Hey guys! My partner and I will be travelling to Japan during the start of Spring. I’ve been to Tokyo and Kansai area a couple times but it’s my partner’s first time to these prefectures. It’s also our first time to Ehime and Nagashima! The last time I went to Japan was pre-covid, which is 2 years ago, so I wanted to check if anything has changed (I’m sure I missed out some things after doing my research).
**About us:**
* 27F, 28M
* Interest: Anime, Marvel, Sightseeing views, Amusement Parks
* We don’t drink much and aren’t really interested in historical sites/castles
* Prefer a flexible itinerary
**Itinerary:**
>Day 1 (Mar 25) – Osaka
* Arrive in KIX at 15:40
* Settle SIM card, JR pass
* Check in to Airbnb near Dotonbori
* Hang around Dotonbori
* Dinner at [Hozenji Sampei](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g14135010-d3779128-Reviews-Hozenji_Sampei-Dotombori_Chuo_Osaka_Osaka_Prefecture_Kinki.html)
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>Day 2 (Mar 26) – Osaka
* USJ
* Do yall use the USJ app to get time tickets now?
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>Day 3 (Mar 27) – Osaka
* Abeno Q’s Mall
* Dinner at [Okonomiyaki Chitose](https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restaurant_Review-g298566-d7439604-Reviews-Okonomiyaki_Chitose-Osaka_Osaka_Prefecture_Kinki.html)
​
>Day 4 (Mar 28) – Osaka
* Deliver luggage from Family Mart to Dogo Onsen Yachiyo, Ehime. Collect by Mar 29 after 15:00
* Kaiyukan
* Tamatsukuri Inari Shrine
* Jungle Store at Nipponbashi
* Hang around Kuromon Ichiba Market. Any dinner recommendations?
​
>Day 5 (Mar 29) – Osaka/Ehime
* Check out and travel to Ehime, Dogo Onsen via Sakura Shinkansen and Shiokaze (covered by JR)
* Buy Iyotetsu day pass or I-card (KIV, still researching on which is more worth it)
* Check in to Dogo Onsen Yachiyo and check on luggage arrival
* Hang around Dogo Haikara Dori Street
* Dogo Onsen (KIV because I heard that there’s a queue to go in due to the constructions going on at the Honkan onsen so Asuka-no-Yu will naturally be crowded as well)
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>Day 6 (Mar 30) – Ehime
* Tobemori Zipline and Zoo
* Any dinner recommendations near this area?
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>Day 7 (Mar 31) – Ehime
* Deliver luggage from Dogo Onsen Yachiyo to Guesthouse near Nagashima Spa Land. Collect by Apr 1 after 17:00
* Matsuyama Castle (KIV – not really interested in the castle but we wanted to take the ropeway/lift to see the view from above)
* Hangout somewhere. I was thinking of visiting Shirai Falls but don’t think there’s time to make it back before sunset.
​
>Day 8 (Apr 1) – Ehime/Nagashima
* Check out of Dogo Onsen and travel to Nagashima Spa Land via Hikari Shinkansen, Shiokaze and Kansai Line (covered by JR)
* Check in to Guesthouse near Nagashima Spa Land and check on luggage arrival.
* I’ll be heading straight to a concert in Yokkaichi City Cultural Center while my partner will hang around Nagashima Outlet Mall or just enjoy the open air-bath in our accomodation. I’ll be taking a taxi from Kuwana back to Nagashima Spa Land because the last bus that goes directly into Spa Land is at 20:00
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>Day 9 (Apr 2) – Nagashima
* Nagashima Spa Land
* Nagashima Outlet Mall for a while if time/energy level allows
* Dinner at Nagashima Onsen
* Deliver luggage from Guesthouse to a [7-11](https://goo.gl/maps/AUMPCKv1nzKNuKZP6) near our Tokyo Airbnb. Collect by Apr 4 after 15:00
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>Day 10 (Apr 3) – Nagashima/Tokyo
* Check out and travel to Tokyo via Hikari shinkansen (covered by JR)
* We’ll only have our hand carry at this point of time so we’d probably store it in a coin locker near Ikebukuro and be a weeb there till dinner
* Check in to 9H Capsule Hotel. We’ll only be staying for 1 night because my partner has not been to a capsule hotel before.
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>Day 11 (Apr 4) – Tokyo
* Check out of 9H
* Hang around Shinjuku area
* Disney Flagship store in Shinjuku
* Artnia Square Enix store
* I’ll be heading to another concert at Tokyo Dome while my partner handles the luggage collection and check in to our Airbnb
​
>Day 12 (Apr 5) – Tokyo
* Day trip to Fuji Q via Fuji Excursion train service. Is it worth taking the new direct train or the usual bus service? I’m quite interested to take the new train because I’ve only travelled there by bus in the past.
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>Day 12 (Apr 6) – Tokyo
* Shirohige Cream Puff
* Harajuku
* Kiddy Land
* BAPE store
* LINE store
* Takeshita Dori area
* Shibuya
* Alice on Wednesday
* Mugiwara Store
* Malls around Shibuya crossing. e.g. 109
* Dinner at [Hakushu Teppan Yaki](https://goo.gl/maps/CAj5gW8gwunoQwG89)
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>Day 13 (Apr 7) – Tokyo
* There’s a [Meet the One Piece](https://meet-the-onepiece.com/) event starting in April. No information has been released yet but will probably slot this place in on this day.
* Nothing else planned for today. We’ll probably visit places that we didn’t get to visit in the past few days or hang around the One Piece event area.
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>Day 14 (Apr 8) – Tokyo
* Check out of Airbnb
* Our flight back back home departs at 17:00 so we’ll probably hang around Ueno and have lunch before taking the Keisei Skyliner to the airport.
* Goodbye Japan
​
**Questions/Concerns:**
* Feel free to feedback if any days/locations seems too pack and other recommendations.
* It’s my first time using Yamato Transport to settle luggage, so I’m nervous. I know we can deliver from convenience stores, but can we also deliver to convenience stores? I watched a few videos and read a few articles on the subject, but some said no, while others said yes. Is it safe to say that we can deliver to convenience stores as long as the location says that it accepts luggage on this [site](https://www.e-map.ne.jp/p/yamato01/?&cond21=1&cond22=1&)?
* Is it worth getting the Matsuyama Iyotetsu day pass or will I-card do the trick?
* Any other places to visit in Ehime?
* Is Nagashima Onsen tattoo friendly? I heard Dogo Onsen is tattoo friendly but not too sure about Nagashima Onsen.
* Any other places to visit around Tokyo? I’ve been to most of the tourist-y places so it’d be great if there’re other quieter or underrated places to see
* Also, just curious, out of USJ, Nagashima Spa Land, and Fuji Q Highland, which amusement park do yall prefer?
2 comments
Why would you buy a JR pass? It seems like its best without one?
In Matsuysma, if the day pass is not worth, just pay cash, not worth getting a dedicated ic card for such a short time.