20 days in Japan for First Time, we need help

22 comments

1. Some of these days are very busy. I wouldn’t try to do all those Yokohama things AND go to Hakkejima. Or all those Odaiba things and Joypolis. One of the Osaka days had the aquarium already. Maybe pick one of them? I love Hakkejima but if I could only pick one I’d probably go to Osaka’s.

   I think you had going to Donki on your first very long travel day. It might be better to go once you have some sleep. Donki is a bit chaotic and overwhelming and I can’t imagine enjoying it on little sleep.

   You might be able to move Tokyu Hands from the Shibuya day to the previous arrival in Shinjuku day. There’s a very large Tokyu hands in Shinjuku that’s fun to explore.

2. If you have up to 15 things planned for some days, it’s a good sign that you’re greatly overdoing it to be frank. You are also ignoring travel times, and the spare time needed as part of any trip. You could safely halve your planned activities on most days. 26 April isn’t really doable for instance.

3. Seems like you are focusing on quantity rather than quality. You aren’t going to actually enjoy things if you rush to try to get everything done. Sometimes for the museums, temples, castles, art, nature, and etc you need the extra time to really just soak it in and enjoy it.

4. Wow, that’s some insane itinerary you got there, you are pretty much too over ambitious and did not calculate on the travel durations. It feels like you are just going to the place to snap a pic and go instead of enjoying what it has to offer.

   I can more or less say that half or more locations in the itinerary will be cross off because Japan has a lot of offer, you will get sidetrack before getting to the place you want to visit.

   I suggest to do a route planning using Google Maps so you know the locations and the duration it takes to travel there, then you can slowly cross off the location that is out of the way so that it will be smoother and spend less time on public transport.

   You are going for a vacation, it is suppose to be chill and relaxing, not rushing from one location to another.

   Looks like you will be there when Golden Week hits, a lot of places will be super crowded. Any places that you are planning to visit that requires tickets, best to get them in advance.

5. Kyoto looks a bit rushed but doable. That said, I would cut out some stuff to see Fushimi Inari Taisha, which I think was a lot more memorable and immersive than any of the other shrine/temples I visited in Kyoto.

   Like others have said, you’re Tokyo days are way overstuffed. I averaged about 3 different attractions a day (in both Kyoto and Tokyo) and that was more than enough to get me pretty tired by the evening. (I’m also in my late 20s FWIW.)

   I didn’t go to Osaka so can’t comment, but it still looks like way too much.

6. Throwing a wrench in here to ask, are there any particular anime that either of you especially enjoy? If the anime is set in a particular real life place, a “pilgrimage” there might also be a meaningful experience! (Maybe you’ve already factored that in…)

   I agree with the others; prioritize and slow down! Leave time for missed trains, getting lost, extra exploring if you really like a certain place, etc.

   Enjoy your trip!

7. Sorry mate your days are way too packed! Tokyo is a huge city and can take a lot of time to get around. 29th you’ll be rushing around. Remember your on holiday, relax.

8. Pretty packed itinerary. I’m actually there during the same time period. I only planned Universal, a few dinners, Ghibli Park, Ghibli Museum and Ramen Museum lol. That being said, I’ve been many times before so I’m not really in a rush too.

9. The fushimi inari taisha in kyoto is a must see

10. okay. great ticket deal. first time. soonish. and I like your “not there to party, want to see the main attractions” and you did put in some effort.

    So….

    1st day you arrive in Kyoto. Take it easy like you say. walk around near the hotel.

    2nd day. Arashiyama.
    Get there early. See the bridge, its a bridge. you’ve seen it hooray. If you really need to see the monkeys you will have to cross the bridge anyway.
    See the monkey if you absolutely must.
    Do not miss Tenryuji and its garden. Miss the monkeys but not Tenryuji. Also if you take the normal route, you will exit at the back entrance right in the bamboo forest.
    Scenic Railway. ooohkay. I dont know if you can order tickets online. probably. I dont know how. If you dont, get there even earlier. and buy the tickets for the train and the river cruise. you might be standing in line for an hour or two. then take the train (which is … fine.) and take the boat back. holy moly did the river cruise look like fun. im gonna do that next time im there.
    then see Tenryuji and the bamboo grove. If you have time, see Okocki Sanso Garden.
    If you have even more time right in the bamboo grove walking grounds is Nonomiya-jinja. if you head north you could get to Jojakko-jo (and more) which is nice.
    Kinda depends, if its like 2pm after Sanso Garden, it might be worth to head to Kinkakuji, if its like 4pm, stay in arashiyama and go for the closest option…

