First Time in Japan! May/June 2022: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Okinawa Itinerary

47 comments

1. Is japan open for tourists ?

2. Once you land in Japan you have to self quarantine for 14 days. You aren’t allowed to just go out and about

3. How are you getting in?

4. Lol no one read your title.

   I unfortunately can’t answer any questions, because I have yet to go to Japan either, but I just wanted to compliment you on all your hard work planning and your itinerary. It looks amazing and I might steal it for when we get to go 😁

5. This might be the most intensely detailed itinerary I’ve ever seen.

   I’m sorry that I don’t have any advice on Japan (never been), but this itinerary doesn’t seem to have much flexibility built in. You say you have a 1-2 hr buffer each day…that’s like a 10% buffer. That’s not a lot when you’re bouncing around a foreign country.

   Shit happens when you’re traveling…there might be a national holiday that you’re unaware of so your destination is closed, or there’s a bad rainstorm on your outdoor exploration day, etc etc.

   Idk your travel style in general, but I think flexibility is the key to staying happy. Sometimes you gotta go with the flow. Or if you want detailed plans, that’s cool, but be prepared for a couple things to go wrong so that you’re still happy when they happen.

6. Hi! I’ve only been to Tokyo, so I’m not sure on the rest of your trip, but I think you will need at least 2 hours for Teamlab planets and maybe half a day at borderless (I’ve seen people say that you can rush through borderless in 3 hours). It’s probably worth looking into the locations of each and how long you have to get there + how much time you’d want to spend!

7. I will try to remember to sit down at a computer later and write a bit more. But, I definitely think this is overly ambitious. Both from a technical standpoint of it would he very difficult to cram in so many attractions per day (summer will be even harder with the heat/humidity) but also from an enjoyment perspective. You need to leave some unplanned time to just roam, get lost down some cool backstreet, and even just rest. Travel in Japan *always* involves a ton of walking, be realistic about your fitness level.

   That said, city-wide in broad strokes this seems okay. I’d recommend another day in Kyoto for sure. Also, I understand you’re planning to use taxis there. You should know that taxis are very expensive. And Kyoto does have solid bus service.

8. I have been to Kyoto and Osaka 3 times.

   I would not recommend making such a detailed schedule. Many times sites are closed or there will be alot of other ppl.

   Use the subway and the trains, they are cheap and takes you basically anywhere within the cities.

   But things I recommend to see in the Osaka/Nara/Kyoto region.

   – Fushimi inari (takes about 2h up 1,5h down) I love that place and like go there and start climbing the stairs before 9AM (alot of ppl is you are later)

   – Toudajin tempel in Nara. Nara also has the bowing deers.

   -Kayukan aquarium

   – Osaka Castle

   – Denden town in Osaka (an old shopping area)

   – you should go in the evening to shinsai bashi close to Namba and enjoy the night out and just go from bar to bar.

   I han spend weeks in just Osaka region without hanging a boring time.

   To me personally Japan is a fantastic country go just go around and enjoy everything. You will see nice shops or places to eat ä, you Will see weird places too.

   I love the everyday buzz in Osaka and I sincerely hope you canmake the trip. Byt I urge you to make space for some days without a plan. You will find things you never knew were there.

   Peace.

9. I can’t answer your questions right now as I’m at work, I’ll try to come back later to answer them. One quick thing I’d suggest is to consider swapping your day 6 and day 7 plans. There’s a couple of things you can only do on Sunday in Tokyo, like [riding a bike for free](https://www.japanmania-shop.com/2015/06/20/imperial-palace-cycling-route/) at the Imperial Palace and [when they make the main road at Akihabara pedestrian-only](https://www.fun-japan.jp/en/articles/11765).

   If you stick with your plans then at least consider going to the palace at 10 am as they offer a [free 75-minute tour in English](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3017.html).

10. If this is your style – aok. I’d account for jet lag in the beginning of your trip and how well you and your partner cope with it. I’ve had some trips where I’m fine from the get-go but 2-3 days later, it hits me.

    ​

    Instead of doing things by the hour, I would just a make list of the highlights for the day and prioritize which ones you REALLY want to see versus eh, I can skip it.

    I’d buffer in at least 3-4 hrs each day of just being a “tourist” and letting your senses explore. I guarantee you will see or hear of something that will derail a day plan. You will either see a cool shop or come across a festival and have to make a choice of what to do.

    Also, for museums, you’re forwarned that not every museum may have full english descriptions or audio guides. I went to a samurai museum and thought I’d spend easily 2 hrs there. I went through it in 30 mins because everything was in Japanese.

11. Disclaimer: I’ve only been on one trip to Japan so I am by no means an expert. The following is based off of what worked well for my two week trip, where we split the time evenly between Tokyo and Kyoto.

    This is just my two cents, but I do think you would have a better time eliminating some of your Tokyo day trips and exploring the city more. Tokyo is a HUGE metropolitan area to explore, and I personally wouldn’t want to spend the whole trip on a train.

    Your Kyoto days are impossible, full stop. Despite its more traditional feel, Kyoto is still a VERY big city. You have 4-5 days worth of itinerary planned in two days, and your intense timetables would leave you with about five minutes at each stop. For instance, on the second day you have Kinkakuji and Ryoan-ji listed at 12 pm, then Ginkakuji listed at 1 pm. It can take 40-50 minutes just to get from Kinkakuji to Ginkakuji. It just won’t work.

