My partner and I are coming to Japan for the first time in February and we’re so stoked! We plan on going to: Tokyo, Nozawaonsen for two days of snowboarding, Kyoto, Osaka, and Kawaguchiko (with day trips to Nara and Hiroshima). I’d love any feedback on this first draft of my Japan itinerary, including if there’s too much going on here. Also, if anyone would like to share their favourite places to eat in any of these locations that would be amazing!
Day 1 will be on February 21, 2024.
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Day 0
Breakfast – Maple Leaf Lounge in YVR
Fly out of YVR (12:55 pm)
Day 1
Land at NRT (4:15 pm)
Take NRT Express, find our accommodation
Walk around the neighbourhood (walk to Rainbow Bridge…?)
Dinner – have a konbini moment
Day 2
Metro to Yamashita or Gotokuji Station, walk through the local neighbourhood
Lunch – Fukumuro-an
Walk to Gotokuji Shrine
Walk towards Setagaya station, grab a couple buns at Lu Gang
Metro or walk to Hanegi Park to see the annual plum blossom festival
Dinner –
Day 3
Breakfast – stop at a konbini
Walk through Ginza to Tokyo Station (make sure to go past the flagship Uniqlo!)
Lunch –
Be nerdy in Akihabara (Game Bar A-Button, Super Potato…)
Metro back to hotel to drop anything purchased off
TeamLab Borderless (new location in Azabudai Hills?)
Dinner –
Day 4
Breakfast – Everything at Tsukiji Outer Market
Metro to and enjoy the Ghibli Museum
Metro back to hotel for a short rest
Metro to Shibuya
Dinner –
Shibuya Sky and Shibuya Scramble
\*\*activate 14 day JR pass\*\*
Day 5
Breakfast – Ekiben for the train ride
Tokyo to Nozawaonsen in the morning (\~3 hours with the Hokuriku Shinkansen)
Find our accommodation
Lunch –
Snowboarding
Dinner –
Day 6
Breakfast – Provided at accommodation
Snowboarding
Lunch –
Dinner –
Day 7
Breakfast – Provided at accommodation
Nozawaonsen to Kyoto (\~? hours with the ?)
Find our accommodation
Dinner – Nishiki Market
Day 8
Metro to Fushimi Inari Pathway
Metro to Higashiyama
Lunch – Somewhere in Higashiyama
Attend a tea ceremony in the Gion district
Dinner –
Day 9
Metro to Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Brunch – Tofu cuisine in Arashiyama
Metro to Fushimi Sake District for sake tastings (Gekkeikan?)
Dinner –
Day 10
Kyoto Station to Hiroshima Station (\~? hours with the ?)
Hiroshima Station to Miyajimaguchi Station (\~25 minutes with the JR Sanyo-Honsen)
Miyajimaguchi Station to Miyajima (\~10 minutes with the JR ferry)
Lunch – main shopping street on Miyajima
Walk around/explore the island
Take the JR ferry back to Miyajimaguchi Station, then metro to Peace Park
Peace Park, Dome building, and Peace Memorial Museum
Hiroshima Station to Kyoto Station (\~2 hours with the ?)
Dinner –
Day 11
Day trip to Nara (\~45 minutes with the Miyakoji rapid train)
Walk to Kofuku-ji Temple and Todai-ji Temple
Lunch –
Nara Park
Train back to Kyoto (\~45 minutes with the Miyakoji rapid train)
Dinner –
Day 12
Kyoto to Osaka (\~45 minutes with the JR Kyoto “special rapid” train)
Find our accommodation
Lunch – Kuromon Market
Walk to Doguyasuji Shotengai
Metro to Osaka Castle
Dinner – Namba/Dotonbori street food (wooden bridge/riverside area for a more chill experience)
Day 13
Metro to and explore Nakazakicho
Brunch – cafe in Nakazakicho
Metro to Fuminosato station
Fuminosato shopping arcade
Dinner – Amakaraya (okonomiyaki restaurant)
Day 14
Universal Studios Japan
Dinner –
Day 15
Osaka to Kawaguchiko (\~2 hours with the JR Tokaido Shinkansen to Mishima Station, then \~1.5 hours with the Fujikyu bus to Kawaguchiko Station)
Stay at an onsen hotel with a view of Mt Fuji
Dinner – Kaiseki at the hotel
Day 16
Kawaguchiko to Tokyo (\~2 hours with the JR Limited Express to Shinjuku Station)
Dinner – ANA lounge in HND
Fly out of HND (10:00pm)
2 comments
Your Hiroshima day is pretty packed if you’re not doing an overnight! Just fyi, there is a ferry run by a private company that leaves by the bridge next to the atomic dome; if you’re willing to pay you can get a roundtrip ticket that will take way less time than the JR ferry + streetcar. Also, depending on time you could get okonomiyaki at Okonomimura in Hiroshima for dinner and take a later train back.
One other thing, when you say conbini breakfast just know that most Japanese ppl don’t eat outside on the street or on the subway. When I was waking up early, I would get my conbini food the night before and put it in my hotel fridge if necessary. I did eat outside a few times when I needed to, but it’s hard with no garbage pails lol. Eating on the shinkansen is fine though!
Hey planning a trip in feb to coincide with Taylor swifts concert on 9th
Can you give me some tips if I should land in on 8th and spend about a week or so post that or come a week early?
I would hope to have a warmer weather since I live in india and the coldest it gets where I live is about 15 degrees
What all won’t I be able to do coming in February and incase I can be a little daring where can I see some snowfall?