Trip report: 14 days – Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Lake Kawaguchiko, Tokyo Disney (4.25-5.9)

**Golden Week**

Our trip coincided with Golden Week (4.29-5.5) so there were some long lines in Tokyo and Kyoto – though this was our first time in Japan so we didn’t have much to compare it to. Some lines for dinner were long (1-1.5 hours) but we were also going to spots that are popular on social media among westerners. The crowds in [Kinkaku-ji Temple](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinkaku-ji#/media/File:Kinkaku-ji_the_Golden_Temple_in_Kyoto_overlooking_the_lake_-_high_rez.JPG) were kind of insane – we went right when it opened and it was a literal wave of hundreds of people shoving to get photos in front of admittedly one of the most beautiful temple garden sights I’ve ever seen. Totally insane and totally worth it. Aside from that though we actually felt that the higher number of Japanese folks traveling was offset by the lower number of western travelers and the crowds were actually pretty manageable.

**Itinerary**

**Day 1 – Tokyo Arrival**

* Landed in Haneda around 3pm, customs took maybe 25 min, got our JR pass and made our first Shinkansen reservation
* Took the train into Shinjuku and it was already dark which was so cool to see all the lights and action, we were staying in the northern part near Tokyo K-Town and Kabukichō. Explored [Kabukichō Tower](https://www.tokyu-kabukicho-tower.jp.e.ari.hp.transer.com/), a new arcade complex we saw extensively advertised in train stations later in our trip. Got ramen nearby at [Zundou-ya](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g14133667-d8331902-Reviews-Ramen_Zundoya_Shinjuku_Kabukicho-Kabukicho_Shinjuku_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kant.html), ordered Tonkotsu ramen

**Day 2 – Tokyo**

* Woke up earlier than anything was open in Shinjuku – though many bars were still serving drinks. Not many options for early wakers in Japan, but found a great diner in Chuo Park – [Musashino Mori Shinjuku](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g14133673-d21093814-Reviews-Musashino_Mori_Coffee_Shinjuku_Chuo_Koen-Nishishinjuku_Shinjuku_Tokyo_Tokyo_Pr.html) \- that opened at 7am and was a great classic diner, had an eggs benedict and Japanese fluffy pancakes.
* Went to JR’s office in Shinjuku and made reservations for the rest of the week’s Shinkansens. We ended up only sticking to two of our seven reservations, instead taking non-reserved cars at times that fit our pace better (even during Golden week!), but we liked the peace of mind knowing we had reserved seats just in case.
* Took the train to **Asakusa** and walked around [Sensō-ji Temple](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3001.html) as the area started to wake and open up fully by 11am. Was tempted to wait til [Imo Pippi](https://www.instagram.com/p/Cqp_23hJ5V2/) opened at 11am for sweet potato soft serve but opted to take a taxi to Akihabara instead.
* Explored **Akihabara**. Browsed vintage games at [Super Potato](https://en.japantravel.com/tokyo/super-potato-in-akihabara/2410). Played DDR and other arcade games in a 9 story arcade. [M’s 7 story sex store.](https://tokyocheapo.com/place/ms/) Wandered around Akihabara Radio Center and the Mandarake Complex. We didn’t have time but the maid and owl cafes seemed chill
* Took the train to **Shibuya** and had conveyor belt sushi at [Uobei Shibuya Dougenzaka](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g1066456-d3871559-Reviews-Uobei_Shibuya_Dogenzaka-Shibuya_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html). Sushi was great and we loved the novelty, speed and efficiency of the whole experience. Arrived to [Shibuya Sky](https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/attractions/shibuya-sky) in time for our 3:20pm reservation. Explored the top deck, edited photos and had a drink at the bar for a couple hours until early sunset where we made another lap around the top deck and headed down before the line for the elevator down got too long. Walked to Pokémon Center and Nintendo Store in the new Parco building which had some very good clothes shopping as well. Braved a long line for ramen at [Ichiran Shibuya](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g1066456-d1688898-Reviews-Ichiran_Shibuya-Shibuya_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html) but the ramen was excellent and worth it.
* Took the train back to Shinjuku to SLEEP.

