Hi! Just wanted to get some eyes on an itinerary for three women traveling to Tokyo this spring!
Some background: I speak Japanese, and am somewhat familiar with Tokyo (lived here years ago for a bit), so I’ll be acting as their translator/guide. We also all have varied interests- my primary interest is anime/gaming, and my friends’ primary interests are shopping/eating. We are all working women, and aren’t interested in cramming our itinerary with cultural landmarks. It’s hard for all of us to take vacation off at the same time so we really just want to enjoy (and pamper) ourselves.
**3/28 (Tues) – arrive in Japan at dinner time (from a week spent in Seoul)**
>Get to our hotel in Shinjuku, and do a little local exploration.
**3/29 (Wed) – Harajuku/Omotesando -> Shibuya**
>Shopping, exploration (Meiji Jingu). Finish the day at an onsen (any suggestions?)
**3/30 (Thurs) – Sanrio Puroland -> Shinjuku**
>Nails, Cinnamoroll cafe, Shinjuku Animate, Isetan Shinjuku
**3/31 (Fri) – Sensouji Temple / Asakusa**
>Kimono rental reserved. Cherry blossom photo op and possibly picnic? Finish the day at an onsen (any suggestions?)
**4/1 (Sat) – Tsukiji market -> Ginza**
>Breakfast at Tsukiji. Team lab planets. More shopping.
**4/2 (Sun) – Ikebukuro**
>Sanrio cafe. Anime. Tokyo Somei Onsen Sakura?
**4/3 (Mon) – left open for whatever we want to do**
**4/4 (Tues) – fly back home in the afternoon**
My primary concerns are whether our itinerary is too vague or sparse, and whether anything could be more geographically efficient. Definitely open to any changes or suggestions, esp with restaurants in the specified areas! I would’ve loved to have a ryokan / spa day as well but it hasn’t made its way onto our itinerary, since most of the good ones seem to require a day’s travel.
Thank you in advance.
1 comment
I will say, if you don’t have your hotels yet, it may be kind of tough (because your trip is very soon and availability is getting more and more slim) but you can book hotels that have onsen/hot spring baths in them. I’m staying in Tokyo the same time you all are and I got a hotel with a massive onsen and spa in it. Since you all don’t care about cultural landmarks, I’d look into that. Traveling a day outside of Tokyo to hit a nice spa is lovely, but mostly for the cultural/historical importance of the town/onsen you’d be visiting. If you’re just lookin’ to relax and soak you can manage that in many hotels.
>3/29 (Wed) – Harajuku/Omotesando -> Shibuya
>Shopping, exploration (Meiji Jingu). Finish the day at an onsen (any suggestions?)
>3/30 (Thurs) – Sanrio Puroland -> Shinjuku
Shinjuku is right next to Shibuya. Puroland is a 50-60 train ride from both Shinjuku and Shibuya. So really I’d say think about these two days in relationship to where your hotel is. EDIT: ah, just reread and saw your hotel is *in* Shinjuku. In that case, I don’t think your days are so filled that you couldn’t just kind of pick off some of the Shinjuku things on the other days. It’s good (in my opinion) how loose the schedule is; I often say people should give themselves time to get lost and explore, and to go wherever their whims take them.