Hi all,
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I’m a first time Japan traveler in my mid-30s, going to have my Lost In Translation moment/mid-life evaluation journey.
Notes about me:
* I am vegetarian (I don’t eat fish, etc) – will use HappyCow to identify vegan/vegetarian restaurants, but would obviously appreciate any guidance on specific delicacies that would be worth experiencing given my dietary restrictions.
* Not a huge foodie in general, I really am looking to just walk around and explore, maybe do a small amount of shopping. My focus is on the sights and experiences.
* Looking for any recommendations on museums or art galleries
**Would appreciate any advice on my planned itinerary here, and if:**
* would it be advisable to purchase a JR rail pass given my itinerary?
* any recommendations for museums/art galleries that stood out to you?
* am I not trying to jam enough stuff in? 🙂
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Day 1 – Tokyo
* land at 3pm
* stay at Park Hyatt (4 nights)
* get some food and have a drink at NYC bar, not sure I’ll have time for much else
Day 2 – Tokyo (Shibuya)
* Shibuya Sky, Scramble, etc
* Capcom store, random shopping
* Shibuya Swing jazz bar
Day 3 – Tokyo (Ginza +)
* Grand Seiko museum
* shopping/exploration in Ginza
* will meet up with a friend who lives in Japan and maybe hit Goldengai/night out
Day 4 – Tokyo
* Akhibara
* Exploration and checking out vintage/funky stores
Day 5 – Kyoto
* stay at [https://kyoto-takasegawabettei.com/en/room/](https://kyoto-takasegawabettei.com/en/room/) \- Machiya/Ryokan style (3 nights)
* Bamboo forest
* Fushimi Inari
Day 6 – Kyoto
* Himeji castle daytrip
Day 7 – Kyoto
* Exploration
* Yamazaki distillery (if I can get tickets!)
Day 8 – Osaka
* watch Sumo tournament (tickets purchased)
* Osaka backstreet nightlife tour (tasteosaka.com)
Day 9 – Osaka
* Explore
Day 10 – Hiroshima
* Stay overnight
* Peace memorial, museum all the
Day 11 – Tokyo
* Kabuki-cho
Day 12 – Tokyo
* Harajuku
Day 13 – Tokyo
* Sumida River cruise
* maybe see the giant Gundam
Day 14 – Tokyo/Flight home
1 comment
Your Day 5
Fushimi Inari will take about half a day, depends on how fast is your speed.
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Bamboo forest you can put in Daihikaku Senjoki Temple, which is beside the Monkey mountain entrance, a less known path along the Katsura River. I personally like the walk. You can enjoy the river and the serenity of it. Monkey mountain also offer a breathtaking view of the city and you get to feed the monkeys too. Will probably take a huge chunk of time there.