Hi all! Been working on my itinerary again as our trip quickly sneaks up on us.
We are a couple in our mid-twenties with interests in anime/manga, food, parks/gardens, and shopping! We do not know much Japanese, I have been learning at home for about 3 months.
Our itinerary looks incredibly full as I have included a lot of things mostly just to remind myself of what is in each area, but not everything is a MUST SEE or MUST DO.
I’m looking for opinions on whether or not most of this is doable or if it is too much due to it being cherry blossom time. Also wondering if there are any festivals we should account for.
Questions:
1. I believe the JR pass is not worth it for us, is this correct?
2. Are our Kyoto days doable? This is the part of the trip I am most worried about due to expecting insane crowds. (We don’t mind crowds and getting fast snacks from conbini if need be)
3. Tips for making reservations at Butagumi? Our hotel is unable to help us out and I’m not sure how to make the call to reserve a spot for dinner if I need to do so in Japanese.
4. Is a Enoshima/Kamakura daytrip worth it with how long our trip is?
Thanks!!
**ITINERARY:**
**MARCH 20 LEAVE FROM US**
**21 ARRIVE AT TOKYO HANEDA AIRPORT 3:15 PM**
* Purchase Suica card, pick up pocket wi-fi at hotel
* Take limo bus to hotel in Ikebukuro (40 min)
* Dinner (Mutekiya ramen? Coco Ichibanya curry?)
* Explore around hotel (Sunshine City mall) if time
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* **22 ASAKUSA/TOKYO SKYTREE** **(30 min train ride)**
* Ikebukuro Station to Asakusa Station around 9 AM (30 min train)
* Kaminarimon gate \*MUST SEE\*
* Senso-ji (get omamori and omikuji)
* Nakamise street (shops open around 10a)
* Walk to Nishi Sando shopping street, Kappabashi Dougu street
* Lunch (Nabezo?)
* Cross Sumida river/Sumida park for cherry blossoms (15 minute walk)
* Tokyo Solamachi shopping (15 min walk)
* Tokyo Skytree/Eat at Kirby Cafe for dinner (try for 5 PM reservation) \*MUST SEE\*
* Tokyo Skytree station to Ikebukuro station (45 mins)
**23 UENO/AKIHABARA** **(20-30 min train ride)**
* (Check if Bozu’n Coffee in Ikebukuro is open on Facebook?)
* Ikebukuro station to Ueno Station
* Ueno park in the morning/early afternoon (conbini picnic)
* Ameyoko shopping street \*MUST SEE\*
* Glitch Coffee (30 min walk)
* Walk to Akihabara from Glitch coffee (16 min walk) \*MUST SEE\*
* BOOKOFF
* Animate Akihabara
* AmiAmi
* Super Potato
* Crane games/gashapon
* Akihabara to Butagumi for dinner (make reservations for 7 PM) (30 min train)
* Butagumi to Ikebukuro (40 min train)
**24 SHIBUYA/HARAJUKU** **(20 min train ride)**
* Ikebukuro station to Shinjuku station 9 AM (15-20 min train)
* Walk to Shinjuku Gyoen Gardens (opens 9 AM) \*MUST SEE\*
* Line up for lunch at Fuunji (tsukemen) at 10:30 (11-3p) (15 min walk) \*MUST SEE\*
* Go to Harajuku station (20 min walk or train)
* Takeshita street shopping
* Marion Crepes or Momi & Toy’s crepes
* Harajuku to Shibuya crossing (20 min train or 30 min walk)
* Shibuya Parco (11a-9p)
* Nintendo Store Shibuya \*MUST SEE\* (Nintendo is timed entry so get ticket here first)
* Pokemon Center
* Jump Shop
* SHIBUYA 109 if time allows
* ***Could possibly head back to hotel to drop off stuff, chill and change (10-15 mins there, 10-15 mins back)***
* Dinner (free)
* Shibuya SKY (13 min walk) (final admission 9:30) \*MUST SEE\*
* Whales of August bar in Shibuya (9 min walk) (open 6p)
* Shibuya to Ikebukuro (20 min train)
**25 (SATURDAY) NAKANO/ROPPONGI/NAKAMEGURO**
* Breakfast in Ikebukuro (check if Bozu’n Coffee is open on Facebook?)
* Go to Nakano Broadway (40 min train) \*MUST SEE\*
* Shop in Nakano broadway, thrift in Koenji if time
* Tensuke Tempura for dinner (24 min walk or 12 min train)
* Nakano Broadway to Nakameguro at night (45 min)
* Cafe/drinks (Totorou?)
* Stroll along Meguro river – Cherry blossom promenade at night (if sakura is in bloom, lit until 10 PM) \*MUST SEE\*
* Nakameguro station to Ikebukuro (15 min)
**OR if weather is nice/not tired of walking:**
* **Enoshima/Kamakura day trip**
* **1.5 hours from Ikebukuro station to Shinjuku station to Enoshima using Enoshima Kamakura Free Pass (try to leave by 8 AM)**
* **Enoshima (9:30 AM)**
* **Enoshima Shrine (20 min walk from Enoshima station)**
* **Brunch at Cafeteria Fujimitei (opens at 10 AM in the inner shrine) (try the enoshimadon and enoshima beer!)**
* **Iwaya Caves (open until 5 PM)**
* **Dragon Love Bell on the way back (attach a padlock ♥️)**
* **Back to Fujisawa station**
* **Head to Kamakura (Enoden train)**
* **Komachi-dori street for street food/shopping**
* **Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine (if time)**
* **Walk back down Danzakura street for cherry blossoms**
* **Back to Kamakura station**
* **1.5 hrs back to Shinjuku station (try to head back by 6 PM)**
* **Do Omoide Yokocho/Hobo Shinjuku dinner and drinks**
* **Back to Ikebukuro (20 min train)**
**26 (SUNDAY) IKEBUKURO** **(Forward big luggage to Osaka before leaving)**
* Ikebukuro to Shintomicho station 9 AM (40 min)
* Tsukiji outer market for breakfast (9a-2p) (12 min walk) (we know most stuff will be closed as its Sunday, but hoping to eat something here)
* Teamlab Planets (9a-9p) (\*12-12:30 RESERVATION) \*MUST SEE\* (20 min bus from market or 10 min taxi)
* Back to Ikebukuro (40 min train)
* Lunch (Happy Pancake? Gyukatsu Motomaru?)
