Hello everyone! My sisters and I are excited for our upcoming trip and we would like to share our itinerary. So many places to visit and it’s been overwhelming planning our itinerary and we would like to get your feedback and suggestions!
We love the culture as we grew up watching anime/jdrama, playing pokemon and even listened to jpop lol so visiting Japan has always been part of our bucket list. We’re also excited to finally try some authentic sushi and ramen!
Tue Dec 20 – Day 1
PM
– 7pm arrival at Kansai International Airport (take limited express rapi:t to namba)
– Check-in at Hotel Hillarys Shinsaibashi
– Late dinner around the area
Wed Dec 21 – Day 2
AM
– Harukas 300
– Tennoji Zoo
– Tsutenkaku Tower
– lunch at kuroman ichiban market
PM
– shopping at shinsaibashi
– umeda sky building for sunset
Thu Dec 22 – Day 3
AM
– Osaka Castle (thinking of taking the cruise as well)
– Osaka Museum of Housing and Living
PM
– Tempozan Ferris Wheel
– Osaka Aquarium?
– 6pm Teamlabs Botanical Garden
Fri Dec 23 – Day 4
AM
– check out (would it be better to leave our luggage at the hotel or store them using ecbo cloak?)
– Universal Studios. So excited for Nintendo World!
PM
– 4pm train to Kyoto
– Check-in at Cross Hotel (near Sanjo station)
– Maybe walk around Gion at night
Sat Dec 24 – Day 5
AM
– Arashiyama
– Fushimi Inari
– Lunch at Nishiki Market
PM
– Kiyomizu-dera Temple
– Jishu Jinsha Shrine
– Gion
– Have a nice Christmas Eve dinner (suggestions please)
Sun Dec 25 – Day 6
AM
– Check-out (leave luggage at kyoto station)
– Biwako Valley Ski Resort (we really want to experience snow and we were initially thinking of going to Kobe but Biwako Valley is closer. Also we were thinking of going skiing but the rental on top of the entrance fees are too expensive so we might just go sledding as we read somewhere that its free? )
PM
– 3pm train back to kyoto
– free time
– 10pm highway night bus to tokyo
Mon Dec 26 – Day 7
AM
– 7am arrival at tokyo station
– leave luggage at shiba park hotel
– tokyo tower
– tokyo city view
– mori art museum
PM
– visit another museum nearby maybe?
– check-in
Tue Dec 27 – Day 8
AM
-imperial palace
PM
– teamlab planets
– small worlds
Wed Dec 28 – Day 9
AM
– Explore shibuya
– Yoyogi Park, Meiji Jingu
PM
– Shinjuku
Thu Dec 29 – Day 10
– check out
– Leave luggage at Tosei Hotel Cocone Ueno
– Akihabara the whole day
Fri Dec 30 – Day 11
AM
– Sensoji
– Tokyo sky tree
– Sumida Aquarium
PM
– Joypolis
Sat Dec 31 – Day 12
– Check out
– leave luggage at new hotel (still looking for one)
– shopping and chill day
– check-in and rest for a bit
– have a nice New Year’s Eve dinner or look for NYE events to attend
Sun Jan 1 – Day 13
– check out
– another chill day. Maybe visit a temple, last minute shopping or walk around
– 4pm train to Narita Airport
– 7pm flight back home
If you have any suggestions for any izakayas, food markets, restaurants or cafes within the area, do let us know 🙂
Thank you in advance for any advice and thank you to everyone in this sub for being so kind and helpful!
1 comment
> Mon Dec 26 – Day 7
The Tokyo Tower opens at 9:00 a.m., so until then you may want to see Zojoji Temple or take a walk in Shiba Park. You can also have breakfast at one of the park’s cafes. They are open from 7:30 am.
Le Pain Quotidien
https://www.lepainquotidien.com/jp/en/
https://www.lepainquotidien.com/jp/en/locations/shibakoen/%E8%8A%9D%E5%85%AC%E5%9C%92-3-3-1
And I also recommend Zojoji Temple and Tokyo Tower at night.
> PM – visit another museum nearby maybe? – check-in
Suntory Museum of Art is recommended.
https://www.suntory.com/sma/
The items sold in the museum store are good for souvenirs because they are very Japanese thing. The café attached to the museum is also very Japanese.