Hello, I am a M(35) solo traveller looking to go within the next week to Japan for 12 days. I am trying to be good with the budget but also not deprive my time/options either. I am overwhelmed and need to know if I had judged this correctly, please.
**Things to consider:**
*Anime Fan (DBZ,JJK,AoT, Demon Slayer) …..Visit stores / Souvenir’s
*Any Anime recommendations I would love especially for the above – even areas to visit (attractions)?
*Want to do the monkey-kart
I can’t get this at 7pm slots for my duration which is not great although the alternative Route 2 does offer this time. Is Route 1 the better choice even if it’s the daytime?
*Fan of food and wish to try a lot
*Is it worth booking a few food/drink tours at night?
*Want a samurai experience – Will book an experience – any recommendations?
*Want to try Onsen (have one arm/shoulder tattoo) -Any recommendations?
*Want to try traditional inns – Any recommendations?
*Want to try temple stay if possible – Where can I do this / is this worth it?
*Is Hiroshima/Miyajima worth it?
**Wednesday Day 0: Fly to Japan (HND) **
**Thursday Day 1: Tokyo (07:10am)**
**Hotel**: ???
**Plan:**
*Land 7am – Checking and hope to start the day by 11am-12pm.
2 / 6
*Get Wifi
*Get RailPass?
*Get transport pass?
*Sensoji Temple / Kaminarimon Gate
*Tokyo Sky Tree
*Chidorigafuchi
*Yasukuni Shrine
*Ensure to remain awake until the 8pm/9pm mark to adjust for jetlag/time zone*
**Friday Day 2: Tokyo**
**Hotel:**
**Plan:**
*TeamLab Planets (Kachidoki Bridge)
*Odaiba
*Tokyo Tower
*Meiji Jingu Shrine
*Food tour?
**Saturday Day 3: Tokyo**
**Hotel:**
**Plan:**
*Asakusa / (Maybe…Geisha performance at Asakusa Cultural Tourist Information Centre?)
*Ueno Park
*Hamarikyu Gardens
*Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
*Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building at night
*Food/drink tour?
3 / 6
**Sunday Day 4: Tokyo**
**Hotel:**
**Plan:**
*Explore Anime (Akihabara)
*Suga Shrine
*Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building at night
*Food/drink tour?
**Monday Day 5: Osaka**
**Hotel: Business hotel near Namba Station**
**Plan:**
*Early morning train to Osaka
*Osaka Amazing Passes – 1 day
*Umeda Sky Building (free with pass)
*Kuromon Ichiba Market
*Osaka Castle (free with pass)
*Shitonneji Temple
*Dotonbori and Hozenji Yokocho
*Tsutenkaku Tower (free with pass)
**Tuesday Day 6: Hiroshima and Miyajima (Not sure on this) **
**Hotel: Ryokan on Miyajima**
**Plan:**
*Early morning train to Hiroshima
*Sightseeing loop bus (free with JR pass; bus schedule)
*Atomic Bomb Dome
*Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum
4 / 6
*Train to Miyajimaguchi then ferry to Miyajima
*Five-storied pagoda
*Daisho-in Temple
*Itsukushima shrine
**Wednesday Day 7: Miyajima and Kyoto**
**Hotel: Apartment hotel in Gion**
**Plan:**
*Miyajima Ropeway
*Ferry to Miyajimaguchi, then Train to Gion
*Kiyomizu-dera
*Kinkaku-ji
*Kodaiji Temple for night illumination
**Thursday Day 8: Kyoto**
**Hotel: Apartment hotel in Gion**
**Plan:**
*Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
*Tenryuji Temple
*Kinkakuji
*Nishiki Market
**Friday Day 9: Kyoto**
**Hotel: Apartment hotel in Gion**
**Plan:**
*Fushimi Inari-taishi
*Gekkeikan Sake Museum
*Samurai Kembu Show (booked online)
5 / 6
**Saturday Day 10: Kawaguchiko**
**Hotel: Ryokan in Kawaguchiko**
**Plan:**
*Early morning train to Mishima Station then bus to Kawaguchiko (booked online; bus schedule)
*Mt Fuji Panoramic Ropeway
*Lake Kawaguchiko,
*Chureito Pagoda
*Ryokan – rooftop foot bath with view of Fuji, in-room massage, kaiseki dinner, private onsen
**Sunday Day 11: Tokyo via Hakone/Yokohama**
**Hotel:???**
**Plan:**
*Lake Ashi
*Hakone Shrine
*Narukawa Art Museum
*Gundam Factory/Robot
**Monday Day 12: Tokyo**
**Hotel:???**
**Plan:**
*Explore Anime (Akihabara)
*Suga Shrine
*Monkey-Karting 5pm
*Relax and chill day before flight the next day (13:15 departure)
*Do anything I have missed or didn’t have time to appreciate
*Souvenir / Food exploring.
6 / 6
*Slow day
*Food/drink tour if didn’t on day 2/3
**Tuesday Day 13: Tokyo – Fly Home**
**Plan:**
*Travel back to HND Airport (13:15 departure)
2 comments
-Akhibara in Tokyo has lots of anime stores to check out and wander around, we found it was the best area for it. There also lots of arcades where you can win Anime pieces which is fun.
– Some Onsens will allow you to put tape on your tattoo to cover it, worth checking beforehand.
– Eko-in Temple was beautiful and up in Koyasan (world heritage site) it costs about €120 for one night but this includes dinner and breakfast, a meditation in the evening and fire ceremony with the monks in the morning. Took about 2 hours to get there from Osaka and was worth it. (Book through booking.com as the website was hard to use)
– Fushimi Inari is only 20 mins on the train from Gion and is a beautiful hike up through the Torii gates so for sure worth it. Takes about 3 hours round trip
– If your going in good weather, hiring a bike is a great idea for Kyoto, Higashiyama is a lovely old district to walk around and in Gion.
-JR Pass is pricey but worth it travelling around and saving time, when you pick one up you can also buy a Suica card that’s only valid for one month so you don’t have to put down a deposit.
Also pocket WiFi was a must and easy to order and pick up in the airport.
I’m also a solo traveler doing a 10 days trip. Early July…