* Explore Sunshine City mall \*MUST SEE\*
* Gashapon store
* One Piece Mugiwara store
* Pokemon Center
* Pikachu Sweets Cafe
* Ghibli store
* Sanrio Vivitix
* Sanrio Gift Gate
* **If we already got the chance to explore Ikebukuro throughout the week, visit Nakameguro for sakura illuminations at night if time allows (20 min train there and back)**
* Hisamatsuya Onsen (15 min train) (open til 11 PM)
* Back to hotel
**27 TOKYO TO OSAKA** **(2.5 hour train) ($300)**
* Leave from Ikebukuro Station to Tokyo Station around 9:30 (20 min train)
* Explore Tokyo station character street (opens 10 AM) and grab bento for the train
* Leave Tokyo Station to Osaka Station (2.5 hours), Shin-Osaka station to aquarium (45 mins)
* Aquarium at 3:30 (30 min train from hotel) \*MUST SEE\*
* Hotel check-in (anytime after 3 PM) (luggage should be forwarded)
* Head to Americamura for thrifting
* Ebisubashi Bridge to Dotonbori for late night food and drink (look for kushi katsu, takoyaki, and a bar)
**28 OSAKA** **(30 min train) (EARLY DAY)**
* Leave by 8 AM to Universal Studios (opens 8:30 AM) (buy Express Passes Jan 28th to choose timed entry into Nintendo area) \*MUST SEE\*
* All day USJ
* Back to hotel at night (30 min train)
* Dinner near hotel (Okonomiyaki?) or ramen in hotel
**29 OSAKA TO KYOTO \*LEAVE LUGGAGE UNTIL WE RETURN\*** **(50 min train ride)**
* Leave around 8 AM – Shinsaibashi station to Osaka station (8 min) Osaka station to Kyoto station (30 min) Kyoto station to Kyoto-kawaramachi station (10 min)
* Go to Nishiki market (opens \~9/10 AM) \*MUST SEE\*
* Arabica % Kyoto Fujii Daimaru coffee shop (Kyoto style latte)
* Camellia Flower Tea Ceremony (kimono rental 2 PM, tea ceremony 3 PM) (45 min long ceremony) \*MUST SEE\*
* Walk Sannenzaka, Ninnenzaka **or** do Kiyomizudera first (10 min walk) if no night illuminations (closes at 6PM)
* Return kimono by 6 PM
* Check in to hotel (Shimogyo Ward)
* Yoshinoya Shijo-Higashitoin for dinner (gyudon) (24 hrs)
* Kiyomizudera night illumination if sakura is in bloom, last entry 9p and closes at 9:30p (25 min walk)
* Back to hotel
**30 KYOTO**
* Head out early (8 AM)
* Fushimi Inari (18 min train) (probably only making it about halfway up)
* Lunch
* Go to Keage Incline (10 min train +20 min walk)
* Philosopher’s path (60-90 min walk on the path) \*MUST SEE IF SAKURA IN BLOOM\* (Keage incline to Ginkaku-ji )
* If too tired, walk to Heian shrine from Keage Incline, explore Gion (Maccha House?)
* Back to hotel to change/rest (30 min walk from Ginkaku-ji)
* Kobe Beef Steak Mouriya Gion for dinner \*6:15 PM RESERVATION\* \*MUST SEE\* (15 min walk)
* Walk to Yasaka shrine after dinner (20 min walk) (open 24 hrs)
* Maruyama park for cherry blossom festival at night if sakura is in bloom (9 min walk) \*MUST SEE\*
* Back to hotel
**31 KYOTO**
* Head out early around 8 AM
* 1 hr train to Arashiyama station
* Arashiyama bamboo forest (24 hr) \*MUST SEE\* (10 min walk)
* Cross Togetsukyo Bridge to Monkey Park
* Monkey Park Iwatayama (9a-4p) \*MUST SEE\* (16 min walk + 30 min hike)
* Head back to station area
* Rilakkuma Tea House (10a-5p)
* Miffy Sakura Kitchen (10a-6p) \*MUST SEE\*
* Back to Osaka, Saga-Arashiyama station to Shinsaibashi (1 hr)
* Pack and prepare to leave in the morning
* Zaou fishing restaurant (17 min walk from hotel) (5p-11p)
**(SATURDAY) APRIL 1ST LEAVE FROM OSAKA ITAMI AIRPORT 1:00 PM**
* 30 min limo bus to airport from Osaka (leave around 9 AM)
* 4 hour layover in Haneda airport
* We will arrive at Terminal 2 at 2:15, take shuttle bus to Terminal 3, go to 3F for departures
* Customs/immigration
* FLIGHT LEAVES AT 6:25!
