museum
* Ryokan and Onsen in Hakone
* Hakone Yuyada Zen?
* Gora Hanaougi? [https://gorahanaougi.com/en/madokanomori/](https://gorahanaougi.com/en/madokanomori/)
* Agoda Ryokan?
* Yama No Chaya?
**Mar 11 (Sat):**
* *Shinkansen to Tokyo*
* Ginza
* Chuo-dori (Pedestrian only on Sat)
* Merino Shabu Shabu
* Imperial Palace
* Hotel in Tokyo
**Mar 12 (Sun):**
* Ueno
* Ueno Park
* Tokyo National Museum or Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
* Ueno Zoo?
* Akihabara
* Super Potato
* Club MOGRA – Check schedule in 2023. Potentially swap with Saturday.
* Chuo-dori (Pedestrian only on Sun)
* Hotel in Tokyo
**Mon-Fri is Flexible**. Might replace something with Kichijoji if I can get tickets to Ghibli museum on JTB.
* Kichijoji
* Sun Road
* Inoshima Park
* Ghibli Museum
**Mar 13 (Mon):**
* Asakusa
* Senso-ji
* Nakamise-dori
* Skytree or Asukayama Park
* Ferry from Asakusa to Odaiba
* Odaiba
* teamLabs Planets TOKYO
* Joypolis or Round1
* Aqua City
* Hotel in Tokyo
**Mar 14 (Tue, White Day):**
* Nakano
* Nakano Broadway
* Ikebukuro
* Sunshine City
* Sunshine Aquarium
**Mar 15 (Wed):**
* *Shinkansen to Yokohama*
* Yokohama
* Chinatown
* Gundam Factory
* Yamashita Park
* Cup Noodle Museum
* Ramen Making Class [https://www.cupnoodles-museum.jp/en/osaka\_ikeda/attractions/cr-factory/](https://www.cupnoodles-museum.jp/en/osaka_ikeda/attractions/cr-factory/) (Check in a week, not available on White Day)
* *Shinkansen to Tokyo*
**Mar 16 (Thurs):**
* Shibuya
* Meiji Shrine
* Yoyogi Park
* Takeshita dori
* Shibuya Crossing / Hachiko
* Shibuya Scramble?
* Shibuya Sky
**Mar 17 (Fri):**
* Harajuku
* Takeshita Street
* Omoide Yokocho
* Shinjuku
* Shinjuku Goen Park
* Ikinari Steak
* Kabukicho
* Suga Jinja
**Mar 18 (Sat):**
* Makuhari Messe International Hall
* Hololive SUPER EXPO 2023
**Mar 19 (Sun):**
* Makuhari Messe International Hall
* Hololive SUPER EXPO 2023
* Tokyo DisneySea
**Mar 20 (Mon):**
* Free Day in Tokyo
**Mar 21 (Tue)**
* Fly from Japan
# Questions
* Is Hakone on Friday okay? What could I move around?
* Is Hiroshima/Miyajima on the weekend okay?
* Flights to Osaka vs Tokyo: They are about the same price, but Osaka has longer layovers, and arrives in +2 days. Would flying into Osaka still be better than taking the shinkansen from tokyo?
* Too many temples?
* Skip Ginza?
* What things are closed or busy on white day? Anything to check out that day?
* Anything I should make sure to reserve months ahead of time?
* Anything to do on SUPER EXPO days if I have extra time
* Is DisneySea too much for Sunday?
* Would getting a haircut in Japan be a bad idea?
* How to find ongoing collab cafes?
* Food recommendations
2 comments
If you land in Tokyo in the afternoon, the latest you can be at Tokyo station to take the train is 6:03 PM and you would have 5h38 of train to do to reach Hiroshima at 23:41 (that is if you take JR Pass 7 days and I think you should to save money, but it would require some rework of the itinerary to leave Kyoto earlier, for example leave at the end of day 9, even if it is to sleep in a cheaper hotel in Odawara… or just go to Hiroshima a day later).
Taking the shinkansen to Kyoto is often not the most efficient way to do it. Yes it is “only 15 minutes” but it often make the itinerary more complicated. Just put your real start and end point in Google Maps to see if there is a more efficient way to do it.
From Hakone, instead of Shinkansen, the Romancecar would be cheaper.
Merino Shabu Shabu, oh, are you a Watamate ? I know she had a colab even with them in the past.
Right now, it’s not possible to get Ghibli tickets, even if you could with JTB, they do not sell tickets only, you have to book hotel with them, otherwise you would be better with the Lawson ticket (then it’s available again from abroad).
Shinkansen to Yokohama is a waste of money especially when the things you want to see are not even close to the shinkansen station, just use the local train.
The 16, you listed a bunch of places in Harajuku and that is kind of a repeat of day 17.
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In general, you have several days that have a lot, so you should be flexible and make priority, just take your time to enjoy what you do and don’t try to rush and see everything.
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Hakone should not especially be a problem on a Friday and don’t see why Hiroshima and Miyajima would be a problem on week day. Some attractions might end up a bit more crowded, but nothing that should not be manageable.
If you have a long layover to go to Osaka, I do not think it would make any advantage, but I would check to land in Hiroshima, yes, with a layover in Tokyo for example.
Too many temples ? Maybe, maybe not. If you are scared that you won’t like it after the first few ones, then have some back-up plans. I love temples, but other people experience temple fatigue. Just don’t force yourself to see more if you don’t like it.
Nothing should be close on white day. Fancy restaurant and shops selling gifts and flowers might be busier than usual. Nothing special to check out, if you go with your SO, then go for a romantic dinner.
Appart from Ghibli and maybe teamLab and amusement park and Super Expo… no… oh, well hotels.
Not sur it’s worth going to DisneySea for just half a day… ok maybe if they have cheaper tickets for half day… and that is assuming you are not going to the concert, but just to the expo. Why not do it on the Monday after?
On expo day, I would spend as much time there, if you think you had enough of one day, then use the second day to do something else in Tokyo.
Getting a haircut… bad idea if you are unable to explain what you want. But I do not especially see the advantage.
Collab cafe, websites like this [https://collabo-cafe.com/](https://collabo-cafe.com/) but you have to check often as the pop-up cafe are often just 1 month long. There is probably websites that talk about the permanent cafe too. Check Official Hololive website for collab news (yes, it’s often just in Japanese), for example from Dec 16 to Jan 9 there will be a cafe at Tokyo Skytree Town, the have a collab with Tobu zoo in January, and up to the end of Dec they do somethign with Fuji Q. So if you check regularly, you can expect stuff for March too.
Man, I’ve noticed a lot of people including myself putting all these parks and shrines and historical places, but alot of people don’t realize that there’s more to japan than this. I guess I’m too blind to realize that there are a lot of fun activities than the ones mentioned in most itineraries. This is just some food for thought.