    If it were up to me, I’d eliminate Okinawa from the itinerary and just stick to Tokyo (with a few day trips), Kyoto, and Osaka for a first trip. The time allotted would give you plenty of breathing room for all of the day trips you want to take without robbing Peter to pay Paul. If you’re dead set on Okinawa, then I’d take two days off of your Tokyo leg and add them to your Kyoto/Osaka leg.

    Also, I think the Robot Restaurant closed. Sorry 🙁

12. This itinerary is much too ambitious to be honest. I can expand upon the Okinawa part as I lived there for several years. You have valley of the Gangala and Churaumi aquarium in the same day… they are quite far apart, and while Okinawa looks like a small island traffic is often not great. Also I am going to point out that one of the joys of Okinawa is to take it slowly and enjoy “island time”. People are not really in a hurry there. There are many hidden gems besides the “major tourist attractions” that you will miss if you just try to rush around. Plus it will be stressful.
    Another thing is that the hotel Aqua Citta is in Naha, which is very city and not so beachy or relaxing vibes. While it is a fine hotel, I would choose at least 1 or 2 nights outside the city to fully appreciate what Okinawa has to offer.
    And one last thought is, remember it may also be typhoon season while you are there. Overall Okinawa weather in May and June is actually quite nice (much better than August for instance). If you want any advice regarding Okinawa, feel free to ask me.

13. Tenryuji to Kinkakuji? Even with a taxi it’s like a 15 minutes ride. You give yourself like no time to actually enjoy some of the attractions. Additionally, check official opening hours, most temples/shrines close around 4-5 pm.

    You are visiting Okinawa during rainy season (May to June for Okinawa). Doesn’t have to mean the weather will suck, but just be warned.

    The Robot Restaurant has closed down afaik, a pandemic casualty. Aaand I don’t wanna drag ekiben, but tbh I wasn’t overly impressed by most of them. Shinjuku being a non-Shinkansen station doesn’t have s huge variety. I would normally recommend getting takeout from the depachika but you travel too early in the morning.

14. Jesus Christ.

15. Budgeting 1 hour of time for lunch in some of the places you’ve selected will be challenging if not impossible. For sit down places depending on if you’re ordering a set menu or a la carte it can take over an hour to finish. Of course this depends on how fast you eat and other factors, but for a relaxing meal with a good amount of conversation I would bump up your budgeted time by at least 30 mins to an hour depending on place. Assume the fancier the place you go the more time you’ll probably have to spend there.

    As for the rest of the schedule it is pretty tight. No matter how good you believe your navigation skills are assume you will get lost once of twice or that it will take longer than google says to get to destinations. Train stations/subways can be particularity challenging if you take the wrong station exit for instance it can totally mess up your timings.

    As for tours while I haven’t used one, but I would imagine a private guide may be a good option. Since these would be private you can customize it however you want and they should be able to tailor it to your specific needs and time commitments. You can probably reach out to a couple and explore your different options. If what you’re hearing from them doesn’t fit your goals you can just do it by yourself.

    For the number of day trips I think it should be okay based on what you goals are. For me personally, I think while Fuji, Hakone, and Nikko have their own unique attractions and sights there are a little samey and I’d probably drop Nikko.

    A lot of these choices sorta come down to if you believe this is a once in a lifetime trip or the first trip of many. If you think it’s a once in a lifetime thing then your itinerary is doable albeit very hectic. If you think its the first trip of many I would slow the pace down a bit cut some day trips out and spend some more time in each area soaking everything in.

16. don’t forget to poke a few geishas

17. The schedule is a little packed. I think it’s fine to try and stick to it but don’t beat yourself up if you can’t get through everything. I have only been to Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto so I can only speak for those parts. I think you’re giving yourself too little time to eat. I also don’t think you should pin point down the exact place to eat every day. Maybe have certain places you want to hit, but give yourself some leeway to explore.

    I spent about a month in Japan. A few days in Osaka, Kyoto, and two weeks in Japan. I thought two weeks was a pretty good time for Tokyo. I think you might want to slim down on some traveling. It’s great to see everything but not really realistic.

    ​

    I think Summer 2022 is a realistic time frame. Good luck!

18. >*7:00pm* [Dinner] Katsukura Shinjuku Takashimaya

    Thats prime time for Katsukura. The wait could be 30+ mins. It’ll take you 10-20 mins to get to that floor (tip: the escalators are faster than the elevators) and back down so be sure to add some buffer on both ends (This goes for a lot of your itinerary)

    >*11:00am* Senso-ji Temple; adjacent Asakusa Shrine
    >
    >*1:00pm* Hanazono Inari-jinja Shrine/Ameya Yokocho

    Not that you need more stuff in your already very full plan but Kappabashi is in between the two if you like knives and kitchenware.

    >*6:00pm* Ubuya Check-in/Enjoy Onsen Facilities

    That seems like a late check-in. If you are late to the check-in you’ll likely miss dinner. I would try to check in closer to 4:30 or 5. If it were up to me, I’d cut one of the museums out.

