I’ll be visiting Japan for 16 days in just under a month, couldn’t be more excited! This sub has been incredibly helpful in structuring things out, and I’d love any advice about what I’ve planned out particularly as this’ll be a solo trip. I’m looking to indulge in the food, scenery, culture, nerdy stuff and nightlife when I’m not totally beat. I’ve tried to keep a loose schedule and mark sights that aren’t as high priority as optional in case plans or timing changes which I fully expect to happen. The Tokyo districts are also pretty loose as I’m up to just explore/roam around or find more specific POIs besides the major ones in the upcoming weeks, but I’m open to suggestions on any days/periods that seem \*too\* empty.
**Sept. 23: Arrive in Haneda \~3PM**
* Pick up welcome Suica, using Ubigi eSim
* Travel to hotel in Shinjuku, get sorted out & wander around the area for food
**Sept. 24: Tokyo pt. 1** \- Willing to take it easy in event of jetlag but also planning on starting early to account for jetlag
* Tsukiji and/or Toyosu early
* Teamlabs planets
* Hamarikyu garden
* Ferry to Asakusa & roam
* Loop back to Odaiba to see the Gundam Unicorn statue in the evening
* (Optional) Anything else in the Odaiba area that catches interest while around, or just
* collapse at night after dinner
**Sept. 25 : Tokyo pt. 2**
* Shinjuku
* Harajuku
* Shibuya
* Golden Gai
**Sept. 26: Tokyo pt. 3** \- West
* Kichijoji roaming & Lunch
* (Optional) Koenji
* Nakano (broadway)
* Sangenjaya
* Shimokitazawa + live house show
**Sept. 27**: Kamakura
* Day trip to Kamakura
* (Optional) Enoshima visit
**Sept. 28:** Travel to Kansai
* Travel to Himeji to see Himeji Castle & Kokoen Garden
* (Optional) Stop in Kobe for a brief visit / food
* Arrive at Osaka
**Sept. 29**: Osaka
* Kuromon Market
* Namba Yasaka
* Dotonbori
* Shinsekai
* Denden Town
**Sept. 30**: Kyoto Pt. 1
* Starting in Kiyomizu-dera and working my way up to Nishiki Market (Sannenzaka, Kodai-ji, Kiyamachi-dori, etc)
* (Optional) Menbaka Fire Ramen
* Evening in Pontocho
**Oct. 1**: Kyoto Pt. 2
* Starting at Kyoto Imperial Palace / National Garden and working down through Philosopher’s path to Nanzen-ji
* Evening in Gion
**Oct. 2:** Nara
* Fushimi Inari early in the morning
* Kōfuku-ji
* Todai-ji
* Nara Park
* Nakatanidou Mochi
* Higashimuki Shopping Street & Mochiidono Shopping Arcade
* (Optional) Fushimi Sake District & Fumishi Inari brief re-visit depending on time of day
**Oct. 3**: Kyoto Pt. 3
* Monkey Park hike
* Tenryuji to Daikaku-ji (Bambroo Grove, Gioji, Saga-Toriimoto, etc)
* Any additional roaming in the area
* (Optional) Once finished in Arashiyama, visit Fushimi Sake District if I wasn’t able to go the previous day
**Oct. 4**: Miyajima
* Travel to Hiroshima & ferry out to Miyajima early
* Itsukushima Shrine / Torii
* Mt. Misen hike
* Lunch – Omotesando Street / Miyajima Brewery
* Staying at at ryokan on Miyajima, letting myself relax and heal up for the night
**Oct. 5**: Hiroshima
* Ferry back to Hiroshima
* Atomic Bomb Dome
* Peace Memorial Museum
* Peace Memorial Park
* Lunch @ Hondori / Okonomimura
* Travel back to Osaka
* See Umeda Sky Building in the evening, and prep for the trip back to Tokyo/Kanto
**Oct. 6**: Yokohama / Kawasaki
* Travel to Yokohama
* (Optional) Kirin brewery tour
* Gundam Factory Yokohama & Gundam-Dock Tower viewing (Thinking about timing – better to visit GFY and then roam Minato-mirai, or opposite)
* Minato-mirai
* (Optional) Cup noodle museum
* Club Citta concert in Kawasaki
**Oct. 7**: Last full day in Tokyo
* Ueno
* (Optional) Ginza (mostly just to see the flagship Uniqlo & Muji)
* Akihabara
* Ikebukuro
* Anything else to fill the day?
**Oct. 8**: Departure day
* Gift shopping, relaxing, revisiting any areas
* Head to Haneda by 5PMish (8PM flight)
My main biggest hangup currently is transit. My out of Tokyo travel takes up 9 days so I’d have to go up to the 14 day JR rail pass, where I’d be saving about $90-100 at most (given pre-increase prices). I’m not sure if it’s worth picking it up, as I’ve read it’s not as good if you’re only breaking even or saving just a bit.
I’m also still thinking about how I want to handle large luggage. I do get one checked luggage with my flight, but I’m thinking about whether it’s worth even bringing it versus just buying a cheap suitcase or something while abroad and checking that back instead. I’m fine with shipping stuff around if needed or if I end up buying too much in the initial days.
My last real concern is the flight back, it’s pretty late so I have a lot of time that day to do stuff and get ready but I’m worried about heading to the airport around what I assume is rush hour with luggage and everything. My last hotel will still be in Shinjuku.