Itinerary for first time solo trip – tour or no tour? any advice welcome

30 comments

1. I had booked a tour with intro travel but had to cancel due to coronavirus…another one I looked at was the dragon trip…both of those seemed like a lot of fun and not too expensive!

2. Group tour or not… well, the general advice would be not to plan your trip, however, this tour aside from Day 3 (that is a badly planned day) and Osaka Castle is not that badly planned. Koka Ninjutsu and Miho Museum are not that easily accessible without renting a car, and they are well-worth visiting. My take would be spend one more day in Kansai (perhaps visiting Himeji Castle) and go back for 2-3 days to Tokyo to do your own thing (Shibuya, Shinjuku).

   Regarding navigating train stations: follow the signage towards line you are looking for; know where you want to get out (which exit) and follow the signage. Many maps in Japan are oriented on your position, not on north, which you may find confusing, especially with regard to bigger train stations or major subway intersections (eg. Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Tokyo, Osaka/Umeda)

3. The first question I’d ask is … do you think Japan is going to be open for visitors in early June of this year? I have seen no indications that’ll be the case.

   My second question is whether your mom is mainly interested in the tour because she thinks it’s a safety issue or because she’s worried you’ll get lonely. If it’s safety, I think the tour group is totally unnecessary, you’ll be totally fine in Japan. If it’s loneliness/getting lost, that’s sort of up to your personal preferences.

   If you like tonkatsu, there’s a place in Tokyo I love called Butagumi that has an amazing selection and a really warm, relaxing interior. It’s in a converted house in an interesting neighborhood.

4. I did a trip to Japan as my graduation present too and it was amazing! I went with 3 friends though, doing it alone if you’re not used to travelling solo might be really hard. Ive never done a tour but if you think doing one will stop you being lonely then it may be worth the extra cost. If you do go it alone I really recommend staying in a hostel, they’re often really nice in Tokyo and you’ll meet friendly people from all over the world. I’ve stayed in hostels in Asakusa and loved that area, drop me a message if you want to details! Generally I think doing on your own will be an incredibly eye opening experience, you’ll learn a lot about yourself!

   Your itinery in general looks good. I’d recommend looking into Nakano Broadway for retro games and Odaiba as there are some fun things to do there like the giant gundam and teamlabs. Ghibli Museum tickets can be bought online, no need to be part of a group. You should also look into doing a day trip to somewhere like Hakone or Kamakura as they’re nice to get the more rural Japan feel and are close to Tokyo.

   I’ve only ever done a Mt Fuji trip as an overnight stay at Fuji 5 lakes but it was wonderful (even though it was too foggy to see Mt Fuji itself most of the time!). As a day trip by train it would be quite tiring as its 2-3hrs there and then again back. I believe you can book on to a coach trip which I hear can be a good option.

   Good luck but don’t get your hopes up for going in June, if you book anything make sure it’s fully refundable!

5. My first solo trip to Japan was with a group tour (InsideJapanTours – [https://www.insidejapantours.com](https://www.insidejapantours.com) – offices in US, UK & Australia – I’m not affiliated with the company) and found it really enjoyable as half the group were solo travellers. I chose a group tour because I didn’t have time to plan and wondered whether it would be less stressful just to do a group tour.

   Obviously a group tour is not for everyone as there’s no way to know for sure what the group dynamics would be like before hand. Traveling in Japan is super easy: easy to get around, Japan being generally safe and super organised and even small towns are well set up for tourists because of the high domestic tourism in Japan. So my second solo trip was a DIY trip and I found that there’s absolutely no need to pay a premium to go on a group tour unless you want to. (I don’t speak a single word of Japanese, ok, maybe just thank you, and it was never a problem.)

   Your Tokyo itinerary for a 10 day trip looks good but obviously one can spend a month in Tokyo and not run out of things to do but I think it would be a shame not to travel around the country, even if you decide to go on your own.

6. Re: tour or not – what is the appeal of joining a tour? Less planning/more sights (less time spent figuring out transit/logistics), safety/language? For the places you’re looking to visit, you’ll be able to get by with English and I never felt unsafe in Japan. It’s definitely doable on your own and at your own pace, as long as you dont mind getting lost occasionally.

