My husband and I are newlywed’s and it’s our first time ever to Japan. We want to get the best experience possible but are having trouble deciding the best places to visit and maximising our time.
Tokyo—> Kyoto/Sapporo—> Osaka
My itinerary is still basic because it’s open to recommendations and exploring!
• How many days worth of the JR PASS should we get with day trips?
• Recommendations for celebrating a birthday.
• One must do expensive fine dining lunch/ dinner.
• Love shopping for secondhand things and electronics!
• Secondhand books and clothes ^^
• Best camera shop!
• Best place to get Matcha + food items to take back?
• My husband isn’t super into this but I would to experience a ryokan or some traditional Japanese cultural things like a tea ceremony or an experience with the monks.
• Will how to manage bags after shopping in Tokyo or is it better to wait until Osaka to shop?
Tokyo – 1st – 5th March
Day 1 – 10:35pm Arrive at Haneda airport and head to our hotel. Relax for the night. No plans, maybe grab dinner at the hotel.
Day 2 – Head out to Tokyo, explore Shibuya and Shinjuku
Day 3 – Team labs and check out this VR place. Grab food
Day 4 – Shop for vintage clothes and checkout Harajuku. Eat dinner at DEN or some other Michelin star restaurants
Day 5 – 5th March my birthday and Checkout day.
Now here’s where we need some serious advice. Do we lose a lot of time travelling back and forth to Sapporo or is it okay because it’s worth it for a first time visit during this time? Does it save time + money to visit Kyoto or can that be included in a day trip from Osaka?
(Initial plan)
Day 5 – Catch a flight at 1:35 to Sapporo and spend the next 3 nights there. 5th – 8th and fly to Osaka after.
While we were booking the tickets, the total cost to travel + 1 bag per person is coming up to over 64000JYP, excluding stay which was coming up to something quite reasonable around 28000 jyp( Booking confirmed)
Day 8 – checkout of hotel at Sapporo and then go to airport and catch a flight at 11:00am to Osaka. Check in at hotel at dotonbori( Cross hotel, booking confirmed) Explore dotonbori area
Day 9 – Hop on the train to Hiroshima and visit the museum / walk around and eat. Then head back and grab dinner at Osaka.
Day 10- Hop on a train to Kobe( need recommendations!) grab lunch and explore. End of day head back to Osaka to eat dinner and rest.
Day 11 – Rest and checking out bakeries.
Day 12 – Head to Kyoto & Nara.
Day 13 – Morning Flight back!
___ The question is — do we do this or restructure our plan so as to exchange Sapporo for Kyoto?
Sapporo plan — day 1 explore Sapporo and eat genghis khan lamb!
Day 2 – Day trip to Otaru
Day 3- Skiing + Mount Moiwa
