I apologize in advance for adding yet another itinerary check post to the pile that is this subreddit lol…but I am travelling with a few friends for my first time to Japan and wanted to get feedback. If anyone has time to review my itinerary, I would appreciate input to see if my plans are too much or too little. I have been lurking here for awhile and put together an itinerary from past trip reports, so I like to think it is reasonable. For each day I am listing the major popular attractions I want to see, but it is not necessarily all we will do that day…gotta leave room for spontaneous exploration.
The high level plan is to start in Tokyo for a few days, travel to Kyoto area for a week, and then head back to Tokyo for a few days before flying back home. Since this trip focuses primarily on Tokyo and Kyoto, we are skipping the JR pass.
**Sunday 11/5 – Tokyo**
* Land in Haneda at 14:00, after a 15 hour flight. Pick up yen, IC card, pocket wifi
* Check in at hotel (Mitsui Garden Hotel Jingugaien Tokyo Premier), which is close to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
* No real plans for this day as we will probably be ready to crash
**Monday 11/6 – Tokyo**
* Shinjuku-Gyoen National Garden
* Explore Shinjuku
* Golden Gai or Omoide Yokocho
**Tuesday 11/7 – Tokyo**
* Meiji Jingu Shrine
* Harajuku area / Takeshita street
* Explore Shibuya (Shopping areas, Scramble Crossing, etc…)
* Shibuya Sky (Sunset if we can book that time slot)
**Wednesday 11/8 – Tokyo**
* TeamLab Planets
* Tsukiji market (I am aware this is a tourist trap, so if its too crowded we might skip)
* Explore Ginza area (I am not personally interested in high end shopping, so might just get a fancy meal here and move on)
* Explore Kokyo Gaien National Garden
* Imperial Palace
* Tokyo Tower
**Thursday 11/9 – Kyoto (This day might be too empty ?)**
* Shinkansen to Kyoto
* Check in to hotel in the Pontocho area (Hotel ARU Kyoto Sanjo Kiyamachi-dori)
* Explore Pontocho area
* Nishiki Market
**Friday 11/10 – Kyoto**
* Hanamikoji Alley
* Yasaka Shrine
* Kodaiji Temple
* Ishibeoji Alley
* Ninenzaka
* Kiyomizu-dera Temple
**Saturday 11/11 – Kyoto**
* Nijo Castle
* Kyoto Imperial palace
* Teramachi-dori Street
* Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion
**Sunday 11/12 – Nara day trip**
* Nara Deer Park
* Todai-ji Temple
* Higashimuki Shopping St
* Yoshikien Gardens
* Kasuga Taisha
**Monday 11/13 – Osaka day trip**
* Osaka Castle
* Shinsekai
* Dotombori
**Tuesday 11/14 – Kyoto**
* Explore Arashiyama
* Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
* Iwatayama Monkey Park
* Tenryu-ji Temple
* Gio-ji Temple / Moss Garden
**Wednesday 11/15 – Kyoto**
* Fushimi Inari
* Higashiyama Jisho-ji
* Rengeoin Sanjusangendo
**Thursday 11/16 – Tokyo**
* Shinkansen back to Tokyo
* Store luggage at hotel close to Ueno park (Tosei Hotel Cocone Ueno).
* Explore Ueno
* Ueno park
* Akihabara
**Friday 11/17 – Tokyo**
* Nakamise Shopping Street
* Senso-ji Shrine
* Explore Asakusa
* Tokyo Skytree
**Saturday 11/18 – Tokyo / Flight home**
* Not sure what to do this day since flight home is at Haneda airport at 7:20 PM, so we might time to explore Ueno and Asakusa some more before heading to airport.
* Haneda airport, our flight back is at 7:20 PM, so probably want to be at the airport by 5-ish?