Hey,
My friends and I are planning for a trip to Japan for 2 weeks after we graduate from university in late May 2022. Our group is 6 people confirmed, but there are potentially up to 3 more coming. I’m a total noob with planning this type of stuff, I’ve been researching a bit myself and was able to make an 8 day itinerary which will be further below, but I’m very interested in hearing what you guys think of it, as I want to make sure I do things that are feasible and worth it.
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Our age group is going to be 22/23. Tentatively, the date we were looking at was the 25th of May to the 8th of June roughly, but I’m not sure if we are too late for planning around that timespan or not. We wanted to get our tickets in around October/ of this year as well. We have pretty diverse interests, but we really want to try local cuisine and do some off the beaten path stuff as well. We are pretty big on checking out the shrines and walking around a lot just to explore as well, so some days of this itinerarymay seem sparse, but let me know if that’s a good idea or not.
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I’m sort of in charge of planning it out, and wanted to make sure I can touch all the bases and such that are important. It’s a pretty standard trip so far in terms of the cities, but we are totally looking to visit other smaller towns and cities as well. I have a few more questions at the bottom that I will write out as well.
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**Day 1:**
\-Arrive at the Kansai Airport in the evening
\-Get situated in AirBnB
\-Explore area around, Dotonbori as well.
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**Day 2:**
\-Namba Yasaka Shrine
\-Osaka Castle
\-Kuromon Market
\-Dotonbori again. (I don’t think many people are good with jetlag, so this is for that + just a better/longer span of exploring. I and one other person in the group frequently travel to Asia so we are used to getting through our jetlag under control pretty fast but not sure about the others).
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**Day 3:**
\-Wake up early and Shinkansen to Kyoto
\-Kiyomizudera temple as early as possible
\-Matsubara-dori, Sannen-Zaka,, and Ninnenzaka
\-Chion-In temple
\-Rest
\-Nishiki Market
\-Fushimi no Inari
\-Back to AirBnB
\-Go explore the streets again.
\-Fushimi no Inari again. (I have a friend who visited once before and he insists we only check out a bit in the afternoon, and wants to go in the dead of night which sounds pretty fun)
(I fear this day is a bit too packed, what do you think?)
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**Day 4:**
\-Tenryu-Ji temple
\-Arashiyama
\-Kinkaku-Ji temple
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**Day 5:**
\-Ideally get out of AirBnB and get a Ryokan stay in Kurama/Kibune (What’s the best way to move luggage? What about reservations at the Kurama Ryokan, is this feasible or is it hard to get one?)
\-Kurama-Dera temple
\-Kurama Onsen
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**Day 6:**
\-Shinkansen to Tokyo
\-Shibuya Crossing
\-Harajuku
\-There’s a furoshiki shop called “Musubi” we really wanted to check out
\-Karaoke
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**Day 7:**
\-Tsukiji Outer Market (Im a bit confused on this, some recent guys have this listed, but it also seems to be closed and now under the name of something else)
\-Teamlabs Borderless
\-Not sure what else to add in the area
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**Day 8:**
\-Meiji Shrine
\-Imperial Palace
\-Akihabara
\-Kanda Myojin
\-Arcades (HEY and Club Sega)
\-Retro Game hunting
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So yeah, that’s the rough itinerary I have. We are very keen on trying out some more off the beaten path stuff as well, and want to add more or less another week onto this itinerary, but literally don’t know what to do. We also wanted to try at least one higher end restaurant, and would love recommendations. On food, we also would love recommendations for special local dishes etc. Again, I am pretty new to planning this so please do give critique/feedback on the list. We also were heavily banking on AirBnB’s and as far as we can tell we found quite a few good ones, but just wanted to run it by here that that’s a feasible thing to do. Lastly, luggage forwarding might be an issue, but we aren’t super sure how to go about that.
Thanks for reading this far!
14 comments
If you wanted to flesh that out, I’d suggest simply adding extra days in Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo (especially Osaka and Tokyo). Nara is also well worth visiting.
Osaka Castle is a post-war concrete reconstruction. If you want to see a real Japanese castle, Himeji Castle is only an hour from Osaka and is excellent. You can visit it as a roughly half-day day trip if you’re short on time.
Curious if you’ve traveled with that group before? I’m wrapping up a 2+ week trip now and the big lesson we learned was that we should have planned days where people can just do their own things. Specific days meant to be alone/get to decompress from being social/with your partner.
I don’t think this was the advice you were looking for but I hope it’s helpful!
Don’t bother with the Shinkansen between Osaka and Kyoto. It will save you a few minutes for several times the price.