    Also it might not be quick to get to, being on the far side of the lake. Not that the lake is huge.

    Theres a great cheesecake place here btw. They close pretty early though – [https://goo.gl/maps/vHcxcpnuPvx3JUPi8](https://goo.gl/maps/vHcxcpnuPvx3JUPi8)

    >*1:00pm* [Lunch] Sushi at Kyubey Ginza Honten
    >
    >*2:00pm* Ginza and Kabuki-za Theatre Play/Show

    This seems kind of tight.

    >*11:00pm* Teamlab Borderless/Planets Tokyo
    >
    >*12:00pm* Odaiba Ōedo-Onsen Monogatari

    This one seems tight too. I’d actually just cut out Oedo Onsen completely since you would have already been to Ubuya. Oedo Onsen pretty poor in comparison.

    >
    *12:00pm* Kinkaku-ji and Ryōan-ji Temple

    Eh I’d only do this one first thing in the morning. Otherwise be prepared for it to take forever due to tour busses full of people.

    >*12:00pm* Namba Yasaka Shrine Shinto Shrine

    You’ll probably be sick of shrines before this unless thats really your thing…

    Not interested in the aquarium? Its a pretty impressive aquarium.

    —

    Final notes: Jet lag will likely have you waking up at 4AM every day. Staying up til 11 will be pretty hard. I’d probably cut one of [Kamakura or Hakone]. Probably Hakone. You’ve already got the lake experience with Kawaguchiko and there are better castles.

    Speaking of castles, if you really want to see a castle, I’d go to Himeji instead of doing Osaka castle. Though I suppose that doesn’t fit in with your flight.

    Cut out Hakone, add in a day of Himeji+Kobe.

19. Hakone is geographically between Tokyo and Kansai. You’ll be able to cut on excess travel by going there when leaving Tokyo. Possibly spend the night in an onsen ryokan.

20. You should have a free day or two, imo. Take some unscheduled and unplanned exploration of the towns or cities. Walk around maybe?

21. The only anecdote I can add is that visiting Harajuku that early is not very exciting. Shops are barely opening up at 11, as my bf and I learned when we did the same thing. Still some open shops and crepe joints at that time, but not much.

22. There is a small bar a few blocks from Nijo Castle in Kyoto that my partner and I stumbled on, the owner and bartender was the nicest and we ended up chatting with him all night. Its called Neon Forest / Bar Jiji, and all of the decor is neon art sculptures, such a cool vibe and they have an art gallery you can walk through that is all neon art! bonus, live music most nights. If you are looking for a super chill place to finish out the night, I highly suggest it!

23. I read in the other comments you are ok for the plan to fall apart, but you just like to have a plan ahead of time, that is pretty much the same mindset I have when I plan my trips. The best thing about planning stuff in Japan is knowing that public transit is extremely punctual and you’ll have a good idea how long it will take in between locations.

    I’ve actually done a trip to these same locations within 18 days, so I definitely think it’s doable with good planning. I think my trip was 3 days mainland Okinawa > 2.5 days Miyakojima Okinawa > 2.5 days Osaka > 3.5 days Kyoto > 6.5 days Tokyo.

    What I would recommend is take out some of side trips and save it for next time unless you plan on adding more days to the trip. For Tokyo, maybe choose just 1 of Hakone or Kawaguchiko because they are quite similar in what they offer (Mt Fuji and Onsen) and 2 of Yokohama, Nikko or Kamakura as there is still alot of Tokyo worth visiting if its your first time there. And as your first stop you will still be adjusting to jetlag. For Okinawa, if you are just there for snorkeling and beaches, I highly recommend you go to Miyakojima instead of mainland Okinawa. The water and the beaches there are just amazing.

    For Kyoto, Fushimi Inari gets quite dark at night, I’m not sure if you want to be up there at that time. The temples and shrines can get repetitive so you will probably end up skipping a few listed. After visiting the temples and shrines in Kyoto you’d probably be a bi underwhelmed by the ones in Osaka, so I would probably skip them and just make time for more time spent in Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi, or Shinsekai

24. Are you going to China because that’s one great Wall of text!

    You need to have some kind of openness to your schedule there it seems like you have every minute already planned out you really don’t know what you want to do until you actually get there for my experience as a experience traveler.

    I like how you’re going to Okinawa that’s pretty cool I think way more people should go there. Most people just do the konto to Kansai rout.

    I saw how you went to eat ekiben it’s not special at all it’s just overpriced lunch boxes at the station literally you can get a comparable experience at any lunch box place in Japan usually for less money.

