Okay, finally my turn to post itinerary check! Been trying to finalize this for weeks. Cut a lot of stuff out to try and keep it reasonable and the days manageable, but maybe it’s still too much. I did use Google Maps to try and group things together. We are used to doing a lot each day; we are not “leisure” travelers at all. We are well seasoned travelers in general, but never been to Japan. Thanks in advance for any input/thoughts!!
Day 1:
* arrive HND at 1:35pm from USA
* exchange JR Rail passes/get all reservation tickets
* load YEN each onto Welcome Suica pass *(can we do this on our iPhones before we go?)*
* friendly airport limousine to hotel (choices are 3:20 or 4:20. *Do you think we could make the 3:20pm one?)*
* check into Hyatt Regency Tokyo
* omoide yokocho for dinner
* Taito station Shinjuku arcade
* Shinjuku Toho building Godzilla head
* sleep early
Day 2: (TOKYO – will be starting early due to probable jetlag)
* breakfast at 7-11 (& withdrawal YEN from ATM)
* Meiji Jingu
* mipig cafe harajuku – **10:30am reservation**
* GachaGacha no Mori Harajuku Alta (gachapon)
* uniqlo harajuku
* yakiniku like shibuya for lunch
* Nintendo tokyo store
* Disney Store (humax pavilion)
* Onitsuka Tiger Shibuya
* Starbucks Shibuya (to see aerial view of Shibuya Crossing)
* Hachiko Statue
* Chiku Chiku cafe – **5:00 reservation**
* Shibuya SKY observation deck for sunset
* Zauo shibuya fishing restaurant for dinner (8:00?)
* Mega Don Quijote Shibuya
Day 3: (TOKYO)
* Kaminarimon Gate / Nakamise-Dori street / Hozomon Gate / Senso-ji Temple
* Sanrio Gift Gate Asakusa
* lunch at Ichiran Asakusa or Kura Sushi
* Akihabara Gachapon Hall
* Mister Donut for a snack?
* Namco Akihabara (4th floor gachapon)
* owl cafe “fukurou” – **3:00 reservation**
* *Kameido Tenjin Shrine Wisteria Frames (ONLY IF WISTERIA IS STILL IN BLOOM – any input on blooming schedule around May 15?)*
* tokyo skytree
* Pokemon center sky tree town
* somewhere close for low key dinner – Pepper Lunch?
Day 4: (KAWAGUCHIKO day trip)
* McDonalds Shinjuku to grab early breakfast
* JR Fuji excursion to Kawaguchiko (arrive by 9:30a)
* Arakura Fuji Sengen Jinja Shrine / Chureito Pagoda overlook
* oshino hakkai village/ponds, eat lunch
* Mt Fuji panoramic ropeway & swings
* take last Train to leave kawaguchiko at 5:36pm
* omoide yokocho again for dinner? or just pick up something from 7-11
Day 5: (TOKYO)
* teamlab planets – **10:00 reservation**
* Tokyo Tower
* lunch at Thai gohan senshu yatai? *(any other good options around tokyo tower?)*
* Marion Crepes for dessert/snack?
* Starbucks Roastery Reserve for drinks/another dessert
* Don Quijote Nakameguro Honten
* Torikizoku Shinjuku for dinner?
Day 6: (KYOTO)
* bullet train at 6am to Kyoto
* kiyomizu-dera temple
* Sanneizaka (Sannenzaka) shopping street
* Seiryu-en garden
* Kyoto Ninenzaka Yasaka Chaya (Starbucks)
* Hokan-ji
* kennin-ji temple
* Nishiki Market for late lunch
* check into ANA Crown Plaza Kyoto
* Shinsen-en Garden
* pontocho area for dinner
* Kamo River Noryo-Yuka path on river
* Shirakawa Lane
* Hanamikoji Street (geisha district)
* Yasaka Shrine lit up at night
Day 7: (KYOTO)
* arashiyama bamboo forest
* Tenryu-Ji Temple/Sogenchi Pond Garden
* TAIYAKI SHOP MATSUKAZE for snack
* Togakushi for lunch?
* monkey park iwatayama
* Sagano Scenic Train – reservation will be last train at 4:02pm
* Rairaitei – Jujo Takeda for dinner
Day 8: (OSAKA day trip)
* 551 Horai inside Osaka station
* Osaka Castle
* lunch at Takoyaki Doraku Wanaka Osaka Castle Park
* Shinsekai/Tsutenkaku
* Namba Yasaka Jinja lion head shrine
* Rikuro’s namba main branch for cheesecake snack *(worth the hype?)*
* Kuromon Ichiba Market
* Shinsaibashi-suji shopping street
* Don Quijote Dotonbori
* Hozenji temple
* Daiki Suisan dotombori or Kura Sushi Dotonbori for dinner
* back to Kyoto
Day 9: (KYOTO>NARA>TOKYO)
* fushimi inari-taisha shrine (early 7:30a)
* take bullet train to Nara
* Nara park
* Todaiji temple
* Mizuya Chaya for late lunch
* mochi at Nakatanidou
* back to Kyoto, take bullet train to Tokyo
* check into Hilton Tokyo Bay
Day 10: (TOKYO)
* DisneySea
Day 11: (TOKYO>depart)
* explore Ikspiara in the morning
* friendly airport limousine departs at 1:24pm to airport
* depart for USA 5:15pm
2 comments
I’m sorry I didn’t read the whole thing yet, but at least for arrival I’d plan on the later time if you have to get a Suica and exchange JR pass at Haneda.
Was just there today and the Suica line took 20 minutes to get through and it’s so simple. The JR pass line was many times longer and slower. I didn’t use it but I couldn’t imagine it taking less than an hour.
If you don’t have to get your Suica right away (for example if you’re taking limo bus) and don’t need to exchange your jr pass THAT day (you can do it later at major train stations) you can save a lot of time by doing it later at other stations. If you don’t mind standing in lines for 2 hours after your flight, after immigration and customs, then do it at the airport.
Day 9: Fushimi Inari to Nara is about 45 minutes, no bullet train. You can take the bullet train from Kyoto to Osaka though.
Depending on timing, you could consider swapping your Nara and Osaka days. When you’re done for the day in Osaka, you could take the bullet train from Osaka all the way back to Tokyo.
Yes you can make your sucia card and load it in your iPhone from outside of Japan and have it ready to go. You might need to use a Mastercard or Amex.