I’m thankful for the great reddit community that is Japantravel and decided to do the golden route (Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka) in late-May/earlier June. Knowing that I’m very sensory sensitive especially to noise and in the past, experienced autistic meltdowns after being exhausted spending a whole day getting around an urban city that’s no where as busy as tokyo, I’m not sure if I should consider adjusting my itinerary. I’ve also noticed, I’ve done better in a smaller city like Porto or maybe river city like Venice where the AirBNB was closer to the tourist attractions allowing me to go back and rest and calm down.
1) Although several nights in Tokyo appears popular, I’m wondering if 6 nights maybe too much for me in a loud noisy city, or should I consider that if I’m taking the train after 10 am, I have less time to go around places
2) In additional cutting short Tokyo by 1-2 nights, I’m reconsidering Kinosaki Onsen, and possibly reducing Kyoto/Osaka from 6 to 5 nights.
3) With that in mind, I’m open to suggestions how I could potentially spend the few extra days (maybe bullet train to spend 2 days in Kanazawa/Takayama, or somewhere else)
Or maybe keep my current itinerary (Tokyo – 6 nights, Kyoto – 3 nights, kinosaki onsen – 1 night, Osaka – 3 nights)
**Planned itinerary**
Day 0
Fly to Tokyo
Day 1 (Tokyo)
\- Arrive in Tokyo, check into hotel in Akasaka area.
\- In evening, hang out in Shibuya ?
Day 2 (Toyko)
\- Go to Asakura Area
\- See Tokyo Sky Tree, Senji-Temple, Kaminari-mon Gate, Ueno Park, Ueno Zoo,
\- DDR Centre, Akihabara,
Day 3 (Toyko)
\- Go to southern Toyko
\- Check out Odaiba – team labs, toyasu market, yumeno ohashi bridge, toyko tower, Tokyo tower, Hamarikyu Gardens, Gundam
Day 4 (Tokyo)
\- Shinjuku Area
\- Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Sanrio Puroland, Gotokuji Temple, Megura River,
\- Evening Golden Gai, Omoie okocho
Day 5 (Tokyo – day trip)
\- Day trip (either Mount Fuji, Lake Yamanakako, or Ashikaga Flower Park)
Day 6 (Tokyo)
\- Spend the last day maybe checking out Toyko Station (Imperial Palace, monzen Nakacho, revisit Shibuya area), more of a free day I guess
Day 7 (Tokyo – Kyoto)
\- After morning rush hour, take the train to Kyoto
\- Stay near Teramachi area, hang out and check out the Gion Kyoto area (hanamijoki, yasaka shrine, marayama park)
Day 8 (Kyoto)
\- Visit Arashiyama Bamboo, Tenrju-ji template, Monkey Park, Kinkakuji, Sagano Scenic railway
Day 9 (Kyoto)
\- Maybe visit Fushimi Inari park, rest of Gion-Kyoto such as Kiyomizudera Template, Ichinen Zaka Street
\- Hang out for the evening around Nishiki Market
Day 10 (Kyoto – kinosaki Onsen)
\- Head over to kinosaki Onsen, relax and a bit
Day 11 (Kinosaki Onsen – Osaka)
\- Enjoy the morning close by then in afternoon then head over to Osaka
\- Stay near namba area, depending on time, probably go spend evening in Shinsekai
Day 12 (Osaka Day trip to nara)
\- Go to Nara Park in the morning,
\- Afternoon, evening, go hang out Umeda building and Dotonbori
Day 13 (Osaka Day trip – Kobe-Kurashiki)
\- Not sure about this one, maybe visit Kobe or Kurashiki)
\- Probably hang out in Dotonburi again at night
Day 14 (Osaka – flight)
\- Take flight to Taiwan