After over 10 years, I have finally been able to book another trip to Japan. Previously, I went on a class trip in high school that lasted 3 weeks, where we went to Okinawa, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Tokyo and Miyajima. This time I will be going with my significant other, and it will just be us two. We are going from July 10th – August 1st; during Mitama Matsuri, Gion Matsuri, and Tenjin Matsuri. We will be experiencing some of the same things I did over 10 years ago, as well as many other new things. While my Japanese is not great, I think I will be able to get around alright. Here is a list of what I have planned so far, followed by a list of questions at the end:
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* **July 10: Leave from DFW**
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* **July 11, Tokyo:**
* Late afternoon arrival
* Pick up SIM cards & 21-day JR rail passes at HND
* TA-Q-BIN luggage to hotel
* Take Keikyu airport line to Higashi-Ginza station
* Check into hotel.
* Grab dinner around Higashi-Ginza station area
* Stop by Don Quijote (Ginza Honkan) for a few things
* Relax at hotel
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* **July 12, Tokyo:**
* Ghibli Museum
* Inokashira Park
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* **July 13, Tokyo:**
* Koshikawa Korakuen Gardens
* Yasukuni Shrine and surrounding area for Mitama matsuri
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* **July 14, Tokyo>Kyoto:**
* Check out & TA-Q-BIN luggage to Kyoto hotel
* Shinkansen to Kyoto
* Toji temple
* Higashi Hongan-ji Temple
* Check into hotel in Gojo station area.
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* **July 15, Kyoto:**
* Rengeoin Sanjusangendo
* Kiyomizu-dera
* Hokan-ji
* Yasaka Shrine
* Gion
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* **July 16, Kyoto:**
* Heian Shrine
* Ginkakuji
* Honen-in
* MAYBE Anraku-ji if we think time will permit
* MAYBE Reikan-ji if we think time will permit
* Eikan-do (Zenrin-ji) Temple
* Nanzen-ji Temple
* Gion area
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* **July 17, Kyoto:**
* Shimogamo-jinja Shrine
* Kyoto Imperial Palace
* Nijo castle
* Gion area
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* **July 18, Kyoto:**
* Kinkaku-ji
* Ryoan-ji
* Ninna-ji
* Kamigamo-jinja MAYBE
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* **July 19, Kyoto:**
* Tenryu-ji
* Arashiyama bamboo forest
* Jojakko-ji Temple
* Gio-ji
* Daikaku-ji
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* **July 20, Nara/Uji:**
* Higashimuki Shopping Street
* Kofuku-ji MAYBE
* Kasuga-taisha
* Nara Park
* Todai-ji
* Byodoin
* Fushimi Inari Taisha
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* **July 21, Kyoto:**
* Nothing planned yet
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* **July 22, Kyoto>Hiroshima, Miyajima:**
* Check out & TA-Q-BIN luggage to Osaka hotel
* Shinkansen to Hiroshima
* Atomic Bomb Dome
* Peace Memorial Museum & Park
* Bell of Peace
* Take train to JR West Miyajima Ferry terminal
* Ferry to Miyajima Island (Itsukushima)
* Check into ryokan and eat dinner at ryokan
* Maybe do some light exploring of the island
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* **July 23, Miyajima, Hiroshima>Osaka:**
* Eat breakfast and check out of ryokan
* Itsukushima Jinja
* Itsukushima Floating Tori Gate
* Daishoin and some of the other places in this area
* Pokemon Center on the way out of Hiroshima
* Shinkansen to Osaka
* Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street
* Hozenji Temple
* Dotonbori
* Check into hotel in Namba area and retreive luggage
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* **July 24, Osaka:**
* Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping street
* Samuhara Shrine
* Osaka Tenmangu
* Pokemon Center Osaka
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* **July 25, Osaka:**
* Shitennoji
* Isshinji Temple
* Abeno Harukas
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* **July 26, Osaka>Tokyo; possibly Nagoya:**
* Check out & TA-Q-BIN luggage to Tokyo hotel
* Shinkansen to Tokyo
* Might stop off at Nagoya – not sure if time will allow/if the short time is worth it. If Nagoya stop happens:
* Osu Shopping District
* Pokemon Center Nagoya
* Toyota Museum
* Either do some light shopping in Ginza area, or go to Tsukiji Market – both are near the hotel.
* Check into hotel
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* **July 27, Tokyo:**
* Shibuya
* Konno Hachimangu
* Shrine Meiji Jingu
* Harajuku
* Yoyogi Park
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* **July 28, Tokyo:**
* Shinjuku
* Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
* Nakano Broadway
* Omoide Yokocho
* Shopping in Ikebukuro
* Pokemon Center Mega Tokyo
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* **July 29, Tokyo:**
* Senso-ji
* Kappabashi Dougu Street Ueno Park
* Pokemon Center Sky Tree
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* **July 30, Tokyo; Kamakura:**
* Hasedera
* Kotoku-in
* Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu
* Maybe other temples/shrines in the area if there is time?
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* **July 31, Tokyo**
* Akihabara for most of the day
* Kanda Myojin Shrine
* Pokemon Center Tokyo DX
* Pokemon Store Tokyo Station
* Tsukiji Market
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* **August 1, Tokyo departure – I will probably have to pay all fares on this day, I think my JR Pass will be done**
* Check out from hotel.
* If I can TA-Q-BIN checked luggage, might bring carry on backpack with me for any last minute shopping.
* Show up to airport a couple hours early for check in
* HND>LAX>DFW
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* **Questions:**
* Where is the TA-Q-Bin service at HND?
* Would I receive luggage same day or next in Tokyo on the first leg? (from airport to hotel)
* Can I just ask hotel staff to help me TA-Q-Bin my luggage to the next hotel?
* Would I receive luggage the same day or next day in Kyoto? (from Tokyo to Kyoto)
* If we checked out of the hotel in Tokyo at 8 or 9 am on July 14th and got right on the shinkansen to Kyoto, would we have time to go somewhere other than around the hotel for dinner (after visiting the temples)? Like Nishiki Market?
* Will I receive luggage the next evening in Osaka (from Kyoto) as planned?
* Does Pokemon Center on the way out of Hiroshima on the 23rd make sense, or should I just get this out of the way on the 22nd? If I do it on the 22nd, I assume I should wait until after the museums?
* Do I have enough time for the stop off in Nagoya? Should I spend the time to do this, or is it not worth it?
* Would I receive luggage the same day or next day in Tokyo? (from Osaka)
* What should I plan on my open day in Kyoto (21st)?
* Do you think I will have enough time for Anraku-ji and Reikan-ji on the 16th? Should I make a great effort to make time for these two?
* Do you think I should go to Kamigamo-jinja on the 18th?
* Where else would you recommend that I go in Kamakura on the 30th?
* Am I able to TA-Q-BIN luggage to airport too, or do I just need to haul it with me?
* Any specific restaurants I should go to in these areas?
* What days would you say are too packed, and what would you remove from them?
* What would you change about the trip in general? Add? Remove? Switch dates?
* Any other places I should go to maximize my festival experiences? Should I try to devote more times to these areas also?
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Thanks for reading. Answers to questions, as well as any tips, feedback, and/or help is appreciated! Open to any questions about my plans as well!