Hello!
I check this subreddit daily because I’d like to learn as much information as possible before my trip to Japan. I’m going to share my itinerary after editing several things out as I did not want to plan too much for our trip. The way I planned this is to visit the more popular places during weekdays to minimize the amount of crowds we’ll meet. Maybe more can be added and things could be shifted around so I’m open to suggestions.
Mar 6:
Arrive at Kansai airport 11 am – Pick up JR pass – Take bullet train to Kyoto – Drop belongings at Airbnb
Lunch: Katsukura Tonkatsu
Dinner: Visit Nishiki Market
Visit Gion Town
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Mar 7:
Fushimi Inari (early morning)
Breakfast: Walden Woods or Vermillion cafe
Philosopher’s Path
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Dinner: Kichi Kichi Omurice
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Mar 8:
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest (early morning)
Breakfast:Rickshaw cafe or % Arabica or Bread, Espresso & Arashiyama
Kinkaku-ji Golden temple
Lunch: Otsuka or Taisho HANANA or Arashiyama Yoshimura
Dinner: Ramen Sen No Kaze
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Mar 9:
USJ Osaka
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Mar 10:
Yasaka Pagoda (early morning)
Breakfast: Starbucks Coffee (not sure)
Yasaka Shrine
Take bullet train to Osaka airbnb and drop off belongings (around noon)
Lunch: Ajinoya honten
Osaka Castle
Dotombori
Hozenji Yokocho Night Market
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Mar 11:
Morning trip to Hiroshima – Itsukushima Shrine – Atomic Bomb Dome
Back to Osaka in the afternoon
More Dotombori
Dinner: Okonomiyaki Chitose
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Mar 12:
Katsuo-ji Daruma temple
Afternoon trip to Nara – Nara Park – Todai-ji Temple – Nigatsu-do Temple
Back to Osaka
Dinner: Kani Doraku Dotombori
Shinsekai Retro District
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Mar 13:
Full day trip to Kinosaki Onsen
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March 14:
Take bullet train to Tokyo around 11 am – Drop off belongings at hotel in Shinjuku
Shibuya Crossing
Shibuya Sky (by 4pm for sunset)
Dinner: Maidreamin’ Shibuya
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Mar 15:
Day trip to Nagoya for Honensai Fertility Festival
Back to Tokyo
Dinner: Uobei
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Mar 16:
Day trip to Fujiyoshida – Chureito Pagoda – Mt. Fuji
Afternoon back in Tokyo
Late lunch: Pokemon cafe
Unicorn Gundam Statue
Dinner: Nabezo
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Mar 17:
Teamlab Planets as soon as they open
Gundam Factory
Lunch: Dawn Robot cafe
Harajuku
Dinner: Gyukatsu Motomura
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Mar 18:
Breakfast: A Happy Pancake/Reissue cafe
Tokyu Plaza
Miyashita Park
Starbucks Reserve
Golden Gai
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Mar 19:
Senso-ji Temple (early morning)
Kirby Cafe
Return flight at 6pm
1 comment
You can probably fit in Yasaka pagoda/shrine, ninnenzaka & Sannenzaka, and Kiyomizudera on the same trip since they’re all essentially in the same place. I would suggest going in the morning, as the lack of crowds make for a very serene experience (though it comes with not having any of the shops open, so do with that information as you will. In place of Kiyomizu on the itinerary, I’d recommend going to GInkakuji, since you’re on the Philosopher’s Path anyway. Very beautiful garden.
As for the Tokyo leg of the trip, I would suggest saving the Unicorn Gundam for when you go to Odaiba since it is there anyway. Alternatively, you can fit in your Odaiba shopping on that same evening and get some stellar evening views of the lights as you walk around. This could potentially free your teamlab day with something else, maybe a visit to the Toyosu fish market.