   I like staying in shinjuku since it’s central hub for venturing out for day trips. I think the econo hotels are generally quite affordable. I personally wouldn’t recommend airbnb just because there’re big cultural differences (ex: how to sort your garbage, when to wash your clothes etc) that may cause be a nuisance to the locals. An alternative would be service appts.

   Regardless of what you choose, I’m sure you’ll have a great time … if covid doesn’t put a damper on your plans.

7. Are you sure you everything will be open to tourists? Late in March it was announced that Japan will be very strict about tourists for the Olympics, and that’s not until July, so I don’t know about early June. Before buying a ticket I’d suggest you ask someone who’s already there so that you enjoy this trip to the fullest and don’t have to cancel some things due to corona.

8. Honestly, its extremely unlikely that Japan will be open to outside tourism by June. I’ve been hoping to hear that they’ll be open by late December 2021/January 2022 so that I can make a return trip and even I’m not super confident in that

9. Japan is a very safe country so if you go it alone you should be fine.

   I found that trying out Japanese phrases was a big fail. People didn’t expect it and know the English for their job.

   Train stations are very well signposted in English. Everything is on time. No real need to reserve seats.

   A traditional Ryokan is a great experience though expensive. You can visit an onsen (hot springs bath) cheaply or even free. Sexes are segregated. Tattoos are a big NO.

   I just got a Japanese data sim for my phone.

   Tokyo is huge. Loads to do. Japan has much more than Tokyo though & the JR pass makes travel really simple.

10. There’s exactly 0% chance you’re getting to Japan in June. The rest of your post is therefore irrelevant.

11. >Japan in early June of this year

    That may be a problem. If you’re fully vaccinated and the vaccine passport system is in place by then it might be possible, but things are still a bit up in the air. I’ll also mention that June would not necessarily be my first choice of times to go. Early June isn’t usually too bad, but the later into the month you go the more muggy and rainy it’s going to get.

    >Should I go on a tour with a group or not?

    Not unless you’re extremely nervous about traveling alone and have extra money to burn.

    Edit: I just looked at the itinerary for that particular tour and it is ludicrously rushed. They’re covering 2 weeks’ worth of ground in just 6 days.

    >- The company will most likely cover tickets for museums, organize a flight & place to stay, and it might be more safe as I’m a woman traveling by myself.

    No, you’ll cover the tickets for museums and the flights and places to stay–you’ll just be doing it ahead of time by paying the company.

    >- A trip by myself might be more cost effective, and memorable since I’ll be doing what I want at my own pace. Safety might not even be an issue.

    Yes. 100%. You’re likely at least as safe traveling alone in Japan as you would be in your home country. As long as you have some common sense and a little knowledge of specific things to avoid (e.g., aggressive touts in Roppongi), you’ll be fine. And any money you save by going by yourself could potentially be used to extend your trip. Eight full days is not a lot of time–especially considering the time and expense it might be taking you to get to Japan.

    >- Is there a company different than AJT (all Japan tours) that you would recommend that covers the items in my itinerary?

    You will never find a group tour that covers everything that you want to do, and most of them cover things in a much faster, more perfunctory way than I would recommend.

    >If I go on my own, where would you recommend I stay?

    My preference on a tight budget (or frankly even not on tight budget) would be private rooms at hostels or minshuku. They’re usually cheaper than business hotels but with a much friendlier atmosphere. The downside is that you’ll generally have a shared bathroom/shower space, but that isn’t a big deal to me. At a hostel you’ll also usually have access to a kitchen and common area, which is nice if you want to prepare some meals or socialize.

    Capsule hotels are traditionally not intended for extended stays. They’re typically for people who missed the last train home after a late night working or drinking and just need a place to crash for the night. That said, there are some newer capsule hotels designed to cater to tourists, but those are closer to hostels in many respects and ultimately I don’t see the advantage of choosing them over hostel.

    AirBnB can be a good option as well–especially if you’re staying in a single area for an extended period, but quality and convenience can vary drastically from establishment to establishment.

    >Any favorite gems in the towns I’ve listed on the itinerary? I want the freedom to explore the towns for any cool shops or spots I might not see otherwise.

