Japan Itinerary review for 2 first timers

Hello everyone! I’ve been lurking around and reading stuff here for a couple months, and didn’t really want to bother people asking for yet another itinerary review as there are plenty here.. but since it’s my first trip to Japan, I thought I’d check with more experienced people if this is good, too much or even too little stuff to do.

My girlfriend and I will be going from 18th to 31th October. I’ve put together a rough itinerary trying to group areas and attractions. Nothing is set in stone and everything (besides the date) can be changed, days switched, etc., and we welcome every feedback and also tips of things to do in this period of autumn!

I picked a couple hotels that are within our budget (but there’s still time to change as they are all within free cancellation):

**Tokyo:** Sotetsu Fresa Inn Hamamatsucho-Daimon in Minato (near stations JR Hamamatsucho, Monorail and a couple others) – *$605 for 7 days with breakfast buffet.*

**Kyoto:** Hotel Abest Grande, right besides Kiyomizu-Gojo station and within walkable distance from Gojo Station as well. – *$330 for 6 days, no breakfast.*

​

**Day 1 – Tokyo – Wednesday**
• Arriving through Haneda airport.
• Pick up stuff (welcome Suica, Wifi or eSim (didn’t choose yet) etc.
• Get the monorail to Hamamatsucho Station, and check-in at hotel
• Chill and explore a bit because we’ll be tired, we’re \~10 minute walk from Tokyo Tower so will probably go there.

**Day 2 – Tokyo – Thursday**
• Tokyo Disneyland (read that Wednesday and Thursday are best days to go).
• If we have time, go anywhere else and then back to hotel.

**Day 3 – Tokyo – Friday**
• Explore Harajuku (Meiji Jingu, Takeshita street and whatever else) in the morning till lunch.
• Explore Shibuya the rest of the day until night.

**Day 4 – Tokyo – Saturday**
This is an open day… below is what I came up with, but we’re considering using this for a day trip to hakone, still haven’t decided if doing that is worth it.
• Explore Shinjuku pretty much the whole day.
• Ikebukuro sometime in the afternoon, we just want to hang out in a few places like Animate, Evangelion Store, and a few others, so wouldn’t spend too much time there.
• Rikugien Gardens in the evening (18:00)

**Day 5 – Tokyo – Sunday**
• Asakusa Senso-ji temple, Nakamise street and whatever else is around it early in the morning (we don’t plan to stay too much, I know it gets very crowded so about a couple hours, maybe a bit more).
• Ueno park
• Ginza in the afternoon/night

**Day 6 – Tokyo – Monday**
• Early in the morning: Imperial Palace, then to Tokyo Station (my girlfriend specially wants to go to the Kirby Cafe)
• Back to JR station, get the monorail, dropping at Tennozu Isle to check a store called PIGMENT TOKYO (artsy stuff)
• Go to Odaiba to check Gundam Store, the Unicorn Gundam Statue, DiverCity Plaza, whatever else around, then metro at Aomi station to Shin-Toyosu Station and check the teamLAB Planets thing.

**Day 7 – Tokyo – Tuesday**
• Explore Akihabara all day and shop for stuff

**Day 8 – Tokyo/Kyoto – Wednesday**
• Check-out before 11am and get Shinkansen to Kyoto
• Check-in at Kyoto hotel around \~3pm
• Chill and explore around, maybe go to Gion/Pontocho region in the afternoon/night because it’s very close.

**Day 9 – Kyoto – Thursday**
Open-to-suggestions day. We thought about going to Toei Kyoto Studio Park in the morning (not sure how much time we’ll be spending there). But wanted to go to Arashiyama as well…

**Day 10 – Kyoto(Nara) – Friday**
• Going (very) early to Fushimi Inari-taisha for just a couple hours to check it out
• Go to the nearest JR Station and then to Nara and spend the rest of the day there pretty much.

**Day 11 – Kyoto(Osaka) – Saturday**
Still not sure what’s the best route to Osaka, but it’d be kinda like:
• Kayukan Aquarium and Tempozan Ferris wheel
• Shinsaibashisuji, Dotonbori and Kuromon Market
• teamLab Botanical Garden Osaka
• Back to Kyoto

**Day 12 – Kyoto – Sunday**
This is also an open-to-suggestions day. Thought about going to Kyoto Imperial palace and Nijo Castle.

**Day 13 – Kyoto – Monday**
Gion and Karasuma exploring day. Will probably go to Karasuma in the morning and then to Gion the rest of the day.

**Day 14 – Kyoto – Tuesday**
Check-out before 11am and get Shinkansen back to Tokyo. Flight back is around 18:30 through HND so there’s some time to kill checking stuff around.

​

I’ll get the JR Pass just for the last 7 days of the trip. For moving around Tokyo I though about just getting a Welcome Suica. Again I welcome all feedbacks and tips, thanks a ton!!