Itinerary Check: 16 days in November Tokyo-Fujikawaguchiko-Kyoto-Osaka-Tokyo

Hi! My husband and I are going to Japan for the first time this November. I’d appreciate your thoughts, especially where I have ??. I realize some of this is packed and I’ll have to prioritize, feel free to help with that! Also I only really mentioned meals if I had an idea where we were going already, rest assured eating will happen.

**Sat 11/11: Tokyo – Shinjuku (landing time 3:20 PM)**

* Check in at the Shinjuku Washington Hotel
* Try to resist taking a nap
* Don Quijote birthday game right across the street
* Tokyo Metropolitan Building
* Kabukicho Tower

**Sun 11/12: Tokyo – Shinjuku & Shibuya**

* Opens 9 AM: Walk through Shinjuku Gyoen Park/National Garden (Chrysanthemum Exhibition)
* Meiji Jinju Shrine
* Cat Street (Cafe Reissue, Design Festa Gallery)
* Shibuya Scramble
* Shibuya Sky
* Tokyo Romantic Flea Market 10 AM – 4 PM (maybe/time allowing)
* Shibuya station area shopping/wandering (Shibuya Center Gai, Tower Records, Loft,
* Yoyogi Park

*At Night*

* Artnia Square Enix Cafe (browse shopping area only, open til 9)
* Golden Gai Bar Hopping and/or Omoide Yokocho (Piss) Alley
* Maybe Bar Albatross

**Mon 11/13: Tokyo**

* Tsukiji Market (eating and browsing) and next door Ichifuji for souvenirs
* Walk down the same street to see Namiyoke Shrine (lion statues)
* Tsukiji Hongan-ji temple
* The Old Shimbashi Station Railway History Exhibition Hall & Shimbashi Station
* Roppongi?
* Fuji Film Square
* Roppongi Hills
* Mamon (spider statue)

*At Night*

* Mori Tower/Tokyo City View
* Shinbashi?
* Maybe stay in this area or go to Ebisu for food/drink

**Tue 11/14: Tokyo to Fujikawaguchiko**

* Checkout Tokyo
* Get off at Shimoyoshida Station
* Arakurayama Sengen Park/Pagoda
* 40 minute train to Kawaguchiko Station
* Lunch/browsing around at Lake Fujikawaguchiko area
* Ferry and/or take Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway
* 3 PM: Check in to Fujikawaguchiko Onsen Konanso
* 4PM – 10 PM Autumn Leaves Festival (not sure dates are legit yet)

**Wed 11/15: Fujikawaguchiko to Kyoto**

* Checkout Fujikawaguchiko by 10 AM latest
* Check in at Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kyoto-Kiyomizu Gojo probably between 3 and 5 PM
* Wander through historic & shopping areas in central Kyoto
* Gion Geisha district
* Nishkiki Market if still open (closes at 6)
* Daimaru Market (probably eat there)
* Try to catch cultural show at Gion corner (one at 6, one at 7)
* Hanami-koji Street & side alleys
* Shirakawa Area along the canal
* Yasaka Shrine

*Time/Energy depending*: Kodaiji Temple Lightscape at night (5-9:30 PM)

**Thur 11/16: Kyoto**

* Philosopher’s Path area
* Nanzenji Temple/Tenjuan Temple Gardens
* Eikan-do Zenrin-ji Temple
* Shinshō Gokuraku-ji (Shinnyo-dō) Temple
* Higashiyama Jisho-ji (Silver Pavilion)
* 30 min bus Back to Hotel (or 17 min taxi)

*Night – Several Options*

* If did not get to on first day (priority)- Kodaiji Temple Lightscape Likely to have a very long line OR
* Chionin Temple
* Shorenin Temple (right next to Chionin) OR
* Daigo-ji Temple (45 min by train)

