Hello everyone,
Me and my girlfriend are going to Japan and are flying in from 5 to 6 november from Amsterdam. It’s our first time visiting and looking very much forward to it. Afterwards we’re going to New Zealand for another two weeks of exploring (and perhaps resting a bit from the crowdedness of Tokyo). I’ve made an itinerary and am looking for any and all feedback on it. Would you recommend swapping some parts around? Is it too busy? Are missing some obvious things? Thanks a lot!
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**Day 1 – November 6 (monday): Arrival at Tokyo Narita**
* Arrival at Narita airport at 09:45 AM
* Head to the hotel, staying in or around Ueno station
* Drop our bags and take a stroll to Akihabara
* Explore around Ueno and Ueno park
* Be tired and go to bed early
**Day 2 – November 7 (thuesday): Tokyo**
* Head towards Shibuya Crossing, Meiji shrine, exploring
* Stroll towards Shinjuku, maybe pass Shinjuku Gyoen
* Diner somewhere around here and exploring golden gai and/or piss alley
**Day 3 – November 8 (wednesday): Tokyo**
* Get up early and go to Senso-ji
* Explore Asakusa
* Tokyo skytree
* Any recommendations for this side of Tokyo?
**Day 4 – November 9 (thursday): Tokyo → Hakone**
* Head towards Hakone
* Explore Gora until check-in time at Ryokan
* Enjoy the onsen and diner
**Day 5 – November 10 (friday): Hakone**
* Ryokan breakfast 🙂
* Hakone loop day
* Explore around lake Ashi
* Back towards ryokan and enjoy the evening rest
**Day 6 – November 11 (saturday): Hakone → Osaka**
* Breakast, maybe explore Hakone immediate area a bit more
* Head towards Osaka by train
* Check in at hotel in the Namba area
* Dotonbori
**Day 7 – November 12 (sunday): Osaka**
* Osaka castle and surrounding area
* Anymore tips in the immediate area?
* Shinsekai area in the afternoon
* Teamlab botanical garden in the evening perhaps
**Day 8 – November 13 (monday): Osaka**
* Take it easy in the morning
* Or some must sees and tips?
* Explore and shop at Shinsaibashisuji
* Amerikamura
**Day 9 – November 14 (tuesday): Osaka → Nara**
* Head to Nara in the morning
* Drop luggage at the ryokan
* Explore Nara park and feed deer
* Todai-ji
* Diner at ryokan or Narapark area
**Day 10 – November 15 (wednesday): Nara → Kyoto**
* Breakfast and easy morning
* Train to Kyoto from Nara
* Check in the hotel between Kyoto station and Higashiyama
* Nishiki street market
* Gion at night
**Day 11 – November 16 (thursday): Kyoto**
* Higashiyama area
* Fushimi Inari
* Silver pavillion
* Philosophers path
* Kiyomizu dera
* Gion / Hanamikoji
**Day 12 – November 17 (friday): Kyoto**
* Rent bikes and head towards west Kyoto
* Bamboo grove
* Golden pavilion
* Bike around and explore
**Day 13 – November 18 (saturday): Kyoto → Kanazawa**
* Thunderbird towards Kanazawa
* Check in hotel or ryokan at around naga-machi district
* Explore nagamachi, nomura samurai house
**Day 14 – November 19 (sunday): Kanazawa**
* Kenrokuen garden and Kanazawa castle
* Higashi chaya district
* Omicho market
**Day 15 – November 20 (monday): Kanazawa → Tokyo**
* Enjoy Kanazawa a bit in the morning
* Travel back towards Tokyo
* Check in at hotel in Ginza
* Tokyo tower perhaps, explore surroundings
**Day 16 – November 21 (thursday): Tokyo**
* Head to stuff we missed or wanted to go to
* Teamlab Borderless or planets
* Enjoy our last evening in the crowdedness of Tokyo
**Day 17 – November 22 (friday): Tokyo → Auckland**
* Last (part of a) day in Japan 🙁
* Head towards Narita airport (5:30 PM flight)
* Fly to Auckland and make an itinerary for another reddit 😉
Some questions I have:
* I’m quite sure the JR-pass might not be worth it for us (except for convenience sake perhaps), especially with the upcoming price hike. Suica-cards with credit on them is the way to go then I guess?
* Does anyone have some recommendations for Osaka, I feel like we are missing out a few things. We’re staying at Namba, which should be a central enough location.
* We want to go cycling to explore a few days, to not be bound in train-transit all day, but how bicycle friendly is Japan? And for what days of our itinerary might it be a good option?
* Some recommendations for our last days in Tokyo? We are planning to stay in the Ginza area.
* My phone can handle an eSim and this option looked very convenient. I keep reading that Ubigi is the way to go. Is it possible for me to share my Ubigi eSim network via hotspot with my girlfriend?
Thanks a lot, looking very much forward to it!
1 comment
Akihabara, Ueno and asakusa are in the same area. Instead of going to shibuya one day and then to asakusa next day, why don’t you see Ueno, aliba, asakusa on the first 2 days. While you are at it, do see Kanda myojin and the Ochanomizu area. You will like strolling through it.
Check out Daikanyama area in Tokyo, that’s a pretty cool neighborhood. If you are staying in Ginza, the areas around Nihombashi, Ningyocho, Bank of Japan, might get nice to explore for an hour or 2. Will recommend you to stay at Hibiya.
Kyoto has bicycling options, not much in Osaka or Tokyo for sightseeing.