    Firstly, you need to decide what exactly “Mt. Fuji” means on your itinerary. Are you intending to climb it (though climbing season doesn’t start until July)? Do you just want to see it? Is seeing it from the middle of Tokyo on a clear day enough, or do you intend to go to a resort area closer by like Kawaguchiko? There is a huge range of things that “Mt. Fuji” could entail, and all of them require different amounts of time, money, energy, and planning.

    The number one thing I would add to this itinerary is Kamakura. It’s doable as a day trip, but if you want a laid-back break from the city and more time wandering around ancient temples and shrines, I would consider spending a night or two. Hakone, Odawara, Izu, and Atami are other cool options in that same general area, and there are more than a few potential places to see Mt. Fuji from them as well. Nikko is another great day trip or even overnight stay if you don’t mind going a little further.

    Some areas within Tokyo that you have not included that I would strongly consider adding are Ueno (particularly Ameyayokocho), Yanaka, and Kagurazaka.

    >Any advice for Traveling, itinerary day order, etc.

    >- tips for navigating the train stations

    Use GoogleMaps to find your possible routes and nearest stations and Hyperdia for specific train times and connections. Always be aware that in Tokyo there is usually more than one train station near where you’re coming from and going to, so the station that’s technically closest may not always be the best way to get where you’re going.

    For navigating stations, pay attention to the posted signs. Always remember that many stations service multiple train companies and that large stations can take a long time to walk around if you exit on the wrong side, so thinking about where you’re going and which gate you’re using before you exit can save you a lot of time and headache.

    >- I’m mainly looking for advice on how to get to and spend the day at Mt. Fuji – I know it will be an all day endeavor to and from there.

    This is pretty much entirely dependent on what specifically you want to do in relation to it. Going to Fuji Five Lakes is a popular way to see it, but you can also see it from Mt. Takao, Hakone, Izu, and even many places in Tokyo itself if the weather is clear enough (though I wouldn’t count on that in June).

    >- how would you order the days to make traveling easy? it also depends on when I can get tickets to certain museums too.

    For the most part you’ll just want to group things together geographically, and perhaps think about whether or not things are on the same train line. If you’re sticking to Kanto for the whole duration of your trip, this really shouldn’t be too difficult.

12. As someone who lived in Japan and frequently traveled solo, I would recommend tours if they can get you where you want to go more cheaply/ in a more time effective way than trying to get there on your own. I did a day tour to Shirakawa-go because it was more difficult for me to figure out the best public transit route to get there and I couldn’t get there and a few other places in one day without the tour. Likewise, I always signed up for tours when bringing friends or family to Kyoto because the tour route allowed us to see everything we wanted in an easier way than trying to manage public transit.

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14. As a new college graduate, you should have taken some courses in logic and reality. Anime is not real life and there will not be any foreign travel to Japan in June 2021.

15. I’d recommend solo travel overall but adding in day tours or hour long walking tours. I think a budget ryokan might be a nice way to have traditional group meals with people and you could always invite people along for your plans the next day. I’m a woman and never had any issue travelling in Japan.

    Would you consider two nights in Hakone? Perhaps a blended trip, like solo travel in Tokyo but group tour to Hakone?

16. My first trip was a self guided tour with Inside Japan. The first guide was soooo so so useful since we learned how to use the transit, how to read the station maps, exits, etc. The company sends you in advance a book with all the info, pasmo cards, the JR Pass, books all your hotels and museums, flexible enough to modify it as well.

    Only had 2 guides, one in Tokyo and one in Kyoto for a day each and the rest was by ourselves.

    I had experience travelling solo but never outside of North America and many things are the same but Tokyo is a different monster. Definitely recommend doing a self guided tour for a first trip.

17. Like some other people mentioned, a trip in June is most likely impossible, they said they won’t be having Tourists for the Olypics and Paralympics, this is from July until September, so i doubt they’ll let Tourists in before that.Also take in consideration the weather, at that date the temerature should be around 30°C and Japan is a humid country, if you are not ok with hot humid weather it would be better to move the date to October/November, better weather and all the Autum leaves and colors.

    About your question, Tour or no Tour? i wouldn’t get a Tour, they tend to be expesive and you have to plan according to that and go with other people, just plan ahead and go on your own, use the extra money to enjoy your trip. Japan is a realively safe country and a lot of Women travel by themself without issues.

