Hiya all,
Couple traveller (31M & 25F) from Australia (Indonesian born) looking to visit Japan for the first time after ages only wishing to go there. I’ve tried my best to curate this itinerary over the past month and is welcomed to have more recommendations. Our interest mostly on food, desserts, coffee, sightseeing, with specific me skewed towards anime and everything Japanese culture. Since it is our first time, we would like to visit the mainstream destinations first, then will go deeper on the next visit (hopefully soon to come).
My questions:
1. Is Osaka Amazing pass worth it given that we’re probably going to use it only for Osaka Castle Gozabune Boat Ride and Umeda Sky Observatory? Or in other words, does those two attractions a must visit?
2. Is the itinerary too ambitious?
3. Any recommendations on the food/dessert/cafe/kissaten places?
Osaka (6 – 8 May 2023)
Day 1, 6 May
* Arrive at Narita Airport at 8AM, do the necessities (JR Pass, Suica, Send luggage, pocket wifi, withdraw JPY, Ekiben)
* Take shinkansen to Osaka, ETA arrival and check-in at Hotel Yu-shu at 3PM (should be much quicker, but I think the hotel only accommodates check-in at 3PM), then take a breather
* Go to Izakaya Toyo, enjoy the food
* Explore Shinsekai
Day 2, 7 May
* Osaka Castle 9AM
* Done, go to Umeda Area, explore (Pokemon Center, Umeda Skytree, etc.), lunch here
* Optional Shitennoji (worth it?), or if no visit then longer Namba area
* Dotonbori
Day 3, 8 May
* Universal Studios
Nara (9 May 2023)
Day 4, 9 May
* Check-out, not sure if better to ask to store luggage at Hotel or send it to next Hotel in Kyoto
* Arrived at Nara from Osaka, Nakatanidou
* Kofuku-ji
* Kasuga-taisha
* Shop on Higashimuki shopping street & Mochiidono shopping arcade
* Back to Osaka to pickup luggage, if have some time, eat first then go to Kyoto (Kyoto Takasegawa Villa). Must arrived before 9PM for check-in
Kyoto (10 – 12 May 2023)
Day 5, 10 May
* Fushimi Inari, aim for 7AM
* Enjoy coffee at Vermillion Cafe
* Daigoji
* Eat at Sushi Masa
* Tofukuji
* Nanzenji
* Ginkakuji
* Eat at Hashimoto
* Go back to Hotel, rest
* Pontocho
Day 6, 11 May
* Rent kimono near Kiyomizudera at 9:30AM
* Sanenzaka Ninenzaka, chill at Sbux
* Walk to Yasaka Koshindo, then Kenninji
* Eat at Kamanza
* Kodaiji
* Yasaka Shrine
* Maccha House
* Kiyomizudera
* Jinshu jinja shrine
* Return Kimono
* Explore Gion
* Do some luggage forwarding to next hotel in Tokyo
Day 7, 12 May
* Checkout
* Arashiyama Forest, aim for 7AM
* Tenryuji
* Arabica coffee and chill
* Iwatayama Monkey Park
* Jojakko-ji
* Gio-ji
* Adashino Nenbutsu-ji
* Find lunch (not yet researched, any recommendation?)
* Kinkaku-ji
* Pokemon Center Kyoto
* Ekiben, Leave from Kyoto at 6PM to aim arriving at Hotel Gracery Asakusa at around 9PM
Tokyo (13 – 20 May 2023)
Day 8, 13 May
* Sensoji Temple
* Asakusa Denboin Dori
* Shin Nakamise Street
* Lunch at Tendon Tenya
* Shopping at Kappabashi Dougu Street
* Weeb-ing at Ikebukuro
Day 9, 14 May
* Akihabara
* Lunch (to be decided)
* Free time, potential go to Ginza so can enjoy twice
Day 10, 15 May
* Inokashira Park
* Ghibli Museum
* Go to Shinjuku and explore (BICQLO, DonQ, Kabukicho)
* Leave to SkyTree area
* Kirby Cafe at 6:40PM, explore SkyTree area
* Either find a bar or more explore around area or go home
Day 11, 16 May
* Disneysea
Day 12, 17 May
* Starbucks Reserve near Shibuya area, aim for 7AM
* Walk to Hachiko statue must take photo, and shibuya crossing
* Walk to Meiji Jingu
* Walk to Harajuku Takeshita Street
* Lunch at Sakuratei
* Train to Fujiko F. Fujio museum
* Back to Shibuya, shopping
* Shibuya sky
* Continue explore Shibuya
* Bar (Start bar / BRIDGE / The SG Club)
Day 13, 18 May
* Disneyland
Day 14, 19 May
* Tsukiji Fish Market, aim 7AM
* Ginza, walk around
* Pokemon Cafe
* Pokemon Center
* Teamlab planets
* Unicorn Gundam, then just chill around Odaiba seaside deck
* Vegan Ramen Uzu Teamlab
* Tokyo Tower, doesn’t have to go in, but don’t know anywhere else to go (any rec?)
* Eggs n things for dessert
* Bar in Ginza
Day 15, 20 May
* Checkout, return pocket wifi, go to Narita Airport, depart at 11AM
1 comment
Drop luggage in a locker in Nara instead of returning to Osaka.
Check the price of the attractions and compare to price if the amazing pass.
JR pass not really necessary, will save little to no money.
Akihabara before lunch… stores open at 10-11 am, just do you know.
Roppongi Hills arguably have a better observation deck than Tokyo Tower, but it would also be your third one in Tokyo.