Had a travel planned to Japan for April 2020 (flights and hotels booked) but unfortunately that didn’t happen, this is our second trial to go to our dream travel (me and my partner). We are planning to visit Tokyo (with a day trip to Yokohama), Osaka (with day trip to Kobe and Himeji), Okayama, Hiroshima (with a day trip to Miyajima), Kyoto (with day trip to Nara).
Please let us know if you think our itinerary is crazy packed and if there’s too much travel because we need some time to relax! Our hotels are already booked (but all of them are flexible).
Based on train trips, we think that a 14-day JR Pass makes sense.
If you have any suggestions or recommendations of things to include, it’s all welcome!
Our interests are history, Japanese culture, gaming/Nintendo, Pokemon. We would like to do some shopping as well.
Here’ a summary of the trip:
|March 18 – 23|Tokyo|
|:-|:-|
|March 24 – 28|Osaka (with day trip to Kobe and USJ)|
|March 29|Day trip to Himeji|
|March 30|Okayama|
|March 31|Hiroshima|
|April 01|Day trip to Miyajima|
|April 02 – 05|Kyoto (with day trip to Nara)|
|April 06|Fujiyoshida|
|April 07 – 09|Tokyo|
Below is the full itinerary day by day.
**Day 1 (03/18) – Arrive in Tokyo**
Arrive at Haneda Airport (10:30 am)
Explore Akihabara.
In Akihabara
* Square Enix Cafe
* Arcades (Taito Hey or Game Center Mikado)
* Sega Towers
* Akihabara Gamers
* Don Quijote Akihabara
* Character G Mart
**Day 2 (03/19) – Tokyo**
Explore Tsukiji and Odaiba.
Begin the day in Tsukiji
In Odaiba:
* TeamLab planets
* Flying Tiger
* Tsukiji Jogai & Tsukiji Markets
* Unicorn Gundam Statue
* Flying Tiger
* DAISO
**Day 3 (03/20) – Tokyo**
Explore Shibuya and Harajuku.
In Harajuku
* Tokyu Plaza Omotesando
* Shopping
In Shibuya:
* Have breakfast in Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo
* Mag’s Park Rooftop & Shibuya Crossing
* Tokyo Anime Center
* Nintendo Tokyo
* Miyashita Park
* Tokyu Hands
* DAISO
* Yoyogi park
**Day 4 (03/21) – Tokyo**
Explore Shinjuku.
In Shinjuku:
* Shinjuku Gyoen
* Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
* Don Quijote
* General Shopping
* tokyu plaza
* Daiso Harajuku
* Takeshita street
* Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
* Evening: Golden Gai
Explore Tokyo Tower and Roppongi
**Day 5 (03/22) – Tokyo (Yokohama)**
Day trip to Yokohama
* Sankeien Garden
* Chinatown
* Cupnoodles Museum
**Day 6 (03/23) – Tokyo**
🌸 Explore Cherry Blossom (est. date blooming start Tokyo)
* Ueno Park
* Sumida Park
* Chidorigafuchi
Tokyo Skytree in the end of the afternoon
**Day 7 (03/24) – Osaka** (JR Pass 1st day)
🚄 Train from Tokyo to Osaka
Explore Namba/Dotonbori area
* Kuromon Market
**Day 8 (03/25) – Osaka** (JR Pass 2nd day)
Explore the rest of Osaka
* Umeda Sky Building
* Osaka Castle
* Shitennoji Temple
* Shinsekai neighborhood
**Day 9 (03/26) – Osaka** (JR Pass 3rd day)
Day trip to Kobe
* Ikuta Shrine
* Kobe Harborland
* Nanki-machi
* Kobe beef for Lunch
* Take cable car up to Mount Rokko for views of Kobe and Osaka
**Day 10 (03/27) – Osaka** (JR Pass 4th day)
Universal Studios Japan (monday)
**Day 11 (03/28) – Osaka** (JR Pass 5th day)
🌸 Explore Cherry Blossom (est. date blooming start in Osaka)
* Kema Sakuranomiya Park
* Osaka Mint Bureau
* Expo 70 Commemorative Park
**Day 12 (03/29) – Himeji** (JR Pass 6th day)
🚄 Travel to Himeji
In Himeji:
* Himeji Castle
* Koko-en Garden
🚄 Travel to Okayama
**Day 13 (03/30) – Okayama** (JR Pass 7th day)
Explore Okayama
* Okayama Castle
* Korakuen Gardens
* Kibiji Cycling Road
**Day 14 (03/31) – Hiroshima** (JR Pass 8th day)
🚄 Travel to Hiroshima
Spend the day visiting the Peace Memorial and nearby area.
In Hiroshima:
* Peace Memorial Park
* Peace Memorial Museum
* Atomic Bomb Dome
* Hiroshima Castle
* Shukkei-en Garden
* Eat Okonomiyaki
**Day 15 (04/01) – Hiroshima (Miyajima)** (JR Pass 9th day)
Day trip to Miyajima
* Giant Torii
* Itsukushima Shrine
* Five-storied pagoda
* Daisho-in Temple
* Ropeway
**Day 16 (04/02) – Kyoto** (JR Pass 10th day)
🚄 Travel from Hiroshima to Kyoto
* Fushimi Inari Taisha
* Higashiyama and Gion
**Day 17 (04/03) – Kyoto (Nara)** (JR Pass 12th day)
Day trip to Nara
* Isui-en Garden
* Toda-ji Temple
* Meet the deers
* Kasuga Grand Shrine
* Walk to the base of Mount Wakakusa
* Higashimuki Shopping Arcade
**Day 18 (04/04) – Kyoto** (JR Pass 12th day)
* Kinkaku-ji
* Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
* Arashiyama Iwatayama Monkey Park
* Kyoto Tower
* Booked Katsura Imperial Villa tour
**Day 19 (04/05) – Kyoto** (JR Pass 13th day)
🌸 Explore Cherry Blossom (est. date Full Blossom Kyoto)
* Maruyama Park or Kyoto Botanical Garden or Philosopher’s Path
* Heian Shrine
* Haradani-en Garden (is this open?)
**Day 20 (04/06) – Fujiyoshida** (JR Pass 14th day)
🚄 Travel from Kyoto to Mt. Fuji
* Ryokan day
**Day 21 (04/07) – Tokyo**
Explore Fuji Kawaguchiko and Mount Fuji Pagoda
🚄 Travel from Fujiyoshida to Tokyo
Activities in the Hotel:
* Tea cerimony
* Japanese Garden
* Onsen
* Taiko show
* Kaiseki style dinner
**Day 22 (03/08) – Tokyo**
Explore Ginza and Imperial Palace.
* Chidorigafuchi Park
* Hayao Miyazaki’s NTV Clock
* Shopping around Ginza’s Chuo Dori street
* Shopping in Marunouchi District
* Pokémon Center Tokyo DX / Cafe
* Ginza Sony Park
**Day 23 (03/09) – Tokyo**
Departure at Haneda Airport (11:30 am)
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**Questions:**
1. Do you think our itinerary is too packed (or maybe too loose)? Anything you would change?
2. Am I missing anything that you think is a must-do?
3. Does the 14-day JR pass make sense?
THANK YOU! Any and all feedback and recommendations are welcome.