**Fri 11/17: Kyoto – Arashiyama**

* Nonomiya-jinja Shrine & Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
* Tenryuji Temple
* Hogon-in Temple & Garden
* Walk through Kameyama Park & Okochi Sanso Garden
* Probably grab food from train station
* Take the scenic romantic train ride

*Time/Energy Allowing*

* Gioji Temple
* Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple
* Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple

**Sat 11/18: Kyoto**

* Heian Shrine
* Tofuku-ji Temple
* Tentative: Kōmyō-in Temple subtemple

Higashiyama District

* Stop at Maccha House
* ​
* Photo op: Yasaka Pagoda
* Shinbashi street
* Shijo Street
* Maruyama Park
* Kiyomizudera Temple sunset and/or night illumination (6 AM – 9 PM)

**Sun 11/19: Kyoto/Nara to Osaka**

* 6 – 7 AM, depart for Fushimi Inari Shrine
* Tentative – short walk through Fukakusa Cemetery to Hotoji Temple
* Train to Nara Park
* Try to see a mochi pounding demonstration
* Kasuga Taisha Shrine & Garden
* Maybe get some Sake at Harushika Sake Brewery
* Train to Osaka
* Check in Sotetsu Fresa Inn Osaka Namba-ekimae
* Dotonbori area for food and drinks

**Mon 11/20: Osaka**

* Namba Yasaka Jinja Shrine
* Namba Parks for shopping
* DenDen town,
* Kuromon Ichiba Market
* Hozenji Yokocho alley right nearby the hotel

*Night*

* Amerikamura

**Tue 11/21: Osaka & Himeji**

* Take the train to Himeji Castle & Gardens
* Osaka Station City complex
* Umeda Sky building
* Grand Front Osaka OR
* Check out Kobe???

*At Night*

* Nagai Park/teamLab Botanical Gardens

**Wed 11/22: Ghibli Park, Nagoya to Tokyo**

* Check out Osaka (by 11 AM)
* Ghibli Park (Warehouse entrance at 12, Mononoke forest entrance 4)
* Train to Tokyo
* Check in Tosei Hotel Cocone Ueno Okachimachi in Ueno, Tokyo
* Drinks somewhere probably

**Thur 11/23: Tokyo – Asakusa & Odaiba**

* Asakusa:
* Sensoji Temple
* Sensōji Chingodō
* Nakamise Shopping Street & Shin-Nakamise Shopping Street
* Asakusa Underground Street
* Take the water bus to Odaiba via the Asakusa-Odaiba Direct Line
* Maybe Hama Rikyu park?? (stop is on the way)

Odaiba:

* Retro-Kitsch ‘Daiba Itchome Shotengai’ on the 4th floor of Odaiba Decks Tokyo Beach
* Yamashiroya
* Obligatory Gundam statue photo
* Ghibli Clock photo op
* Asakusa: Tori-no-Ichi Fair should be happening

**Fri 11/24: Tokyo – Ueno**

* Ueno Park
* Yanaka Ginza shopping street
* Takeya Shopping Mall
* Yanaka Cemetery
* Ameyoko Shopping District

*Night*

* Shimokitazawa for live music (?)
* Harmonica Yokocho (?)
* Koenji (?)
* Asagaya (?)

**Sat 11/25**

* Nakano Broadway?
* Shimokitazawa or Sangenjaya?
* Daytrip? (Sendai or Yokohama probably)

*Night*

* Shimokitazawa for live music (?)
* Harmonica Yokocho (?)
* Koenji (?)
* Asagaya (?)

**Sun 11/26 – Tokyo – Akihabara**

* GiGo- huge arcades, hubby will pick which one
* Taito Station
* Volks Hobby Paradise
* Hitachino Brewing Lab
* Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan:
* Animate
* Mandarake Complex
* Super Potato:

*Night*

* Shimokitazawa for live music (?)
* Harmonica Yokocho (?)
* Koenji (?)
* Asagaya (?)

**Mon 11/27**

* Revisit favorite places or places we missed
* OR daytrip

**Tue 11/28 – Time to Go Home**