Hello everyone! My fiancée and I (25M/23F) will be visiting Japan for the first time in June. We have done a lot of research however we have some worries about some parts of our trip.
Please don’t hesitate to critique if the days are too relaxed or too overwhelming.
**Questions:**
* Should we attempt USJ on arrival day instead of going on a Sunday? (express pass will be used)
* We will not arrive at Hakone until 1-2 pm. Would we have time to actually do anything before places close? I believe we can fit Ōwakudani, but not sure; also would Hakone free pass still be worth it for just one location?
* Should I switch days 11 and 15 since Ginza is closer to Disney?
* Should we add more to any days, we don’t plan to do much just eat and explore sights except for the theme park days.
**Itinerary overview:**
**June 09 – 12: Osaka**
>*Hotel: Honmachi Area*
Day 1: 06/09
* 9 am Arrival Kansai Airport
* Walk around local areas
* Osaka Castle
* Umeda (umeda sky)
Day 2: 06/10
* Day Trip to Nara
* Visit shrines and deer park
* Dontonbori at night
Day 3: 06/11
* Universal Studios
* Falls on a Sunday (should we switch with day 1 to avoid crowds?)
**June 12-14: Kyoto**
>*Hotel: Nishiki Market Area*
Day 4: 06/12
* (Osaka -> Kyoto)
* Walk around locally
* Nijo Castle,
* Imperial Palace,
* Pontocho Alley
Day 5: 06/13
* Nishiki Market (breakfast)
* Arashiyama
* Bamboo Forest, shrine, train ride, monkey mountain(?)
**June 14-16: Kyoto**
>*Hotel: Park Hyatt Kyoto*
Day 6: 06/14
* Explore Gion
* Kodai-ji Temple
* Yasaka Shrine
* Hanamikoji Street
Day 7: 06/15
* Fushimi Inari (5am?)
* Walk Around
* Ninenzaka
* Sanneizaka
* Kiyomizu-dera
**June 16: Hakone** (should we skip Hakone?)
>*Hotel: Gora Area*
Day 8: 06/16
* (Kyoto -> Hakone)
* Arrival at hotel around 1-2pm
* Owakudani 2-4pm? (is this possible to do)
* ???????? (Not sure what to do during this time)
* Omakase Dinner at 7:30pm
**June 17: Kawaguchiko**
>*Hotel: Ubuya Ryokan*
Day 9: 06/17
* (Hakone -> Gotemba -> Kawaguchiko)
* Walk around lake dinner
* Relax at ryokan rest of day
**June 18-20 : Tokyo**
>*Hotel: Ginza Area*
Day 10: 06/18
* (Kawaguchiko -> Tokyo)
* Arrival in Ginza around 2-3pm
* Walk around Ginza
Day 11: 06/19
* Tsukiji outer-market
* Team Lab Planets
* Walk around Odaiba
* ?????? (not sure what else to do)
**June 20-22 : Tokyo**
>*Hotel: Toranomon Hills Area*
Day 12: 06/20
* Walk Around
* Roppongi (not sure what to see here)
* Harajuku (visit cute areas
* Shibuya (shibuya sky in the evening / scramble crossing)
Day 13: 06/21
* Walk Around
* Ikebukuro (Animate Store)
* Sunshine City (Eat and visit mall)
* Shinjuku (Dinner/Bar?)
**June 22-24 : Tokyo**
>*Hotel: Akihabara Area*
Day 14: 06/22
* Ueno (parks and mall)
* Asakusa (Sensoji temple and izkaya)
* Kanda Myojin Shrine (at night?)
Day 15: 06/23
* Tsukiji Market (breakfast)
* Does it make sense or would breakfast somewhere else be better
* Disney Sea
Day 16: 06/24
* Last-minute shopping around Akihabara
* Check out Hotel by 6pm (late check out room)
* Train or limousine bus to Haneda Airport?
* Flight home at 11pm
2 comments
Wouldn’t suggest moving USJ to the day of your arrival as delays can occur–flight gets moved, immigration takes too long, etc. and IMO a 9am arrival time is already too late for USJ, ideally you want to be at the park before opening time.
Sunday will definitely be busy but doable if you get an express pass and go as early as possible.
Your best option if you really want to make the most out of USJ is to move it to Monday June 12, or better yet, Tuesday June 13. Go early AND get an express pass. It’s possible to make the trip there from Kyoto anyway.
Also would recommend to buy your tickets (and express passes) as early as now because they do run out. Do note though that once you buy them, you can’t change the date or get them refunded. We bought for June 2 just earlier today and the original express passes we wanted to get were already sold out.
I hope you have lots of fun on your trip! I’ll also be in Osaka June 9-12 ^^
Just be aware that June is when rainy season begins so there might some days you need to adjust to do more indoor things! Like miserable rain too, hot and humid and rainy.