    3rd day. Nara.
    You can either spend a full day in Nara, or half a day. A full day will be lots of walking and park for “100%”, but half a day can get you to 85% with less walking. If you want Kasuga-Taisha thats probably a 100% full day, if you stay near the station for Mochi and shopping and just do Kofukuji/Todaiji (you will be walking through the Park, dont worry) half or 2/3rd day may be enough time, which might leave one afternoon for something in Kyoto, like something in Uji (Byoidin)
    Or you can head to a sake brewery in Nara or Fushimi. No no the shrine is just fine, but its a shrine. and a long way to walk. you will be walking more. than. enough. in Japan. Honestly, it may very well be that at around that time the blisters are starting to show and you will not want to walk more than you need to.

    day 4: Gion/Higashiyama
    come early. dont miss Kodaiji

    day 5: osaka
    sounds good. a little light. might be perfect. if you feel like you might be bored, you could use that time to explore Nishiki before heading to Osaka

    So now you are leaving my area of expertise so I cant say much more.

    However, I feel Kinkakuji and Fushimi Inari are two quintessentials experiences in Kyoto that you should try to find a way to fit in. Like hurry in Arashiyama and Nara.
    or skipping something. I am hesitant to suggest skipping the boat ride or the monkeys. maybe its very unique for you. for me its “I can do that here, why go to Kyoto for it”
    You cant skip much in Gion/Higashiyama, its a quintessential day.

    I understand about “not huge temples goers” but honestly, thats where you will find the ooos and aaahs in Kyoto. and the spots for pictures. especially if there is a garden attached.

    so, well that are my incoherent random thoughts. i hope it helps. enjoy Kansai!

    (edit: and I have to add. the way I Imagine it will leave you with a pretty tight but somewhat doable plan for Kyoto. but I can not guarantee it will work out. if you lose a lot of time traveling or buying/eating food, be prepared to not finish the whole days. that being said. if you cant enjoy the whole day just to finish everything its all wasted. so enjoy your time, even if that means “skipping” something)

11. If you have time you should visit Kamakura. If I recall correctly it’s only an hour train ride from Tokyo. It’s a beach town, full of temples and great sites

12. You have like 20 places for shopping on you list (like 109 etc.) do you like shopping? If not: decide what you are looking for and do one designated shopping afternoon or so. Also: would you go see a monkey park in your home country? Do you love monkeys? If not: skip the monkey park 😉

    Definitely go to Nara!

13. I didn’t see Fushimi Inari on your Kyoto list – I would highly recommend as a number one place to go in Kyoto. If you get there a bit earlier or just climb a bit higher it is less crowded.

    I wouldn’t switch your Hakone trip to May 4, even if the weather is better. You don’t want to be in a station out of Tokyo on the first day of golden week. Also, you should book your tickets in advance for everything from April 29-May 7 because many people take the days off to make their golden week stretch longer, so it will be busy anyway during those days.

    You are going to be absolutely exhausted if you stick to this itinerary so even if you keep it I would pick a few items each day that you’re ok with sacrificing. Make sure you have a really good pair of walking shoes and have plotted out your route on Google maps if you’re set on seeing everything in this itinerary.

14. Echoing the sentiments of many posters here, do not miss out Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. Even if you spare 2 hours, should be enough to get a really good feel of the place.

    For Tokyo part, I think you got the day wrong for 30th April. It’s a Sunday, not Saturday. So rest of the days of your week is wrong. Anyway can you postpone your Disney until golden week is over? Like May 8th? Crowds will likely be very crazy if you visit during golden week.

15. My first Tokyo trip was in 2020. My itenerary was a lot like this.

    I saw less than half of it.

    My next trip was last month. I added a few things I missed on the first trip, but I’m still only halfway to seeing what i had listed on that first itenerary.

    Currently planning the third trip (sometime in late 2024) and Odaiba is a must. I also wanna explore Asakusa a bit more.

    the point is, plan on seeing a lot, but you’re not likely going to see it all unless you’re just there for quick photos and then gone.

    Also, your Nakano/Ikebukuro plan is doable, but you’re planning to do that on a Saturday.

    During Golden Week.

    Hope you like crowds.

16. You need to factor in walking time between the places you visit. Look up how long Google Maps says it’ll take and add half an hour or so, as a cushion.

    There’s a Yasaka shrine in Higashiyama, at Shijo-dori, but I’m guessing you want the lion’s head gate. Also, Higashiyama is very hilly, so definitely apply that time cushion here. It takes longer to get around in Kyoto than anywhere else I went on my trip because it’s all buses afaict, and they get pretty crowded (especially at Kyoto Station). Bring lots of change, it’s ¥260 per person per ride.

    There’s a huge ferris wheel not far from Osaka Aquarium, on the north side of Legoland. It offers awesome views of the bay, city, bridges, and mountains. You’ll be able to see a lot during the day, and it’s probably really romantic at night. It’s ¥800 per person and lasts 18 minutes; last admission is at 21:30.

