Hey, I’m planning a trip for my wife and I to visit Japan. We’re treating it as our last hurrah before starting a family. Overall you’ll notice currently the plan is to split time between Tokyo and Kyoto with a 1 night stay in Hakone. Truthfully right now I’m a bit more excited for Tokyo with the crazy cafes and activities than Kyoto (and relevant day trips around there). I’m hoping talking this through will either change my perspective or give me the info needed to readjust the trip.
Preferences:
– It’d be nice to squeeze in cherry blossoms (but not critical).
– Would like limit temples, shrines, or pagodas to one or two (I’ve had similar experiences in other Asian countries).
Saturday Feb 11
– Land in HND @ 9:45pm (pick up JR pass, search/load sukia card via apple wallet, activate data esim)
– Check into Hotel 3 mins from Shibuya station
– Sleep? Not sure
Sunday Feb 12
– Akihabara, shopping
– Bar hopping/Food tour @ 6:50pm (3 hrs)
Monday Feb 13
– Go-Kart @ 5pm (1 hr)
– Shibuya Sky (needs to be booked)
Tuesday Feb 14
Wednesday Feb 15
– Travel to Hakone (need to research romance car with a Hakone Pass. Also what is a typical hakone route?)
– Squeeze in Kawazu cherry blossoms en route in or on way out ? (cherry blossoms are a strong preference even though I’ve seen them a bunch in the states)
– Check into Ryokan and book onsen
– Need to book dinner, places close early here
Thursday Feb 16
– Travel to Kyoto (staying in Kyoto station)
– Fushimi Inari, open 24 hours
– Pontocho (within Kyoto)
Friday Feb 17
– Arashimaya: Boat, Bamboo forest, Monkey park
– Gion walking tour @ 6pm (1h 40 mins)
Saturday Feb 18
– Hiroshima, peace memorial park (2 hours one way)
Sunday Feb 19
– Nara: Nara park, Todaji
Monday Feb 20
– Check out (11am?)
– Fly out of HND @ 5pm (2 hours for transit from Kyoto?)
Pending things to schedule:
– Tokyo cafes
– Tokyo team lab
– Watch Sumo wrestling training
– Karaoke
– Sake breweries
– Cooking class (I am vegetarian and wife is not)
– Restaurant reservations
– Rail reservations
– Illuminations?
– Zao fox village? (May not be a good use of time)
– Osaka? Osaka’s botanical gardens?
P.S. I’m currently trying to convince my wife to travel a little lighter (carry on and backpack rather than checked bag and carry on). She’d like to shop and bring things back. My main concern here is transportation to/from Hakone. I guess we can just make rail reservations and ship the bag from Tokyo to Kyoto ?
2 comments
Go Kart is dangerous and local especially hate it. I would reconsider.
February is really too early for cherry blossom maybe for some rare early blooming variety, you would have much more sense with plum blossom.
Zao Fox Village, don’t go if you care about animal welfare, it’s also pretty much out of the way.
If you carry heavier luggage, yes shipping luggage can be a good idea. If your concern is only Hakone, you can get the luggage shipped from Hakone-Yumoto same day to the ryokan then next morning from the ryokan to Hakone-Yumoto. Or yes you can ship from Tokyo to Kyoto and just bring a change of clothe with you for that night.
There is ways to travel light and do some shopping. For example bring a duffle bag or any foldable bag, focus on shopping at the end of the trip so you do not have to carry stuff around (like end with Tokyo), put souvenirs in the carry-on size luggage and the clothes in the soft bag and check one of the two.
Double check what time the JR office closes at Haneda. You might not actually get out of immigration and customs until 11 or so, so don’t rely on the JR pass.
Skip go-kart, not worth the risk of an accident / injury.