I am headed to Japan on Friday. I start in Tokyo and have until the 6th of April there.
I am planning on doing day trips to Chichibu, Kamakura, Hakone and Nikko. Which leaves a day and a half (they day I leave for Kyoto).
On my full day I plan to start in Asakusa – do the Senso-Ji temple, and the Asakusa shrine. Then go through the Nakamise shopping Street.
Then head to Harjuku- go to Meiji shrine, Togo shrine, Yoyogi park and Takeshita Street for lunch with cafe Ron Ron for dessert.
In the afternoon explore Shibuya and Shinjiku.
With Shinjiku Gyoen, Shibuya crossing, Shibuya sky observation deck, hachiko statue. With dinner at the 2D cafe or somewhere on Omoide Yokocho
Start in Ueno Ameyoko area for souviners, Nezu shrine, and then into Ueno park for Kiyomaiza Kannon-do and the Toshogu shrine.
Then head to Tokyo station for lunch on the ramen Street then head to the imperial palace gardens and walk down Chidorihafuchi Ryokudo before heading to Kyoto. (or drop my bags at Tokyo Station first and swab that day around)
One evening after a day trip I was planning on doing Ueno park for the Ueno Sakura festival.
Am I trying to pack too much into a day and a half? Anything anyone would recommend dropping or adding? Or changing order?
7 comments
The first day looks physically impossible, especially if you want to do anything other than travel to each location, snap a photo, and move on. You are wanting to do seven things at opposite ends of central Tokyo before lunch, for instance.
Both days seems near impossible imo unless you are looking to just check in and not actually sightsee – what time is your Kyoto train? I typically assign 1 hour at the sight and 15-30 minutes on both ends of the sight for travel between places.
Same with Nikko – which sights are you looking to see while in that area? You can go to Asakusa/Ueno on the same day (Nikko train departs from asakusa)
First day is pretty grueling. If you truly want to fit everything in, you won’t have much time to actually enjoy stuff. Also, you should allow for some time for things to just happen. You might be in Asakusa and find a cool shop to explore or something. If you’re too rigid with your itinerary, you’ll miss out on the little stuff that just happens.
I’d say definitely do Asakusa. There’s a lot of cool things there to see and explore (food, shopping, etc). Then pick either your Harajuku itinerary or the Shibuya/Shinjuku one. Personally, I’d do Harajuku with Meiji Shrine. Then afterwards if there is still a little time, maybe go to Shibuya. But that’s only if I’m not totally wiped out after Harajuku. Also, Kyushu Jankara Ramen in Harajuku is pretty good.
Good luck and have fun!
The entire trip seems almost like an impossibility to me. Why take 4 day trips on trip that’s only 5 days long? I don’t think speed run is the way to see Japan.
We’re in Japan right now. We had almost 3 days for your proposed itinerary in Tokyo. I would cancel one or maybe two of your day trips – Tokyo has so much to offer and we have another 3 days there later on in our trip to catch the things we missed. We did Hakone and it was great but rainy weather meant we missed Mt Fuji – I would have preferred another day in Tokyo compared to rainy Hakone.
One and half days is tight.
I would go east or west and hit up a chunk.
It also depends what is most important for you.
If I were to choose one day only, I would do west side: Shinjuku, Harujuku, Shibuya. They are all close to each other where you don’t waste time commuting, since you don’t have very much time.
The other half day, you could do a bit of the east side, Ueno/Asakusa, but that’s about it.
I find Japan doesn’t really open up until 10-11am, so if you’re up for an early adventure to get an activity out of the way, head to Tsukiji!
Hakone is a crap day trip. I’d drop it.
After Kamakura and Nikko you might be shrined-out. And then you’re going to Kyoto.
Do you really like shrines, temples, and gardens thaaaaat much? There’s so much the country offers that aren’t those things.