    Stay, i would recomend you stay at an Airbnb, if you can get a cheap appartment or house that would be the best and there are some cheap options some times and even if you have to spend a bit more is still better you have freedoom and privacy that a Capsule Hotel won’t give you, some don’t even have enough space to store a big suitcase.Capsule hotels can be nice, there are some with a lot of things and some others are just bunk beds surounded by cement, i don’t think is an experience that worth that much unless you plan to go to some weird/deluxe capsule Hotel.On the other hand an Onsen hotel is a way better experience to have, take in cosideration the price though.

    Language, you don’t need to know Japanese, you can easyly travel only pointing at stuff or maybe using Google translate to know a couple words, english won’t help you that much there, may come in handy but most likely not.

    Mt Fuji, do you plan to just take a trip around mount Fuji or you wan’t to actually climb it? If it’s the second i don’t think you can actually do it on that time constrain, also is not always open to climb, it depends on the weather and is only open at some time of the Year.

    As a last note, just start walking and let you get lost on Tokyo, there’s a lot to see that’s not always on some website, there is a lot of parks and small streets with interesting things, as for food try some dishes that are not that popular or mentioned as much, on my last trip i ate Tsukemen and ended being a favorite, i think is the superior version of Ramen.

    At least this is what i think, i’ve been over in Japan 2 times and had plans to travel again last year but couldn’t, counting the days until they let Tourist get in again, but as things are right now the earlier you can expect them to do it is like in October, if we are being optimist and since they said they want most of the population vaccinated by September.

18. I will also parrot that I don’t think you’ll be able to take this trip in June however tourism *will* open eventually, so even though you may not be able to go this summer its likely you can go at a later time!

    Tours to Japan are ridiculously overpriced- I recommend you plan this out solo. Not only is the tourism infrastructure fantastic in Japan but signage and subway stops are also written/announced in English in the major tourist cities and restaurants often have picture menus (if they don’t have English ones too). Very easy to get around and explore. Japan is also one of the safest destinations for solo female travel. This sub has fantastic trip-planning resources and an FAQ in the sidebar if you haven’t checked it out already!

    I want to note that since you’re a first timer, just be aware that Shinjuku station is absolutely *huge* and for me, really confusing, even as someone who’s travelled Japan twice for a month each time. I purposely avoid Shinjuku station if I can because using that station is a massive headache for me as someone who comes from a city without subway public transportation lol. Its a good idea to stay anywhere within a less than 5-10 min walking distance from a major subway station on the main line. For me, my favourite is Akasaka-Mitsuke station- its smaller, simple and connects to all the major sightseeing spots fairly quickly. My favourite hotel is Hotel Risveglio Akasaka and it has super comfy beds.

    For Mt Fuji there are many companies that offer day trips there, sites like Viator, Trazy, Klook etc will have options listed, though right now with covid those are limited.

19. IF you’re able to go I’d recommend cutting down your plans by quite a bit. You’re also not accounting for jet lag or travel fatigue for the first day which I have always had to write into my plans (not sure if you also experience that). Also – try to get an understanding of the subway system BEFORE you get over there as it took me probably a full day to truly grasp it.

    I would maybe recommend having priorities for each day and what you’d ideally like to accomplish so your expectations on what you can do are a bit lower and you’re not feeling so rushed to see and do it all. Ie: I will absolutely do X today, and see Y if I have the time, and Z will be a backup or if timing works out I’ll do that too but if I miss it that’s ok.

    I went alone as a woman and it felt perfectly safe. Would I travel alone in Europe? Abso-freaking-lutely NOT. Obviously just practice good judgment while you’re in Japan. Bad people are everywhere. I wasn’t out walking alone at night or whatever but I also wouldn’t do that in my own neighborhood.

    I’ve also done guided trips and solo trips and they both have their benefits. See if the tour program that your mom is encouraging requires you to join everything. Because there might be a couple of days where you can just go do your own thing and then check in with the group lead at the end of the day to give her some peace of mind. Sometimes it’s nice to just have that safety net too though. Also – The tours might be able to point out the touristy hot spots or the local favorites that you might not otherwise find on your own as well. I love hearing insider knowledge about the neighborhood I’m in so for that reason I love yours.

