I wanted to share this April 1-10 Japan itinerary in case it’s helpful to anyone. I put many hours into the planning and shared with a few friends who live in Japan to confirm it looks good… hopefully it provides some fun inspiration! Our group is two 25 year-olds plus their young-at-heart parents (56 and 43).
Each day is planned out geographically so you can see a lot but not be criss-crossing all over the city. This isn’t the usual way I like to travel (I much prefer long unstructured trips with plenty of exploring!), but because we have a group of 4 and only a few days in each city, we needed to be very efficient. One note: our group has three very picky, non-adventurous eaters (hence the lack of sushi restaurants). So I’m doing one omakase on my own [🍣](https://emojipedia.org/sushi/)
If there’s anything you think we should add/skip, I’m all ears!
\*Advance reservations are essential for the following: Micro Pig Cafe, Shibuya Sky, Go-Kart (email Monkey Kart [gokartexp@gmail.com](mailto:gokartexp@gmail.com)), Azuki to Kouri, Sakaurai Tea Experience, TeamLab Planets, Hashiri Shimokitazawa, Maikoya Kyoto Tea Ceremony, Sake Tour, Tempura Endo Yasaka, Samurai Sword Cutting Experience, all activities at Hoshinoya Fuji
**Day 1 Tokyo** (arrive in the late afternoon)
Dinner at Omoide Yokocho, drinks at Golden Gai
**Day 2 Tokyo**
Morning: Boat in Chidorigafuchi Moat (cherry blossoms)
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden (also cherry blossoms)
Sweets & snacks at Isetan Shinjuku food hall
Unstructured lunch
Ota Museum (special exhibit “Cats in Ukiyo-e”)
Harajuku District (Micro Pig Cafe, Cat Cafe)
Watch sunset from Shibuya Sky, cross Shibuya Crossing
Maidreamin’ Shibuya (you have to do it at least once lol)
Dinner at Toranomon Yokocho food hall near hotel
**Day 3 Tokyo**
Morning: Go-Kart through Tokyo streets
Shaved ice at Azuki to Kouri
Walk through Meiji Jingu Shrine on the way to ramen
Late lunch at Ichiran Ramen Spain-zaka location
Sakaurai Tea Experience (modern tea ceremony)
Akihabara wandering (Super Potato, Gachapon Kan, M’s Pop Life)
Shop for gifts at 2k540 arts & crafts district
Night cherry blossom festival at Ueno Park
**Day 4 Tokyo**
Morning: TeamLab Planets Exhibit
Lunch at Ginza Six, shopping in Ginza
Itoya stationery store
Afternoon: Yuen Bettai Daita onsen (in suburb of Tokyo)
Evening: Shimokita district, stay overnight at Yuen Bettai
Omakase dinner at Hashiri Shimokitazawa
**Day 5 Tokyo to Kyoto**
Bullet train Tokyo to Kyoto
Late Afternoon: Ryoanji Temple, Kinkaku-ji (Golden Temple) before 5pm closing
Dinner at Okonomiyaki Katsu (yakisoba and okonomiyaki) in neighborhood near temples
**Day 6 Kyoto**
6am hike Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine (2-3 hour hike)
Maikoya Kyoto Tea Ceremony
Nishiki Market lunch
Sake tour
Evening: Gion District
Kodai-ji Temple at night (open till 9:30pm)
**Day 7 Kyoto**
7am Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Explore historic Higashiyama
Lunch at Tempura Endo Yasaka
Dessert at Patisserie Gion Sakai, Tsujiri
Optional: Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavillion), Honen-in Temple, Philosopher’s Path, Nanzen-ji
Tomomi Gelato
Samurai Sword Cutting Experience
Dinner at Chao Chao Gyoza
Wander Pontocho Alley
**Day 8 Kyoto to Mount Fuji**
Early Morning: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Train and car to Hoshinoya Fuji (glamping resort)
Glamping Dinner
**Day 9 Mount Fuji**
Early morning canoe Lake Kawaguchi
Peach Orchard Private Lunch
Jyukai Forest Hike
Glamping Dinner
**Day 10 Mount Fuji to Tokyo**
Morning picnic breakfast with view of Mount Fuji
Train to flight home