This will be our (couple) first trip to Japan and I’m hoping to get some advice/critique of our draft so far please!
**Tokyo** (6 days). Akihabara hotel.
Day 0- Arrive at Narita.
Day 1- Ueno Park + Ameyoko street, Sensoji temple, walk through Sumida Park to Skytree + Pokémon cafe.
Day 2- Team Lab Planets, Shibuya and Shinjuku + rooftop bar after dinner (any recommendations with a good view?).
Day 3- Imperial Palace Gardens, Tsukiji Fish Market tour at 11 am-2pm, Akihabara shopping/cafes.
Day 4- Free or possible side trip to Kamakura/Gotojuki lucky cat shrine/Fuji Five Lakes/Kirin brewery tour. Ginza or Yurakucho for dinner.
Day 5- Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, Shibuya/Shinjuku
**Shuzenji Onsen** (1 day)
Day 6- onsen
**Kyoto** (4 days).
Day 7- try to get here by early afternoon. Kiyomizu-dera for night time illumination, Gion walking tour?, Nishiki Market and Pontocho.
Day 8- Philosophers Path, Kaege Incline, Kyoto Imperial Palace Gardens?, Tea Ceremony in pm.
Day 9- Fushimi Inari in early am, Sake museum?, Arashiyama: Tenryuji, bamboo grove, scenic railway/monkey park. Dinner around Kyoto Imperial Palace?
Day 10- free or side trip to Himeji castle/Mt. Koya
**Osaka** (1 day).
Day 11- undecided/Dontobori, Asahi brewery tour? Or stay in Kyoto.
Day 12- go back to Narita for pm flight
Questions:
1. Any recommendations for a good rooftop bar with a nice view in Tokyo?
2. How difficult is it to get into the Pokémon cafe at Skytree? Do we need reservations?
3. Anything we are missing for Kyoto? We’re ok with not seeing every temple/shrine since it’ll be crowded but I’m not sure if this plan is missing some really good or must-see ones.
4. Any suggestions for the day trips from Tokyo and Kyoto?
Thanks for reading!
2 comments
I have no advice, but wanted to thank you as I’ll be borrowing heavily from your itinerary 😊
I’m not seeing a Pokemon Cafe in Skytree, just a Pokemon Center. There is a Kirby Cafe at Sky tree, a Pokemon Cafe in Nihombashi (Tokyo), a Pokemon Cafe in Shinsaibashi (Osaka), and Pokemon Sweets in Ikebukuro (Tokyo.)
I’ve heard Kirby Cafe is really hard to get a reservation for, I will let you know in a few days.
Pre-2020 I did’t have a terrible time booking the Pokemon Cafe in Tokyo. (Shinsaibashi wasn’t open yet.) In February 2020, I couldn’t get a reservation in Tokyo. My upcoming trip trying to get into Tokyo or Osaka was a huge PIA, but I finally got a reservation for Shinsaibashi.
Pokemon Sweets in Ikebukuro doesn’t require reservations, it’s take out. They do change up the menu , or at least have since February 2020, as it is different now. The drinks were great there, but the cupcakes we tried in February 2020 were bad (and no longer available.)
I sort of doubt Pokemon would do a pop-up cafe in Skytree just because they have two permanent cafes in Nihombashi and Shinsaibashi.