**ARRIVAL:** A few days after Golden Week. No jetlag to worry about.
**PROFILE:** Family of three (all adults; all fit — I think); Morning people; Don’t speak Nihongo; Visited Kyoto, Osaka, Nara pre-pandemic.
**INTERESTS:** Food, natural sceneries, people-watching, architecture, gardens, biz inspos
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Thank you in advance for your comments and suggestions!
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**Day 1. ARRIVAL; UENO**
Narita Airport: airport procedures, forex, Pasmo, Wifi device
Skyliner to Ueno Sta.
Around 6PM: Check-in at hotel in Ueno
Walk or taxi to Ameyoko
Explore and have dinner around Ameyoko
Buy knick·knacks/souvenirs/sweets at nearest Donki/Seria/Daiso/Can-Do
Walk or taxi back to hotel.
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**Day 2. YAMANASHI; SHINJUKU**
Earliest bus: Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko Sta. then local bus to 1st location.
Fuji Shibazakura Festival site; Local bus to next location.
100 Yen Viewpoint (Lake Motosuko); Local bus to next location.
Oshino Hakkai; Walk to next location.
Berryland (fruit picking); Local bus to Kawaguchiko Sta.
(Optional, esp if Mt.Fuji not visible) Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway
4PM or earlier: Bus from Kawaguchiko Sta. to Shinjuku Sta.
Shinjuku Sta. East Exit area: Have dinner.
Stroll around the area (see 3D Cat, Godzilla’s head, etc)
(Optional) Watch a movie at Toho Cinemas
(Optional) Shop/window shop at Shinjuku malls
Train back to hotel.
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**Day 3: SHIBUYA**
Meiji Shrine
Stroll: Harajuku Sta. Exit2 to The Iceberg Bldg., then along Cat St. northwards
Design Festa Gallery (art and okonomiyaki)
Stroll: Brahms Path
Coffee at LATTEST Cafe
Omotesando Hills (quick look at interior architecture)
Tokyu Plaza: rooftop garden
Train from Harajuku Sta. to Shibuya Sta.
Shibuya Sky Observatory
Shibuya Scramble Square basement
Customary photo of Hachiko statue
Shibuya Crossing
Uobei conveyor belt sushi
Detective Conan Cafe popup (Shibuya109 probably)
Stroll: Miyashita Park rooftop, Jingu-Dori Park
Cold drinks at Alvo Cafe
Walk (1.2km) or taxi to tonkatsu place near Omotesando Sta.
Train back to hotel
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**Day 4: CHIYODA; DISNEYSEA**
Tokyo Station, Marunouchi Station Square
Explore Imperial Palace East Garden
Coffee fix at Marunouchi area (Any recommendations?)
Tokyo Station (Ramen Street)
DisneySea: Until the evening fireworks
Train back to hotel
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**Day 5: ASAKUSA; ODAIBA**
Asakusa Tourist Info Center
Sensoji Temple (be here before crowds)
Buy snacks around Nakamise-dori (if stalls are open. Else, conbini)
Sumida Park: eat snacks, view skyline with the Skytree
Tokyo Cruise boat ride to Hamarikyu
Explore Hamarikyu Gardens; Taxi to Toyosu Market
Eat seafood at Toyosu Market; Train to Teamlab Planets
Teamlab Planets; Train to Odaiba
Miraikan (target entry time: 4PM or earlier)
Explore Odaiba seaside park, watch sunset
Decks Seaside Mall: Ocean Club Buffet terrace seating
Diver City: See Gundam statue, maybe buy merchandise
Train to hotel
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**Day 6: MEGURO; DAIKANYAMA; DEPARTURE**
6:30AM: Checkout from hotel; Deposit luggage at Ueno Sta. lockers
Train to Ikejiri-ōhashi Station
Meguro Sky Garden
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo
Stroll: Sugekari Park, Saigoyama Park then to Daikanyama area
Daikanyama T-Site
Japanese pancakes (Flippers, Gram, or a non-chain shop in the area)
**\*\*\*** 1PM or earlier: Train to Takanawa-Gateway Sta.
Takanawa-Gateway Sta.: architecture, automated convenience store, viewdeck
Train to Ueno Sta. Collect luggage (from hotel or lockers).
