Hey all!
I’ll be traveling to Japan with 4 other homies (first time for everyone) on April 28, 2023 and will be staying until 5/14/23. I’m a 23 year old male who is traveling with 4 others (between 20-22 years old) from NYC. We’re really into anime, gaming, and outdoor activities, and city night life. I’ve been self-studying Japanese for almost 2 years (Currently in level N3). We were so excited about the trip that we didn’t even realize that we had booked the trip to be during Golden Week, which I had later found out is one of worst times to travel. It was too late to reschedule and so now we’re stuck with it.
I hope I can get some suggestions on how to make this trip more enjoyable and efficient. Please let me know if I should swap certain locations for other days.
We have booked AirBnBs in each city we’re staying in. I still have some time to make a change if needed.
Current Route (Tokyo > Lake Kawaguchiko > Kyoto > Osaka > Hiroshima > Last day in Tokyo)
\*Please note that I have added multiple spots/activities to each day as back ups. We’ll soon decide what will be the prioritized spots to visit.
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***4/28/23 Day 0 (Fri): 10AM flight to Toronto, Canada | then fly to Tokyo, Japan***
***4/29/23(Sat. / GW: Showa Day) Day 1 Saturday Landing in Tokyo, Japan at 3:40PM at Haneda Airport (5 nights)***
*AirBNB will be in Kita Ward*
\-Pick up pocket wifi and JR rail passes
\-head out to AirBnB in Kita Ward for check in
\-look for 7/11 or Ramen to eat
\-explore the local area
\-if we have energy, travel to Shibuya Crossing and explore the area. (still open for suggestions)
​
***4/30/23 Day 2 (Sun): West Tokyo***
\-Travel to Shinjuku Station and explore it a little
\-Meiji Shrine 7 or 8AM?
\-Hachiko dog statue
\-Shibuya Sky
\-Shibuya Scramble Square (entertainment complex)
\-Starbucks in the Q front building.
\-Tokyu Plaza (escalator completely covered with mirrors)
\-Yoyogi Park
\-Harajuku Gyoza Ro
\-Shibuya crossing (explore around)
\-Mandarake
\- spy x family burger king
\-omoide yokocho (AKA Piss Alley/Memory Lane)
\-shinjuku gyoen (superb zen garden)
\-shibuya yokocho
\-shibuya parco
\-Animate (largest anime store in the world) Ikebukuro
\-Gachapon department store
\-Red Tokyo Tower?
\-Shinjuku Golden Gai?
​
***5/1/23 Day 3 (Mon): East Tokyo***
\-Asakusa early morning 6-7AM
\-Sensoji Temple
\-Asakusa-jinja Shrine
\-Nakamise shopping street
\-Taiko Drum Museum
\-Tokyo Skytree (decide between morning or evening)
\-Sumida Aquarium (inside Tokyo Skytree)
\-Akihabara (manga, anime, gaming)
\-maid cafe u/home cafe
\-Akihabara Electronics Town / Akiba Denki Gai / Chuo Dori street /Yodobashi Camera
\-Ueno Park (museums, Pond, Zoo, TOshogu Shrine)
\-Kirby Cafe
​
***5/2/23 Day 4 (Tue): Southern Tokyo***
\-Odaiba, Tokyo Bay
\-Tsukiji Fish Market (sushi and other foods)
\-Gundam Front Tokyo (DiverCity Tokyo Plaza)
\-teamlab Planets Tokyo
\-Karaoke box night
\-ga kyo (aquarium exhibit)
\-small worlds tokyo
\-Mori Art Museum (modern art museum for art, fashion, design, architecture
\- Ginza (upscale shopping district)
\-Muji (department store)
\-Uniqlo
​
***5/3/23 Day 5 (Wed / GW: Constitution Day): Tokyo (Filler day)***
\-Explore Harajuku
\-Takeshita Street (quirky boutique stores clothing shoes and accessories)
\-Cat Street (more trendy clothing stores)
\-(still deciding on what else to do on this day)
​
***5/4/23 Day 6 (Thu / GW: Greenery Day):Tokyo -> Mt. fuji (Lake kawaguchiko) 2 nights***
AirBNB is around Lake Kawaguchiko (check ins are after 3PM
\-leave from Shinjuku train station \~7:30AM (2 hour train ride to Lake Kawaguchiko)
\-leave luggage at Kawaguchiko Station (lockers)
\-rent electric bikes and bike as far around the lake as time allows
\-Arakurayama Sengen Shrine (chureita pagoda view)
\-Kawaguchiko Tenjozan Park kachi kachi ropeway
\-check into airbnb Lake Kawaguchiko in the afternoon
\-Oishi Park
\-Oshino Hakkai
\-Yurari Public Onsen
​
***5/5/23 Day 7 (Fri / GW: Children’s Day): Lake Kawaguchiko (Mt. Fuji)***
\-Fuji Q Highland Park (Amusement park)
\-(Take bus from Kawaguchiko Station) Fuji Shibazakura Festival
\-kawaguchiko music museum
​
***5/6/23 Day 8 (Sat): Kyoto (3 nights)***
AirBNB in Shimogyo Ward check in at 3PM
