Hello everyone! I, 32(F), am planning my 2nd solo trip to Japan (last time I had only 7 days so I only stayed in Tokyo and Hakone). This time I have a whole month to explore the beauty of Japan and made a rough itinerary that I know I won’t follow 100%. It’s mainly to map out how many days I’ll be staying in each city and some major landmarks I hope to see while I’m there. Hence why the day trip/short trips are more mapped out. Still trying to figure out if JR pass is worth it – seems to be around break even.
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Is there anything I should add or take out? I’m not much of a partying/drinking person so the most I’ll do is maybe hit a bar for a drink or two and call it a day. Any particular food spot that’s highly recommended? I’ll most likely be using Tabelog to see what nearby when I’m hungry or go into a random restaurant.
# Trip Oct 24-11/24
*Might* *a 21 day JR pass – seems to break even with all the places I’ll be going to*
*Already have Suica card from 2018 visit*
**Tokyo (10/24-10/27)**
*Land in Haneda Airport, Tokyo @ 5AM*
*Stay in Via Inn Premium Akasaka*
**10/24 – Leave bag at hotel**
* Probably jetlagged so taking a slow day exploring surrounding area – food and maybe turn in early
* Probably get something from 7/11 (right under hotel)
* Buy goshuin book (seems fun to collect the goshuin since I’ll be going to many temples and shrines)
* Maybe from Loft or from Hie Shrine (if they sell it) near hotel
* Ginza Hachigo (Michelin ramen)
**10/25**
* Ghibli Museum @ 12pm (ticket secured)
* Inokashira Park
* Explore Kichijoji
* Tokyo Skytree
* Kirby cafe @ 6:50p for dinner
* Pokemon Center
* Ghibli Store
* Maybe window shopping
* Sumida Park (for view of Skytree at night)
**10/26 – Meet up w/ friend**
*I know Disney Sea should be an all day thing but my friend has time constraints and wanted to go to both*
* TeamLab Planet (9am)
* Disney Sea
**10/27 – Activate JR Pass (if I get it)**
*Send luggage to Hiroshima (maybe)*
* Leave around noon for Kyoto
* Sit on the right side for a chance to see Mt. Fuji
**Tokyo > Kyoto (home base 10/27)**
*Staying in Shimogyo Ward*
* Might spend a day relaxing and exploring the area around
* Leave for Hiroshima early AM
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**Kyoto > Hiroshima (10/28-10/30)**
*Staying at Miyajima Coral Hotel*
**10/28 – Arrive in the morning**
* Atomic Bomb Dome
* Peace Memorial Museum
* Hiroshima Castle
* Itsukushima Jinja
* Hiroshima style okonomiyaki
**10/29 – Take ferry to Miyajima**
* Omotesando
* Itsukushima Shrine
* Daisho-in Temple
* Mt. Misen hike
* Momijidani Park
* Senjokaku Pavilion
* **Last ferry @ 10:42pm**
**Hiroshima > Himeji > Osaka (10/30)**
*Buy round trip ticket for bus + ropewayLeave in the morning for Himeji – aiming for 9am*
* Mt. Shosha
* Engyo-ji
* Himeji Castle
* Koko-en Garden
* Miyuki or Omizosuji Shopping Street
* Leave around 7 or 8pm for Osaka
**Osaka (10/30-11/3)**
*Staying at Dormy Inn Premium Namba*
**10/30 – Drop off luggage at hotel**
* Dotonbori
* Food (Takoyaki)
* Glico man
**10/31 – Halloween**
*Check out large chains for Halloween themed food*
* Yasaka Shrine (go in the morning)
* Den Den Town (Otaku area)
* Kuromon Ichiba Market
* Hozenji
* Dotonbori/Triangle Park
* Just to people watch
* Not really into partying
**11/1**
* Osaka Castle + Garden
* Tenmangu Shrine
* Shitenno-Ji
* Shinsekai (looks cool at night too)
* Tsutenkaku Tower
* Retro arcade games
* Kushikatsu (Fried Skewer)
**11/2 – Flex day**
*Not in any particular order*
* Minoh Park (morning)
* Umeda Sky Building
* Shinasbashi-Suji
* Sumiyoshi Taisha
* Teamlab Botanical Garden (evening only) – maybe
**11/3 – leave in the morning for Kobe**
**Osaka > Kobe > Kyoto (11/3 day trip)**
* Kitano-cho – historic district
* Ikuta Jinja
* Explore the Sannomiya Area
* Kobe beef lunch (maybe @ Mouriya Royal)
* Motomachidori + Sannomiya Center Gai
* Nankinmachi (Chinatown)
* Kobe Harbor
* Be Kobe sign
* Kobe Port Tower (lights up at night)
* Leave for Kyoto around 7 or 8p
**Kyoto (11/3-11/11)**
*Staying in Shimogyo Ward*
*Not in any particular order*
**11/4 – Arashiyama**
* Bamboo Grove (need to be early morning)
* Romance Train (?)
