With about a month to go before our 2-week trip to Japan, I thought I might offer up my proposed itinerary for inspection, commentary, and (hopefully not) ridicule. We are both into history and prefer just exploring neighborhoods over a lot of scheduled attractions. We are also not planning to do a lot of late nights and would rather wake up early. There are a few spots that I have marked “undecided.” My current plan is to use those times to revisit areas that we didn’t get enough time in, but I’m open to other suggestions.
Also, my Tokyo hotel is in an unconventional place (Kanda/Jimbocho) because I want to be close to a certain coffee shop (Glitch) that I have heard good things about and is usually open at 8am (many of the other places I looked at opened later). If I’m going to start most days there, it seems better to stay within walking distance.
**9/30 (Sat) | Tokyo**
– Arrive at Narrita at 8pm; travel to hotel in Kanda/Jimbocho
**10/1 (Sun) | Tokyo**
– AM: explore Kanda/Jimbocho area
– PM: Akihabara
– late afternoon/evening: Asakusa; Sensoji
**10/2 (Mon) | Tokyo**
– start at Meiji Shrine
– walk through Harajuku
– walk through Shibuya
– walk through Daikanyama
– travel to Shimokitazawa for late afternoon/evening
**10/3 (Tues) | Tokyo**
– start at Tsukiji Fish Market
– Teamlabs Planets (10:30 reservation)
– walk around Ginza
– National Film Archive
– travel to Shinjuku for Samurai Museum (before 3pm sword demonstration)
– walk around Shinjuku and Kabukicho for late afternoon / evening
**10/4 (Wed) | Tokyo to Kyoto**
– take early Shinkansen to Kyoto
– check in at hotel in Gojo
– Yasaka-jinja Shrine
– walk through Higashiyama
– Kiyiomizu-dera
– Spend evening in Gion
**10/5 (Thurs) | Kyoto**
– start early at Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
– Nijo Castle
– Museum of Tokyo
– Nishiki Market (lunch)
– Kyoto Imperial Palace
– Ginkakuji
– Philosopher’s Path
– Evening in Pontocho
**10/6 (Fri) | Kyoto**
– start early at Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
– Tenryu-ji and surrounding area
– Segano Scenic Railway
– Hozugawa River Boat
– Ryoan-ji
– Kinkaku-ji
– [evening undecided; consider returning to Gion, Pontocho, or Higashiyama; maybe even Osaka
**10/7 (Sat) | Kyoto Daytrip**
– AM: Nara
– PM: Osaka
– Osaka Castle
– Osaka Museum if History
– Dotonburi
**10/8 (Sun) | Kyoto Daytrip**
– AM: Himeji (mainly for the castle)
– PM: undecided (return to Osaka or travel to Okayama)
**10/9 (Mon) | Kyoto to Takayama**
– Travel to Takayama (staying at AirBNB)
– Takayama Jinya
– Takayama Festival
**10/10 (Tues) | Takayama**
– Hida Folk Village
– Shinhotaka Ropeway
– spend the rest of the day at ryokan near the Ropeway
**10/11 (Wed) | Takayama to Tokyo**
– stay at ryokan until 11am checkout
– travel by bus from ryokan to Matsumoto
– Matsumoto Castle
– take train from Matsumoto to Tokyo (Shinjuku station)
– store luggage at station
– Evening: revisit Shinjuku or Shibuya
– return to same hotel in Kanda
**10/12 (Thurs) | Tokyo**
– Imperial Palace
– Japanese Sword Museu
– Sumida Hokusai
– walk through Ameyoko
– Ueno Park
– Tokyo National Museum (1-2 hrs)
– Evening: Yanaka
**10/13 (Fri) | Tokyo (last day)**
– AM: undecided (return to under-explored neighborhood, Jiyugaoka, or Ikebukuro)
– Sengaku-ji
– Tokyo Tower
– Yurakucho / Tokyo Station
– Leave from Tokyo Station to Narita at 6-6:30pm
– Fly out of Narita at 9:30pm