I’ve been reading a lot of itinerary check posts and figured it was time to share mine in case you have suggestions.
Quick facts:
* There are two of us. We’re a young-ish, married couple.
* We love food, but we recognize that we can’t spend our entire vacation waiting in restaurant lines.
* I love anime and good alcohol.
* She loves art and shopping.
* We don’t love theme parks or partying super hard.
* On most of the days, we’re not expecting we’ll get to do every activity listed. While we usually enjoy packed itineraries, we plan on mostly winging it while being aware of interesting things to do.
* Some of these days were taken straight from [japan-guide.com](https://japan-guide.com) itineraries, but we’re very open to deviating in case we get bored or tired.
Feedback I’m looking for:
* Any advice really
* I have 12 nights in Tokyo, and I’m still having a hard time budgeting time in the itinerary. What would you do differently?
* Any food that I should really have on my radar? You can see restaurants we’re interested in [here](https://goo.gl/maps/Jz4ERun5186FuasVA) if you really want to talk food.
* Anything special preparations I shouldn’t miss out on based on my itinerary that people tend to overlook?
* Are there certain parts of my trip that you think should or shouldn’t require luggage forwarding?
* Anything you would recommend replacing in my itinerary (even if it’s just your personal opinion)?
* Your favorite things you think I’m missing in certain areas?
# March 19: Arrival
* Land in Haneda at \~5pm
* Check into the hotel in Ginza
* Get dinner in Ginza
# March 20: Ginza
* Tsukiji Market for breakfast
* Tokyo station
* Ginza Tsutaya Bookstore
* Uniqlo
* Yurakucho Gadho-shita for dinner
# March 21: Toyosu & Asakusa
* Hopefully with the power of jet lag, get some morning sushi in Toyosu
* teamLab Planets (11 am tickets)
* [Benitsuru](https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1311/A131102/13211986/) fluffy pancakes for lunch
* Sensoji Temple
* Hoppy Street
* Dinner and/or drinks in some other part of Tokyo if we’re not tired.
# March 22: Arrive in Kusatsu Onsen
* Check out of the Ginza hotel
* Take the train and bus to Kusatsu
* Check into the ryokan
* Take a bath and drink a milk
* Explore Kusatsu if there’s time
* Kaiseki dinner
# March 23: Leave Kusatsu Onsen
* Ryokan breakfast
* Check out of the ryokan
* Explore Kusatsu
* Take the bus and train back to Tokyo
* Check into the hotel in Shinjuku
* Dinner in Shinjuku
# March 24: Ueno & Akihabara
* Ueno Park
* A museum in Ueno maybe
* Train to Akihabara
* Maid cafe for lunch
* Anime stores
* Train back to Shinjuku
* Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation deck
* Get dinner and drinks in Shinjuku
# March 25: Anime Japan
* Attend Tokyo Japan (My first anime convention!)
* If we don’t spend the whole day there, check out Diver City or head to another part of Tokyo for dinner
* Don’t stay up too late
# March 26: Train to Kyoto & [Japan Guide’s Northern Kyoto Itinerary](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3950_northern_kyoto_half.html)
* Early train to Kyoto
* Check into hotel in Kyoto
* Kinkakuji
* Ryoanji
* Ninnaji
* Dinner (maybe unagi at [Kyogoku Kaneyo](https://www.kyogokukaneyo.co.jp/))
# March 27: [Japan Guide’s Eastern Kyoto Itinerary](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3950_eastern_kyoto_full.html)
* Ginkakuji
* Philosopher’s Path
* Nanzenji
* Keage Incline
* Heian Shrine
* Yasaka Shrine
* Kodaiji Temple
* Higashiyama Streets
* Kiyomizudera
* Dinner (maybe at [Tempura Endo Yasaka](https://www.gion-endo.com/) or somewhere else in Gion)
# March 28: Uji
* Byodoin Temple
* Maybe a tea ceremony
* Mampuku-ji
* Eat some green tea stuff
* Head back to Kyoto for dinner
# March 29: [Japan Guide’s Arashiyama Itinerary](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3950_arashiyama_full.html)
* Monkey Park
* Togetsukyo Bridge
* Tenryuji
* Bamboo Groves
* Rent a bike at Arashiyama Station
* Jojakkoji
* Gioji
* Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street
* Otagi Nenbutsuji
* Daikakuji
* Return bike at Arashiyama Station
# March 30: Kyoto Flex Day
* Forward luggage to Osaka
If we’re not all Kyoto’ed out:
* Nishiki Market for brunch
* Higashiyama Ward
* Kodaiji Temple
* Kenninji Temple
* Gion for dinner
Otherwise:
* Maybe take a day trip to Himeji Castle
* Maybe go to Suntory Yamazaki Distillery
# March 31: Nara
* Check out of Kyoto hotel
* Early train to Nara
* Nara Park
* Kasuga-taisha
* Todaiji
* Nakatanidou for mochi
* Train to Umeda
* Dinner (hopefully at [Izumo](https://tabelog.com/osaka/A2701/A270108/27121721/?cid=google_yoyaku))
* Check into hotel in Umeda
# April 1: Eat A Ton In Osaka
* Osaka Castle park
* Shinsekai
* Kuromon Market
* Den Den Town
* Doguyasuji Shotengai
* Hozenji Yokocho
* Dotonbori
# April 2: Kobe
* Forward luggage to Hommachi hotel if possible
* Train to Kobe
* Sake in Nada Ward
* Lunch in Chinatown
* Explore
* Kobe beef for dinner
* Train back to Umeda
# April 3: Miyajima & Hiroshima
* Early train and ferry to Miyajima
* Itsukushima Shrine
* Oysters and street food in Omotesando
* Ferry to Peace Park
* Peace Memorial Museum if the line isn’t long
* Atomic Bomb Dome
* See Hiroshima Castle from the outside even from a distance
* Okonomimura for dinner.