    Be warned that some capsule hotels do not accept travelers with tattoos. I was bummed to hear that.

    I think the less you plan on trips the better they are usually. When you have such a jam packed schedule you’re more worried about missing something you’ve planned on seeing than you are actually enjoying what you ARE seeing and it just seems to lead to high expectations and disappointment. No matter how much or how little you see in Japan it’s going to be a wonderful trip and a life changing experience. So just enjoy the time there and don’t put so much pressure on yourself by scheduling out every second of your life there.

20. just get a tour for the Mt. Fuji day. most of the tours take you to the lakes around Mt. Fuji (especially Lake Kawaguchi where there are other scenic places). i’m not sure on tours that actually take you to Mt. Fuji itself.

    google maps is very much accurate on tokyo train stations. take notice train lines are color coded.

    for the ghibli museum, get your ticket at least three months before your trip. then you can go to nakano broadway afterwards.

    day 3 you can insert going to shibuya sky

    i think you can compress day 3 and 4 then spend a day going to Odaiba. check out the unicorn gundam, go to the big Ferris Wheel, team Lab Borderless interactive museum, Toyota Museum.

21. would love to give the itinerary ideas but not sure Japan will open their border in June 2021 as the corona case seems to spike up again after golden week holiday which is at the end of April – beginning of May.

    recently Tokyo is back with 700cases and Osaka is way worse which was more than 1000cases. then there will be tokyo olympic, so i dont think the Japanese govt will take that risk to open their border soon as they already been criticized for the olympic.

22. Hi I would stay in hostel they are 3500-4000 yen you get your own private room with air con, tv and fridge. You can save some money by waiting till they discount bento at super markets.

    I would try to hit up shimokita when in Shibuya
    When you are near Tokyo sky tree hit up ameyoko and Ueno. There are lots of museum around there.

    Make sure you get a metro pass. They are pretty cheap an public transit and Tokyo is sick

    I lived in Tokyo for 2 years and never was worried about being mugged or harassed. Use your common sense and have fun

23. I had a big thing typed up, but it was more a super condensed summary of my own experiences, which may or may not be helpful to you. My first trip was solo, about two weeks long, and I was around 30 years old (male). So, it’s got similar parameters as yours.. but what I typed got quite long, and you have so many replies you might not even get to it, if you want I can bring it back!

    Here’s some thoughts that are more directly relevant to your tour/no-tour question: In my experience, tours were only nominally useful for information. I think you can get all of that in advance. Just watch Youtube travel/exploration vlogs and stuff. I think Tokyo is even better for that than places like Rome, where many major sites are self-contained/indoors, some of which aren’t conducive to or don’t allow filming.

    However, tours can be great if you want to have some people to talk to. There’s a big advantage to meeting some fellow travelers: it’s hard to enjoy night life by yourself, and you don’t want to get drunk alone. I never took a tour in Japan, but the free/low-cost biking/walking tours in Europe always seemed to attract a sizable 20-30 year-old clientele. In my experience, the other big resource for social contacts can be had simply by staying at a youth hostel (which I’ve done in Japan and Europe). Obviously, you could do both…but I’ve only ever done at a time (in a given city), and always found people to talk to/hang out with that way.

24. As others have kindly pointed out, not sure how likely a June trip will be… but I’ll answer your questions anyways, since it applies to any time really and when you’re able you should still definitely go:

    1. If you’re not interested in the tour, don’t do it. Stay in a hostel, you’ll meet people. Most even have organized outings and happy hours where you can meet other people. I’ve stayed at the Wise Owl hostels and they were great for that sort of thing if you’re looking for a recommendation.
    2. Again I’d still stay in a hostel, but definitely take a night and stay in a Ryokan. Maybe use your day trip out of Tokyo to Mt Fuji as an excuse to stay in one near Fuji.
    3. It’s not a specific hidden gem, but definitely leave time in your day to just get lost (in a good way). I love to just take a turn down a street and see where it goes. You’ll often run into little tucked away shrines, shops, etc. There’s so much tucked into every block of Tokyo that you’ll miss most of it if you are just aiming point A to point B, so leave yourself some freedom to meander.
    4. The travel days honestly don’t matter what order it seems. From the sounds of things you’re just going to go to an area in/around Tokyo each day and head back to where you are staying for the night. Outside of the trip to Mt Fuji where you might need a bit of pre-planning, something I did the first time I went that might work for you is that I planned a few “days” in no particular order. I had a bit of an itinerary of things I wanted to do around Shibuya, another list of things in Akihabara, etc. And then each night I decided which “day” I would tackle tomorrow, that way if I had a big day of walking around I might pick something a little less walking intensive the next day to give myself a break, or maybe I really wanted to do something outside because weather was supposed to be nice I would pick a day that involved some parks and shrines. Obviously some things need to be booked in advance, but again give yourself a bit of flexibility so you’re not constantly trying to stick to an exact itinerary, I feel that’s people’s biggest mistake. Maybe even consider leaving yourself a day with no plans in case you come across something you want to do when you’re there, or you meet someone in that hostel who has a bright idea and asks if you want to tag along.

    Hope this helps a little, feel free to shoot me a note if you have other questions.

25. I’ve always wanted to go to Japan, but I’m really nervous because I don’t speak Japanese very well and I feel like the people who live there will make fun of me or something.

26. >it’s not the experience I’m craving for my first visit to Japan. A tour might not be necessary & more expensive than it needs to be. I’m open to the idea of having an independent adventure on my own (and at my own pace), but I can understand the pros to traveling with a company and a group.

    You said it, a tour is probably not what would be best for you.

    You can visit Japan without knowing Japanese, but obviously, you have to expect situation where you will not be able to use English (so a device connected to internet with a translator can be super useful).

    >Shinjuku as opposed to Tokyo

    Well, Shinjuku is a neighborhood of Tokyo and the area around Tokyo station is not really the favorite of travelers. The reason why a lot of people opt for Shinjuku area is that it’s close to nightlife and there is a lot of shops around, however, area such as Asakusa and Ueno are also popular, but about anywhere near the Yamanote and a subway line is pretty convenient. AirBNB can be good, sometimes it might be cheaper for a group than for a single person or sometimes just a bit in the outside of the city centers so longer commute to get to the places you want to see. For sure you can check, but also compare with the price of business hotels.

    You should be able to get Ghibli tickets if you buy them in advance…. your trip cannot be last minutes considering Japan is not open right not and we do not know yet when it will be. I would not even buy an airplane ticket before covid calm down an Japan officially resume international travel.

    In general the itinerary work, I personally think it’s a bit on the light side, you can for sure add more (at least as options) otherwise it can be a lot of randomly walk in the city, maybe finding cool spots, maybe not.

    1. Personally, I do not think you should. There is nothing especially complicated in your itinerary, so doing it by yourself, you can do it at your own pace, and nothing too hard to organize. For museum ticket, you only have Ghibli and Yayoi Kusama that would really require advance booking (as far as I know). For flight, put an alert on Google Flight for the dates you want and buy when the price is good, for accommodation, check AirBNB and compare with hotels, there is many international websites like [booking.com](https://booking.com) that work well. For safety as a solo female traveler, I would probably avoid staying in Kabukicho (the red light district of Shinjuku). Yes, Japan is a safe place, but that does not mean you should be careless.
    2. Anywhere close to the Yamanote and a subway station. Shinjuku is good if you want to be close to nightlife and busy neighborhood. For a 10 days trip, there is nothing that justify changing accommodation, so you would only add the hassle for the sake of trying a different type of accommodation. For onsen, I would agree that it is a bit of a special experience, so if you are ok to splurge on this to go to a ryokan that offer kaiseki meal, then what I would do is to go to Kawaguchiko or Hakone on your day 8, sleep there in a ryokan (note that as a solo traveler, it might be harder to find one as some only accept minimum 2 person). When you go, you only bring one change of cloth and leave your luggage in Tokyo, it can be in a coin locker, and your final night could be in a capsule hotel. This would mostly use the morning of day 9, so you have the afternoon of the last day for the park and museum.
    3. If you read a bit more about the different neighborhoods, should not be too hard to find extra places, I like Kanda myojin shrine in Akihabara, for fashion, I would check laforet in Harajuku and 109 in Shibuya, that are buildings full of clothing stores.
    4. The order does not matter (just don’t plan something like shinjuku gyoen on a Monday as it’s close on Monday). For Fuji, it depend what you mean, If you mean Kawaguchiko, the cheapest is the bus from Shinjuku.

