Trip Report: 2 weeks in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka

Trip Report: 2 Weeks in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto

My husband and I (30f) spent 2 weeks in Japan in Feb and stayed in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. See our original itinerary [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/10ljf83/itinerary_check_to_big_3_tokyo_osaka_kyoto_for/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)

**Itinerary summary:**

Day 1: Landed in Haneda with QR screenshots from the Visit Japan site. Picked up our mobile wifi (Sakura wifi) and purchased tickets for the Limousine Bus that took us directly to our hotel in Tokyo (Hilton Tokyo). Suica was already downloaded on our iPhones. We were out of the airport within an hour! Golden Gai for drinks and went to Club Circus for dancing.

Day 2: Shinjuku. Tokyo Met Gov Building, Gyoen Garden, Istean Dept Store, and Kabukicho for drinks.

Day 3: Ginza/Tsukiji. Tsukiji Market, Team Lab Planets, shopped around Ginza.

Day 4: Shibuya/Harajuku. Scramble Square, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Takeshita-Dori, sushi omakase reservation, Shibuya Sky and live music at The Room.

Day 5: Asakusa/Akihabara. Sensoji Temple, Nakamise Dori, Ueno Park, Kappabashi Street, explored Akihabara.

Day 6: Traveled to Kyoto (Nazuna Nijo-ji Ryokan).

Day 7: Downtown Kyoto. Nishiki Market, Teramachi, Nijo Castle and Kyoto Imperial Palace.

Day 8: Arashiyama. Bamboo Grove, Iwatayama Monkey Park, Tenryu-ji Temple, and Gio-ji Moss Garden.

Day 9: Higashiyama. Fushimi Inari, Higashiyama Jisho-ji Temple, Rengeoin Sanjusangendo Temple

Day 10: Gion. Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Ninenzaka, Ishibeoji Alley, and Hanamikoji Alley.

Day 11: Traveled to Osaka (Royal Park Iconic Hotel). Umeda Sky Building.

Day 12: Namba. Kuromon Ichiba Market, Dotonbori, and Doguyasuji shotengai. Late night karaoke.

Day 13: Osaka Aquarium and more Dotonbori.

Day 14: Nara. Yoshikien Gardens, Todai-ji Temple, Kasuga Taisha.

Day 15: Traveled to Haneda from Osaka. Returned mobile wifi in airport mailbox.

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General tips and recommendations:

**Arriving at Haneda**

* Take screenshots of your QR codes from the Visit Japan website. This will expedite your entry into Japan and you don’t need to worry about connecting to the internet if you have the screenshots.
* If you’re staying at a major hotel in Tokyo, check to see if the Limousine Bus stops near (if not directly at) your hotel. It’s inexpensive and you don’t need to take multiple forms of public transit.

**Shopping/Money**

* Getting cash from an ATM is easy since there’s *at least* one convenience stores on every block.
* Shrines/Temples are great places to get rid of your coins if you plan on praying.
* Tax Free shopping applies to totals of at least $50
* Suica on the iPhone wallet was very convenient. I uploaded money as I needed.

**Commuting**

* Check to see if the JR pass will be worth it for your trip. We used the Shinkansen twice in 2 weeks and we didn’t buy them. Purchasing Shinkansen tickets was super easy via the ticket agents and we didn’t have any issues finding 2 seats using the unreserved cars. Don’t worry about buying them ahead of time, they come every few minutes.
* Uber was nice to use a few times. It’s used as a taxi hailing system in Japan, but if you don’t know how to say directions or addresses in Japanese (*especially if you’re tipsy*), I recommend using Uber to plug in your destination. Prices were significantly cheaper than where I live (Seattle).
* Subways can be overwhelming during peak hours, but just follow Google and pay attention to color-coordinating signs. Google Maps will be your best friend!
* If the subway is packed, flip your backpack to the front of you and use the overheard storage for luggage if you can to save space.

**General**

* Even though we only explored 1-2 neighborhoods a day, we still averaged 9 miles of walking a day!
* Using coin laundromats in Japan are super easy to use if you’re staying at hotels and need to wash your clothes. Most have automatic detergent too.
* As expected, convenience stores were AMAZING. We stopped by one at least once a day to stock up on snacks and drinks.
* Getting around Japan with little to no Japanese language skills was easy, but I recommend learning basic polite phrases; how to ask for items and express how many people in your party for dining.
* 99% of public toilets are smart/bidets. I only had to use a squatting toilet a few times in parks.
* I wasn’t expecting things to be closed on Mondays. Double check before you plan on visiting sights these days.

**Food/Drink**

* I’m a HUGE foodie and made it a point to eat as much as I could. I pre-saved options in each neighborhood in Google Maps. Here are some highlights:
* **Tokyo**: Fuunji tsukemen (favorite noodles of the trip), Shin Udon, Nihonbashi Tendon Kaneko, Kanda Matsuya and Sushi Masashi
* **Kyoto**: Wajoryomen Sugari, Kyoto Beer Lab, Yasubei, Katsukura Shijo, Arashiyama Yoshimura, and Rocking Bar ING (Great music and super friendly bartender)
* **Osaka**: Bar Ippuku (Motown/hiphop/R&B our favorite chill bar in Osaka), Okonomiyaki Mizuno, Hakugintei curry, and Kame Sushi Sohoten.
* The most Japanese we used was at restaurants and bars. Learn how to order in Japanese/ask for the check etc. I used Google Translate on menus and ticketing vending machines that were in Japanese only.
* Biggest food disappointment was the expensive fruit. We bought a variety of fruits from Isetan department store and they were all meh. We also bought a $13 slice of melon from a market in Osaka and it was good, but nothing mind-blowing.

We can’t wait to go back and explore more of Japan!