Itinerary Check: 13 days in Japan with whole family (June 27 – July 9) (Tokyo – Kyoto – Nara – Osaka)

Hello! The fam and I (6 people) are here for 13 days and we’d love to make the most of it! So far this is all I have in the itinerary though before I find more things to do (recommendations welcome!). Also, I’m aware Hilton Tokyo Bay hotel is horrible location wise (already got… informed on the discord lol) (currently in the process of finding a different place!). I’m wondering:

1. If this is too packed and unrealistic to get done in this time
2. If there are any huge things/experiences we’re missing
3. Does the Gion Matsuri Festival start on the night of June 30th or the night of July 1st?
4. Is day 5 too light (more detailed question located in day 5)?
5. Does the natural spring Onsen experience differ much from Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka?
1. We really would love to go to a natural one and it looks like there’s a ton in all these places!

Any tips/suggestions are *greatly* appreciated. Thank you!

# Day 1 (6/27) Tokyo

* Arrive in Japan at 4 AM (traveling from the US so will be tired)
* Tsukiji fish market (while Toyosu fish market is the current one, we prefer the atmosphere of Tsukiji (and we hope to get fresh sushi there!))
* Nap in hotel (Tokyo Disney Bay Hotel (bad location but doesn’t seem like fam will budge with changing the location) & wait for rest of group to land (\~ 1pm)
* 4:30 – Tokyo TeamLabs Planet
* Shibuya (Shibuya Sky Scramble, Conveyor Belt Sushi, Ichiran ramen, Nabezo Shibuya Center)

# Day 2 (6/28) Tokyo

* Sensoji shrine, Nakamise-dori street, Kawarana Tile Breaking; Shinjuku Garden, Harajuku, Meiji Shrine, Akihabara, Dawn Robot Cafe, Finish up Shibuya exploration (maybe add Hachiko too).

# Day 3 (6/29) Tokyo

* Samurai Training in Shinjuku (\~60 minutes), take our time and explore a little more of Tokyo (perhaps finishing what we weren’t able to finish beforehand), Food: Gyukatsu Motomura (meat), Hinatoriyama (food by boat), Kaitenzushi (conveyor belt sushi)
, Wanko-Soba (conveyor belt soba)

# Day 4 (6/30) – Tokyo/Kyoto

* Tokyo -> Kyoto on shinkansen (6 am shinkansen opens, gets there earliest by 8:40 am)
* Arashiyama area (Sagano Scenic railway, Hozugawa river cruise, Kinakuji – golden pavilion)
* Nishiki Market; Ginkakuji – Silver temple, Philosophers path; Higashiyama District, Kiyomizu-dera; Try to see some of the Gion Matsuri Festival that starts 7/1! (Does it start on the night of June 30th or the night of July 1st?) ; Sleep in Kyoto Ryokan

# Day 5 (7/1) – Kyoto

* Gion District (Kimono rental!, Hanamikoji Street, Pontocho Alley, Yasaka Shrine)
* Flowing noodle restaurant – Hirobun (couldn’t find one closer to our activities); Kyo-Kaiseki dinner; Sleep in (different) Kyoto Ryokan. Are there enough activities for Day 5? (and if not, do I find more or take from Day 4)

# Day 6 (7/2) – Kyoto/Nara/Osaka

* Wake up early and head to Fushimi Inari Gates
* Kyoto–> Nara (Deer Park, Nakatanidou Mochi Shop)
* Nara –> Osaka (Osaka Aquarium (finish 8pm the latest), Tempozan Ferris Wheel; Dotonbori to end the night (If we have energy); Sleep in Osaka)

# Day 7 (7/3) – Osaka

* Osaka Castle
; Endo Sushi
; Shinsaibashi Parco Mall
; Shinsekai; Don Quitoje
; Umeda Sky building

; Sleep in Osaka

# Day 8 (7/4)

# Day 9 (7/5)

# Day 10 (7/6)

# Day 11 (7/7)

# Day 12 (7/8) Mt.Fuji/Hakone

* Planning on doing one of those half/full day activities so don’t currently have details now
* Sleep in Tokyo (Most of the group sleeps in normal hotels, I (and maybe 1-2 others) sleep in capsule hotel)

# Day 13 (7/9)

* Head to Haneda Airport (stocking up on Japanese goodies)
* Flight back to US at 11AM

1 comment
  1. I see that you have 13 days and still have not planned day 8-11.. my suggestion is to add one or two more in Tokyo, add one more in Kyoto. The itinerary is too packed and not realistic.

    Day 1: In my opinion too tight if you visit TeamLabs at 430PM. Ideally you want to enter Shibuya Sky around 6Pm to enjoy sunset, twilight . It will be 7 or later by the time you get to Shibuya. At this time you will nead to eat too. Too packed. Recommend to explore Odaiba instead. There is Joypolis, Diver City, Gundam Store, a nice park with breathtaking view of Tokyo across the water.

    Day 2 – In my opinion, not realistic to jam all that in a day. Just the transit between areas take 30-40 minutes then an area like Meiji Shrine / Shinjuku Goen / Akihabara could easily take 2+ hours each. Rule of thumb in my opinion is 1 area in the morning, finish by 11AM/12PM, explore another area from 2PM-6PM then dinner, and move to final area by 7PM until late.

    Day 3 – I think this day is an opportunity to spread your Day 2 itinerary. Maybe Meiji AM, Akihabara and Harajuku.

    Day 4 – Gion Matsuri procession peaked at July 17 th. I am not sure if much is going on July 1st. I think July 1st is when they have a meeting. I am not sure how you are going to accomplish a scenic train ride after Shinkansen to Kyoto, a boat ride and still manage to go to Kinkakuji which closes at 5PM. I recommend this day the itinerary to move to Day 5

    Day 5 – Hirobun is pretty far. It will eat up 3 hrs return trip. I am not sure if this is your first trip to Kyoto? If so I recommend skipping this one. Recommend having day 4 itinerary here

    Day 6 – Nara is a day trip in itself. Osaka aquarium closes at 8PM and takes about 3 hours average. That means, you bave to be at at Nara station by 4PM.

    Day 3 –

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