I originally visited Japan in May 2017. It was absolutely incredible, and I’ve thought about it ever since. After nearly six years, I’ve decided that I finally want to go back this fall but need help finalizing my itinerary before booking my flights.
The first time I visited Japan I was in Tokyo, Kamakura, Hakone, Kyoto, Arashiyama, Osaka, and Hiroshima. This time I plan to see Tokyo, Kamakura, Mt. Fuji, Hakone, Kyoto, Arashiyama, Nara, and Osaka. I realize that’s really similar to my first trip and while there’s certainly things I want to see again there’s a lot of new things in the same cities that I’d like to see as well. I’m still open to adding maybe one more place near Osaka or Tokyo before finally flying back home.
Any and all feedback is welcome! I would love to hear your thoughts.
# Summary:
​
|Day|Date|From|To|
|:-|:-|:-|:-|
|1|11/16|DC||
|2|11/17||Tokyo|
|3|11/18|Tokyo||
|4|11/19|Tokyo||
|5|11/20|Tokyo|Kamakura|
|6|11/21|Tokyo||
|7|11/22|Tokyo|Mt. Fuji|
|8|11/23|Mt. Fuji|Hakone|
|9|11/24|Hakone|Kyoto|
|10|11/25|Kyoto||
|11|11/26|Kyoto||
|12|11/27|Kyoto|Arashiyama|
|13|11/28|Kyoto|Nara|
|14|11/29|Kyoto||
|15|11/30|Kyoto|Osaka|
|16|12/1|Osaka||
|17|12/2|Osaka|Tokyo|
|18|12/3|Tokyo|DC|
​
# Detailed day-by-day itinerary (supplemented with Google Sheets version [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vR0pAN-n0Bg_OCI4NBiAmMopLa6CnS8PQBPtmk_uv6lHoD8S07Hwg1d6YHmDAsONkkO5QV7uWL1U-JK/pubhtml?gid=0&single=true)):
**Legend:**
🍁 denotes key point of interest and likely spot for seeing fall foliage.
🍵 denotes possible food/drink options (but mostly cool cafes I’d like to visit).
Other emojis are used to highlight other points of interest or activities.
**Day 1 (11/16) – DC > Tokyo**
Leave for Japan.
**Day 2 (11/17) – Tokyo**
Arrive at Haneda Airport. Take limousine bus to hotel in Shibuya. Rest.
**Day 3 (11/18) – Tokyo**
🍁 Gotokuji Temple, 🍁 Otaguro Park; **Shinjuku**: Cross Shinjuku Vision (3D Yayoi Kusama billboard), Yodobashi Camera, Suga Jinja (Kimi No Na Wa location); **Shibuya**: Shibuya Crossing (Panda 3D billboard), Shibuya Sky (¥1,800)
🍵 Food/Drink Options: Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory, Café Kitsuné Shibuya
**Day 4 (11/19) – Tokyo**
**Aoyama**: Nezu Museum (¥1,500), Spiral; **Roppongi**: The National Art Center; **Omotesando**: Louis Vuitton Omotesando Store (Yayoi Kusama Robot)); **Daikanyama**: 🍁[Kyu Asakura House](https://whenin.tokyo/Kyu-Asakura-House-Daikanyama), T-Site Daikanyama
🍵 Food/Drink Options: Café Kitsuné Aoyama
**Day 5 (11/20) – Tokyo > Kamakura**
Kamakurakōkōmae Station, Hokokuji Temple (¥300), Meigetsu-in Temple (¥500), Komachi-dori Street
🍵 Food/Drink Options: [Cafe Yoridokoro](https://yoridocoro.com/), Tomoya Kamakurakomachi
**Day 6 (11/21) – Tokyo**
**Ryogoku**: Sumida Hokusai Museum (¥400); **Asakusa**: Sensō-ji; **Ginza**: Maison Hermès (Renzo Piano Building), Tokyo International Forum; **Harajuku**: Takeshita Street, Tokyu Plaza; **Yoyogi**: Yoyogi Park
🍵 Food/Drink Options: Asakusa Unana, [Chacha Futatsume](https://www.spot.ph/eatdrink/the-latest-eat-drink/104087/chacha-futatsume-matcha-mont-blanc-ice-cream-japan-a3284-20230318), Naruto Taiyaki, noncaron TOKYO GINZA
**Day 7 (11/22) – Tokyo > Mt. Fuji**
**Fujikawaguchiko**: [Oishi Park, 🍁 Momiji Tunnel, 🍁 Maple Corridor, Kawaguchiko Tenjozan Park via Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway (¥900 roundtrip)](http://www.arielland.com/2022/11/mt-fuji-in-peak-autumn-kawaguchiko.html), LAWSON Kawaguchikoeki-mae; **Fujiyoshida**: Chureito Pagoda, Kawaguchi Asama Shrine, Honcho Street
🍵 Food/Drink Options: TBD
**Day 8 (11/23) – Mt. Fuji > Hakone**
Heiwa no Torii; and then possible shiatsu (massage) at onsen (¥9,350)
🍵 Food/Drink Options: [Bakery & Table Hakone](https://www.bthjapan.com/hakone.php)
