**Introduction**
Hello everyone! I’m a 27M and I will be solo travelling from 6 May to 23 May to Japan. It’ll be my first trip overseas as well.
Things I would enjoy are sight seeing, hiking, I’ll also be taking Instagram selfies with a tripod and food.
**Accommodations:**
1. KYOTO: 6 May – 15 May -> A Hostel near Kyoto station (Should I split Accoms into Osaka?)
2. TOKYO: 15 May – 23 May. A Hostel near Shinjuku
**Pre-Trip Prep:**
No JR pass, 1 Sui Card and 1 Pocket Wifi
**Day 1 (6 May, Sat) Arrival Tokyo to Kyoto:**
* Arrive at 3pm, head from Narita Airport to Kyoto Station, and book in for Accom, explore the area.
**Day 2 (7 May, Sat) Kyoto Inari Shrine Day:**
* Inari Shrine (5am selfie)
* Nishiki Market
* Take a walk at Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka (Selfie place)
* Lunch and Coffee at Kyoto Tatami Starbucks
* Higashi Hongaji Temple
* Daigoji Temple
* Kyoto Station for dinner (6pm)
* Kodajii Lights Up (Read that it might be closed)
**Day 3 (8 May, Mon) Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Day:**
* Arashiyama Bamboo Forest (6am selfie)
* Kinkakuji Temple (Skippable)
* Restaurant Arashimaya Lunch (12pm)
* Sagano Romantic Train (2pm)
* Hozugawa River Course (3pm)
* Monkey Park (4pm)
**Day 4 (9 May, Tues) Nara:**
* Sarusawa Pond & Mochi (9am)
* Nara Park (selfie with deer)
* Mochiidono Shopping (1pm, lunch)
* Kofukuji
* Nara Cultural Center
* Todaiiji (mass deer)
* Nigatsu-Do (6pm)
* Mt Wakakusa at sun set and night.
**Day 5 (10 May, Wed) Kyoto – Kiyomizu Dera:**
* Visit Kiyomizu-Dera (7am)
* Chill at Kyoto Tatami Starbucks, Lunch
* Yasaka Shrine and Maruyama Park (Come back again at night for lighted lanterns)
* Ginkakuji and Philosopher’s Path (Closes at 5pm)
* Rent bike and ride around the area.
**Day 6 (11 May, Thurs) Osaka/Himeji:**
* Leave Kyoto and head to Shinkansen at 8am
* Arrive at Himeji (10am),
* Koko-en Garden Castle
* Himeji Flower Road + Himeji Station (lunch)
* Leave Himeji at 3pm and arrive back at Osaka at 5pm
* Dotonbori for Dinner (6pm)
* Tsutenkaku tower to take Selfie both at the day and night time, and go up to the top.
**Day 7 (12 May, Friday) Osaka Castle Day:**
* Osaka Castle (8am)
* Explore Kita Uemada (lunch)
* Uemeda Sky Building
* Ohatsu Tenjin Shrine
* Dotonbori (Dinner)
* Hozenji Yokocho into Hozenji Temple
* Dotonbori River Cruise
**DAY 8 (13 May, Saturday) Osaka, Unsure Day, (suggestions appreciated!) :):**
* Climb Odaigahara, transport is long and troublesome though, might reconsider and then visit Solaniwa Onsen, Onsen might be packed on a Sat, so might shift that out? Maybe Miyajima Island instead?
**Day 9 (14 May, Sunday) Osaka City Exploration:**
* Shitennoji Temple
* Shinsekai (Lunch)
* Harukas 300 (Dinner)
* Teamlab Botanical Garden (night)
**Day 10 (15 May, Monday) Return to Tokyo:**
* Leave Osaka and reach Tokyo
* Visit the Yotsuya Stairs
* Visit the Gotokuji Temple (Cat Temple)
* Metropolitan Building – See the city from above
* Takano Fruit Parlor (Shinjuku) at night
**Day 11 (16 May, Tuesday) Tokyo (Shibuya):**
* Starbucks Reserve Roastery (8am)
* Shibuya Crossing
* Nintendo Store and Pokemon Store
* Miyashita Park (Selfie) (12 pm after lunch)
* Shibuya Sky (Selfie and Sunset) (6-7pm)
* Harajuku or Akihabara (night)
**Day 12 (17 May, Wednesday) Tokyo Tower:**
* Meiji Shrine & Yoyogi Park at 8am
* RED Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Tower
* Zozoji Temple and Shiba park
* Roppongi (Lunch) at 12 am
* Roppongi Hills Observation Deck
* Roppongi Hills Trees
* Harajuku (night) (Dinner, Happy pancake) at 6pm
**Day 13 – (18 May, Thursday) Tokyo (Lake Kawaguchi-Ko):**
* Arakurayama Sengen Park & Pagoda
* Oshino Hakkai (Lunch)
* Kawaguchiko Station
* Yagizaki Park (Skippable)
* Lake Sai Iyashinosato Ancient Japanese Village
* Panaromic Ropeway
* Go back to Tokyo and take some night selfies
**Day 14 – (19 May, Friday) Tokyo (Asakusa):**
* Sensoji Temple at 7am
* Nakamise Shopping Street at 9pm
* Lunch at Ippudo at 12 am
* Sumida River
* Ueno Park
* Hachikuma Cafe for dinner at 6pm
**Day 15 – (20 May, Saturday) Tokyo (Kamakura and Enoshima) (Might need some help here as well):**
* Reach Kamakura (9am)
* Hase Station Take Selfie
* Circus Stand Cafe (11am)
* Sea Candle Observation Deck
* Iawaya Caves
**Day 16 – (21 May, Sunday) Tokyo (Hakone or Yokohama):**
**Day 17- (22 May, Monday) Tokyo (Free Day, maybe Ikebukuro or Akihabara):**
* Visit mini Inari Shrine and Observation deck
* Seibu Rooftop Park (Ikebukuro) selfie spot
**Day 18 – (23 May, Tuesday) Tokyo:**
* Return to Narita airport.
**Questions:**
1. what activities are there at night for a solo traveller? am not interested in drinking at a bar, more interested in waking in parks, shopping and stargazing and finding spots with not much people to take photos.
2. I’m also hoping to be able to climb a mountain or visit Miyajima island if I can fit it into the itinerary.
3. Should I sacrifice 1 day and move over and stay over in Osaka for some time, since my itinerary is mostly in Kyoto.
4. Any days that “doesn’t seem worth it” or can be improved and better?
5. Any places at night with not much people for me to take vintage street photos
2 comments
I would split the stay between Kyoto and Osaka. I prefer the area around Kawaramachi, Gion, Sanjo in Kyoto, more interesting than around Kyoto station. Changing hotel should not require to sacrifice a day, you can drop your luggage in a coin locker and pick it at the end of the day.
I would also do Himeji as a day trip from Osaka using the JR west Kansai area pass. You will not be able to use the Shinkansen so it will be a bit longer but much cheaper. If you do Miyajima, then you would want to use the Hiroshima area pass.
For a hike, I would suggest mount Katsuragi in Nara prefecture, not too far from Osaka, not too hard and possibly a nice surprise on top.
Hey, your day 2 and 5 have some repeated area and some outlying ones.
Day 3: Kinkakuji is not in Arashiyama. Hozugawa River Boat Tour takes 2 hours and Monkey Park closes at 4pm.
I suggest you plot every place you want to go on google map to get a better sense on where things are and do the ones in close proximity on the same day. And yes, get a hotel for Osaka, it’s cheaper than Kyoto anyway