Hello!
Before I start to book hotels and tickets for attractions, would you mind giving feedback on the itinerary below? This subreddit has been incredibly helpful and I have tried to plan based on comments in terms of travel and geography. This is my second trip to japan (34F) and my husband’s first (37M). He loves Pokemon Go (been an avid player since the game came out) and I have loved Hello Kitty since I was 6. We love food and walking – on international trips, we usually walk 30,000 steps a day. We are adventurous eaters and love wandering through neighborhoods so we would love any recommendations.
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Friday, December 15:
Arrive. Get JR passes and pocket wifi in Airport.
Walk around/sleep
Saturday, December 16:
Team labs (Tsukiji is around the corner)
Arrange suitcase forwarding for Hakone
Sunday, December 17:
Train to Hakone (90 minutes)
Hakone Open Air Museum
Gora Brewery & Grill
Take the Hakone Tozan Cable Car to Owakudani
Take the Hakone Ropeway from Owakudani to Togendai Station (OH65), then board the cruise at Togendai Port. Stop at Motohakone-ko
Visit Hakone-jinja shrine and gates
Maybe stay at Yama No Chaya
Dinner included at Ryokan
Arrange suitcase forwarding for Kyoto
Monday, December 18: – maybe Gate Hotel in Kyot
Breakfast
Take train to Kyoto (bullet train from Odawara to Kyoto)
Kiyamachi Dori (historical street)
Gion (Geisha District)
Tuesday, December 19
Fushimi Inari in the early morning to skip any crowds – this will take 2-3 hours – (60 minute bus ride)
Kinkaku-ji Temple
Arrange suitcase forwarding for Osaka
Wednesday, December 20
Tenyru-ji Temple
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Train to Osaka
Thursday, December 21
Himeji Castle
Explore Osaka at Night – Pokemon cafe?
Friday, December 22:
Hiroshima (1.5 hours away)
Hello Kitty Train (https://www.jrailpass.com/blog/hello-kitty-shinkansen)
Hiroshima Castle
Shikken Garden
Peace Park
Saturday, December 23:
Universal
Arrange suitcase forwarding to Tokyo
Sunday, December 24:
Anything else in Osaka – Pokemon cafe?
Train to Tokyo
Tokyo Metro Building – Free View
Monday, December 25
Sanrio Puroland
Walking around on Christmas
Tuesday, December 26
Shibuya
Harajuku
Pokemon Go Lab
Wednesday, December 27
Senso-ji
Edo-Tokyo Museum or Tokyo National Museum
Sky Tree
Thursday, December 28
Ghibili Park?
Friday, December 29
Disney Sea
Saturday, December 30
https://www.tokyolocalized.com/free-walking-tour – Free walking tour
Sunday, December 31
Leave at 4 pm
1 comment
I think the Edo-Tokyo Museum is still going to be closed for renovations in December.
We didn’t do suitcase forwarding. Seems like a lot to do it to Kyoto and then two days later to Osaka. But we probably just have different travel styles (I guess I try to minimize potential points of failure).
Ghibli Park is by Nagoya, I think you mean Ghibli Museum.
Sounds like Japan will be a great destination for you given your interests!