Hello all, I will be going to Japan, on 1st-16th April, with my husband and my mother (she is in her late 50s). Husband and I have been to Tokyo numerous times while my mother has not been to Japan before. Due to the popularity of the season, we decided to book all the airtickets and hotels ahead of time.
My husband loves anime, games and historic sites while me and my mother love shopping and exploration. We all LOVE eating food.
Would appreciate if we receive any recommendations related to these and enjoying the cherry blossom season in the areas we will be visiting. We will be buying a 14 days JR pass and activating it on 2nd April onwards.
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Here is the plan so far:
\-1st April (SIN-TOKYO):
We’re flying in from Singapore and will land at Haneda Airport at 7pm. Will just grab a quick dinner, hotel is Daiwa Roynet, near Shimbashi Station.
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\-2nd April (TOKYO-HIMEJI-HIROSHIMA):
Morning: Take Hikari Shinkansen from Tokyo to Himeji
Afternoon: Exploring Himeji Castle and Kokoen grounds.
Evening: Take Sanyo Shinkansen from Himeji to Hiroshima and Check into Hotel Gravia Hiroshima
Night: Eat near Hiroshima Station (maybe Bakudanya for Hiroshima Tsukemen?) and explore around the area until tired.
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\-3rd April (HIROSHIMA)
Day: Visit Miyajima Island
Night: Okonomimura for Hiroshima Okonomiyaki and Shukkeien Garden for Nighttime Illuminations.
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4th April (HIROSHIMA-OSAKA)
Day: Peace Memorial Park, Peace Memorial Museum, Cenotaph, Children’s Peace Museum.
(Would love recommendations for lunch nearby here)
Evening: Taking Shinkansen from Hiroshima to Osaka (Staying at Hotel Hankyu Respire Osaka).
(Would love recommendations for dinner around hotel)
Night: Walk to Umeda Sky Building Observatory from Hotel and enjoy the night scenery on top of the building.
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5th April (OSAKA)
(I will be letting all of us sleep in here)
Day: Visit Ohatsu Shrine
Evening: Eorzea Cafe Osaka for the 5.30pm slot
Night: walk from Dotonbori to Shinsaibashi Shopping Street until the Kuidaore feeling hits.
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6th April (OSAKA)
Kuromon Market -> NipponDenDenTown->Shinsekai until Kuidaore feeling hits haha.
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7th April (OSAKA-KINOSAKI ONSEN)
Will stay at Tajimaya Ryokan with halfboard and walk and explore the town and onsens.
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8th April (KINOSAKI ONSEN-KYOTO)
Will take the direct train from Kinosaki to Kyoto Station.
Check into Miyako Kintetsu Kyoto Hotel.
Late Afternoon-Night: Take Train or Bus to Yasaka Shrine-> Maruyama Park (I think there may be nighttime food stalls and illuminations at this time?)
Walk from Yasaka/Maruyama Shrine towards Gion and Pontocho Alley.
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9th April ( DAYTRIP TO NARA)
Day: Eat mochi at Nakatanidou, explore Kofukuji or Todaiji.
Visit Nara Park.
Will go to bed earlier on this day.
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10th April (KYOTO)
Take Taxi at 7am from Kyoto Station to as far up as possible to Kiyomizu-dera.
Morning: Explore Kiyomizu dera and walk towards -> Sannenzaka -> Ninenzaka Shopping Street
Return to Hotel to rest.
Late Afternoon: Visit Nishiki Market
Evening: Visit Fushimi Inari Shrine
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11th April (KYOTO)
Take Train to JR Umahori Station and walk towards Kameoka Torokko Station.
Day: Take Sagano Railway from Kameoka towards Arashiyama Torokko.
Explore Bamboo Forest, Tenryuji Temple and find lunch while walking towards Togetsu-Kyo Bridge.
Afternoon: (Free slot for any Shopping or more Temples)
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12th April (KYOTO-KANAZAWA-TOKYO DAY TRIP)
Take Shinkansen to Kanazawa
Day: Lunch at Uogashi Shokudo or if too crowded, Omicho Market.
Explore Nomura-ke Samurai Residence.
Either visit Terashima Samurai House, Nakaya Pharmacy or Takada family house
Explore Higashi Chaya Street
Take 6pm Shinkansen from Kanazawa to Tokyo and Check into Akihabara Washington Hotel.
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13th April (TOKYO):
Morning: Yasukuni Shrine and Yushukan Museum
Afternoon: Husband will go back to Akihabara to shop while Mom and me will go shopping around Shinjuku/Shibuya area.
Dinner: Ichi Ni San Gyukatsu or Eorzea Cafe Akihabara
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14th April (TOKYO):
Morning: Undecided where to go for breakfast but would be nice to go to a TKG place.
(Seeking recommendations for breakfast, maybe similar to Kisaburo Farm that has TKG and Torisushi)
Day: Explore Kichijouji and visit Shirohige Cream Puff Restaurant
Night: Ichi Ni San Gyukatsu or Eorzea Cafe Akihabara
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15th April (Tokyo):
Undecided (recommendations are warmly welcomed!)
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16th April (Haneda Airport- SIN):
Our flight is at 11am so we will just check in early and mass buy as much omiyage as we can from the airport for our family and friends.
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Thank you in Advance! 😀
1 comment
On the 10th, I’d suggest taking a taxi to Fushimi Inari in the early morning and doing that before all the tourists arrive. If it’s a clear day, you’ll have an awesome view at the top if you decide to hike all the way up there but even if you don’t go all the way up the morning light will lend itself to awesome photos.
Then do the [Southern Higashiyama sightseeing.](https://www.insidekyoto.com/southern-higashiyama) The dates/times for 2023 Sakura illuminations in Kyoto haven’t been released yet but that would also give you the evening to check out any that may still be happening when you’re there.
– [Kyoto Cherry Blossom Illumination Itinerary](https://www.insidekyoto.com/kyoto-evening-cherry-blossom-itinerary)
– [3 Cherry Blossom Illuminations in Kyoto](https://sharing-kyoto.com/Events/magazine/ev005933)
– [10 Cherry Blossom Illuminations in Tokyo](https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/best-cherry-blossom-illuminations-in-tokyo)
On the 12th, I think your day trip to Kanazawa is very ambitious. You’ll likely be quite tired by this point in your trip and while you may be up to a full day exploring another city, you might not be. Keep Kanazawa in your mind as a maybe knowing that if you are all too tired you can check out of the hotel in Kyoto, store your bags at the hotel or in a locker at the station, have a leisurely lunch and do any last minute shopping/sightseeing and just take an afternoon train to Tokyo. If I were you, that’s what I’d do with that day.