Itinerary Check 11 Days – Tokyo>Kusatsu>Kyoto>Kanazawa>Tokyo

Hello, me and my wife have an upcoming 11 day stay in Japan. We’ve wanted to go since 2019, but everyone knows what happened in 2020. Just wanted to throw out the itinerary we’ve pieced together. This trip is just me and my wife before we start our own family. I don’t know what the future holds so we tried to include the things in this trip we really wanted to experience if this where our only time visiting Japan. So we sacrificed amusement parks in an effort to experience more of current/traditional Japan.

I feel pretty good about this Itinerary. The parts that I’m not sure about are the first day, I think there’s too much there for a full day, and the stay in Kanazawa. My wife found the Kenrokuen Garden and wanted to add it to the itinerary, but I’m not sure if that’s the best use of our time. I was thinking instead of Kanazawa, do a day trip from Kyoto or add another night in Tokyo to make those days less hectic. Lastly, has anyone experienced the Imperial Palace/Gardens? Is it worth experiencing or would our time be better spent elsewhere?

Any recommendations/input is appreciated!

Oct 16th – Tokyo 
Morning – Stop at Harujuku, Yoyogi Park/Meiji Shrine
Explore Takeshita, Omotesando 
Travel to Shibuya 
View Hachiko Exit 
Shibuya Scramble Square East 
Lunch at Shibuya Scramble 
Shibuya Sky 
Travel to Odaiba via Yurikamome 
Gundam Base Tokyo 
Tokyo Tower 

Oct 17th – Tokyo
Morning – Tour Imperial Palace 
Walk around Imperial Palace East Gardens 
Afternoon/Evening – Akihabara Shopping District 
Evening – Golden Gai 

Oct 18th 
Morning – Ghibli Museum 
Walk through Inokashira Park 
Lunch at Harmonica Yokocho 
Travel back to Shinjuku 
Walk to Shinjuku Goyen National Garden 
Dinner somewhere at Omoide Yokocho 
Evening – Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observation 

Oct 19th – Kusatsu
Travel to Kusatsu 
Onsen Bath 
Sainokawara Park 
Sainokawara Rotenburo 
Yumomi 
Stay in Hanaingen(Ryokan Onsen) 

Oct 20st – Kyoto
Morning – Travel to Kyoto  
Afternoon – Fushimi Inari Shrine 

Oct 21st – Kyoto
Morning – Kokodera 
Take Hankyuu Harashiama line to Arashiyama 
Monkey Park
Iwatayama Togetsukyo Bridge 
Bamboo Grove Tenryu Ji 

Oct 22nd – Kyoto
Early Morning – Kiyomizudera Temple 
Walk to Hein Shrine around noon to view Jidai Matsuri 
Afternoon/Evening – Jidai Matsuri

Oct 23rd – Kyoto
Morning – Philosophers Path 
Ginkakuji Temple 
Walk to Demachi-Yanagi Station to board Eizen Railway Hike from Kurama –> Kibune 
Will check the Onsen in Kurama. If open, will visit temple and then head back to Kurama for Onsen. If not, will complete hike to Kibune 
Find an onsen back in Kyoto if Kurama Onsen closed 

Oct 24th – Osaka
Morning – Travel to Osaka 
Pokemon Center 
Walk around Minami Namba 
Street eats in Osaka’s Dotonbori district 
Evening – Travel back to Kyoto 

Oct 25th – Kanazawa
Morning – Travel to Kanazawa 
Explore Kanazawa 
Kenrokuen Garden

Oct 26th – Tokyo
Morning – Explore Kanazawa
Travel to Tokyo
Explore last night in Tokyo