\-early train from Mt Fuji to Kyoto
\-Kiyomizu-dera (temple)
\-sannen-zaka(Pedestrian street), ninnen-zaka, then Maruyama-koen Park,
\-Kodai Ji (bamboo forest)
\-Shinbashi Street (traditional wooden buildings)
\-Nijo Castle
​
​
***5/7/23 Day 9 (Sun): Kyoto***
\-Fushimi Inari (hike through Torii gates) 6-7AM
\-Nishiki food market
\-kinkaku-Ji (golden temple)
\-Otagi Nenbutsuji (temple, 1200 Buddha disciples)
\-ryoan-ji temple (zen garden
\-arashiyama (bamboo forest)
​
***5/8/23 Day 10 (Mon): Kyoto (Day trip to Nara)***
\–arrive before 8 or 9AM to JR Nara Station/Kintetsu-Nara station
\-If arriving at JR Nara Station, visit the Tourist Information Centre for free booklet/brochure. Starbucks inside building
\-kofuku ji temple
\-Isuien Garden
\-Daibutsu Den (Todaiji)
\-Nara Deer Park
\-Kasuga Taisha
\-Higashimuki Shopping street / Mochiidono Shopping arcade
\-Explore Naramachi (small alleys full of interesting sights)
\-around 4/5PM head back to JR Nara Station
\-arrive to JR Kyoto station 5/6PM
***5/9/23 Day 11 (Tue): Osaka (3 nights)***
*AirBnB in Shinsaibashi*
\-Harukas 300 (observation deck)
\-Abeno Harukas Art Museum / Kintetsu department store
\-Don Quijotes
\-Den Den Town
\-Kuromon Ichiba Market
Okonomiyaki Mizuno
\-Dotonbori
\-Don Quixote Ferris Wheel
\-Shinsaibashi
\-Umeda Sky Building
\-Kura Sushi
\-Depachika
​
***5/10/23 Day 12 (Wed): Osaka***
\-Universal Studios Japan (would take entire day)
\-anything else possible in the afternoon?
***5/11/23 Day 13 (Thu): Osaka***
\-Osaka Castle
\-Takoyaki Doraku Wanaka
\-Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
\-Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel
\-cup noodles museum
\-ippudo
\-Minoo (national park)
\-Hisakunikosendo (momiji tempura)
\-Izakaya Toyo (japanese pub)
​
***5/12/23 Day 14 (Fri): Hiroshima (1 night)***
*AirBnB center of Hiroshima*
\-Take Shinkansen to Hiroshima:
\-Train from Hiroshima Station to Miyajimaguchi Station then ferry ride.
\-Miyajima Shrine
\-Explore Hondori Street / pedestrian arcade
\-Try Hiroshima Style Okonomiyaki
\-Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum?
\-Atomic Bomb Dome
\-Hiroshima Castle
\-Shukkeien Garden
\-Check in at airBnB
​
***-5/13/23 Day 15 (Sat): Hiroshima -> Tokyo 1 night***
*\*We’re thinking of possibly spending the night at a capsule hotel but I still have to research if that is possible, considering our luggage.*
\-Early morning train ride from Hiroshima to Tokyo
\-Do things that we missed on first days in Tokyo
​
***5/14/23 Day 16 (Sun): airplane back to NYC 5:30PM***
\-2PM be at the airport
​
This is pretty much our rough draft of our itinerary so far. We really want to make this trip as memorable as possible. I know for sure that I won’t be able to cover every single spot and activity listed but I left them there just in case as backups if plans somehow change. We have no issues with walking all day and speed running some areas if needed, we usually do this all the time in Manhattan lol.
\-Any tips for surviving the crowd during Golden Week?
\-Still trying to figure out if JR pass 7 or 14 day is worth.
\-Is there a capybara cafe or place in our general direction? Me and the boys just really wanna see some capybaras lol
\-Also, any advice on luggage? We will each be carrying a large suitcase with wheels most likely but I’m wondering if we should just bring them with us when we take the shinkansens.
Please, if anyone has any suggestions at all regarding the trips during Golden Week, let me know so I can make the trip better for everyone. Or if you know other spots where a group like us should visit, we are open to add more!
Thank you in advance!
8 comments
4/30
Too many things to do? Prioritise certain things you wanna do because that is too many places to visit (or like you said, do the rest at the end of the trip)
5/1
Do you like theme park? Since I can see you have fuji q and universal studio in your itinerary. If yes then you can’t miss tokyo disneysea. It is dubbed as the best theme park in the world. IMO, you can miss any theme park in japan, but not disneysea. It is built for young adult in mind. Try and suggest your friend to do disney sea on 5/1?
