Hi!
Below is a rough itinerary for this upcoming trip on March 3 – 16th (14 days). A total of 3 people in our late 20’s. My partner and I will be arriving from our trip from the Philippines to Japan. My family member will be arriving from Canada on March 1 and we will be meeting her on March 3.
Interests: Anime (big One Piece fan), Food (wagyu, yakiniku, unagi, gyukatsu, ramen, kaiseki, sushi, okonomiyaki, kaiseki)
Would like to try the following activities: Onsen (tattoo friendly), tea ceremony with geisha/maiko, kimono rental/photos
TOKYO (7 days)
* (D1) Friday, March 3rd | Arrival to Tokyo from Manila*
* MNL to NRT flight arrival 8 PM (1 hour time difference, so won’t be too jet-lagged)
* Purchase a Suica card for transportation within Tokyo (many people recommend this rather than purchasing the Tokyo Metro passes) + pocket wifi
* **Q: Since we are leaving to Kyoto on day (D7) March 9th and returning to Tokyo on (D13) March 15th, would activating the 7-Day JR Pass then make sense, not during arrival at Narita airport?**
* Check-in at Hotel Asia Center of Japan located in Akasaka (1.5-2 hr transit from NRT, probably arrive around 11 PM unless we get lost lol)
* Late snack: 7/11, or Lawson nearby
* *(D2) Saturday, March 4th | Ikekuburo & Shinjuku*
* AM/PM – Shop at Sunshine City (Gashapon, One Piece Mugiwara store, snack at Animate Cafe), shop at Animate Ikekuburo + thrift shop at Book Off
* Lunch: Unagi hitsumabushi at Hitsumabushi Bincho (lunch time 11:30 – 2:30 PM)
* EVE – Train to Shinjuku (\~30 mins), check out Omoide Yokocho + Cross Shinjuku Vision (corner street with 3D billboard), stroll Shinjuku Golden Gai at night
* Dessert/Snack: Artnia Square Enix Cafe (closes 9 PM)
* Dinner: Ramen at Ramen Nagi Shinjuku Golden Gai, except it might be busy on a weekend. Alternately, there’s Ichiran Ramen (open 10 AM – 6 AM), or yakiniku AYCE wagyu at Rokkasen
* **Q: Any favorite ramen or yakiniku recommendations in this area?**
* *(D3) Sunday, March 5th | Akihabara*
* AM/PM – Shop at JUMP SHOP (open 10 AM – 7 PM), Mandarake, Don Quijote (24/7), Animate, check out Square Enix Cafe, Owlcafe
* Lunch at Final Fantasy Eorzea Cafe \*\* (Reservations accepted from 12:00 one month in advance)
* EVE – Continue shopping
* Dinner options: Roast Beef Ono Akihabara, ramen at Kikanbo or Kyushu Jangara, hitsumabushi unagi at Yodobashi Akiba, or Curry Bondy
* **Q: Is it best to keep Akihabara on a Sunday? I read the Chuo dori (main road) is closed for pedestrians.**
* *(D4) Monday, March 6th | Asakusa (\~ 40 mins from hotel)*
* AM/PM – Rent a kimono, start at Kaminarimon Gate, snack in Nakamise Shopping St, Senso-ji Temple, grab some matcha ice cream at Suzukien Asakusa
* During this time, I would like do a kimono/yukuta rental. I have seen a couple rent at [Yae Kimono Asakusa Rentals](https://yae-japan.com/en/) (open 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM). **Q: Do you think it would better to do the rental in Asakusa or somewhere in Kyoto? I was looking into a kimono wearing/tea ceremony in Kyoto. Or maybe do both? :)**
* EVE – undecided, options:
* (\~20 mins away) Tokyo Skytree at night + JUMP SHOP – **Q: I am planning to go to Shibuya Skytree, would the view be essentially the same? Or do both?**
* (\~25 mins away) Ueno Park + dinner at Gyukatsu Motomura Ueno – **Q: It won’t be cherry blossom season yet. Would Ueno Park be worth it this time around? Or should I add this to (D3) March 5th since it’s close to Akihabara? (although, I’m not sure how long we’ll spend browsing/shopping around)**
