I will be traveling to Japan for the first time, and I will also be traveling solo for the first time. I’m 20 years old. The trip is 4 weeks. I’m interested in many things, like art and crafts, culture, history, food, anime, pop culture and music. I’m not very interested in nightlife, with the exception of concerts.
I’ve already booked all the accommodations.
I have bolded things I really want to do, and will choose whether I do the other things listed based on the weather and my mood and energy level. Anything in brackets are things I will skip if it’s already late or if I’m tired.
I would love some feedback on my itinerary and any recommendations, and I also have a few questions which I will ask after the itinerary.
11/10 Wed Tokyo
* Arrival Narita airport around 8:30
* Get cash, Get pasmo passport or welcome suica
* ???
* Check in to hotel (from 15:00)
from 12/10 to 15/10 in Tokyo:
1 day: Asakusa and Ueno (sat or sun)
* Coffee at cafe capyba
* Hikifune Takagi Shrine
* **Sensoji Temple**
* Kappabashi street
* (Ueno park)
1 day: Shinjuku
* (Tokyo metropolitan government building)
* **Bunka gakoen costume museum**
* Shinjuku gyoen
* **Kabukicho**
* Golden gai
* (Omoide yokocho)
1 day: Ginza
* 11:00 Fukugawa fudo-do
* **Character street**
* **Pokemon centre**
* (National museum of modern art)
* Kabukiza theatre? if i can get tickets
1 day: Roppongi
* The national art centre
* Mohri garden
* Mohri art museum
* (Tokyo Tower)
16/10 Mon Tokyo→Kyoto
* Train to Kyoto (leave around 12:00, 3,5 hours)
* Check in to hotel (from 15:00)
* (Kiyomizu dera)
17/10 Tue Kyoto
* **Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine**
* (Gekkeikan sake museum)
18/10 Wed Kyoto
* **Museum of crafts and design**
* Heian shrine
* Nanzenji
* Philosophers path
* (Ginkakuji)
19/10 Thu Kyoto
* Kiyomizudera
* **Hokan-ji temple**
* Kodaiji temple
* Yasui Kompira-gu shrine
* **Kennin-ji temple**
* (Yasaka shrine)
* (Shinbashi dori)
20/10 Fri Kyoto
* (Kinkakuji)
* Otagi Nenbutsu-ji
* **Gio-ji**
* **Arashiyama bamboo grove**
* Monkey park
21/10 Sat Kyoto
* Nishiki market
* **International manga museum**
* Kyoto imperial palace
22/10 Sun Kyoto→Osaka
* **Jidai Matsuri**
* Train to Osaka
* Check in to hotel (from 15:00)
* (Osaka aquarium or Dotonbori)
23/10 Mon Osaka
* **Osaka museum of housing and living**
* America Mura
* Dotonbori+ Hozenji yokocho
* (Umeda sky building)
24/10 Tue Osaka
* Train to Nara (leave around 10:00, 1 hour)
* Kofuku-ji pagoda
* Todai-ji
* **Nara koen**
* Train back to hotel
* (The national museum of art (if I return before 16:00))
25/10 Wed Osaka
* Osaka Castle
* Namba Yasaka jinja
* Shinsekai + Tsutenkaku tower
* Kuromon Ichiba market
26/10 Thu Osaka → Kinosaki Onsen
* Train to Kinosaki onsen (leave around 10:00, 3,5 hours)
* Onsenji temple
* Check in to ryokan (after 15:00, before 17:00)
* Dinner in ryokan around 17:00-18:00)
* Walk around and go to onsen
27/10 Fri Kinosaki onsen → Hiroshima
* Train to Hiroshima (leave around 9:00-10:00, 5 hours)
* Check in to hotel (from 15:00)
* Atomic bomb dome
* (Shukkei-en garden)
28/10 Sat Hiroshima
* Go to Miyajima (leave around 9:00, 1,5 hours)
* **Itsukushima shrine**
* Daisho-in temple
* Ropeway up to mount misen, walk back down
* (Momijidani park)
* Back to Hiroshima (1,5 hours)
29/10 Sun Hiroshima →Tokyo
* Hiroshima peace memorial museum and park (8:30)
* Train to Tokyo (leave around 11:00, 5 hours)
* Check in to hotel (before 18:00)
From 30/10 until 6/11 in Tokyo:
1 day: Akihabara
* **Walk around Akihabara, shopping**
* **Kanda shrine**
1 day: Ikebukuro
* Rikugien garden
* **Otome road**
* Sunshine city
* **Evangelion store**
* (Animate store)
1 day: Odaiba
* Gundam base and unicorn gundam
* Diver city
* PIGMENT Tokyo
1 day: Harajuku
* **Meiji jingu + park**
* Takeshita street
* **Baby the stars shine bright**
* Ota memorial museum of art
1 day: Nakano + Toei + Suginami (Sunday 5/11)
* **Suginami animation museum**
* Toei animation museum
* (Baisho-in temple)
* **Nakano broadway**
1 day: Shibuya
* Asakura house
* Shopping
* **Nonbei yokocho**
1 day: Yokohama
* Sankeien garden
* **Gundam factory**
* Chinatown
1 day: Mt. Takao (on a weekday)
* Train to Takaosanguchi station (leave around 10:00, 1 hour)
* Hike up the mountain
* Monkey park
* Autumn leaves festival
* Train back to Tokyo (1 hour)
7/11 Tue Tokyo
* Flight at 11:30 from Narita airport
Some questions:
1. Is there anything that seems inefficient/ that could be planned better?
2. Is there anything I should book in advance?
3. Where can I go before going to the hotel? I will be very tired after a long flight and would love recommendations for a quiet place to sit or walk either near Narita airport or Asakusa (near my hotel).
4. I would love to go to a concert during my trip. Are there any venues in Tokyo that mainly host punk, metal or visual kei concerts? Is it usually possible to buy tickets at the door?
5. Is it worth it to go to the popular temples in Kyoto despite the crowds? What would be good alternatives?
6. How long before my flight should I arrive at Narita airport? How long does security usually take?
7. How long before the bullet train leaves should I be at the station? Is it the same as regular trains where you can arrive a few minutes before the train leaves?
8. Can I buy bullet train tickets at any train station, or only the station where I take the train?
9. I read that you pay an extra fee for limited express trains, if I check in with an IC card do I pay this fee automatically, or do I need to buy an extra ticket?