October 2023 – Itinerary Check

Hi friends! I’ll be visiting Japan from October 7th to the 22nd and wanted to get your thoughts. Here are my plans so far (I’m very open to shuffling cities or days around — I heard saving a few Tokyo days for last is best if you’re shopping but I don’t mind using the luggage service whenever possible). Please let me know if there are other places you think I should visit/remove, not worth seeing, etc. 🙂

**TOKYO**

* Sat 10/7 – Travel to Japan from US
* Sun 10/8 – Arrive to Japan by \~4PM, check into hotel, grab food, explore around area, grab snacks at convenience store
* Mon 10/9 – Tsukiji Outer Market in the early AM, TeamLab Planets, Toyosu Market for lunch, Shibuya Sky, explore Shibuya, dinner
* Tues 10/10 – Sanrio Puroland early AM, lunch, Meiji Jingu, Harajuku, Takeshita, Shinjuku, dinner, Omoide Yokocho
* Wed 10/11 – Pokemon cafe (if I get RSVP lol wish me luck, if not I’ll insert something else here), explore Ginza & do some shopping, dinner

**HAKONE**

* Thurs 10/12 – Head to Mount Fuji, explore area, check in at ryokan, private onsen, ryokan dinner
* Fri 10/13 – Ryokan breakfast, Hakone Shrine, take Ropeway to Owakudani, Open Air museum, take Ropeway back to starting point if time allows. Head to either Osaka or Kyoto hotel, get dinner

**OSAKA/NARA/HIROSHIMA**

* Sat 10/14 – Kuromon Ichiba market early AM, Osaka Aquarium, check out Dontobori + lunch, Namba Yasaka Jinja during late afternoon, dinner, Abeno Harukas
* Sun 10/15 – Head to Nara Park early to see the deer, Todai-Ji temple, lunch, (add in other nara recs), dinner
* Mon 10/16 – Osaka Universal Studios
* Tues 10/17 – Head to Hiroshima early – start with the Castle, Atomic Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial, dinner, head back to Osaka or Kyoto hotel. Would like to take the Hello Kitty train but not sure if it’s possible with this outline lol OR might make this another full Kyoto day instead and save Hiroshima for a future trip

**KYOTO**

* Wed 10/18 – Arashiyama Bamboo Grove early AM, monkey park, nishiki market for lunch, Fushimi Inari Taisha around sunset (understand it will be crowded but I don’t mind walking further for less people)
* Thurs 10/19 – Gion day trip recs?
* Fri 10/20 – TBD (please provide some recs), head back to Tokyo after dinner

**TOKYO**

* Sat 10/21 – Asakusa – Senso-ji Temple early AM, Nakamise-dori St, Asakusa Kagetsudō, Kappabashi, early dinner, Akihabara, Pokemon Mega Center
* Sun 10/22 – Leftover early morning activities that I missed/want to check out again, get bags from hotel, head to airport late morning/very early afternoon, flight around 5PM

**Notes**

* Mid 20s, interests: sanrio & pokemon (as you can tell lol), BIG foodies, shopping, very active/fit
* Cup noodle museum day trip?I don’t mind a busier itin, but also don’t want to feel stressed all the time about jumping from place to place. Hopefully what I have here is a good pace?
* Would love some food spots that you think are highly worth visiting – I have a general list of places I’d like to go and on what days, but curious to see some of your opinions
* Would the JR pass be worth it for this kind of trip?

Thank you all very much in advance!! This is my partner and I’s first international trip and we are super excited but very stressed :’D