Itinerary Check: 7/4-7/17 > Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo

Hello! My boyfriend (31M) and I (32F) will be traveling to Japan for the first time, and we are incredibly excited! We love food and history and are also looking forward to being immersed in Japanese culture. Any feedback and tips/advice would be greatly appreciated! Flights & hotels are booked, but all others (sights, restaurants) are not, so I am open to new recommendations for those! I have a few general questions as well.

**QUESTIONS**

1. We plan on visiting lots of temples and shrines and would love to learn more about each place we visit. Any guide books/audio guides you’d recommend?
2. How does luggage transfer between hotels work? Does every hotel offer this service, or should I be looking into third party services? Are they generally reliable? Any horror stories? If I bring any electronics, should I be keeping them in my daybags?

**Tue. 7/4: Arrive in Tokyo**

* Arrive @ Narita (\~8PM)
* Hotel in Shinjuku
* Perhaps grab a late night meal (Ichiran Shinjuku?)

**Wed. 7/5: Shinjuku & Shibuya**

* Lunch @ Udon Shin
* Meiji Jingu (buy goshuincho)
* Harujuku (crepe/other dessert for snack–open to specific recs!)
* Shibuya Crossing & Shibuya Sky
* Dinner @ Butagumi

**Thu. 7/6: Ghibli & Akihabara**

* Ghibli Museum
* Lunch @ Fuunji
* Akihabara (going here early on trip because I think bf will really like Akihabara, so want to give opportunity to go twice)
* Dinner @ Himawari Sushi (would like to try conveyor belt sushi–this place seemed well rated and conveniently located but up for other options!)

**Fri. 7/7: Transit to Kyoto**

* Shinkansen to Kyoto
* Hotel near Nishiki
* Lunch @ Honke Oriwaya
* Walking tour
* Dinner in/near Nishiki (would vendors in Nishiki Market be open for dinner? if not–open to recs!)

**Sat. 7/8: East Kyoto**

* Fushimi Inari Taisha (bright & early!)
* Kiyomizu Dera
* Lunch in/near Gion (thinking Oshokuji Dokoro Asuka–but open to recs!)
* Kodai-ji
* Yasaka Shrine
* Ginkaku-ji
* Dinner @ Monk

**Sun. 7/9: Nara & Ginkaku-ji**

* Ginkaku-ji @ open
* Bento lunch on train? Lunch in Nara? (open to recs!)
* Nara
* Dinner @ Kichi Kichi

**Mon. 7/10: Arashiyama & Sumo in Nagoya (will start 7-day JR pass on this day)**

* Arashiyama (again, bright & early!)
* Monkey Park
* Tenryu-ji
* Lunch @ Unagi Hirokawa
* Sumo in Nagoya

**Tue. 7/11: Universal Studios & Transit to Osaka**

* Universal Studios (will be leaving from Kyoto very, very early and will be focusing almost completely on Super Nintendo World)
* Hotel near Shinsaibashi
* Explore Dotonbori (Dinner @ Ajinoya Honten?)

**Wed. 7/12: Himeji, Kobe, Osaka Aquarium**

* Himeji (get there @ open)
* Lunch in Kobe (thinking @ Wakkoqu but open to recs!)
* Osaka Aquarium
* Dinner @ Yakitori Ichimatsu

**Thu. 7/13: Hiroshima & Miyajima**

* Peace Memorial Museum
* Peace Memorial Park & Atomic Bomb Dome
* Miyajima
* Realize this is a very full day–food might just be eaten on the train and/or from convenience stores

**Fri. 7/14: Hakone**

* Ryokan in Gora
* Bento lunch on train
* Hakone Ropeway
* Hakone Sightseeing Cruise
* Hakone Shrine
* Enjoy private onsen & kaiseki meals!

**Sat. 7/15: Imperial Palace & Ginza**

* Hotel in Ginza
* Guided tour of Imperial Palace
* Yushukan Museum (completely aware of controversy & revisionist history presented by museum–have read & heard lots of Japanese military misbehavior in WWII, esp. since I’m Korean, so going in with some curiosity–if it’s still not worth it, would be totally open to skipping!! let me know!)
* Dinner @ Sushi no Midori (open to other sushi recs! willing to spend $$$ if worth it)
* Karaoke? (thinking Big Echo in Ginza but open to recs–would like large selection of English songs, maybe some Korean songs)

**Sun. 7/16: Tsukiji, Asakusa, Ueno**

* Breakfast in Tsukiji Market
* Senso-ji
* Lunch in Asakusa (any favorite street food recs?)
* Ueno Park
* Tokyo National Museum
* Dinner @ Ningyocho Imasan

**Mon. 7/17: Last day/shopping in Tokyo**

* Lunch @ Jimbocho Kurosu
* Pick up souvenirs, etc.
* Depart from Narita \~ 9PM

Thanks in advance!!