Firstly, this sub has been super helpful for our planning. Huge thank you to you all!
Some background: we are a group of 5. One of us has lived in Japan for 1 year. He is a fluent Japanese speaker. However, since he is vegetarian, we will often be eating separately as many restuarants in Japan unfortunately don’t offer Japanese options. Besides him, two have been to Japan for fourism 2-3 times. Two are completely new. Any advice or tips on how to travel in groups and how to handle the different dietary requirements situation would be appreciated.
**Itinerary**
24/05/2023 Tokyo
* Arrive at Narita Airport at 1:05 pm.
* Arrive at Accommodation in Sumida City via Skyliner
* Have dinner near Hikifune station
* See Sky tree in the evening
25/05/2023 Tokyo
* (Half of the party arrives in the evening, so we want to go to a less ‘must-go’ area)
* Visit museums around Ryogoku
* Visit some coffee shops or restaurants around Kuramae across the river, including the famous Pelican Cafe
* Maybe visit Kiyosumi Shirakawa if we have time
* Meet up with people arriving today near Hoppi street (within walking distance to accommodation) for dinner at an Izakaya. (suggestions for alternative pub streets near the sky tree area would be appreciated)
26/05/2023 Tokyo
* Visit Ameyoko Shopping District in the morning, have lunch there.
* Go to Yodobashi-akiba briefly to pick up a gunpla (2 of us want to build a gunpla in our evening free time during the trip, it should be doable within 3-6 hours with two people, so it shouldn’t take up too much time. Please be honest if this is a bad idea)
* Visit Ueno park
* Attend a talk at University of Tokyo from 6:00 pm to 8 pm (have to go)
* No evening plans yet, open to suggestions
27/05/2023 Tokyo to Chubu
* (Note: we will be back to Tokyo, so don’t worry that we haven’t been to the ‘must-go’ areas in Tokyo yet)
* Activation date for 14 day JR pass
* Leave at around 9 am, arrive at Takayama at around 2 pm.
* Have Ekiben on the train for lunch
* Rent car
* Explore Takayama if there is time
* Arrive at Onsen Ryokan (1 hour away from Takayama) before 6 pm.
* Chill at Ryokan
28/05/2023 Chubu
* Explore Kamikochi in the morning
* Go to Shirakawa in the afternoon
* Chill at Ryokan in the evening
29/05/2023 Chubu to Kyoto
* Return car in Takayama
* Not sure if it’s worth spending some more time in Takayama before leaving for Kyoto
* Train to Kyoto
* Check in to accommodation at Shijo
* Chill and explore central Kyoto, Gion
30/05/2023 Kyoto
* Full day in Arashimaya (Is this a good itinerary? It looks like it may be too crammed https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3950_arashiyama_full.html)
* Lunch at Tenryuji Temple Shigetsu
31/05/2023 Kyoto
* Full day in East Kyoto, Higashiyama (Again, is this a good itinerary? https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3950_eastern_kyoto_full.html)
01/06/2023 Uji day trip from Kyoto
* Visit tea farms (we are big fans of japanese tea, one is a certified Tea master, haven’t planned too much, relying on tea master to show us around)
* Maybe tour at Marukyu koyamaen
02/06/2023 Kyoto
* Honestly not sure. This will be the last full day in Kyoto. We should choose between North, Central, and South Kyoto. Leaning toward North Kyoto at the moment.
* Booked Tea Ceremony near accommodation in Shijo at 5 pm.
03/06/2023 Nara day trip from Kyoto
* Nara Park, Todai-ji
* Open to suggestions
* Back to Kyoto
04/06/2023 Himeji day trip from Kyoto, stop at Kobe for dinner
* Himeji Castle
* Open to suggestions
* Stop at Kobe for dinner
* Back to Kyoto
05/06/2023 Hiroshima
* Leave Kyoto for Hiroshima
* Hiroshima museum
* Open to suggestions
06/06/2023 Hiroshima to Nagasaki
* See Miyajima during the day
* Leave Hiroshima for Nagasaki in the evening
07/06/2023 – 09/06/2023 Nagasaki, Kyushu
* The plan is to explore Kyushu, haven’t planned much yet. Our accommodation is in Nagasaki, open to suggestions
* Head toward Tokyo via sleeper train on June 09
10/06/2023 Tokyo
* Check in to accommodation in Taito City
* Visit Asakusa in the afternoon/evening
11/06/2023 Tokyo
* Visit Shibuya, Harajuku, Shinjuku
* (Please help us fill out the details)
12/06/2023-15/06/2023 Tokyo
* For this period, most of us will have to remote work in the morning/evening. So we are planning to have lighter schedules
* Some places we want to visit during this period:
1. Akihabara
1. Tsukiji Market
1. Ginza
1. Ghibli Museum
* Other suggestions, or suggestions on how to organize these 4 days would be greatly appreciated
* Suggestions for co-working places or coffee shops suitable for working would also be highly appreciated.
16/06/2023 – 17/06/2023 Tokyo
* (if weather permits) Camping at Fumotoppara, near Mount Fuji
* Return to Tokyo on the 17th, Taito City accommodation
18/06/2023 Tokyo
* Flights departing Tokyo, earliest is 21:50 pm
Any critical feedback, suggestions, tips would be greatly appreciated! All of accommodation have already been booked. However, they are almost all cancellable. So if drastic changes are suggested, we are willing to consider them. The Kyoto period is flexible as well, if other day trips, such as Osaka, is suggested, we will appreciate it. The reason we are not visiting Osaka is because the friend who has lived in Japan for a year is not a fan of the city. But I suspect it could be a mistake since he doesn’t eat most Japanese food and Osaka is known for food. But if we were to visit Osaka, I am not sure what replace it with. Please let me know if skipping Osaka is a mistake.