**Day 9 (11/24) – Hakone > Kyoto**
Sannen-Zaka Path (Yasaka Pagoda/[Hōkan-ji](https://goo.gl/maps/mquhDPDLiMFY2bBf7) Temple iconic view) and Kiyomizu‑dera Temple at sunset
🍵 Food/Drink Options: % ARABICA Kyoto Higashiyama
**Day 10 (11/25) – Kyoto**
🍁 [Rurikō-in Temple](https://rurikoin.komyoji.com/lp/en/) (¥2,000, 2 hour wait), 🍁 [Enkō-ji Temple](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3969.html) (¥500), Shisen-dō (¥500), Kennin-ji (¥600)
🍵 Food/Drink Options: TBD
**Day 11 (11/26) – Kyoto**
Okazaki-jinja Shrine, Tairyu Sanso, Eikan-dō (Zenrin-ji) Temple (¥1,000), 🥷[Kyoto Samurai Experience](http://waraku-kyoto.com/en/) (¥15,000)
🍵 Food/Drink Options: [Kumonocha](https://www.kumonocha.com/), Café Kitsuné Kyoto ShinPuhKan
**Day 12 (11/27) – Kyoto > Arashiyama**
Sagano Bamboo Grove, 🍁[Somekobo Yumeyusai](https://yusai.kyoto/en/), 🍁[Jojakko-ji Temple](https://jojakko-ji.or.jp/about/), Hozugawa River
🍵 Food/Drink Options: % ARABICA Kyoto Arashiyama
**Day 13 (11/28) – Kyoto > Nara**
Todai-ji Temple (¥600), Nara Park, Yoshikien Garden
🍵 Food/Drink Options: Archaique (pastry shop), Mizuya Chaya (teahouse), [Nakatanidou](http://www.nakatanidou.jp/) (mochi shop)
**Day 14 (11/29) – Kyoto**
Sannen-Zaka Path (Yasaka Pagoda/Hōkan-ji Temple iconic view) at sunrise, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kano River
🍵 Food/Drink Options: [Inari Saryo](http://tsubakido.kyoto/inarisaryo/)
**Day 15 (11/30) – Kyoto > Osaka**
Osaka Station, Amerikamura, Shinsekai, Dotonbori, Umeda Sky Building (¥1,500)
**Day 16 (12/1) – Osaka**
[Nintendo World](https://super-nintendo-world.usj.co.jp/en/us/about)
🍵 Food/Drink Options: TBD
**Day 17 (12/2) – Osaka > Tokyo**
**Osaka**: Namba Yasaka Jinja; **Tokyo**: 🗼[Tokyo Tower](https://apicturesquelife.com/2020/07/13/the-best-locations-for-photos-of-tokyo-tower/)
🍵 Food/Drink Options: TBD
**Day 18 (12/3) – Tokyo > DC**
Leave Japan [😭](https://emojipedia.org/loudly-crying-face/)
**Questions:**
1. Is there anything you would change?
2. Is there anything I’m missing that you would consider adding?
3. Should I try to visit another city before returning to Tokyo? The fact that places like Kobe, Okayama, and even Hiroshima are so close to Osaka makes it tempting to extend the trip just a bit longer before returning to Tokyo.
4. Alternatively, should I try to add another day or two to Tokyo? Spending more time in Tokyo or even taking a day trip to Nikko would be cool before finally flying back home.
If you made it all the way to the end, thank you! I would love to hear your thoughts. This trip has been a long time in the works so I really want to do it right and plan and prepare as best I can.
2 comments
We are going to Japan at the same time 🙂
You mentioned going to Kiyomizudera at sunset, I’m not sure if you knew but November 18 – 30 will be the nighttime illuminations event, so you might spend a lot of time there. [https://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/en/visit/special_night_viewing/](https://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/en/visit/special_night_viewing/)
Looks like you’re planning to go on a Friday. I’ve heard weekends are particularly busy because of the illuminations, so I’m going to go on a Monday and hope that it’s a little quieter.
From the look of your itinerary I think we have quite similar tastes, so thought I’d suggest the Nagiso-Tsumago-Magome hike as a day trip from Kyoto: [https://afuncouple.com/nakasendo-way-hiking-guide-japan/](https://afuncouple.com/nakasendo-way-hiking-guide-japan/)
On my own itinerary, I don’t have time for Nara as I’ve opted to do the hike instead. If I’d had an extra day I’d have done Nara too!
Bakery and Tables in hakone will require reservation to get a seat. We try to walk in but it was a no go. We ate lunch across the street at a karage cafe. We went during February for two weeks. In also from DC.