This is the first draft of our itinerary, just wanting to make sure there’s nothing glaringly obvious we’re missing or looks too unrealistic. Have looked at probably hundreds of posts on this subreddit so really appreciate everything that everyone has already posted because it’s really helped out! The plan is Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima and back to Tokyo at the end.
If you have any suggestions or recommendations on things to include, it’s very welcome!
Our interests are art, design, history, cool building/architecture, Pokemon, Hello Kitty and we both love shopping.
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**Here’s a summary of the trip:**
Dates | City | Nights
—|—|—-
Sat 20th May – Sun 21st May | Tokyo | 2
Mon 22nd May – Tues 23rd May | Hakone | 1
Tues 23rd – Thurs 26th May | Kyoto | 3
Fri 26th | Nara | Day trip
Fri 26th – Sun 28th | Osaka | 3
Sun 28th | Himeji/Kobe | Day trip
Mon 29th – Tues 30th | Hiroshima | 2
Wed 21st – Sun 4th | Tokyo| 4
**Below is the full itinerary day to day.**
**Day 1 (Saturday 20th)**
Arrive in Tokyo
Arrive in the evening, find the hotel, chill find some food.
**Day 2 (Sunday 21st) Tokyo**
Chill, recover from jet lag, explore near hotel which is TBC
**Day 3 (Monday 22nd) Tokyo > Hakone**
Figure out Takkyubin and forward our bags to Kyoto
Get train to Hakone
Explore Hakone, check in at Ryoken
Hakone Open Air Museum
Gora Park
Hakone Museum of Art
**Day 4 (Tuesday 23rd) Hakone/Hakone>Kyoto**
Hakone Loop
Hakone Tozan Cable Car
Owakudani
Hakone Pirate Boat
Hakone Shrine Torii Gate
Head back, get bags, get train from Hakone>Kyoto
Check into hotel at Kyoto
**Day 5 (Wednesday 24th) Kyoto**
Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine
Gion Neighbourhood/Nishiki Market/Hokan-ji Pogoda
Kiyomizu-dera
Rengeoin Sanjusangendo
Philosopher Path Walk
**Day 6 (Thursday 25th) Kyoto**
Bamboo Walk
Tenru Temple
Monkey Park Iwarayama
Kinkakuji Temple
**Day 7 (Friday 26th) Kyoto>Nara>Osaka**
Figure out Takkyubin and forward our bags to Osaka
Train to Nara
Kofukuji Temple
Todaijji Temple
Nara Park
Mt Wakakusa
Higashimuki Shopping Arcade
Train to Osaka
**Day 8 (Saturday 27th) Osaka**
Chill day – possibly do Universal Studios or the Aquarium.
Explore Dotonbori Area.
Open to ideas on this one day/location.
**Day 9 (Sunday 28th) Osaka**
Himeji and Kobe
In Himeji:
Himeji Castle
Koko-en Garden
In Kobe:
Ikuta Shrine
Kobe Harbourland
Nanki-machi
Take Cable car up to Mount Rokko for views
Head back to Osaka
**Day 10 ( Monday 29th) Osaka > Hiroshima**
Train early to Hiroshima
Peace Memorial Park
Peace Memorial Museum
Atomic Bomb Dome
Hiroshima Castle
Shukkei-en Garden
Eat Okonomiyaki
**Day 11 (Tuesday 30th) Hiroshima>Miyajima**
Ferry to Miyajima Island
Itsukushima-jinja Shrine
Daisho-in Temple
Momiji-dani-joen Park
Climb Mount Misen – Ropeway up – Walk down
Ferry back to Hiroshima and chill
**Day 12 (Wednesday 31st) Hiroshima>Tokyo**
First train back to Tokyo around 4 hours in at 10am
In Shibuya:
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo?
Mags Park Rooftop & Shibuya Crossing
Pokemon Center Shibuya
Tokyu Hands
More things needed.
Harajuka:
Tokyu Plaza Omotesando
Shopping
**Day 13 (Thursday 1st) Tokyo**
In Ueno:
Ueno Park
Tokyo National Museum
Ameyoko Shopping Street
In Akihabara:
Sanrio Honey Toast Café
Super Potato Akihabara
Owl Café? (Fukurou)
Akihabara Gamers
Don Quijote Akihabara
**Day 14 (Friday 2nd) Tokyo**
In Odaiba:
Teamlab Planets
Unicorn Gundam Statue
Kaminarion/Azumabashi
Senso-ji Temple
Tokyo Skytree?
Kamiarimon Gate
Nakamise Shopping Street
**Day 15 (Saturday 3rd) Tokyo**
In Roppongi:
The National Art Centre Tokyo
Mori Art Museum
Tokyo Tower
Toranomon Hills Mori Tower
**Day 16 (Sunday 4th) Tokyo**
Do things we enjoyed/want to see again
Depart from Japan late at night
**Questions:**
1. Is our itinerary got any glaring that doesn’t make sense to go there based on other things we’re doing that day? Anything you would change?
2. Did we miss anything that is a must do?
2. Would like recommendations on good accommodation to stay in, particularly in Tokyo.
Thank you for reading this far! Looking forward to the comments and would really love to read some feedback, good and bad! Thank you!