**Day 3 – Tokyo**

* Woke up around 7am, ate at [Eggslut Shinjuku](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g14133713-d18970826-Reviews-Eggslut_Shinjuku-Yoyogi_Shibuya_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html) and walked around [Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3034_001.html)
* Ubered to **Mitaka** for our res at [Ghibli Museum](https://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/) at 12pm. We could have took the train but we fell asleep in a flower patch at the park and wanted to make our reservation time. The museum was incredible, we loved it, we spent about two hours there. Had a light lunch at the Ghibli cafe which was actually really good!
* Took the train back and stopped in [Shimokitazawa](https://www.gotokyo.org/en/destinations/western-tokyo/shimokitazawa/index.html), a cool neighborhood with some of the best vintage shopping. I should have packed like 30% less and just planned on buying clothes here.
* Made it back to **Shinjuku** by 6pm and had dinner in [Omoide Yokochō](https://www.japan-experience.com/all-about-japan/tokyo/attractions-excursions/omoide-yokocho) \- great yakitori and soba noodles, cool Blade Runner vibes, great vibes and friendly drunk people, highly recommend.

**Day 4 – Tokyo**

* Breakfast at [Sara Beth’s Shinjuku](https://sarabethsrestaurants.jp/location/shinjuku/en/) on the second floor of the Lumine building at 9am – great omelettes and more fluffy pancakes.
* Took it easy today, ended up in **Harajuku** in the afternoon and encountered some crazy Golden week crowds – the energy was pretty fun so even though it was like a crowded concert for every step we took we enjoyed ourselves. Skipped the otter cafes and the lines were excessive for crepes, but the costume shops here were interesting to browse and as you wander further from those the concept and vintage stores were great too. Tried katsu beef on a hot stone at [Gyūkatsu Motomura](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g1066456-d7898108-Reviews-Gyukatsu_Motomura_Shibuya-Shibuya_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html) which may have been our favourite meal in Tokyo – so good and such a special experience! Walked to [I’m donut?](https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/shopping/im-donut) and waited in a long line full of Japanese folks and it was super delicious.
* Headed back to **Shinjuku** and had maybe the best bang-su of my life in Tokyo Koreatown

**Day 5 – Tokyo – Kyoto**

* Dropped our bags off in Tokyo Station and took a taxi to [National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo](https://www.momat.go.jp/en) while we waited for our train. It was just okay, but we walked back to Tokyo Station through the Imperial Gardens and they were beautiful.
* Took Shinkansen to **Kyoto**, arrived to our place and got ramen at [Ramen Sen-no-Kaze Kyoto](https://ramensennokazekyoto.com/?lang=en), which had great miso broth ramen. I think I would have liked to have walked around the city at night our first night instead of wait for 2 hours at this spot, in retrospect we should have gotten small bites at the street vendors on [Nishikikoji-dori](https://cromwell-intl.com/travel/japan/kyoto/nishiki-koji-dori/) and continued on to the candle lighting ceremony in [Kiyomizu-dera](http://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/en/visit/special_night_viewing/) but fallacies were sunk and the food was good.

**Day 6 – Kyoto**

* Woke up early for [Fushimi Inari Taisha](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3915.html) and started at about 5:50am. Was totally empty, save for a few other tourists and a few dozen locals exercising. It’s definitely a moderate hike up a mountain, bring some water, but was really beautiful. Walked to breakfast nearby at a cute family restaurant called Bread and [Coffee Hirarinto](https://ameblo.jp/bc-hirarinn/) and took the train to [Sanjūsangen-dō Temple](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3900.html) (1,001 Buddhist statues) which was incredible. Ended up at [Kiyomizu-dera](http://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/en/) around 10am and the crowds were definitely sizeable by this time but we didn’t mind too much. Had a look around, got some matcha ice cream then headed back to our place.
* By afternoon we got to experience Kyoto in the rain! Walked around the river in **Gion,** Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka. [Pontocho](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3921.html) in the rain was out of a movie.
* Street food at [Nishikikoji-dori](https://cromwell-intl.com/travel/japan/kyoto/nishiki-koji-dori/) \- torched octopus and kobe beef. More donuts at koē donuts kyoto

**Day 7 – Kyoto**

* Sunrise walk in **Gion** \- [Hōkan-ji Temple](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasaka_Pagoda) and surrounding streets. Breakfast at [Shinshindo Sanjo Kawaramachi](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g298564-d2652635-Reviews-Shinshindo_Sanjo_Kawaramachi-Kyoto_Kyoto_Prefecture_Kinki.html) .
* Took the train to **Nara** \- the deer park was honestly really fun, they are so aggressively friendly! [Todai-ji Temple](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4100.html) was impressive. Headed back to Kyoto to chill at our place.
* Early dinner in Kyoto was the best sushi of our trip! [Kappa Sushi](https://kappa-sd.com/) overlooking the river in Gion as the sun set.