25. I love Okinawa! The people are some of the nicest people in the world, I’ve lived here going on 20 years now.
    The time of year you’ve chosen is good, i don’t think you’ll notice much difference in the weather. Yes, as someone mentioned it will be rainy and typhoon season but we have found the typhoons are more active later, such September/October.
    With only three days in Oki are you going to rent a car, I’d highly recommend it. You’ll just need an international drivers lic and you can get a car as low as $50 a day. There are buses but no trains like mainland, and taxis can get expensive.
    With such short time to explore Oki personally I would not do a ferry trip but if you do, I’d suggest looking at Aka-Jima. First stop on the ferry to Zamami. There you can rent bikes and easily get around most of the island. A big part of the island is not accessible because of forest and mountains. But it is connected by bridges to two smaller islands where you’ll really see some of Oki’s old history. But really that is a lot of time spent on going from one island, Okinawa to another to wander around. You mentioned Kouri and other islands, I really think you’ll get to experience the feel of the smaller islands by those without setting aside precious time on a ferry.
    Personally, I don’t spend a lot of time in Naha due to the traffic. We usually find ourselves going north for the beauty and culture of Okinawa. You might consider staying mid island area, easier to go north or south, possibly cheaper as well. If you don’t speak Japanese you may find more English spoken around here because of the US military. I live on Sunabe Seawall and can walk out my front door and get in the water. You can rent any dive related items or surf boards as well on the seawall. IMO being more centrally located would save time traveling back and forth to your hotel in Naha. (Maybe consider only your last night in Naha)
    A beautiful driving/beach/cliff area is Onna. That’s also where the blue cave is. google Cape Zampa, stunningly beautiful and close to Meade Point and Manzamo area, places you named.
    On your way to Zampa you could easily go through Yomitan Pottery Village. Some of the master potters have their homes here and they still use the kiln built into the mountain. Their pottery and glass blown pieces are located in museums all over the world. And also in this same area if your interested in seeing any of okis old castle ruins there is Zakimi Castle area. I have often did this route for visitors when they only had a short day available. (Pottery village/Zakimi/Zampa)
    Okinawa is a little more laid back than Mainland with so much beauty, it’s killing us to leave.

26. >up by 7am or 8am everyday

    No problem with that, just keep in mind that most attraction open around 9am, so you should have time to eat breakfast and reach the first attraction for opening time. There is still things you can do before 9am, but it is more limited.

    1. Will go day by day, but quickly I can see there is things with not that much time allocated and some that are not too close. Will comment on each things individually (especially because you do not want to go back and forth across any city).
    2. I’ve never done tour as I personally want to do things at my speed and.
    3. Who can tell, some people love Tokyo and could spend their whole trips there. I do like it, but I also like other area, doing them as day trips might not always be optimal, will comment on it in the day by day.
    4. The hydrangea are a know thing of Hase-dera in Kamakura, I went in early June and it was blooming

    ​

    Day 1… does not start well. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building close at 8pm, last admission at 7:30… so no.

    Day 3. Why would you go to Nikko and not see Tosho-gu, that is the most famous shrine in the area, where there is the 3 wise monkey decoration on one of the building. Rinno-ji is also a temple I quite like, even if it was under renovation, the big buddha statues inside were quite impressive for me

    Day 5. Ekiben, that is assuming you take the Fuji excursion train and eat in the train. But that is not really the cheapest way to get to Kawaguchiko, it’s way cheaper to do it by bus and take about the same time.

    Day 7. I would personally do Hakone between Tokyo and Kyoto. You can ship your luggage from Tokyo to Kyoto and only bring one change of cloth with you (do not have to carry luggage around Hakone and no need to reserve space in shinkansen if you have a big luggage). If you do not want to spend two nights in ryokan+onsen, then you could do Kawaguchiko as a day trip instead of overnight. Also I think the castle is quite skipable.

    Day 8. First day that does not make that much sense. As far as I know, teamlab will take more than one hour, could skip onsen monogatari if you do proper onsen in Hakone and or Kawaguchiko. Then Yokohama kind of make no sense. How do you plan to do Onsen monogatari, eat and 50 min of train in 2 hours ? Sorry, but that is too much.

    Day 9. change Fugenzan Meigetsu-in by Hase-dera. Much closer to the buddha and you can still see hydrangea. Robot restaurant, people report that it’s permanently close.

    Day 11. I think it’s just unrealistically too much, you can try, but I would be ready to drop some of the place instead of running from place to place and not have time to enjoy.

    In general, not too bad, but there is some bits that are not great in my opinion.

    Can’t comment Okinawa as I have not been (yet).

27. Not sure if someone has already mentioned but be sure to get a Goshuin book to collect stamps from all the temples. If you can’t get one before your first visit most temples sell them. Best souvenir ever, we are so happy someone clued us in to it.

28. For 18 days, you can do a standard kanto kansai, should not do also okinawa. I may put a limit of north to nikko, west to nagoya.

    I recommend hida area and tateyama kurobe alpen route if you can reach it before the end of May.

    Moreover, you can do the transportation in a smarter way. I notice you move a lot back to Tokyo in day 5-9, instead, move in a single direction: Tokyo > yokohama/enoshima > hakone/mt. fuji.

29. For Day12, Kuromon market has some kinda pricey street food stalls selling snack sized seafood but i wouldnt eat lunch there. Since youre going to Shinsekai after why dont you give kushikatsu (one of the three must try foods in Osaka) a try?
    The other two must tries are takoyaki and okonomiyaki . You can find stalls that sell takoyaki throughout Namba and restaurants that sell okonomiyaki pretty much anywhere so I hope you give them a try.
    Also, it’s a shame Umeda (Osaka station city) isn’t on your list, it’s quite accessible from the castle, and a great place to shop and explore, with unlimited delicious restaurants all around.
    Like the other commenters i recommend skipping shrines and temples in Osaka. Instead focusing on food and trendy cafes, hitting up friendly bars and enjoying the city life.
    Also agree with another commenter about hitting up Himeji Castle if at all possible. Out of all castles I visited in Japan it was definitely my favorite.
    Also agree with commenter who suggested Kaiyukan. It’s a unique aquarium in terms of design and the whale sharks, the seals are also adorable. If you don’t dislike fish then it might be worth a trip.