* **Q: OR Switch this day to D13 when we arrive from Kyoto via the Shinkansen (since our last hotel will be in Asakusa).**
* *(D5) Tuesday, March 7th | Harajuku & Shibuya*
* AM – Meiji Jingu (Open 5 AM to 5 PM), Yoyogi Park (open 24/7), scroll/snack through Takeshita St, check out animal cafes – Owl Village Cafe, mipig cafe, grab a 3D Latte at Cafe Reissue nearby (open 10 AM)
* **Q: I read that since it’s not cherry blossom season yet. I don’t mind skipping Yoyogi Park this time and returning during a spring/autumn in the future. What do you think?**
* PM – Lunch at Gyokatsu Motomura or Roast Beef Ohno, walk down past Line Friends (can skip), Tokyo Plaza Omotsesando, Tokyo Snake Center (can skip), then train to Shibuya, check out the One Piece Straw Hat Store (close at 9 PM)
* EVE – Shibuya Skytree to watch sunset around 5 PM, Shibuya Scramble Crosswalk at night + Hachiko statue, free view of the crosswalk at Starbucks Shibuya Tatsuya or via Magnet 109 Rooftop 8th floor (600 yen fee according to tripadvisor)
* Dinner – Eat at a conveyor sushi restaurant at Uobei Shibuya Dougenzaka (close 11 PM) or at Katsumidori Seibu (close at 10), or AYCE Wagyu at Ginza Steak (close at 11)
* *(D6) Wednesday, March 8th |* ***Ginza?*** ***Q: I read a lot of people saying to skip it? I mainly have restaurants saved on google maps. The only places I would like to go nearby are listed below:***
* AM – Eat at Tsukiji Outer Market (closes at 2 PM)
* PM – Team Labs (People say 2 hours is enough?) \*\* Reservations are open now for March
* **Q: Best time of the day to go?**
* EVE РPok̩mon Center + Cafe \*\* need reservations, walk around the area, and possibly head to Tokyo Tower on the way back to hotel
* Send luggage to Kyoto hotel via Takkyubin service
KYOTO (6 days)
* *(D7) Thursday, March 9th | Tokyo -> Kyoto | Downtown Kyoto*
* AM – Shinkansen to Kyoto, buy ebi bento for train ride
* **Q: Is this when we should activate the 7 day pass for the JR Pass?**
* PM – Lunch at Men-ya Inoichi for ramen and tsukemen (open 11 AM), head to Nishiki Market, then book a tea ceremony at (?)
* Check-in 3 PM at Hotel Amanek Kyoto Kawaramachi Gojo
* **Q: We are hoping to do a tea ceremony with or without a Geisha. I am looking at** [**https://mai-ko.com/culture/tea-ceremony/**](https://mai-ko.com/culture/tea-ceremony/) **for a tea ceremony. Is it worth to experience? Is it worth to spend a bit more with a Geisha? Any recommendations?**
* EVE – Dinner at Kichi Kichi Omurice (\*\*Resos begin 4 weeks before), then if time permits, go to an onsen **Q: Any experiences? The omurice is a hefty $30…is it worth the entertainment?**
* Alternate options: yakiniku at Enen
* **Q: Any favorite onsen suggestions? Tattoo friendly is possible :)**
* *(D8) Friday, March 10th – Kyoto | Southern Higashiyama & Gion*
* AM/PM – Start at Kiyomizu-dera (open 6 AM – 6 PM) -> walk through Sannenzaka St + Ninenzaka St -> drinks at Starbucks (tatami mats) -> Ichibei Koji Lane -> Kodai-ji Temple -> Yasaka Shrine
* Kiyomizu-dera has a special night admission 3x a year, March 23 – April 2 in 2023 (for those interested, we won’t be able to make it)
* EVE – Dinner in Gion undecided, but would like to try a kaiseki dinner – will need to research, but any recommendations are welcome 🙂
* *(D9)* *Saturday, March 11th – Nara (\~1 hour train)*
* AM/PM – Kofuku-ji Temple > Isuien Garden > Toda-ji Temple > Nara Park
* Lunch undecided
* EVE – undecided
* *(D10)* *Sunday, March 12th |* ***Q: To visit Osaka, or Kibune, or explore other areas in Kyoto?***