If you have another week and want to do off the beaten path things consider using the [Hokuriku Arch Pass. ](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_arch.html)
This would allow you to potentially visit places like Kanazawa with a day trip by bus to Shirakawago. You could then take the Kurobe Alpine Route across the Japanese Alps before continuing on to Tokyo. We recently did the Kurobe Alpine Route on May 31 and the snow walls were still 11 meters high. You’d have to pay for the Alpine Route separately though as it’s not covered by the Arch pass.
Here’s some sample itineraries but if you look up the cities you can visit using the Hokuriku Arch Pass on sites like JapanGuide you’ll get more info to tell if those sites would be of interest to your group. You can start in Osaka/Kyoto and end in Tokyo (or vice versa) so just switch the order of stops as many of these sample itineraries start in Tokyo.
– [JR West Hokuriku Arch Pass ](https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/hokuriku-arch-pass/)
– [Snow Monkey Resort: Introducing the Hokuriku Arch Pass ](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/2018/01/how-to-jr-hokuriku-arch-pass/)
– [7-day Hokuriku Arch Itinerary ](https://japanrailtimes.japanrailcafe.com.sg/web/article/rail-travel/hokuriku-itinerary)
– [Using the Hokuriku Arch Pass ](https://en.japantravel.com/guide/using-the-hokuriku-arch-pass-a-trip-for-all/43099)
Day 3 seems busy, you can easily split that into 2 days.
Day 8. Meiji shrine is a bit out of the place. It would suite better in Day 6, or in a separate day where you go to Shinjuku Gyoen, Yoyogi Park and Meiji shrine.
No Tokyo tower? No need to go up to the top (even if it overs a nice view), but at least going to Zozoji?
Day 8is also a bit busy, maybe can split into 2 days..
Especially since you want to flesh out, you can definitely split some of the busier days.
Then you can do some day trips out of Tokyo, like Kamakura, Nikki, Hakone.
In Kansai you can go to Nara or Kobe.
There will be better suggestions here from people who have been to the places you’re looking at, and I haven’t been. I do want to point out a few things:
In general I would add on a few more days since you’re going through 3 different cities. You’re young but do build in the flexibility for a common rest day or some of you just not feeling up to the planned activities.
Nara is a good day trip, even a stopover from Osaka to Kyoto. I would suggest this over Himeji due to proximity, more sites over a small radius, and it’s conveniently on the same line as Fushimi Inari (you might want to move the late night exploration on the way from Nara so you don’t backtrack on Day 3)
Day 3 just looks exhausting to me, starting as early as 6-7 am, the whole morning walking through Higashiyama, then Nishiki Market and Fushimi Inari, and then going back home and coming back to Fushimi Inari. I would just go for the late night exploration on another day, like if you squeeze in a Nara day where you don’t start so early.
> What’s the best way to move luggage?
You can use takkyubin, but I’ve heard it’s easier to do with help from a hotel concierge than doing this yourselves.
> Tsukiji Outer Market (Im a bit confused on this, some recent guys have this listed, but it also seems to be closed and now under the name of something else)
Tsukiji Outer Market is the shops on the perimeter of the old fish market, and you can still browse and eat there. Toyosu market is more about the wholesale buying and fish auctions that moved from Tsukiji market.
I believe Asakusa area is a relatively cheaper area to stay compared to Shinjuku or Shibuya so you might also consider exploring this area. Start early at Senso-ji, go east towards Tokyo Skytree or west towards Ueno. Good luck with your planning!
I always recommend my friends at the Fujishige restaurant in Kyoto.
Not a typical tourist restaurant because off the beaten path. But one of the best I have eaten at. They made me an 11 course meal with small portions of everything and even as a non-friend of fish, I could eat everything.
Fujishige
+81 75-873-6060
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ASeN4vj8P9ga4XANA
Hi! Some advice for your Day 7. Great to get to Tsukiji in the morning for breakfast/brunch, but I think you’ll have to factor in the travelling time to TeamLABs as it’s in Odaiba and a long subway ride away from anywhere haha.
Anyway, for TeamLABs, be prepared for queues and buy your tickets online in advance! It’ll save having to queue twice (once to buy tix, another to get in)
As for Tsukiji, it’s only the wholesale and auctioning that’s moved to a new area, but the outer market, where all the foodstuff and little eateries are, is still open. It can get pretty crowded with lotsa tourists in the afternoon, so be early! And they only open on certain days, so it’s best to check online and plan around their opening days.
Day 6 – you can also go check out the Godzilla head @ Shibuya!
Hope this helps! What I’ve learned travelling in Japan is to give yourself pockets of time to explore places you haven’t planned out, and to be at least 10 minutes early for ALL your tickets – trains, buses, planes as they usually leave right on time. Especially with such a big group of people, time may be the most difficult thing to keep to.