30. First, I would not recommend pushing your dates back a week at all as then you’d get too close to rainy season. You’ll have a much better chance of beautiful, sunny spring weather in mid May as the rainy season typically starts in early June though that varies each year a bit and it can start in late May too. For the sightseeing you want to do sunny weather is much better than rainy. You also don’t want to push it too late and have nice weather in Tokyo but rainy weather in Kyoto/Osaka.

    – [2021 Rainy Season ](https://matcha-jp.com/en/2529)
    – [Rainy Season in Japan: Dates and What to Expect ](https://www.jrailpass.com/blog/rainy-season-japan)

    That’s a lot of day trips for your time in Tokyo. Since you want to see the Moss Phlox I’d suggest cutting out Nikko and just playing Enoshima/Kamakura by ear and only going if you feel like it. If you were only going to be in Tokyo and not Kyoto then Kamakura/Nikko are really nice to get that temple/shrine vibe but you’ll get plenty of that in Kyoto. If you do decide to go to Kamakura or Enoshima these itineraries are great to follow for a day trip. I’ve used both myself and really enjoyed my time there. I’d suggest shifting the days you allocate to Nikko/Kamakura/Enoshima to give a one or two night stay in Hakone and/or an extra night in Kyoto.

    – [Enoshima Island Day Trip ](https://trulytokyo.com/enoshima-island-day-trip-itinerary/)
    – [Kamakura Day Trip ](https://livejapan.com/en/in-tokyo/in-pref-kanagawa/in-kamakura/article-a0003564/)

    Personally, I’d plan for a one night stay in either Hakone or Kawaguchiko area on your way to Kyoto. That way you could enjoy a traditional ryokan/onsen experience and relax in a more green/nature area. If you have the budget, I’d recommend staying at [Hakone Kowakudani Onsen Mizunoto. ](https://goo.gl/maps/bKCGU7xT8XJ3EGqt7) What makes this place special is they have three private outdoor onsen huts you can freely use so you and your partner could take onsen together. You just take the key to one of the huts from the hallway, walk through the garden to your hut, lock the door behind you and enjoy soaking privately as long as you like. When done, put the key back and take the next key available to try out the other private onsen hut. There are regular public onsen inside too that are really nice but if you come on a weekday the private ones shouldn’t be too busy and it’ll be cheaper than staying on a Friday or Saturday night. The Hakone Navi website is also really helpful and Hakone is very close to the Fuji area so you’d be able to see the moss phlox too no problem. So, go to Kawaguchiko for a day trip then head over to Hakone for the evening to relax/enjoy the onsen (spring for the included dinner and breakfast for the full experience) and sightsee in Hakone the next day before heading on to Kyoto. You could truthfully spend two nights in the Hakone/Fuji area which is what I’d do so I could sightsee in a more relaxed manner and have plenty of onsen time. It’ll feel so nice after walking all around Tokyo. You’ll also have the best chance of seeing Mt. Fuji in the early morning which is why an overnight stay is nice too as you can wake up early and head right out.

    – [Hakone Navi ](https://www.hakonenavi.jp/international/en/)
    – [Travel Between Hakone and Lake Kawaguchiko](https://hakone-japan.com/plan-your-trip/getting-around/areas-around-hakone/travel-between-hakone-and-kawaguchiko-lake/)
    – [Fuji Hakone 2-day Sample Itinerary ](https://jprail.com/sample-itineraries/1to3-days/fuji-and-hakone-two-days-trip-sample-itinerary-spring-version.html)
    – [Odakyu Rail Fuji Hakone Rail Pass](https://www.odakyu.jp/english/passes/fujihakone/)
    – You need to make a reservation but if you’re looking for a great place to eat lunch or dinner in Hakone check out [Gora Brewery and Grill. ](https://goo.gl/maps/joQvvqUNZoZn7gyr9)

    For your days in Kyoto it’s important to group your sightseeing by district/neighborhood so you can head to that area in the morning and see your #1 site there then can more easily walk to other nearby sites. Kyoto is a huge and very, very spread out city so it’s just as important not to waste time crisscrossing the city as in Tokyo. There are also lots of shopping streets in each neighborhood to meander through so just scheduled your day by district and the top three things you want to see then explore a bit more to find those off the beaten path places that will be less crowded and more enjoyable. Make use of some sample itineraries too as these take the burden of planning off your shoulders and the links below are pretty good. They group things together in a logical way for public transit and walking between sites and part of the fun of Kyoto are all the shops and little streets you’ll wander through between the sites.