* IF Kibune (\~1 hr train)
* AM – Arrive at opening 11 AM at Hirobun Bamboo Noodles restaurant
* PM – Kifune-jinja Shrine, then was going to check out Kurama Onsen (but temporarily closed)
* EVE – undecided
* **Q: We’ve been looking to try an onsen (tattoo-friendly) during this day. The Kurama Onsen is temporarily closed. Any suggestions nearby?**
* IF Osaka (\~35 min train)
* Option 1 – Universal Studios – mainly want to check out the One Piece restaurant lol, but don’t think it’s open anymore. otherwise, not really keen on going to US or Tokyo Disneyland
* Option 2 – Sumo wrestling tournament [https://sumo.pia.jp/en/sumo03.jsp](https://sumo.pia.jp/en/sumo03.jsp) \*\* tickets on sale Feb 4
* Option 3 – Dotonburi, Osaka Castle, Umeda Sky Building, try okonomiyaki – will need to research more
* *(D11) Monday, March 13th | Southern Kyoto*
* AM – Fushimi Inari (to avoid crowds, aim arrival at 7 AM)
* Thousands Torii Gates, hike to Yotsutsuji Intersection for city view, walk to Tofuku-ji Temple
* PM – Lunch undecided
* EVE – undecided
* *(D12) Tuesday, March 14th – Kyoto | Western Kyoto*
* AM/PM – Arashiyama (to avoid crowds, aim arrival at 7 AM)
* Bamboo groove, Monkey Park Iwatayama
* Lunch: undecided
* EVE – undecided
* **Q: Does Arashiyama or Fushimi Inari get more crowded than the other? I was thinking of switching the days, if so (since I assume Mondays should be least busy)**
* Send luggage to Tokyo hotel via Takkyubin service
TOKYO (2 days)
* *(D13) Wednesday, March 15th – Kyoto -> Tokyo*
* AM – Shinkansen to Tokyo, hotel was booked in Asakusa
* Option 1 – Move Asakusa plans from (D4) March 6th plans to this day, since out hotel will be in Asakusa (Will just have to leave Kyoto a bit earlier)
* Option 2 – undecided
* *(D14) Thursday, March 16th – Tokyo -> Canada*
* AM – Check-out hotel, lunch undecided, last minute shopping somewhere
* Flight time 6 PM at NRT
Please let me know if any days are overly ambitious so far, or if I am missing anything. Apologies for the messy formatting lol
**RE: Hakone & Osaka**
* I would like to visit Hakone, but I do not think time permits. On D4 however, I was looking to squeeze a day in Hakone. But a lot of people said it takes almost 2 hours to get there and most things close around 5. People also recommend at least a night stay, which I don’t think we’ll be able to do. Maybe just skip the day trip and stay in Tokyo to avoid the hassle?
* I would also like to visit Osaka for at least a full day, or even for an evening for dinner… but it might that definitely won’t do it justice. There’s so much to do in Osaka. But March 12 (D10) is a possibility to visit. What do you think? Maybe Osaka will be saved for a future trip?
**RE: Luggage**
* We plan to do a lot of shopping… I know the suggestion is to pack light to avoid the hassle and extra expenses, but we are planning to max out our 2 check-in luggage. Been reading about the Takkyubin service. Anyone recommend sending in luggage from hotel to hotel 1 days or 2 days before?
**RE: One Piece**
* Unfortunately, the Tokyo Tower One Piece exhibit is permanently closed… but if anyone has any other One Piece related experiences other than what I have included, please let me know 🙂
* One Piece statues in Kumamoto will be a bit too far this trip
* **Does anyone know if the One Piece themed cafe in Universal Studios still open? Or has it been closed since the summer? I’m unable to find it on the website.**
Lastly, thanks for taking the time to read this all!!