Hihi! My friend and I (both women) are going to Japan from May 5 to May 17 and wanted to drop our itinerary here for advice before booking our accommodations! This was a spontaneous trip and originally consisted of a Korea week at the end, which is why we go to Fukuoka, but we scrapped that part and decided that we wanted to go the length anyway. Only really the flights are booked at the moment, as well as a flexible reservation at the Hakone ryokan. We want to mainly use this trip to adventure and sightsee, do some pilgrimages, and try lots of food! Our budget is more or less unrestricted (within reason).
We’re both really into anime and video games but want to explore more of the country. I know enough Japanese to hold my own in conversations so hopefully we’ll be okay navigating! We’ll probably get a Sim card as well as pocket wifi to be safe. We’d like to ask for recommendations anywhere along our itinerary as well as any input on our existing list of destinations (or location-specific food!).
# – May 5-10: Tokyo
Land at Narita at 5PM! We use some time to get the Pasmo passport with the Greater Tokyo Pass, as well as our round-trip tickets for the Keisei Skyliner into town. From here until the morning of May 10, we’ll try to knock these (and their surroundings) off the list:
– Shinjuku Nichome (queer district)
РPok̩mon Center Mega Tokyo
– Kabukicho, because I’m a Like a Dragon fan and would die for Kiryu
– Square Enix Cafe
– Eorzea Cafe Akihabara on May 8! We love FFXIV 😀
– teamLab Planets maybe
– Flower Miffy Sunshine City Alpa Shop
– Asakusa and the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center
– Aoyama Flower Market Tea House Akasaka Biz Tower
– Find Royce Chocolate, like at the airport or at a popup shop or something
– Ashikaga Flower Park if it works in our schedule! If not maybe trying another flower park closer to the city
At some point we’ll pick up our one-week JR pass and Hakone will be our first stop on the 10th.
#- May 10: Hakone
Off to Hakone in the morning on the JR lines! Need to check when we can drop our bags off, but we’re staying at Hakone Airu for the night!
– Amazake Tea House
– Hakone Shrine
– Owakudani
On the 11th, we take a morning trip to Kyoto on the Shinkansen.
#- May 11-13: Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe?
The next few days is also mostly sightseeing and might have some day trips to Osaka (and Kobe, for beef? Really need advice on that part):
– try the dress up in kimonos thing around Kyoto!
– Miffy Sakura Kitchen
– SNOOPY CHA-Ya
– Mitarashi dango, if it’s somewhere
– Dotonbori
– Eorzea Cafe Osaka
– teamLab Nagai Botanical Garden
and as for the traditional/historical landmarks:
– Gion
– Pontocho Park
– Kyoto Ryozen Gokoku-jinja Shrine
– Teradaya (maybe)
I wanted to try and see if we could visit Omiya, the deathplace of Sakamoto Ryoma (because I recently played Like a Dragon: Ishin!) but it looks like it doesn’t exist anymore! :c We’re also down for really high quality Japanese beef, but are still looking around for places to go.
Leaving in the evening to Hiroshima!
#- May 13-15: Hiroshima
Staying two nights! Mostly a world history destination.
– Okonomiyaki NAGATA-YA
– Miyajima Island
– Peace Museum
– Genbaku Dome
– Peace Park
– World Heritage Sea Route Embarkation Point
#- May 15-May 16: Fukuoka
Leaving in the morning for Fukuoka! Just one night for exploring!
– Hakata-style ramen
– Dazaifu Tenmangu
Waking up early on the 16th to take a flight back to Tokyo!
#- May 16-17: Tokyo
One last night to wrap up any loose ends and adventure a little more before we leave from Narita on the 17th! We use the second part of the roundtrip Keisei Skyliner pass to get back.
Thank you so much for reading, friends! We’re still doing our own research and booking things but would love input on our plans!
2 comments
Hi! I actually just returned from my honeymoon in Japan. We did Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and a day trip to Hakone.
Itinerary wise looks great, just a few things I’d recommend:
1- don’t get a Pasmo card, get a Icoca Card. They work exactly the same way however I think refunds on the Icoca are more difficult. I only recommend it because the Pasmo card DID NOT WORK when we left Tokyo. However, the IC card works everywhere INCLUDING Tokyo. So just save yourself time instead of having two cards like us. Double check the refund policy (I plan to go back next year so I didn’t care) but if anything add little money at a time.
2- definitely make food reservations in advance. I know you’re looking for recommendations where- honestly I’d go off of reviews and whichever restaurant lets you book online. We had sightseeing planned out but not food and unfortunately we were unable to eat Kobe anywhere.
3-reservatopns are also required for the Final Fantasy cafes, teamlabs Tokyo (I personally didn’t get to go Tonyo but didn’t like the Osaka one) and probably other things on your list. I am more of a go with the wind traveler- pick a direction and figure it out there. But if it’s something really on your list like Studio Ghibli was for me, you gotta try to get tickets in advance.
4- the trip to Owakudani was beautiful and the stop right before you get off for the ropeway there’s a stop for the Ppen Air Museum. Didn’t get to go but looks cool – in case that’s something you wanted to check out but everything closes at 5 and they stop selling the eggs at 4 so get there early.
I hope this helps!
Too rush…