    Golden Gai opens at 9pm, if you go as early as your itinerary implies, nothing will be open. Ditto Omoide Yokocho, IIRC, but that might get busier as people get out of work.

    Meiji Shrine is in Yoyogi Park. Also, Yoyogi Park is huge. Maybe start at the north end and work your way back to Shinjuku? Or roll Meiji Shrine into visiting Ikebukuro, which is northeast of there?

    Ueno Park is big enough and has enough attractions that I’m not sure two days is enough, let alone one. Pick somewhere you want to go in the park. The museum of Western Art was closed for renovations in early February, not sure if it’ll be open by the time you visit. You can do Ueno Zoo in an afternoon, but that’s while moving at a decent place and skipping cafes and gift shops.

    You’ve added a lot of shopping streets to your itinerary. You’ll want to check with your airlines and see what their baggage allowances are. Shipping is really expensive, even if the exchange rate is in your favor. Maybe pack an empty suitcase or duffle bag for carrying your souvenirs home?

    I hope everything goes smoothly and you both have an absolute blast! My husband and I were just there in February for our 10th wedding anniversary and it was amazing even if we didn’t see half the things on our itinerary.

17. One more thing to note, when shopping pay attention to opening times! In theory you could do Ikebukuro and Nakano all in one day, depending on how intense you plan to make both looking for anime tchotchkes. Some of the floors that have “shops” that just a good way to part with your money. (aka the Pokemon card “prize” shops, where you get one of several potential “valuable” prize cards, but it’s unlikely to be the one you actually want.) But I believe Nakano opens at noon, while many shops in Ikebukuro will open between 10 and noon. So you are giving up on 2 potential hours of shopping if you go to Nakano first. (There are of course shops in Ikebukuro that open at noon too, but I want to say Animate and the Pokemon Center and many of the Sunshine 60 shops open at 10.) This is an issue elsewhere in your itinerary as well like your Akihabara day and possibly when you try to visit Shibuya and Harajuku.

    Tokyo Disney and USJ are going to be packed, download the apps ahead of time and know how to get Premier Passes for Disney and look into express passes for USJ, unless you want to either miss the biggest attractions or just spend hours in line. As I type this post it is about 10:30 in the morning in Tokyo and lines at Disney Sea include 110 minutes for Journey, 180 minutes for Soaring, 140 for Toy Story and 100 for Tower of Terror. At DL it’s 130 minutes for Beauty and the Beast, 80 to ride with Baymax, 75 at Space Mountain, 95 at Splash Mountain, and 65 for Big Thunder.

18. 29, wrong order if you ask me. Stores won’t open before 10-11, so start by Meiji-jingu and Yoyogi park. Same for 30, start by Kanda-myojin.

19. There’s a lot you have on every day list. Honestly I would trim your expectations of each day. Pick 2 things that are MUST Do’s and leave the rest to serendipity. Follow the guidelines, of what you have for the day, and if you get to it GREAT, if not, it should not be a big deal.

    IMHO I don’t think you’ve calculated enough for daily travel time, and meandering, gift shopping, etc. Don’t overdue yourself or you may end up regretting your Vacation.
    Teamlabs is amazing, and maybe the best thing you’ll do. Nishiki Market in Kyoto is ALWAYS a great place to explore and eat, Do yourself a.favor and go have sandwiches at the Yamamoto Coffee Shop in Kyoto (several locations), seriously so of the best. Also if you can manage it, Tapas Molecular in Tokyo may be the best meal you would ever have.

    Also, possibly the most important thing is Onsen/Sento. Seriously you need to make time for these EVERY day. Probably the most underrated thing in Japan, and we should have these in America. We’d have a lot less problems if we did.

    Enjoy your vacation, just don’t push too hard. You’ll get your money’s worth without even trying.

20. I strongly recommend you highlight the activities you don’t want to miss and consider everything else optional. This is a very busy itinerary.

    Also, I recommend checking out the Nakano Broadway shopping mall in Tokyo – it’s got amazing anime, games, and music stores, and it’s cheaper than Akihabara (which is also absolutely wonderful. Do both!)

21. With that many days I would strongly suggest to at least make a day trip to Hiroshima. Miyajima is amazing and one of my favorite places on the planet.

    It’s very Kyoto/Osaka/Tokyo centric, which is fine. They’re amazing cities, but Japan has a lot to offer and it’s easy to get around fast.

22. This reads like an episode of that amazing race show .. you’ll literally just be running from place to place..

    I lived in Japan just under 2 years and feel like I barely scratched the surface of things to see and do. (I do enjoy a slower pace though sometimes)