Hi all!
I’ll be travelling to Japan with my parents in end October (20-27 Oct) this year. Since it’s our first Japan trip, I’d want this trip to include most of the main attractions, yet still retain a few free and easy moments in consideration of my parents who are in their 60s.
We’ll be spending roughly 2 days in Kyoto, and the remaining 6 days in Tokyo (inc of 1 day to Kawaguchiko).
Would greatly appreciate it if there is feedback on our itinerary, mainly these points:
\- Are we missing anything crucial for a first-timer?
\- Is our itinerary feasible enough? (in terms of time, transport etc) Wouldn’t rlly want it to be too jam-packed
\- Am planning to get the JR Pass via Klook in August (since we can activate it 3 months prior to our trip, and also buy it before the price hike is implemented) -> this is possible, right?
* The JR Pass is pricey, but since our accoms in Tokyo + Kyoto are nearby the JR station, figured this would be more convenient as well
​
Kindly refer below for what I have planned so far!
Thanks in advance for any feedback!!
​
**PRE-TRAVEL**
* Purchase JR Pass via Klook
* Pre-purchase SUICA card via Klook (to be used for Tokyo + Kyoto)
* Can someone confirm whether this is enough for travel within Tokyo and Kyoto? I saw there were a few options (SUICA, PASMO, Tokyo Subway Ticket). Do I also need to purchase the latter two?
​
**Day 1 (Friday) – Tokyo, Kyoto \*1st day of JR Pass**
* Flight lands at Narita Airport at 9AM
* Activate first day of JR Pass
* Head to Kyoto straight from Airport (Narita > Tokyo station via JR Narita Express, then to Kyoto)
* Check in Kyoto accoms + Lunch
* Head to *Fushimi Inari Shrine*
* Explore Kyoto Central area
* *Ninenzaka + Sannenzaka street*
* *Kiyomizu-dera temple*
​
**Day 2 (Saturday) – Kyoto (Arashiyama, Nijo, Gion)**
* Arashiyama area
* Was planning to take the *Hozugawa River boat cruise* from Kameoka to Arashiyama, but currently on Klook and other tix platforms it says the cruise is temporarily unavailable.
* Anyone knows why this is so? And if this river cruise will be back in service soon?
* Alternatively, I guess I could take the *Sagano Romantic Train* ride (altho the river cruise does seem more exciting)
* *Arashiyama Bamboo Forest*
* *Togetsukyo Bridge*
* *Monkey Forest Iwatayama* (550JPY)
* Lunch
* *Nijo Castle*
* Explore *Gion district* \+ Dinner
​
**Day 3 (Sunday) – Kyoto + Back to Tokyo (Shibuya, Shinjuku)**
* Explore area around accoms
* Head back to Tokyo
* Check in Tokyo accoms near Shinjuku
* *Shibuya Sky*
* Shopping at *Shibuya + Shinjuku*
​
**Day 4 (Monday) – Tokyo (Disneysea)**
* Disneysea (cater whole day for this)
​
**Day 5 (Tuesday) – Tokyo (Odaibo, Asakusa)**
* *TeamLAB Planets Toyusu*
* *Diver City Tokyo Plaza*
* Explore *Asakusa*
* *Senso-ji Shrine*
* Explore *Nakamise Street*
​
**Day 6 (Wednesday) – Tokyo (free and easy; shopping)**
* *Harajuku*
* *Takeshita Street*
* Vintage shopping?
* *Shibuya / Shinjuku*
​
**Day 7 (Thursday) – Fuji Kawaguchiko \*last day of JR Pass**
\*\* Is it better to take the Highway bus or the train using JR Pass to Kawaguchiko? I’ve read that taking the bus is the most convenient and fastest way, and can be taken from Shinjuku. My concern was that would it be considered wasted if I take the bus, considering I still have my JR Pass?
\*\* If I take the Highway Fujikyuko bus,
\- When should I reserve my seat tickets? Is reserving 1 or 2 days in advance enough?
\- Tried going to the booking website and they showed male and female bookings respectively – I’m going with my dad, will we be seated separately?
​
Regardless, once I reach Kawaguchiko station, am planning to get these passes of buses:
* Omni Red Line Sightseeing Bus
* Head to
1. *Kachi Kachi Panaroma Ropeway*
2. *Oishi Park*
3. Go back to Kawaguchiko Station
* Take the Mt. Fuji World Heritage Loop Bus
* Head to *Arakurayama Sengen Park / Chureito Pagoda*
* Go back to Kawaguchiko Station and ultimately back to Tokyo
​
Have a few questions regarding this day trip:
* Can someone confirm whether I can get both bus passes above at the Kawaguchiko station itself?
* Does the order of attractions make sense? i.e. Ropeway first, followed by Oishi Park, then Chureito Pagoda.
* Should we also go to more attractions?
* What time should we ideally start heading back to Tokyo?
​
**Day 8 (Friday)**
* Free time before flight, last minute shopping etc
* Flight is at 5pm local time – Is there anything else we missed out on previously?
* Head to airport
* Take the Tokyo Keisei Skyliner train from Nippori Station to Narita
​
That’s all for now! Appreciate all the advice and guidance in advance. Thank you! 🙂
3 comments
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Day 1 is impossible.
If you land at 9am I would not expect to board the NEx until 11 (assuming one hour immigration/customs/luggage and one hour for pass collection/visiting ATM/other post-landing admin), one hour NRT-Shinagawa, three hours train to Kyoto. This is now 3pm and you still have not eaten lunch nor checked in. Kiyomizudera closes at 6pm.
In fact, unless you flew business class (and probably even then), your parents are likely going to be exhausted from a red-eye flight / super early wakeup call that morning and won’t be up for extensive sightseeing.
Unless your parents are triathletes I would plan at most one light activity for Day 1, maybe the evening Gion exploration. Then cut down Day 2 to the Arashiyama activities only (there was a fatal accident with the boat cruise which is why it is not operating), if the parents are not zoology enthusiasts I might replace the monkey park in favor of Tenryuji or some other temple in Arashiyama since the monkeys are up on a steepish hill which could be challenging to walk up and down at their age. On the morning of day 3 go to either Fushimi Inari or Kiyomizudera.
I would also recommend the philosophers path including ginkakuji in kyoto. Do also visit tenryuji in arashiyama.
I went to the kawaguchiko recently. Not sure how crowded would October be, but your itinerary was practically impossible during the Sakura season due to the massive queues everywhere. Your best bet is to get a very very early start. Chureito pagoda takes at least 2 hours and all the attractions at Fuji area close at 4-5pm.