**Day 8 – Kyoto – Osaka**

* Sunrise walk through [Arashiyama Bamboo Forest](https://www.insidekyoto.com/arashiyama-bamboo-grove). We started at 6am so we did have the relatively short stretch of forest to ourselves – was beautiful and empty but we quickly realised it would have been better to start later as nothing else was open until 9-10am. We walked around the [Togetsu-kyo Bridge](https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/72/) and the surrounding river. We walked along the river and went to [Ryōan-ji Temple](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3909.html) and [Kinkaku-ji Temple](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3908.html) when they opened at 8 and 9am respectively. The former was so peaceful and was very cool to see a temple with such manicured rock gardens. The latter was ridiculously crowded, even when we arrived right as it opened. If the sight of the temple wasn’t so incredibly beautiful I would say skip it.
* Got to Osaka around 3pm and explored **Dotombori.** Tried okonomiyaki, played arcade games by the river, had some solid ramen at [Kyushu Ramen Kio Dotombori](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g14135010-d3753540-Reviews-Ramen_Kio_Dotonbori-Dotombori_Chuo_Osaka_Osaka_Prefecture_Kinki.html) and walked around the area and did some shopping and exploring.

**Day 9 – Osaka – Hiroshima – Osaka**

* Had breakfast at [Table 36](https://swissotelnankaiosaka.com/restaurants-and-bars/table36/), 36 floors above Namba station. Amazing birds eye view of Osaka as we fueled for the day, picked up some snacks for the day at Osaka station
* Took the [Hello Kitty Shinkansen](https://www.jrailpass.com/blog/hello-kitty-shinkansen) from Osaka to **Hiroshima**. Easy to bring up this link when you’re in the JR reservation office. If you’re traveling between Hiroshima, Hemeji, Kobe, Osaka, it’s free and fun
* [Atomic dome](https://goo.gl/maps/Ctks8K1CsU4dZVYXA) and [Peace Park and Museum](https://goo.gl/maps/RD9tdLX9zGGz5Phk9) \- super well done museum, highly recommend the audio guide and budgeting about 1.5 to 3 hours inside, riding the Hello Kitty Shinkansen to and from the museum was an interesting whiplash of emotions. Lots of personal stories I don’t think I would ever encounter outside of the museum, the sense of scale, all of it, heartbreaking place.
* Took the Shinkansen back through **Kobe** where we tried Wagyu and Kobe beef at [Steakland Kobe](https://steakland-kobe.jp/en/) \- the teppanyaki was a cool way to try it and it fit conveniently into our 2 hour trip back to Osaka
* Continued on the Shinkansen back to our spot in Dotombori

**Day 10 – Osaka – Lake Kawaguchiko**

* Took the train from Osaka to Mishima and bus from **Lake Kawaguchiko**, walked 30 min from the train station to our accommodation.
* Saw the famous [Lawson store with the Mt. Fuji](https://www.flickr.com/photos/scintt/52522395761) backdrop which is definitely an influencers in the wild type location but a fun sight.

**Day 11 – Lake Kawaguchiko**

* Woke up and took a bus from Kawaguchiko Station to [Cheurito Pagoda](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6917.html) which was so worth the early morning view – we were super lucky with mountain visibility too.
* Took a cab from there to [Fuji Yurari Hot Spring](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1165980-d1425546-Reviews-Fuji_Chobo_no_yu_Yurari_Onsen-Narusawa_mura_Minamitsuru_gun_Yamanashi_Prefecture.html) and booked a private bath room with a view of the mountain, spent some time in the public baths and walked to the nearby gem museum before taking the bus back to our hotel and took a nap. I think if we were here any longer than a full day I would want to rent a car as there were a lot of places further away that I would have liked to visit along the other lakes and towns and we felt a little limited by the bus schedule, though it was very efficient we just didn’t want to plan our day around it as much.
* Woke up and rode bikes around the lake at sunset, had dinner at [Cafe & Dining MONO](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g1165976-d13384189-Reviews-Cafe_Dining_MONO-Fujikawaguchiko_machi_Minamitsuru_gun_Yamanashi_Prefecture_Kos.html) which was a great Italian spot, nice break from Japanese food.

