Hey all,
This is my first time posting in this community and I have seen the valuable input given to itineraries. Some background for my trip, we will be 10 guys total aged 21 flying from the US. We haven’t really set a budget but we calculate around $1000 usd while in Japan. This is the itinerary we have made for Dec 29th to Jan 13th:
# Tokyo (3 nights)
**Day 0 (12/29) – Arrive in Tokyo at 10:30 am**
* Check in at airbnb
* Akihabara
* Dinner in Akihabara
* Go to Kabukicho and explore
**Day 1 (12/30) – Tokyo**
* Nothing on itinerary for this day, plan to just explore the city
**Day 2 (12/31) – Tokyo**
* Leave to Mt. Fuji at 7:30 am with a tour
* Arrive back in Tokyo at around 6pm
* Dinner someplace
* Tokyo Skytree tower
* Shibuya Crossing for New Years countdown
# Kyoto (4 nights)
**Day 3 (1/1) – Kyoto**
* Arrive to Kyoto at 8am
* Check in at airbnb
* Kiyomizu-Dera
* Yasaka Shrine
* Gion Street
* Pontocho Alley
* Kamogawa
**Day 4 (1/2) – Kyoto**
* Arashiyama at 8:30am
* Romantic Train
* Iwatayama Monkey Park
* Kinkaku-Ji temple
* Nishiki Market
* Ninenzaka
**Day 5 (1/3) – Nara**
* Leave Kyoto to Nara at 8am
* Nara Koen
* Todai Ji Temple
* Byodoin Temple
* Uji City River
* Gion Street
* Sleep in Kyoto
**Day 6 (1/4) – Kyoto**
* Fushimi Inari-Taisha Shrine
* Toji
* Mount Kurama
* Onsen in Kurama
# Osaka (2 nights)
**Day 7 (1/5) – Osaka**
* Arrive in Osaka at 8am
* Kaiyukan Aquarium
* Osaka Castle
* Minoo Park
* Dotonbori
**Day 8 (1/6) – Kobe**
* Abeno Harukas
* Arima Onsen
* Sake Brewery
* Fancy restaurant
* Shinsekai
* Train to Osaka
# Hiroshima (1 night)
**Day 9 (1/7) – Hiroshima**
* Check in at airbnb at around 10:30am
* Ferry ride to Miyajima
* Peace Park
* Genbaku Dome
# Tokyo (4 nights)
**Day 10 (1/8) – Tokyo**
* Arrive at 4pm in Tokyo from Hiroshima
* Check in at airbnb
* Shinjuku
* Shinjuku Gyeon National Garden
**Day 11 (1/9) – Tokyo**
* Team Lab
* Ginza
* Center Gai
**Day 12 (1/10) – Nikko**
* Edo Wonderland
* Sake Testing Watanabe Sake
* Toshogu Shrine Shinkyo Bridge
* Yudaki Falls
* Tobu World Square
**Day 13 (1/11) – Tokyo**
* Go Karts around Tokyo
* Explore the rest of the day
**Day 14 (1-12) – Leaving**
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A few questions we have:
Is it too many activities for some of the days?
Should we take a day trip to Hakone on one of the Tokyo days at the end?
We have purchased the JR pass and made reservations already for the trains.
4 comments
You know you’ve planned too much. Especially Nara. I’m guessing this is your first big trip. You’ll see more by doing less.
This might be unnecessary but as you’re going in a big group and using public transport – there is no eating or talking loudly on transport as it’s considered rude. Otherwise, you’ll likely to get hushed / told off by other commuters – especially older Japanese. Your itinerary is doable but won’t be much fun if you’re rushing around from A to B without much room for down time or finding unexpected places to explore. People are still largely using masks in public too unlke in America.
I been to kansai in 2018 and will go there again in Feb. St Kobe definitely check out nunobiki herb garden and the waterfall. I hear good things about kinosaki onsen in hyogo. Maybe reduce commute by cutting out hard to reach places such as Hiroshima and stay more local to spend more time in each place
The Kyoto and Hiroshima airbnbs’ let you check in that early?