Itinerary Check: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Tokyo (Dec 31 – Jan 13 2024) 3 adults under 21

Thanks for the help in advance!

We’re travelling mainly for food, sightseeing, and souvenirs. Schedule is flexible but we do want to make the most of our day. Food and sightseeing locations suggestions are needed / welcomed for any of the days.

Note:

1. No JR Rail Pass and we are going to be buying train tickets day of.
2. We also want to maximize the amount of time we spend sightseeing and exploring, while eating some relatively inexpensive but delicious food. Will do more research about local restaurants on my own, but would appreciate any suggestions.
3. I understand that we are going during the New Years so most places will be closed. If they conflict with the schedule, please let me know!

TOKYO (12/31 – 1/06)

12/31 – Land at NRT 5 pm, get to Shinjuku AirBnB at \~7:30 pm, get situated and dinner at Shinjuku’s Drunkard’s Alley. Would going to LOFTS mall, particularly the OWNDAYS sunglasses store be feasible during this time? Or is it too late?

1/1 – Meiji Shrine (somewhere around 6 am… not sure if that is too early or late). Expecting to spend around 2-3 hours here. Then we go to Suga Shrine steps, take some pictures, and then have lunch (undecided, recommendations are welcome!). Leave for Hie Shrine for some pictures and sightseeing, then onto Tokyo Tower in the late afternoon (probably somewhere around 2 or 3 pm). The dinner (any places that are open on New Years?)

1/2 – Imperial Palace (going from around 8 or 9 am – 11 – 1 pm) then onto the Rainbow Bridge (plan to bike across it, let me know how feasible that is as I know most businesses are closed), then have lunch in Odaiba (mostly shopping around at the Odaiba mall if it is not closed). IF we have enough time, from Odaiba to Yokohama (gundam factory, then dinner in Yokohama. If not possible, then most likely dinner in Shinjuku.)

1/3 – Ghibli Museum (10 am – 12 pm), lunch in the area, then onto Inokashira Park and then the rest of Kichijoji, maybe Harmonica Alley (spend the evening there, then head back to Shinjuku). If there is more free time on this day, please let me know!

1/4 – Skytree / Solamachi (Asakusa shopping, spending the morning to early afternoon here), Tsukiji Fish Market (around noon for lunch), Shibuya (mostly for shopping and sightseeing, like Nintendo Tokyo, Pokemon Center, and shopping for books and anime merchandise)

1/5 – Ikebukuro, Harajuku (SNKRDUNK, Takeshita St), Muscle Girls Bar (if anyone knows about this place, do you have to be 21 to come here?), and onto Akihabara. This is entirely a day dedicated for shopping for merchandise, clothes, and souvenirs. Still figuring out the dining locations, open to suggestions.

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KYOTO and NARA(??) (1/06 – 1/09)

1/6 – check out of Shinjuku AirBnB and go to Tokyo station, but our shinkansen tickets, and catch the 830 train. Arrive in Kyoto, go to Airbnb and drop off luggage, go to Uji for sightseeing and tea, then onto Nishiki Market for dinner in the evening.

1/7 – Monkey Park Iwatayama, Arashiyama bamboo grove, Kimono Forest. Do you have to purchase tickets for Monkey Park, Bamboo Grove, or Kimono Forest?

1/8 – Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kiyomizu-Dera, Fushimi-Inari (bunch of photos and sightseeing)

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OSAKA (1/09 – 1/12)

1/9 – check out of Kyoto Airbnb (again, around 9 am), then go to Osaka airbnb, Nara Park? We don’t want to spend a whole day at Nara, just for like a few hours to see the deer and maybe get local food for lunch. Then onto Osaka Aquarium in the early to late afternoon, and go to Dotonbori (Shinsaibashi) for exploring and food.

1/10 – Osaka Castle, Shinsekai (shopping), Spa World (plan to spend a few hours here, have not yet purchased tickets.)

1/11 – Tower of the Sun (Expo Commemoration Park, morning to early afternoon), Instant Ramen Museum (afternoon), not too sure what to do for the evening for food.

1/12 – check out + go to Tokyo ryokan, and do any last minute exploring and / or purchasing.

1/13 – \_Not much, flight is at 17:05, so leave for NRT at around 14:00.

Main questions are:

1. We want to go to Nara but not dedicate a whole day to it. Perhaps 4-5 hours max. Is this feasible? And would it be better to leave for Nara from Kyoto or Osaka?

2. Most of the events- Spa World, Monkey Park, Meiji Shrine, etc. etc. Do they need tickets, and where would you purchase them? I know that for Spa World and Ghibli museum they are online, not too sure about the Osaka Aquarium or Monkey Park and the works.
3. Are there any culturally significant or unique places in Kyoto or Osaka that we should add? Would love to add more to the itinerary if possible.

Thanks for all the help and reading through all of this!

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