**Day 12 – Lake Kawaguchiko – Tokyo**

* Our visibility luck ran out, we rode bikes around the lake and took the cable car up the mountain. Even though the clouds obscured the mountain the lake was still beautiful
* Took bus from Kawaguchiko Station to Tokyo Station, transferred to our accommodation in **Shibuya**
* Got to experience rain in Tokyo! Best ramen of the trip at [Oreryu Shio-ramen](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g1066456-d9704923-Reviews-Oreryu_Shio_Ramen_Jingumae-Shibuya_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.htmlhttps://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g1066456-d9704923-Reviews-Oreryu_Shio_Ramen_Jingumae-Shibuya_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html)

**Day 14 – Tokyo Disneysea / Disneyland**

* We got super lucky with crowds on our Disney day, the Monday after Golden week and it started off pretty rainy but dissipated after the morning. We had planned to just do **Disneysea**. Arrived at 9:30 and immediately got on Journey to the Center of the Earth, Leagues under the Sea, Tower of Terror, Finding Dory, Indy, Roaring, Sinbad, and Toy Story with no wait times over 20 minute for any of them. Soarin was our longest wait of Disneysea at 30 minutes, and by 4pm we had done every adult ride in the park including Tower of Terror and Journey a second time.
* We decided to do **Disneyland’**s weeknight pass for an additional $35/person and entered that park at 5pm. Beauty and Beast, Thunder Mountain, Jungle Cruise, Pirates, Monsters Inc, Star Tours, Beauty and Beast a second time, Pooh, and Roger Rabbit. Never waited longer than 15 min for any of them, definitely glad we got to do both parks as many of my highlights ended up being in Disneyland even though I wanted to experience Disneysea as it’s one of a kind. The Beauty and the Beast ride is so technically impressive and honestly emotional which is surprising for a theme park attraction so getting to do that ride alone was worth the price of admission in our opinion, and it was cool to compare the park’s little differences to Orlando and Anaheim!
* Took the train back to Shibuya and had some last minute yakitori in Shibuya before bed!

**Day 15 – Tokyo Departure**

* [Bill’s for breakfast](https://trulytokyo.com/bills/) in Shibuya/Harajuku
* Last minute shopping in Harajuku before our flight.

Spare observations:

* I brought my drone as I considered the possibility of picking up some footage as I went as I license this footage professionally. I registered with Japanese aircraft control / MLIT too. Nowhere I’ve listed above did I feel safe or good about flying. Tokyo is basically a blackout everywhere in terms of access and legality, Kyoto it would have been too much of a disruption and the drone restrictions are very enforced, Osaka maybe it was possible but the shots wouldn’t have been worth the possibility of disruption, and finally Lake Kawaguchiko (excluding Chuerito Pagoda) could have made sense but not in the weather we experienced. Hindsight says keep it at home!
* If we didn’t do Tokyo Disney I would have put that additional day in Kyoto! Could have done with seeing a few more temples and having a full morning riding bikes around Arashiyama, though the bamboo forest is kind of average, the surrounding town and area is beautiful and we would have liked to explore it more.
* JR pass was clearly worth it for our trip! We used JR trains for inner city travel whenever possible, maybe 75% of the time.
* We sort of just had to come to peace with the fact that we couldn’t see and do everything we wanted to in such a short trip. It was a great introductory trip and it gave me so many ideas for my next trip – Kumano Kodo and Kyushu are high on my list to return, and lots left to experience in Kyoto yet. We still want to see the [Beatles cover band in Tokyo](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g14129735-d3835609-Reviews-Abbey_Road_Tokyo-Roppongi_Minato_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html) and hope that trip has Robot Restaurant opened back up!