    – [Kyoto Districts ](https://www.insidekyoto.com/kyoto-districts)
    – [Kyoto Itineraries ](https://www.insidekyoto.com/kyoto-itineraries)
    – Keep scrolling down the above link to get to the special interest itineraries
    – [Kyoto Off the Beaten Path Itineraries ](https://www.insidekyoto.com/kyoto-off-the-beaten-track-itineraries)

    If at all possible stay at a hotel in the Higashiyama/Gion area as there are lots of sites in walking distance and many restaurants. Wandering Gion at night is also really nice. One place we found in Gion that was open all day/night was [Riggoletto Smoke Bar and Grill. ](https://goo.gl/maps/tpEx5XTGrbNoTv979) Many restaurants in Japan are only open from about 11 – 2 or 3 pm and then from 6pm on for dinner. So there is a gap when you may have few options. This is where street food/shopping streets are handy but we loved being able to sit and have a drink at Riggoleto’s bar for an afternoon break too. Similar to this would be [Spring Valley Brewery ](https://goo.gl/maps/w39ub5WuNMA3MySb8) near Nishiki Market. Other restaurants we enjoyed in Kyoto include:

    – [Ninenzaka Starbucks in Old Kyoto House ](https://goo.gl/maps/1KXutJT52LVMtac89)
    – Walk [Sanneizaka Shopping Street ](https://goo.gl/maps/Bi83LXTXU9Mc9Sej7) to get from Kiyomizudera to Kodaiji. It’s a beautiful walk at night too.
    – We has the best Gyoza at [Gyozadokoro Takatsuji Sukemasa ](https://goo.gl/maps/yWa74U7MnHxtNzgy9)
    – [Kawa Cafe ](https://goo.gl/maps/NTLVd1FATYntzqc48) has great views of the river.
    – A bit out of the way but if you’re going to the Imperial Palace area [Me Me Me Cafe ](https://goo.gl/maps/3K8D51oZNEbhtUn58) has nice breakfast and coffee.
    – If you want an easily accessible Okonomiyaki experience not far from Kyoto Station try [Donguri Kyoto Station. ](https://goo.gl/maps/wozTdsAiCAD3gbGQ9) You order via an English tablet and it’s open quite late. There are other locations too but this is nice if you’re near the station to see [Kyoto Tower at night. ](https://www.tsunagujapan.com/7-most-romantic-night-views-in-kyoto/)

    There are also some special events and flowers in Kyoto/Osaka in May you could seek out. I haven’t been there in May but you may want to look into some of these.

    – [Kyoto in May ](https://www.discoverkyoto.com/event-calendar/may/)
    – [Flower Spots in Kyoto ](https://www.discoverkyoto.com/event-calendar/may/)
    – [Shinntenoji Flea Market (Osaka) ](https://www.osakastation.com/shitennoji-temple/)
    – [Flea Markets Kyoto ](https://sharing-kyoto.com/Events/magazine/ev005928)
    – [May Flowers and Children’s Day ](https://matcha-jp.com/en/7482)
    – [Best Wisteria Spots Japan ](https://learnjapanese123.com/japans-top-10-wisteria-viewing-spots/)

    You also do not need to shift hotel between Kyoto and Osaka as they are very close together. I prefer to stay in Kyoto but if you want the city vibe of Osaka it’s a fun place to stay too. Try to stay in the Namba/Dotonbori area for that bright light, city feel. If you plan to shift hotels do Nara as a day trip between Kyoto and Osaka. Check out of hotel in Kyoto and take train to Nara. Store baggage in luggage locker at the station in Nara and sightsee there. When done, grab your bag and head to Osaka to check in to your hotel there.

    – [Luggage in Japan ](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2274.html)
    – [Nara Itineraries ](https://www.insidekyoto.com/nara-itineraries)
    – Don’t miss out on [Kasuga-Taisha. ](https://goo.gl/maps/mnZQ6zRQqLowEfz57) It’s not far from the Daibutsu in the deer park and is well worth the walk. Pay to go to the inner area of the shrine and there is a room where you can see the lanterns lit up. It was my favorite part of Nara. Depending on when in May you’re there you may also see it’s wisteria in bloom too.

31. Oh my gosh, your itinerary reminds me of when my husband and I first went to Japan. We had a PowerPoint (a slide for each day), all the train times mapped out exactly, restaurant reservations, etc. We also went to Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Osaka, and Okinawa. But we visited Fukuoka too. It was about the same about of days as yours.

    Looking back I would say I wish we hadn’t jammed our schedule so much. There was so much walking. We easily logged 17k steps in a day. And everyone in Japan walks super fast. Just make sure to have very comfortable walking shoes.

    We made sure to research where all the laundromats were because packing 18 days worth of clothes is really hard. We packed just 5 days worth of clothes and did our laundry multiple times. So just make sure to take that into account.

    Looking back I will say that some of our favorite restaurants were unplanned and we just ventured into on a whim. One of our favorite restaurants was in Okinawa: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g298224-d13171753-Reviews-Okinawa_Soba_Eibun-Naha_Okinawa_Prefecture.html

    Transportation-wise we took the train most places. But there were several times we needed to take the taxi. The Japan taxi app was pretty useful.

    Lastly, I do wish we rented a car in Okinawa. Okinawa is definitely a nice way to end the trip. It’s very laid back, and the cuisine is different (in case you need a change of pace).