Food – you can check out:
Gyu-kaku (all you can eat Japanese bbq buffet)
Gyukatsu Motomura (Katsu-style beef)
Salvatore’s (mid-range chain Italian bistro)
Sukiya (cheap beef bowls)
(LOL u can see I really like beef)
A few things:
1. I agree with opinions that say Day 3 seems packed. You could split that into 2 days. Give yourself enough time to explore and enjoy every itinerary.
2. Agree that don’t bother take Shinkansen from Osaka to Kyoto. Just take a regular express train. These two cities are not far from each other. That’s the beauty of Kansai.
3. Karaoke. You could simply do this on day 1, or day 2 as you explore Dotonbori. Karaoke is in every corner of Japan, even in smallest towns.
4. I don’t see Gion district in your itinerary. I highly recommend Gion, an old, preserved district where they still have tea houses and working geisha and maiko. Just remember to stay civil, I remember a few years back Gion residents grieved that there had been too many tourists who deliberately snap photos of geisha and maiko without their consent.
5. I don’t see Himeji either. Would you like to add this when you have just a half day? The castle is beautiful. There’s a well there that is nicknamed “Okiku’s Well” where the legend of Okiku originated, and has inspired other stories and pop culture such as Sadako from “The Ring”.
6. If you can add a few days, absolutely, do it. Add central Japan (chubu) in your itinerary. Central Japan includes Nagoya and surrounding. It’s literally in between Kansai and Tokyo. There are options you can pick and choose:
A. Nagoya. Explore downtown, then Sakae shopping district. Nagoya castle, the home of Oda Nobunaga. If you love temples and shrines there is Atsuta Shrine where they keep Kusanagi-no-tsurugi, the sacred sword belonged to the god Susanoo (then given to Amaterasu). You won’t see it though. It’s not for display. Eat Nagoya style tebasaki (chicken wings) at Yamachan, if you’re not vegetarian you should try this, but Yamachan also has vegetarian choices. Hang out at Nagoya Beer Garden at the park. Enjoy the night view while walking on the glass roof of Oasis 21. Shop at covered market in Osu Kannon, and every 18th and 28th of the month, there is an antique market in temple area. I got my $5 suede briefcase 10 years ago there and still using it, no defect.
Nagoya is, I learned this later, the origin of the three great rulers (Oda, Toyotomi, and Tokugawa. If you’re lucky, you can find their statues while passing by).
Still in the same prefecture, Aichi, but outside of Nagoya, there is Toyota City (yes, that Toyota). If you love cars, you’d might want to check Toyota Car Museum. It’s awesome. I have very little love for cars but still think the museum is impressive. I didn’t realize there’s so much we can learn from the history of automobile.
B. Ise City. Visit Ise Shrine, the most important shrine of all Japan. The forest where it’s located is very nice. There’s a traditional market you can stroll, buy snacks, souvenir, and eat. There are not only restaurants, but also traditional stalls in a traditional market where you eat outdoor, the way markets used to be.
C. Nabana no Sato in Nagashima, Mie. Please Google “Nabana no Sato” (also check Instagram) as my description wouldn’t be sufficient. As I see your dates are going to be in the early summer, you won’t see the park illuminated, but you’ll have the greenhouse and all the flowers bloom. Your tickets are going to include food and beer, so don’t skip that part.
D. Shirakawa-go and Hida-Takayama in Gifu prefecture. Shirakawa-go is UNESCO’s world heritage. It’s an old village with traditional thatched-roof houses. I’ve gone in the winter and it was beautiful, but I’ve also seen its photos in different seasons and it’s beautiful in every season. Takayama is a city nearby. There is an old town here that takes you back to the Edo period. You can literally see the mountain from here.
These places here are not written in route order. The order would be Kansai – Chubu – Tokyo, but you can arrange however you like it. But overall I think you have the right ideas. Especially that you’re going to make Kansai as your hub. You’re on the right track. Best luck! Here’s hoping 2022 we can all finally travel again.
I see you’re hitting Akihabara and going retro game hunting on day 8. While akihabara is great for browsing, you’ll likely have a better time looking for actual things to buy at Nakano Broadway. It’s an indoor shopping street with a large section that is just three floors of tiny specialty shops selling to niche nerd culture. There’s ones selling cards, games, gachapon toys, lots of used figures, and even a few scattered ones catering to even more niche interests. I recall seeing a military gear enthusiast store as well as one selling exclusively western game merchandise. If you’re into that sort of thing, you can easily spend the better part of a day there.
