Hello Fellow Travelers!
Myself (32M) and SO (30F) will finally be making our long awaited travel/honeymoon to Japan. We will be traveling from 9th-25th March from Southeast Asia, so don’t think jetlag would be an issue. Our interest will be just sightseeing major attractions and trying as much local foods as possible.
Itineraries are based off researches from several travel website, this subreddit and google maps. I do have slight concerns that some of the days might be too overpacked/underpacked. Therefore It will be much appreciated if we can be getting feedbacks/tips from more seasoned Japan travelers.
**Thursday, 9 March (Day 1) Tokyo**
* Arrive in Tokyo 07:30
* Get Portable Wifi, Suica/Pasmo
* Walk around Ginza & Akihabara Area
– Hama Rikyu
– Akihabara Main District
– Ginza Shops/Mall around Hotel
* Check in Hotel in Ginza Area
**Friday, 10 March (Day 2) Tokyo**
* Walk around Tsukiji & Odaiba Area
– Tsukiji Market
– Odaiba Diver City/Aquacity/Decks
– Gundam Statue
– Tokyo Tower
* Teamlab Planets (13:30)
* Stay in Ginza
**Saturday, 11 March (Day 3) Tokyo**
* Walk around Ueno & Asakusa Area
– Ueno Park
– One of the museums in Ueno Park
– Ameyoko
– Sensoji
– Nakamise
– Sumida Park
– Tokyo Skytree
* Stay in Ginza
**Sunday, 12 March (Day 4) Tokyo – Kyoto**
* Check out Ginza Hotel
* Go to Kyoto by Train
* Walk around Kyoto
– Philosophers Path
– Heian Shrine
– Nijo Castle
* Check in Airbnb Kyoto Umekoji Ishibashicho Area
**Monday, 13 March (Day 5) Kyoto**
* Walk around Kyoto
– Kiyomizu Dera
– Higashiyama District
– Gion
– Nishiki Market
– Pontocho
* Stay in Airbnb Kyoto
**Tuesday, 14 March (Day 6) Kyoto**
* Walk around Kyoto
– Arashiyama Bamboo forest
– Monkey Park
– Kinkaku-ji
– Kitano Temangu Shrine
– Temple/shrine around north Kyoto area
* Stay in Airbnb Kyoto
**Wednesday, 15 March (Day 7) Kyoto**
* Walk around Kyoto
– Fushimi Inari
– Tofuku-ji
– Uji
* Stay in Airbnb Kyoto
**Thursday, 16 March (Day 8) Kyoto – Osaka**
* Check Out Airbnb Kyoto
* Go to Osaka by Train
* Get Kansai Thru Pass/Kansai Area JR Pass
* Walk around Osaka
– Osaka Aquarium
– Umeda Area
* Check in Airbnb Osaka near Shin-Osaka station
**Friday, 17 March (Day 9) Osaka**
* Universal Studios Japan (Full Day)
* Namba Area Dotonbori/Amerikamura/Shinbaishi (Dinner)
* Stay in Airbnb Osaka
**Saturday, 18 March (Day 10) Nara**
* Travel to Nara (Day Trip)
– Nara Deer Park Complex
– Todaiji
– Namba Area Dotonbori/Amerikamura/Shinbaishi (Dinner)
* Stay in Airbnb Osaka
**Sunday, 19 March (Day 11) Himeji & Kobe**
* Travel to Himeji (Day Trip)
– Himeji Castle
– Koko-en Garden
– Kobe Beef in Kobe
– Namba Area Dotonbori/Amerikamura/Shinbaishi (Dinner)
* Stay in Airbnb Osaka
**Monday, 20 March (Day 12) Osaka -Hakone**
* Check Out Airbnb Osaka
* Move to Hakone (Odawara) by Train
* Get Hakone Free Pass
* Walk around Hakone
– Odawara Castle
– Owakudani
– Lake Ashinoko
– Hakone Shrine
* Check in Ryokan
**Tuesday, 21 March (Day 13) Hakone**
* Travel to Gotemba
– Gotemba Premium Outlets
– Hakone Open Air Museum
– Gora Park
* Stay in Ryokan
**Wednesday, 22 March (Day 14) Hakone- Yokohama – Tokyo**
* Check out Ryokan
* Move to Yokohama by Train
* Walk around Yokohama
– Chinatown
– Gundam Factory
– Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum
– Cup Noodle Museum Yokohama
* Move to Roppongi
* Check in Hotel in Roppongi
**Thursday, 23 March (Day 15) Tokyo**
* Walk around Harajuku/Shinjuku
– Takeshita Street
– Meiji Jingu
– Yoyogi Park
– Shin Okubo Koreatown
– Golden Gai
– Kabukicho
* Stay in Roppongi
**Friday, 24 March (Day 16) Tokyo**
* Walk around Shibuya/Roppongi
– Shibuya Crossing
– Hachiko
– Cat Street
– Roppongi Hills
* Stay in Roppongi
**Saturday, 25 March (Day 17) Travel Back**
* Check out from Roppongi
* Travel Home at 10:55AM
**Some Questions:**
* Based on my itinerary, I think JR pass 7 or 14 days will not be worth it, I plan to get my intercity trains/shinkansens in the station instead. Can anyone reconfirm or advise otherwise?
* Based on my Osaka Itinerary (Day 8-12), will getting the Kansai Thru pass (3 days) or JR Kansai Area Pass (4 days) be more worth it in my situation.
* For day 11, is it worth it to stop by Kobe just to get Kobe beef. Or better to get it in Tokyo/Osaka instead?
* For day 12 in Hakone, is the itinerary too agressive or doable if assuming I will arrive in Odawara around lunch time?
* For day 15 & 16 in Tokyo, will it be possible to combine the itinerary into 1 whole day or is that too ambitious?
* Any chances Sakura can be seen in Tokyo during late March period?
* Any Good souvenirs or halal food souvenir recommendations for a group of approximately 150 pax. Budget approximately 100-150 yen per pax.
Thanks beforehand!
2 comments
In my opinion the only pass worth getting is JR west Kansai area pass 1 day to Himeji. Just get two Shinkansen tickets and all the rest pay with your IC card.
Hakone free pass is ok as long as you do the full loop.
Are kitkat halal? You can get different flavour in bags at donki, don’t get the one in boxes, they are more expensive by unit and maybe just avoid the different alcohol flavours.
Remember that shops open at 11 so start the Tokyo days with parks, museums, shrines rather than shops.
Days 15 & 16 would be pretty rushed if merged, but you should see Harajuku and Shibuya on the same day as they are next to each other. I would say cat street is closer to Harajuku. You could start the day at Meiji Jingu & Yoyogi before going Harajuku then Shibuya. If you don’t do too much shopping then you should have time to go to Shinjuku in the late afternoon.