Skyliner to Narita Airport
Narita Airport: check-in/baggage drop, return Wifi device, forex, etc
Around 6PM: Flight
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**\*\*\*** If late flight scheds return like in pre-pandemic times, would continue with…
Cafe/resto overlooking Meguro river (any recommendations?),
Or chill at some place in Daikanyama Log Road,
Or explore area around Ebisu Sta., then…
Train to Takanawa-Gateway Sta.
Takanawa-Gateway Sta.: automated convenience store, architecture, viewdeck
5PM or earlier: Train to Ueno Sta. Collect luggage (from hotel or lockers).
Skyliner to Narita Airport
Narita Airport: check-in/baggage drop, return Wifi device, forex, etc
Around 9PM: Flight
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**Some Questions:**
1. In Yamanashi, are there taxis we can flag if we choose to save time, or if we miss a local bus?
2. Will Google Maps suffice for real-time bus schedules / instant route planning in Yamanashi area?
3. Is there a restaurant in Toyosu that serve sea pineapples (hoya, or ホヤ in Japanese)? Or will I be more successful finding them at Tsukiji Outer Market? If you know a specific place, kindly mention it. Thanks!
8 comments
The airport is not the best place to exchange money.
I think your Day 2 is probably not realistic. I went to the Fuji Shibazakura festival this year and the traffic was unreal. Bus times were totally inaccurate as a result. The local buses also don’t necessarily line up well with the highway buses. I would say pick two of the things to do in the area. I only managed to see the festival, but I didn’t take the earliest bus (I took one leaving Shinjuku at 8:55am). I also didn’t try using a taxi but that probably would also help. There should be a taxi stand at the train station, probably not at the other places you’re going but staff can probably call a taxi for you.
Day 3 also seems to have too many things to do, you’ll have almost no time actually doing or seeing what you’ve listed.
I haven’t tried google maps for planning around Yamanashi but it’s probably decent? It tends to be pretty good in most places though sometimes it’s a little inaccurate especially in more rural areas.
If you are fit, you do not have to take taxi for distances like 1km. Either you are not fit, or your are fit and lazy (sorry).
I have not moved that much around the five lakes, but you sure that bus schedule would allow to see all that in one day before 4pm ?
You can walk from Omotesando to Shibuya, passing by Miyashita park, it’s like 1km from Omotesando Hills to Miyashita Park. …. and why not tonkatsu for lunch and sushi for dinner. This way you do not have to go back to Omotesando.
Asakusa, the tourist info center open at 9am, so if that is open, there will be stores open in Nakamise, most will open between 9 and 10.
Taking the train from Shijo-mae station (Toyosu market) to Shin-Toyosu (Planets)… seriously ? that is a 500m walk…
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There is for sure taxi in Yamanashi, but I would not expect taxi to just pass by in the middle of the countryside. Probably easy to find one at the train station, but otherwise…. not sure.
You can check the bus company website, they should have their route and schedule if you want to confirm what Google Maps say.
I would rent a car for Kawaguchiko.
I wouldn’t go to Toyosu for sushi. Especially if it’s not early in the morning because the line will already be crazy long or closed.
Oh don’t do Disney sea for just the evening!! The fireworks are not good and I know that discounted evening ticket is tempting, but it is an absolutely gorgeous park. So either spend the whole day there (queue up one hour prior to opening and stay until close) or do not go at all! You will 100% regret just going for that. It is not worth it.
I suggest looking into teamLab borderless digital art museum in Tokyo!
Ocean Club Buffet isn’t the greatest restaurant. If you’re going for the view you won’t be disappointed, but before COVID it was basically a stop for Chinese tourist groups. Since they’ve disappeared, they seem to put out less and less food (I walk by on occasion). My recommendation would be Khazana, the Indian restaurant next door if you want the same view and better food.
You might like to explore Yanaka Ginza for a touch of older style architecture and people watching. It’s a shopping street. I think the area might also have gardens nearby. I went there to a bakery in the early morning.
I think ueno had a nice park. Meiji is good for people watching.