I also recommend checking out some recycle stores. There’s Hard-Offs pretty much everywhere in japan, as well as their sister brands Book-Off and Off-House. You’ll find used games and anime merchandise at pretty much all of these, as well as all sorts of other gently-used goods that may suit your interests. Hard-Offs have all sorts of musical instruments and tech. Book-Offs are filled with dirt-cheap like-new manga, which make for fun souvenirs, and are a gold mine if anyone in your group is studying Japanese. And both times I’ve traveled to Japan, I’ve arrived with only a single, smaller suitcase and picked up a used one cheaply at an Off-House partway through the trip.
As for expanding your itinerary to include other areas, I _highly_ recommend making room in the budget and itinerary for a day at a nice Ryokan with an onsen, and to stick it right in the middle of your trip. Your feet are going to hurt, and you’ll appreciate taking a day to rest and be pampered. Plus, if you stay at a good ryokan, this will also cover the higher-end restaurant. Most Ryokans will offer a Kaiseki meal, considered to be the highest form of japanese-style dining. If you’re a fan of Japanese cuisine, it can’t be missed. The best ryokan I’ve stayed at is Kozantei Ubuya in Fujikawaguchiko, by Hakone. It’s right on a lake directly opposite Mt. Fuji, and every room and bath in the place has [panoramic windows with a stunning view of the mountain.](https://i.imgur.com/P977NFq.jpeg) When we went, we stayed in dirt-cheap AirBnBs for 13 days, then spent about as much money as every other night combined (Around $300ish) to stay here for one night. It was absolutely worth it.
EDIT: One more thing I’d recommend not missing out on is the Shimanami Kaidou. I’m not sure exactly how you’d want to fit it into your itinerary, because it seems you’re working your way east, while it’s west of Kansai, more near Hiroshima. If you can, I’d suggest starting in Tokyo and working your way towards Hiroshima, then taking a flight or bullet train back to Tokyo before leaving. The Shimanami Kaidou is a beautiful bike route with some of the best views I’ve seen in my entire life, Japan or otherwise. I nearly missed it because I didn’t want to wake up early, but I was able to catch up with my group by taking a ferry to skip part of the bike route. [Here’s a big panoramic photo of a spot we stopped to rest](https://photos.app.goo.gl/fdqY7wT6pC9RNTJx7) and [some of](https://i.imgur.com/lvYuXJ3.jpeg) the [amazing views](https://i.imgur.com/zoX0g83.jpeg) we saw. Even if you’re awfully, terribly out of shape, your body will forgive you for the punishment you inflict upon it for these views.
I would slow things down in Osaka and Kyoto. Looks good on paper but you have to account for Jetlag in the early days and you will need extra time to get used to everything (transport, culture etc).
If you guys like to party, Osaka has the best clubs (besides Tokyo’s) and has a cool music scene. You will also be jet lagged so days 1&2 should be super chill during the day. Eat rather than walk all day. Osaka is the city that has the cheapest all you can drink bars too.
Kyoto is the type of city where random side streets can be just as entertaining with hidden gems so I would especially drag this out with just one or two target sights to see each day. If you like culture/architecture this is the city.
Then I’d fit in a few day trips if you want. Nara is an easy trip, Nikko is cool. Koya is amazing and unique but I think it still requires a car to get to.
DM me if you have any questions.
u need more time, 2 weeks minimum iyd say, u want 3-4 days in each city i reckon. Kanazawa out west is nice.
Day 2 – Are you moving to a Kyoto AirBnB? If not, going back to Osaka to rest up for a bit then going back will take a chunk of time – 3 hours round trip.
Day 7 – The outer market is food shops and so on now.
Day 8 – Far too packed. Akihabara will be an all-day event by itself if you have even a couple of people into that sort of thing.
I’d suggest you start looking at things as half-day/full-day events, rather than stuff to look at for 30 minutes then bustle off to the next place. Not to say you can’t rush around madly, but it’ll make everyone unhappy.
Day 3: If you want to visit Kiyomizu-dera as early as possible, you will take Keihan to Kiyomizu-Gojo station and not JR.
Also note that while visiting Fushimi Inari at dawn or dusk is generally recommended, because of lesser crowds – visiting dead at night might be fairly risky in April to July/August periods, because you are likely to encounter sows with piglets (as Fushimi Inari is connected to the surrounding woodland – there are plenty of wild boars and even wild monkeys around).
Re: Tsukiji – it is still fairly nice area to eat seafood breakfast/brunch, but wholesale market moved to Shin-Toyosu.
Re: Odaiba – there is Miraikan in Odaiba; otherwise you can move on to Hamarikyu Gardens/Zojoji/Tokyo Tower area.
As people have said before: Meiji Jingu generally goes with Harajuku/Shibuya.