27. I’ve never gone on my own, so a tour group might be fun for the social aspect. But I don’t think it’s necessary at all. This looks like a good itinerary to me, you’ve given yourself a lot of time to wander which I think is perfect!

    * This is just my personal take, but I don’t feel Akihabara is worth dedicated an entire day to, even as a weeb/gamer we were pretty much done with it after visiting a hentai/manga shop or 2 and the arcade.
    * If you’re looking to save money, the tokyo metropolitan observation deck is a free and less touristy alternative to SkyTree.
    * For Tonkatsu, you gotta try [Kikanbo](https://www.yelp.com/biz/%E3%82%AB%E3%83%A9%E3%82%B7%E3%83%93%E5%91%B3%E5%99%8C%E3%82%89%E3%83%BC%E9%BA%BA-%E9%AC%BC%E9%87%91%E6%A3%92-%E6%B1%A0%E8%A2%8B%E5%BA%97-%E8%B1%8A%E5%B3%B6%E5%8C%BA-2) in Ikebukoro. Insane. Hopefully you like spice 🙂
    * I highly highly **highly** recommend you check out the [TeamLab Borderless](https://borderless.teamlab.art/)MORI Digital Art Museum, it was life-changing-ly cool
    * You can easily spend 10 days in Tokyo, but I personally recommend 1 or 2 more day trips outside of Tokyo. We spent 2 nights at a Ryokan in Hakone with an amazing natural hot spring bath in our hotel room, it was freaking amazing. If you like onsens and delicious food, and can afford it.

    Have a great trip!

28. I am also currently planning a Tokyo-centric 2 week trip. Firstly, Japan has confirmed they will stay locked to tourists until at least August. So entering in June isn’t going to happen, unfortunately. My group have booked fully movable/refundable hotel and flight for September, with a second date in April 2022. It is looking increasingly likely it will end up in April due to Japan’s vaccine slowness, despite all of us getting ours soon.

    I just wanted to comment that your itinerary looks a bit sparse, for example it will not take you a full day to go around central Shibuya sightseeing Hachiko and scramble etc with a few shops.

    Also if you are into Akihabara culture and Super Potato ect you should also go to Ikebukuro, its also a big area full of similar things and a lot of good food. You could do both cities in one day.

    Obviously, I can’t plan your whole itinerary not knowing you but I would recommend checking out these districts on YouTube or just searching online:

    * Odaiba – Open seaside entertainment area with a lot to do
    * Toyosu – Great parks and malls by the sea, the fish market
    * Ginza – Luxury shopping, very nice restaurants. Also some decent cheaper places like Muji
    * Ueno – Great street food market up there and lovely park, also a Zoo
    * Akasaka/Roppongi – Small shrines, a palace, a lot of shopping. Lots of clubs in Roppongi
    * Kichijoji – Ghibli museum is actually here, Harmonica alley has amazing food but did take a covid hit
    * Shimokitazawa – Maybe the new Harajuku? Really trendy now has a lot of vintage stuff, cafes, art ect.
    * Shin Okubo – Korea Town just above Shinjuku, great food here

29. The advice I always hear on this subreddit is to factor in jet lag, don’t plan too much on the first and last day, and learn basic phrases just in case you need to use them. I think you can use google maps for navigating the train stations and I heard they have stuff written in English at each station now. There are YouTubers like abroad in japan and paolo from Tokyo who have videos on hidden spots and places you should check out when you visit Japan.

30. Tours can absolutely cost a lot of money. But, there are some cheap ones out there that are good. [https://thejapantourcompany.com/](https://thejapantourcompany.com/) comes to mind. They generally are cheaper than everyone else (and included airfare in their prices for group tours as far as I know). They kinda wiped their tour schedule clean. But are planning to fill it back up again fall trips and self-guided tours.

    I would contact them to find out what they might be offering in the future and if there are any deals.