Me (26M) and my S/O (25F) are headed to Japan in July (17th-30th)! I grew up in the Bahamas so I am pretty use to Hot Islands, S/O from Florida so she is used to the same. We are getting the JR Pass for 14 days. We will have Pocket Wifi picked up from the airport as well.
Day 1- Arrive @ 9:35 pm 14 JR pass activated as well, go to Konbini, hotel, and sleep
Day 2- Travel to Hakone and relax off the jet lag.
\-Fuji Hakone-Guest House/Onsen,
\-Check out Lake area
Day 3 Back to Tokyo
\-Meiji Shrine
\-Yoyogi Parks
\-Yoyogi public toilets (the clear ones that become opaque when locked)
\-Shibuya Crossing/Sky Deck
\-Harajuku probably do some thrifting here!
\-Shimokitazowa
\-TeamLab Planets
\-Rainbow Bridge
Day 4 Nagoya
\-Korankei
\-Sumo match
\-Osu Sakae
\-Dinner w/ our Japanese teacher
Day 5 Nara
\-Giant Budda
\-Todaiji Temple
\-Nara Park (Deers)
\-Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (Haven’t picked specific ones yet)
Day 6 Kyoto
\-Fushimiinari Shrine+Gates
\-Kinkaku-ji
\-Nishiki market
\-Kyoto International Manga Musuem
\-AEON Mall
Day 7 Kyoto
\-Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
\-Tenryu-ji Temple
\-Iwatayama Monkey Peak
\-SAIHOU-JI KOKE-DERA (If we can go here we will adjust schedule but I know it isn’t easy to get in)
\-Ryoan-ji Temple Famous Zen Garden
\-Gion District/Gion Fest (Hotel is minutes away from Festival)
Day 8 Kyoto
\-Kiyomizu Dera
\-Gion Fest (The Parade)
\-Kyoto Botanical Gardens
\-Shimogamo Shrine
\-Kawai Shrine
Day 9 Osaka
\-Osaka Castle
\-Round one
\-Jump Shop
\-Tenjin Fest
Day 10 Osaka
\-Naruto x Boruto
\-Kuromon Market
\-Amerika-mura (Maybe shop)
\-Shinsaibashi
\-Umeda Sky
\-Dontonburi/cruise (if available)
Day 11 Osaka
\-Himeji-jo Castle
\-Shinsekai
\-Travel to Tokyo
\-Ikebukuro/Sunshine City mall (Shop for anime merch!)
Day 12 Tokyo
\-Tsukiji Fish Market
\-TMG
\-Nakano Broadway (More merch!)
\-Akihabara (Manga+merch, hoping for reborn!, Dragon Ball, One Piece, and or YUYU Hakusho if you have suggestions on where to find them)
\-Don Quijote
\-Shinjuku/Kabukicho @ night
Day 13 Tokyo
\-Senso-ji
\-Asakusa Ninja Café
\-Kimono Rental in Asakusa
\-Asakusa Ninja restaurant
\-Rickshaw ride
\-Sumida Fest
Day 14 Tokyo then Narita @ 7
\-Odaiba
\-Anything else we haven’t done
5 comments
The 14 day JR pass is likely going to cost you more than buying the tickets individually
Some days look quite ambitious, yes. Taking travel time into account, you’ll most likely have to feel some days out and see what’s most important for you to see.
I did like to see that on Kyoto days that the more touristy/busy destinations are the first thing to see. Hope you two are morning people.
You have days that have a bit much, if those are options, maybe, if you have to do everything, you might get exhausted.
You would just save a little by using 7 days pass, do not see how 14 would make sense. Like use Odakyu to Hakone, can use a one day Kansai area pass for Himeji. Using the pass does not offer much more convenience than not using it. Actually it can be more convenient to use whatever train like getting on Kintetsu to Nara as the station is 1km closer to the park, but with the pass you will force yourself to use JR.
Why return to Tokyo after Hakone, you can continue from Hakone direct to Nagoya.
In terms how many cities you are going to, it is not ambitious. Your daily itineraries though are another story.
My suggestion would be keep it to maybe 3 or 4 things in a day. Also maybe stick to neighborhoods or things close to each other. One day in Kyoto has you at both Fushimi Inari and Kinkaku-ji. Is it doable? Yeah but they’re on opposite ends of Kyoto so you might feel exhausted.
I would do Fushimi-Inari, Gion, Nishiki Market and wrap up the day at Kiyomizu-dera. There is a train near Fushimi Inari that takes you into Gion and then you have Nishiki a few blocks down one way, while Kiyomizu-dera is the other way.
My only other suggestion is to keep in mind how packed the subways get during certain times of the day, especially in Tokyo.
Make sure the airport post office is still open when you land. It might be better to send the pocket to your hotel.