    Have fun!

32. That is a packed schedule lol; btw how are you getting around mandatory quarantine???

33. I went in June in 2019 and had a much looser itinerary than you have now. I still have to drop things because I didn’t have the time. The heat and humidity dwindles your stamina quite a bit.

    Even if public transport is efficient and timely, the stations and trains are so packed that it can take 15-20 minutes just to navigate out of the larger stations.

    You are also starting some days a little bit later in the day which adds to the crowd factor and a lot of attractions close surprisingly early so you might want to compare schedules to make sure they line up.

    Kyoto is a great biking city. I would choose that over taxis. Look for ebike rentals. The bamboo forest is skippable imo, especially if you plan on getting there at 8am – it’ll already be crowded and it’ll be a huge time sink with little reward. I did Fushimi Inari bright and early and got a totally private hike up one of Japan’s most famous attractions – I think it would be less explorable at night.

34. Day 11 Kyoto: The bus can be a good way to travel. Only took 1 taxi. Looks like a lot on that day. ps: you can walk to various shrines and temples from the philosophers path.

35. Girl i know a lot of people are saying your sched is overly ambitious, but honestly i’ve done the same amount if not more on every trip ive taken to japan. and thats still having free time at night after dinner. it’s really not to bad once you get the hang of subways and following google maps. and the fact yall will be taking taxis will cut down a LOT on travel time which is honestly the biggest time taker. the one thing i will say is definitely think of the flow on a map of activites to optimize walking and travel times. for example i would go to meji/yoyogi then harajuku and down takeshitadori-cat street-omotesando and then shibuya. I can tell you’ve obviously done lots and lots of research and honestly the more you prep and read about every attraction, activity, maps, & planning transportation (ex. which bullet trains can I take with a jr rail pass, which ones can i not take?, studying bus routes for smaller towns outside tokyo) it’ll be that much easier to get everything done and you won’t be stressed. PS go to hakone! my fav part of my last trip…such a refreshing & relaxing break from the craziness that is tokyo

36. I was in Okinawa recently and did a snorkeling tour/ kayaking tour in Ishigaki / Iriomote.
    Definitely recommend you do a tour like that once.

37. In regards to Kudaka Island in Okinawa:

    Often the express ferry goes in for maintenance in mid-May to early June so that could disrupt your ferry travel times. The regular ferry is a 25 minute ride. They update their twitter daily if you’re looking for more information on that!

    10-11 isn’t enough time for Sefa-Utaki and making it to the ferry if you’re at the Glass Village until 10 o’clock. It’s a 30 min drive from the Glass Village to Sefa-Utaki and it’ll take you at least 15 minutes or so to walk all the way in to see the site, plus come back etc.

    There are 2-3 restaruants on Kudaka currently. If I were you, I’d eat lunch close to the port and take the 1 o’clock ferry to Kudaka instead. There’s a great curry place right by the port and some other restaurants close by. This gives you more time to see Sefa-Utaki as well. You don’t need that much time on Kudaka as some of the sites are off limits to visitors. Biking around the island won’t take that long, and it is a beautiful place but it’s not that big. If you take the 4 or 5 o’clock ferry back that’s plenty of time.

    Hope that helps! Kudaka is a wonderful place.

38. I doubt you’ll not spend the first days in quarantine in 2022.
    Other than that, I did a plan like this before, it sucks.
    I also did no planning at all, also sucks.
    Take your plan, put the places in Google Maps. Then decide each day which area you want to stay at. Being at least 2 nights at the same hotel worked best for me.
    Then go through your list on maps and visit one after the other, in a way you don’t have much travel time or can even walk. If one sucks, it’s closed or whatever go to the next.
    I usually had 5 or so alternatives and evened up visiting 1 or 2.
    Japan is best enjoyed with time. Although Japanese are known to rush, most places offer so much you can easily spend one day in it’s own.

39. One question only: how can you get into Japan with closed borders because of covid restrictions?

    Anyway, nice schedule, but you’d better forget it.
    Choose what you want to see and where you want to go to is wise, planning to visit areas and nearby attractions/places as well, but honestly your minute by minute schedule is insane 😅😅😅

    It’s not a military campaign, just stroll and look at the wonders, everything looks cool… And sometimes weird, that’s the magic and uniqueness of Japan❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

40. so, is this a tourist like japan want to see timetable, or is it a I want to drive by the attractions timetable?

    personally, I can only speak about Kyoto, but…

    you go from overly optimistic (day 10, breakfast, dropping off luggage, rent kimono, have tea ceremony, lunch in Pontocho Alley and traveling to yasaka shrine before 2pm) to rushing through temples (Kodaiji), to possibly failing to research (Kiyomizu-dera at 5, most temples are closed by 5pm, or at least no more entry. There are exceptions, and its possible that exact date falls onto a few each year where its open longer, I did not check, but you must check, or else, you might plan to get in there at 5, and its closed…)

    where the second day is even worse, an hour for the bamboo grove and going to the monkey park, then an hour for Tenryuji including traveling to Kinkaku-ji, visiting Kinkaku-ji and Ryoan-ji in an hour, without lunch, being at Ginkaku-ji an hour later… An hour for Nishiki Market…

    Thats not possible. I mean. You could travel to all those places in the time, maybe, and at some places MAYBE stay a little, but you can not enjoy ANY of them, and you might even fail at some travel to times, depending on how you travel and the traffic and time of day. It takes much longer to go through downtown Kyoto in a car/taxi/bus at 5-7pm then at 10am

    Look, I crammed my days full as f…, and ran more than walked, and really rushed through some stuff, and knew exactly when to walk, when to drive, and how to drive, and would not attempt half your day 11 in one day.