* Late train back to Umeda
# April 4: [Arrive in Koyasan](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4910_koyasan_2day.html)
* Train and bus to Koyasan
* Okunoin Temple
* Check in to temple lodging (I heard they don’t like it when you check in late)
# April 5: [Leave Koyasan](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4910_koyasan_2day.html)
* Kongobuji
* Garan
* Daimon Gate
* Women Pilgrim hike
* Bus and train to Osaka
* Maybe dinner in Dotonbori if we’re up for it
* Check into hotel in Hommachi
# April 6: Osaka Flex Day
* Minimize regrets by hitting up things we didn’t get to do earlier
* Maybe wait in some long restaurant lines
* Maybe shop in Amerikamura
* Maybe catch some live music
* Maybe day trip to Himeji Castle
* Maybe check out some of the areas north of Namba
# April 7: Arrive in Hakone
* Check out of Hommachi hotel
* Brunch in Kuromon Market
* Train to Hakone
* Dinner in Yumoto if restaurants aren’t already closed
* Check into hotel in Yumoto
# April 8: [“The Hakone Round Course”](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5210.html)
* Check out of hotel in Yumoto
* Maybe forward luggage to Kamakura or store it somewhere (maybe our hotel will hold onto it for us or a luggage locker at Yumoto station)
* Hakone Open Air Museum
* Cablecar
* Ropeway
* Owakudani (and eat one of those eggs)
* Boat ride
* Hike and check out the attractions between Hakone-machi and Moto-Hakone
* Hakone Shrine
* Late train to Kamakura
* Check into Kamakura hotel
# April 9: [Japan-Guide’s Kamakura Hike](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3121_kamakura_full.html)
* Check out of hotel in Kamakura
* Hasadera Temple
* Great Buddha
* Zeniarai Benten Shrine
* Genjiyama Park
* Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
* Komachidori Street
* Late train to Shibuya
* Check into Shibuya hotel
# April 10: Ghibli Museum & Nakano
* Ghibli Museum
* Shiro-Hige Cream Puffs
* Suginami Animation Museum if time permits
* Nakano Broadway
* Nakano Beer Kubo
# April 11: Yokohama
* Sankeien Garden
* Gundam Factory
* Chinatown
* Yamashita
* Osanbashi Pier
* Red Brick Warehouses
* Cup Noodle Museum
* World Porters
# April 12: Harajuku & Shibuya
* Yoyogi Park
* Meiji Shrine
* Takeshita Street
* Cat Street
* Tokyu Plaza
* Shibuya Crossing
* Hachiko statue
* Shibuya Scramble
* Shibuya 109
* Shibuya Sky
* Nonbei Yokocho
# April 13: Nakameguro & Roppongi
* Nakameguro river walk
* Hie Shrine
* Some combination of National Art, Nezu, and Mori museums
* Tokyo Midtown
# April 14: Shinjuku
* Shinjuku Gyoen
* Shin Okubo
* Don Quijote
* Omoide Yokocho
* Kabukicho
# April 15: Departure
* Check out of Shibuya hotel
* One last lunch perhaps in Nakameguro or Shibuya
* Train to Haneda
* Cry
* Depart at \~5pm
1 comment
Hi!
Most of your days look really good. The one thing I would add is the Japan Guide itineraries were made before some of the sights in Kyoto became super popular. I think they also expect you to be out early in the morning and to not want to spend too much time at any one place. They’re good in that they are all one area of Kyoto instead of having you hop all around.
I would probably start Arashiyama with the bamboo forest, since that is the most popular tourist spot in Arashiyama at this time, just like I would maybe start the eastern side of Kyoto with Kiyomizudera, unless the sakura are in full bloom in which case you want to do the Philosopher’s walk as early as possible since the sakura being in full bloom makes it even more popular.
Speaking of Japan Guide, in case you missed it, this forum thread has information on getting tickets to Anime Japan
[https://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+176811](https://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+176811)
I find most hotels are willing to hold your bags after checkout. It’s only places that don’t have storage spaces like AirBnBs and sometimes hostels that have a hard time holding bags.
Himeji Castle is really pretty during sakura time, but is also really crowded.
since you presumably don’t have tickets yet, I might swap Shinjuku gyoen with your day in Ghibli because Japan Guide is currently estimating the 10th as one of the best sakura viewing days in Tokyo, and Shinjuku gyoen is one of the nicest parks for sakura and momo in Tokyo.
I think the Gundam Factory is closing at the end of March, so if you want to go there you might want to switch Yokohama with one of your earlier Tokyo days.
I missed getting tickets last trip because it was a bit short notice, but there is a special Yayoi Kusama Museum in Tokyo as well. You could see if tickets are available while you are there.
I probably shouldn’t mention this, but Fushimi Inari seems missing from your Kyoto days. It’s currently really really popular and it is a nice shrine, don’t get me wrong, but just wanted to make sure you were leaving it out on purpose not by accident.
I think you will have a great trip!