I’m planning a trip to Japan for the first time March 18/19-April 11, 2023. I do speak some Japanese, but not enough to go without English entirely. I have most of a schedule worked out, but it may be overly ambitious and I’ll need to drop things as time requires.
I already booked Tokyo hotels and my flight. I haven’t booked anything for Kyoto or Osaka yet. I’m not too concerned about jetlag since I work nights PST and my active hours are roughly 10:00-24:00 JST.
**March 18-19**
– Travel, arrive Haneda 18:45
– Check in to hotel in Ginza
**March 20 – Asakusa**
– Rikugien Garden
– Tokyo Skytree
– Asahi Beer Tower for lunch
– Hama Rikyu Garden
– Explore Ginza
**March 21 – Kamakura & Enoshima**
– Enoshima Shrine
– Samuel Cocking Garden
– Enoshima Aquarium
– Hasedera
– Kotokuin
– Jochiji
**March 22 – Imperial Palace & Odaiba**
– Koishikawa Korakuen
– Imperial Palace (if I can book an English guided tour)
– Imperial Palace East Gardens
– teamLab Planets
– Unicorn Gundam Statue
– Gundam Base Tokyo
**March 23 – Yokohama**
– Yokohama Marine Tower
– Gundam Factory Yokohama (Gundam display ends March 31)
– Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse
– Cup Noodle Museum
– Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum
**March 24 – Free day**
**March 25 – AnimeJapan**
– AnimeJapan (if I can get tickets)
– Shinkansen to Kyoto
**March 26 – Hanezu Odori & Southern Kyoto**
– Daigoji
– Zuishin-in for Hanezu Odori
– Fushimi Inari Shrine
– Tofukuji
– Toji
**March 27 – Northern Kyoto**
– Daitokuji
– Kinkakuji
– Haradani Garden
– Ryoanji
– Ninnaji
**March 28 – Central Kyoto**
– Sentou Imperial Palace (apply for tour)
– Kyoto Imperial Palace
– Nijo Castle
– Toei Kyoto Studio Park
**March 29 – Eastern Kyoto**
– Ginkakuji
– Nanzenji
– Heian Shrine
– Yasaka Shrine
– Kodaiji
– Kiyomizudera
**March 30 – Himeji & Osaka**
– Himeji Castle & Kokoen Garden
– Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
– Denden town
– Dotonbori
– Spend night in Osaka
**March 31 – Osaka & Nara**
– Osaka Castle
– Todaiji
– Isuien Garden
– Kasuga Taisha
– Heijo Palace
– Return to Kyoto
**April 1 – Arashiyama**
I can move this before Osaka if Hatto in Tenryuji is open weekdays during my trip. I think that would make things easier for travel.
– Daikakuji
– Gioji
– Nisonin
– Jojakkoji
– Tenryuji – Cloud Dragon
– Bamboo Forest
– Shinkansen to Tokyo – hotel in Ueno
**April 2 – Kanamara Festival**
– Kanayama Shrine for Kanamara Matsuri
– Nihon Minkaen Open Air Museum
– Fujiko F. Fujio Museum
– Yomiuri Land (Jewellumination)
**April 3 – Free day**
**April 4 – Ueno Park**
– Ueno Zoo
– National Museum of Western Art
– Tokyo National Museum
– Shitamachi Museum
**April 5-7 – Shopping**
– Akihabara
– Nakano Broadway
– Shinjuku
**April 8 – Asakusa**
– Kaminarimon
– Sensoji for Hana Matsuri
– Sumida Park
**April 9 – Kamakura**
– Kenchoji
– Zuisenji
– Hokokuji
– Tsurugaoka Hachimangu for Kamakura Festival
– Transfer to Shinjuku hotel
**April 10 – Free day**
**April 11 – Departure**
– Explore Shinjuku
– Limo Bus pickup at hotel 14:30
– Depart Narita 18:30
Does my itinerary make sense? I’m open to suggestions on any changes I could make and general feedback.
Specific questions:
1. I plan on doing most the trip with a backpack and duffel bag or carry-on, then buying 1 or 2 suitcases while there to hold stuff I buy. If I buy enough to need a second suitcase can I take 2 suitcases, duffel bag, and backpack on the limo bus?
2. Since I’m travelling solo is an eSim is my best option? Ubigi lists my phone as compatible.
3. I don’t think a full JR Rail pass makes sense, since my return trip is 1 day after it would expire. If Tenryuji’s Hatto is open during weekdays when I go, could I squeeze my Kyoto plans into a 7-day JR pass? If not, I think a 2-day Kansai Area Pass makes sense for the Himeji-Osaka-Nara-Kyoto travel. Are there any other passes that make sense for my itinerary?