    I suggest you make three (8am, 11am/12pm and 3/4pm) must see locations for each day, group them together if possible, start with the most important one, have a 4th optional one in case you really are quick, and look for POIs in between them, so, you can add a little here or there on the way, depending on where you at with your time plan.

    most importantly, try to enjoy your time, and not cram it full with a tight plan so you wont enjoy anything out of fear to miss the next appointment…!

41. I will tell you one thing that interfered with my sightseeing a lot: in Japan, many attractions close around 4 or 5 pm! For example the Metropolitan Government Building, but also many other view spots, temples, shrines, parks etc. Als it starts to get dark around that time!

    For a night activity in Tokyo, consider going to Golden Gai. You get a classic Japanese bar experience although it may be intimidating if you don’t speak Japanese.

    Why go to mount Fuji and then to Hakone on seperate days? They’re next to each other.

    I suggest walking Minato Mirai and the Yokohama bay area when it’s dark. This is when you get the night view it’s famous for.

    If you want more bang for your buck, go to teamLab Borderless, not planets. However it does take more time. No need to go to both with all the things on your itinerary.

    As for Taxis in Kyoto, I think they will be very useful to get to and from Kinkaku-ji, as it’s kind of in the middle of nowhere. Otherwise trains should be fine. Ginkaku-ji is on the Philosophers path.

    Osaka is typically not visited for shrines, get your fill in Kyoto. Instead enjoy the food and atmosphere. Take your time in Dotonbori. Also consider going to Umeda Sky or Harukas if you like view towers.

    That’s all I have for you.

42. Good luck with Okinawa in June/Summer! I’ve been in Tokyo in May, and that was hot and humid enough for me.

    Since it will be you’re first time in Japan, I would suggest simply bullet pointing the places and activities you’d want to do, unless you have specific reservations.

    If not, maybe underline/bolden your priority listings, and consider spacing your activities out and add a LOT more breathing space.

    This will allow you to get lost, to dawdle, revisit places, and go to other places you missed in your research.

    Lastly, since you’re going with someone else, bare them in mind, involve them as much as you can with the itinerary. Last thing you want is disagreements/arguments on the trip.

    Hope this helps

43. Though I understand that you want to see as much as possible, your plan is really ambitious. I get your concern that you don’t want lose time by dithering around – If I was you, I’d decide on a few corner points that you want to see and have some “back-up attractions” in your back pocket.

    If you really want to stick to your plan so tightly, I think you are just going to stress yourself and not be able to enjoy as much. Maybe you can plan half days for visting certain districts.

    I feel like your detailed plan is set to be quantity over quality. Maybe you can dive deeper into ‘Japan’ if you go with the flow and be flexible – by that I don’t mean pre-planned ‘wandering time’ 🙂 – There is also something very charming about spontanously getting lost in chaotic downtown alleys in Tokyo, going for a beer in an Izakaya and discovering the different convenience store food, you know!

    Also don’t underestimate the jet lag hehe

44. Oh boy, this itinerary is giving me flashbacks to my own planning style! I totally agree with what you’ve said, that you’d rather have a plan fall apart than have no plan at all. I’ve since changed my planning style after actually doing a trip like this, because I was left feeling absolutely exhausted. I had a great time on said trip, but it was a LOT and I almost slept in on one of the best experiences of my life because I was so tired from all the traveling.

    Definitely give yourself a couple of days to chill. I’d add an extra day to your Kyoto trip for sure, you might find yourself temple-d out if you don’t space things out. Also, renting a kimono in Kyoto, it’s gonna be pretty warm that time of year and I’m unsure if it’s wise to do kimono. Yukata is the best way to go, so make sure the service you get is Yukata. If you don’t mind dressing in kimono in Tokyo, look up “INKIMONO”, she’s a wonderful kimono stylist and photographer and based in Asakusa.

45. Google maps makes it really seamless to navigate with transit throughout Japan. Especially in the cities, it provides real time data for all trains and buses that are ALWAYS on schedule; someone as organized as yourself would definitely appreciate that. Your trip is a long ways away, but I guarantee you will have an absolutely amazing experience. Personally, I would always add more days anytime I went to Japan, however 18 days is sufficient for the cities you’re planning to visit. Don’t sleep on Kyoto though…stunning and what seems to be a stronger representation of cultural Japan than the other cities you plan to visit.

46. I think a lot of the comments have touched it well but you should leave some cushion and note the bullets that you don’t require to be hit to give you opportunity to spend longer at events you suddenly enjoy, and the real fun is wandering around not knowing what to expect for sudden moments of the trip! Be flexible and adapt to the moment 🙂

47. did you book your flights? I just booked with Canada Air and hoping the border opens.