Hello everyone,
This will be my first time to travel to Japan and we only have 9-day(2 days dedicated for the flight). As you can see on my itinerary, I lack some of the attraction and restaurants. Can you recommend me some food places as well as attractions, shopping areas and some IG worthy places for pictures. Also if you noticed there are few places in a day because we might take time to take photos.
EDIT: We will be in Japan this coming last week of March.
About me:
I’m into anime and manga, video games, Japanese music, street wear fashion, art and photography.
I’m still thinking if I should go to Disneyland with my friends or go for the Gundam Base Yokohama(Big Gundam Fan), I’ve read that they’re closing that place already but my relatives and friends told me that Disneyland Tokyo is really a place to die for. One of my friends told me that Yokohama is too far and the only attraction there is the Gundam RX-78
Also would love to know some tips!
My Itinerary below
|Day|Places|Attraction|Restaurants|
|:-|:-|:-|:-|
|1|1.) Explore and view cherry blossoms around Imperial Palace and Chidorigafuchi 2.) Go to Tokyo Tower \*All transportation via train|||
|2|1.) View cherry blossoms around Ueno Park 2.) Explore Asakusa \*All transportation via train|→Yamashiroya →Sensoji Temple||
|3|1.) Explore Shibuya, Meiji Jingu and Harajuku 2.) View cherry blossoms around Meguro River \*All transportation via train|→Nintendo Tokyo (Shibuya) →Jump Shop (Shibuya) →Pokemon Center →Medicom Toy Plus →Laforet Harajuku →Toy Sapience ||
|4|1.) Visit Tokyo Disneyland (Whole day) OR GUNDAM BASE YOKOHAMA + GUNDAM BASE DIVER’S CITY \*All transportation via train|||
|5|1.) Visit and explore area around Mt. Fuji (Whole day) \*All transportation via train |||
|6|1.) Explore Ikebukuro 2.) Go to Sunshine City \*All transportation via train|→TeamLabs →J-WORLD TOKYO →Animate Ikebukuro |Capcom Café|
|7|1.) Explore Akihabara (Whole day) \*All transportation via train|→Amiami →Yellow Submarine →Volks Hobby Square The above three stores are located in Radio Kaikan. →Volks Akihabara Hobby Heaven 2 →Kotobukiya Akihabara Kan →Manzareki-ya Akihabara →Yodobashi Camera AKIBA → Bic Camera AKIBA|Square Enix Café|
8 comments
I might’ve missed it but when exactly are you going to Japan? You mentioned cherry blossom viewing, so hopefully you are going there when are they are actually blooming which will be in late March to early April in Tokyo (different parts of Japan will see blooms at slightly different times).
I grew up in the shadows of Anaheim Disneyland, so I may be a bit biased when I say that Tokyo Disneyland (Magic Kingdom) isn’t necessarily worth unless you’re a die-hard Disney fan. Disney Sea is better IMO. If you’ve never been to a Disney property, then I would say it’s worth it to go, but I would do 2 days.
It sounds like you’re a gundam fan. I am too and so I would prioritize Gundam Base over Tokyo Disney, but then again, I’ve been to other Disney properties already so it isn’t that magical to me any more.
J World Tokyo closed down in 2019, so you might want to add another district to that day. They still have Namjatown, which is the other amusement park Bandai Namco runs there, but it’s not anime related.
Good thing is that you don’t have to go with your friends everywhere. Gundam Base will close, Tokyo Disney is likely not going to. There is a lot of people who decide to go to Japan and not go to Disney, that include me, will go for my 7th time and still not planning to go to Disney.
Yokohama is not that far, from Shinjuku, Yokohama and Tokyo Disneyland take the same amount of time to reach, about 45 minutes. There is also other things to do in Yokohama, just no amusement parks.
Why do you note “all train” for transportation, some of these are closer to subway or other transportations modes. Or is train a generic word for you (some use subway in a really generic way too).
Your Mount Fuji day is really vague. You should decide on a specific place, the most common are Kawaguchiko and Hakone. Depending on where you go, going by bus or moving around by bus can be better or even required.
Some of the attractions do not really fit the Places. Kike teamlabs is not in Ikebukuro.
I’m heading out during the exact same time frame, and looking to go to the Gundam Base at Yokohama before it closes. Disney will still be around, but the other attraction is temporary and closing…it’d really suck to feel regret for not going, especially if it’s something you really want to see (but that’ll ultimately be up to you to determine).
If you’re a big Gundam fan then I’d go to Gundam Base. You can find Disney all around the world but something like Gundam Base is basically only in Japan.
Having said that, there’s not a whole lot to do at Yokohama Gundam Base. The moving robot is cool, and you can pay extra to take an elevator up to the top of it, but that’s it. If you’re a big Gundam fan I’d say it’s worth paying extra, but if you’re not it’s probably not. The “tour” takes about an hour and is a lot of standing around or walking around in a loop taking turns taking photos.
The store at Gundam base has some exclusives but is nowhere near as big or spectacular as the one in Odaiba (where the also have a giant, but mostly non-moving Gundam).
Enjoy!
Go to one of the TeamLabs exhibits. Planets is currently running, I don’t know about Borderless. I seriously cannot recommend them enough, they’re experiential immersive exhibits and you will get some fantastic shots there.
Why not go to AnimeJapan while you are there?
You don’t need to plan every restaurant. Pretty much any place you walk into will be delicious.