First timer – 9 days in Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka

I’ve been stalking this subreddit for months now and am finally going to Japan next month!! Super pumped. I’ve put together an itinerary based on posts in this subreddit, blogs, tiktoks, and instagram reels. I feel like I have a good mix of traditional touristy things to do and some small shops/ restaurants I found online. I’m going to Japan for 9 days with my partner.

I’m looking for itinerary advice and am open to suggestions if I’m missing something worthwhile in the areas I’ll be in or any tips regarding if I could be planning out my days more effectively.

**Day 0**

April 25: Arrival Landing 5:15PM local time. 

\-airport stuff, arrive at airbnb in Shibuya

if time and energy allow:

\-Dinner either from airport: bento box or go to eat in shibuya (option: uobei conveyer belt sushi)

\-Shibuya crossing

**April 26: Day 1 (Tokyo, West Side)**

* Start in Shibuya
* Shibuya crossing (maybe get a view at a starbucks or something)
* Shopping: MEGA Don Quijote, Shibuya 109 (shopping mall w/ japanese fashion), Village Vanguard 
* Meiji shrine + yoyogi park
* Train to Harajuku
* Takeshita dori (famous shopping street)
* Lunch at Gyukatsu (candidate)
* Thrift shopping: Kinji + Yamasihma
* Train to shinjuku
* Omoide Yokocho (piss alley); web of small shops and restaurants
* Shinjuku Golden Gai
* Food options: Uogashi (standing sushi bar) & Okashi (sweets place)
* Gyeon National Garden
* Train back to Shibuya 

**April 27: Day 2 (Tokyo, East Side/ North)**

* Start in Shibuya, take train from Shibuya station to Asakusa station
* Kaminarimon Gate, Nakamise Dori (shopping street), Sensoji Temple, Sumida park (cherry blossom), Tokyo skytree
* Ueno park
* Train to Akihabara
* Super Potato retro shop, HEY: video game arcade, nemurian (soba noodles), GiGO akihabara
* Train to Ikebukuro
* Sunshine City (huge shopping mall, aquarium, etc.), Pokemon Center Mega Tokyo, Muscle girls muscle girls bar
* Train back to Shibuya

**April 28: Day 3 (East Tokyo)**

* Train to Shimbashi station
* Tsukiji Market (closes 3PM), Sushi Katsura, Cafe de l’ambre, Uniqlo Ginza, Muji Ginza, Ginza 6 (shopping mall), Ginza Kagari (ramen), Ginza 456 (free interactive events)
* Train to Toyosu station
* Teamlabs planet tokyo, Toyosu market (candidate, closes at 3)
* We can end day at restaurant in shibuya or go somewhere we haven’t gone yet but planned on it, maybe the japanese bingsu place: Azuki To Kouri
* Train back to Shibuya

if time and energy allow:

* Explore Shimokitazawa, hip vintage and thrift shops

**April 29: Day 4 (Tokyo Day Trip): Enoshima, Kamakura**

* Train to Enoshima (we can also do Kamakura first, open to suggestions)
* Crossing the Enoshima bridge: Enoshima sea candle, Enoshima shrine (cleaning money in the shrines pond), Samuel Cocking Garden (botanical), Iwaya Cave (it’s often closed)
* Take train to Kamakura 
* Great Buddha statue, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine (there’s a road of shops in this area, someone on reddit said worth), Sasuke Inari Shrine, Hokokuji Temple (bamboo forest)
* Get shirasu-don (white fish bowl) at either Kamakura/ Enoshima; food at Komashi-dori street in Kamakura
* If time and energy permit, end day in yokohama
* Minato Mirari (skyscrapper views), Chinatown for dimsum
* Train back to Shibuya

**April 30: Day 5 (Tokyo -> Kyoto)**

* JR from Shibuya→ Kyoto station (put bags in locker or hotel check-in)
* Train/bus to saga-arashiyama station 
* Tenyru-Ji Shrine, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Itayama Monkey Park, Golden Pavilion (Kinkaju-Ji), sesame ice cream near kinkaju-ji
* Food option by hotel: Tomisen

**May 1: Day 6 (Kyoto)**

* Train/ bus to Fushimi Inari Shrine (plan on going early)
* Train/ bus to Nishiki market area
* Nishiki market → Gion (Yasaka shrine)
* Then walk to Sannenzaka (cute street, souvenirs and stuff)/ Sannenzaka slope, Ninnenzaka (Starbucks Coffee – Kyoto Ninenzaka Yasaka Chaya, Hokan-Ji Temple)
* Walk/transport to get to Kyoto Imperial Palace

**May 2: Day 7 (Nara)**

* Take train to Nara 
* Nara deer park, Manyo botanical gardens, kasuga-taisha shrine
* Todai-ji if we want to see another buddhist temple
* Higashimuki shopping street, nakatanidou (tiktok mochi)
* Train back to Kyoto

**May 3: Day 8 (Osaka)**

* Take train to Osaka
* Osaka castle (closes 4:30PM)
* Lunch option: genrokuzushi shinsaibashi (conveyer belt sushi)
* Head to Dontonburi: 
* Takoyaki Wanaka Sennichimae (food option)
* Okonomoyaki Mizuno (food option)
* Dotonbori Glico Sign
* Round1 Stadium (tiktok arcade)
* Kuromon Ichiba Market
* Namba Yasaka Jinja (shrine with open lion mouth)
* Nipponbashi Denden Town (business park: arcade, high-tech, video games)
* Explore Shinsekai (business park, super cute streets)

**May 4: Day 9 (Kyoto→ Tokyo)**

* Train to Tokyo → get to Ota City
* Check-in airbnb
* Bourbon road (this the place for food)
* Omo Furusato Seaside Park (beach)
* Cafe Bonheur (someone said fav cafe in tokyo)
* Ikegami Honmonji Temple
* Hasunuma Onsen

**May 5:** Departure Day, 11 AM local time