Then move all of your 5/1 plan to 5/3
5/4 till 5/7 will be hell lol
5/10 at night? Just go to universal citywalk osaka for dinner?
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I can see problem with your schedule if you want to fit in JR pass for 7 days (14 days one not worth it in your case, you still lose around 12-13K yen / 100usd). If you want to save money, either you move your date to go to kyoto to 5/7 or go back to tokyo faster on 5/12 (hiroshima to tokyo is 5 hours, so take that into account)
I have never been to hiroshima before so I am not sure how jam packed your schedule is, but I think that is a better option to just leave hiroshima early and go to tokyo on 5/12
New rules for baggage:
https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/info/oversized-baggage/
Height + width + thickness no more than 160cm if you want to take it by hand with you. More than that you need to reserve oversize baggage space (costs few hundred yen) and max 250 cm
Why get a pocket wifi? Why not a e sim for everyone? This way if you get separated, everyone has access to data. Of course, this assumes that your phone is e sim compliant.
You won’t have to wait at the airport, or worry about returning it at the end.
JR pass – google JR pass calculator. Plug in your trip and it will tell you if the pass is worth it.
Day 2 seems really busy, considering that it is a Sunday and you will likely be exhausted or jet lagged.
Day 9 – I wouldn’t hop all around Kyoto. Just plot everything on a map and try and do areas at a time.
Sounds like a fun trip. But don’t forget the crowds and don’t forget to enjoy Sakura season. I haven’t travelled during golden week, but everything I have read says it will be busy, including on the Shinkansen. Make sure you get your reservations done early and plan accordingly.
Edit – here is the JR pass calculator.
https://www.japan-guide.com/railpass/
Just having a quick look, you should account for some of the distances involved; some of the things you want to hit are far enough apart that it makes some iternaries way too rushed or just not feasible.
Eg. It takes a good 45 minutes from the east side of Kyoto (Kiyomizudera, etc) to Kinkaku-ji on the northwest side, and probably close to an hour on the bus/train to Arashiyama on the far west side. Similarly, Minooh Falls is a good distance outside of Osaka itself. The Kaiyukan is a good 3 hour experience in itself, so for that day you’ve rushed it too much.
I wouldn’t try to do Miyajima and Hiroshima in one day. Much better to take your time and take things in.
Please for the love of baby Jesus look at where stuff is on a map in relation to each other.
You have a day set to explore Harajuku, yet have Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi park on another day. These are literally located next to Harajuku station. The newly renovated exit is even called the Meiji Shrine exit.
And if you enjoy hours of walking around parks, shrines and temples, then starting at like 6-8am is fine. But literally nothing else will be open except convenience stores and family restaurants. Most businesses open 10am, some even at 11am.
Also, the Spy Family burgers have been long gone, they’re were a limited time menu.
Instead of Kyoto > Osaka > Hiroshima > Tokyo consider Kyoto > Hiroshima > Osaka > Tokyo
Removes the long journey back to Tokyo and allows more time in Hiroshima which looks very rushed. Kyoto and Osaka are very close to each other by train. No value taking all your luggage to Hiroshima for a one nighter so consider storage.
Day 2 alone makes me stressed out just looking at it, and this is coming from someone who did just a 1/3 of that itinerary a week ago and got sick the day after. You HAVE to plot stuff out on a map and group nearby things together, and drop at least 1/2 of your listed spots each day to even have a chance at doing it all.
I highly recommend Wanderlog or a similar itinerary planner for this, as you can see the locations of your plans on a map as you add them, then drag them around to put them in a logical order. Don’t underestimate how much walking you’ll be doing, too!
+1 on the recommendation for Wanderlog or some other itinerary planner w/ map markers. It’ll keep everyone in the group up-to-speed too 🙂
I’d suggest not doing a capsule hotel the night before returning home. You guys might want to rearrange/repack your luggage at that time (or realize there’s some room left in your suitcase, pop over to a konbini, and stuff some last-minute items into your luggage) and it’ll be less convenient to do so if you’re staying at a capsule hotel!
Echoing what others are saying here. What helped us was mapping out our journey, but also having a plan A “must see” list, and plan B “extras” which we were ranked according to proximity to current locations, and energy/comfort levels at the moment of travel. We had a somewhat similar full itinerary but everything was clumped together in a way to maximize efficiency. Because of the time difference, we used our jet lag to our advantage and were able to really get most out of our day by starting early like 4-5 am, getting to sites early when there’s no crowd, and then powering down at 7-8 pm. Some days were longer bc of travel. I would try Okinomiyaki in Hiroshima. I would try to see a carps baseball game or any baseball game while in Japan for that matter. While in Osaka, try the cheesecake.