My wife and are are excited to take our first trip to Japan and leave in 4 days! We recently found out we’re expecting our first child, so we’ve been seriously slacking on planning the itinerary. However did want to throw out our general plans and look for some feedback from more experienced travelers. We’re love trying great food and wanting to see some unique sights along the way. Planning is a bit light and we tend to be somewhat spontaneous travelers, but given the size and scale of Tokyo and the different culture and language, wanted to at least sketch something out. Any feedback/advice would be greatly appreciated.
**Jan 13th / Day 1:**
Land at HND and take taxi to hotel (Park Hyatt Tokyo)
Settle in and find some causal dinner
**Jan 14th / Day 2:**
Explore area around hotel
Check out Yayoi Kisama Museum
Dinner at Faro
**Jan 15th / Day 3**
Take walk around Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Explore around Shinjuku
Go to Meiji Shrine
Dinner at Kouze and cocktails (at least for me) at New York Bar @ hotel
**Jan 16th / Day 4**
Try to check out a Maid Cafe (very curious)
Do the obligatory Shibuya crossing
Transfer to new hotel (Andaz Tokyo)
Check out new area around hotel
No set dinner plans
**Jan 17th / Day 5**
Check out Imperial Palace
Check out Tokyo Tower towards sunset
Dinner at Dagio
**Jan 18th / Day 6**
Check out Digital Art Museum
No other set plans for day
**Jan 19th / Day 7**
Would love to see a Sumo match (any advice would be great)
Dinner at Sougu
**Jan 20th / Day 8**
Take train to Kyoto (what’s the best way to secure tickets? Can we buy a pass that allows us to get around in Tokyo and includes a trip to Kyoto?)
Settle in to hotel (Park Hyatt Kyoto) explore area around hotel
**Jan 21st / Day 9**
See some shrines (need to do some planning here. Any advice would be appreciated)
Find some dinner out exploring Kyoto
**Jan 22nd / Day 10**
Check out Fukuda Art Museum
Dinner at Isoya
**Jan 23rd / Day 11**
Thinking about taking a day trip to Osaka – would love input
**Jan 24th / Day 12**
Relax, unwind, and reflect on trip
Hit up any last attractions / shopping
Utilize spa
**Jan 25th / Day 13**
Fly out of ITM (We’re a bit nervous on the best approach from getting to ITM airport from our hotel in Kyoto. Flight is at 8 am. Is train the best option?)
2 comments
This comes from someone who absolutely loves Yayoi Kusama – the museum is very small and quite out of the way of any other attraction. Unless absolutely necessary, I wouldn’t recommend it on a relatively short visit to Tokyo such as yours.
In Osaka, I recommend checking the new Team
Lab. A bit out of the way but a great experience.
Also enjoy Andaz. Best hotel in Tokyo I have ever been to. Amazing experience. The immediate are is a bit sparse but Ginza is not too far.
> Jan 25
Limousine bus from Kyoto Station will be easiest as the route via train will involve a gazillion transfers. Double-check your airline’s check-in deadlines, but I think you’ll want to plan for [the first bus](https://www.okkbus.co.jp/en/timetable/K/) which gets you there at 6:30.
If this wakeup time sounds terrible and assuming a decent budget given the discussion of the PH Kyoto spa, I would swap Days 11 and 12 to get a hotel in Osaka for the night of Jan 24 (within a reasonable taxi fare of Itami), an extra 30 minutes of sleep that early can mean a lot.
Edit: congratulations on the pregnancy!