* Iwatayama Monkey Park
* Tenryu-ji
* Kimono Forest (at night)
**11/5**
* Fushimi Inari – climb to the top (\~2-3 hours)
* Bamboo forest hidden behind
* Tofuku-ji
* Higashi Hongan-ji
* Kyoto Tower
**11/6 – Uji – Mostly for tea and food**
* Tsuen Teahouse (oldest tea house in Japan)
* Right across from Keihan Uji station
* Byodo-in
* Mitsuboshien Kambayashi Sannyu Honten
* Nakamura Tokichi Honten for lunch
* Tea ceremony?
* Tokichi Honten (dessert)
**11/7**
* Nanzen-ji
* Philosopher’s Path
* Ginkakuji
* Heian-Jinju
* Okazaki-jinja (rabbit shrine)
**11/8**
* Kiyomizu-Dera
* Ninenzaka/Sannenzaka
* Hokan-ji Temple
* Gion
* Kodaji Temple
* Bamboo forest trail
* Yasaka Jinja (best evening)
* Hanamikoji Street (Geisha District)
* Gion Corner Cultural Performance (maybe)
* Starts at 6pm and 7pm
* Need to buy ticket
* Pontocho Alley (dinner)
**11/9-11/10 – Flex days (haven’t really thought about what to do)**
* Kinkaku-ji
* Sennyu-ji
* Nijo Castle
* Nishiki Market
* Kyoto Shinkyogoku Shopping Street
**11/11 – Leave Kyoto in the morning for Takayama**
**Kyoto > Nara (flex day trip)**
* Nakantanidou (go first)
* fresh mochi!
* Mochi making demonstration
* Kofuku-ji Temple (UNESCO world heritage)
* Isuien Garden
* Todai-ji Temple
* Nara Park
* Feed the deers
* Kasuga-Taisha
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*Maybe 1 more day trip Okayama or Hikone?*
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**Kyoto > Takayama (11/11-11/13)**
*Hotel and Spa Gift Takayama (includes breakfast)*
**11/11 Arrive in the morning and drop luggage off in hotel**
* Sanmachi-suji District
* Old town
* Nakabashi Bridge
* Yoshijima Heritage House
* Kusakabe Folk Craft Musuem
* Sakurayama-Hachimangu Shrine
* Takayama Yatai Kaikan
* Float exhibition hall
* Hida beef dinner
**11/12 Forward luggage to Tokyo**
*Bring 3 days of clothes + toiletry in backpack*
* Miyagawa Morning Market
* Higashiyama Walking Course
* Hokki-ji Temple
* Hida no Sato
**11/13 Leave early morning for Shirakawa-go – aim for 8:50am**
**Takayama > Shirakawa-go > Kanazawa (11/13)**
*Nohi Bus – reserve in advance*
* Tenshukaku Observatory
* Myozenji Temple
* Gassho-zukuri Village
* Leave around 5pm
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**Kanazawa (11/13-11/15)**
*Nakayasu Ryokan (includes breakfast and dinner)*
**11/13 – Arrive around 6pm**
* Tsuzumi-mon Gate @ Kanazawa Station
* Take a easy day to relax
* Use the share bath
**11/14**
* Omicho Market
* Kenroku-en Garden
* Castle Park
* Oyama Jinja Shrine
* Nagamachi Samurai District
**11/15 – Leave in the evening for Tokyo**
* Ishiura Jinja Shrine
* Kazue-machi Chaya District (can skip)
* Higashi Chaya District
* Shima Teahouse (Museum)
* Kaikaro Teahouse
* Ninja Temple
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**Kanazawa > Tokyo (11/15-11/24)**
*11/15 -11/18 Super Hotel Asakusa*
*11/18 – 11/24 Sotetsu Fresa Inn Higashi Shinjuku*
*Not in any particular order*
**11/16 – Rest day**
* Find a nice cafe to sit down and relax/people watch
* Maybe a cat or shiba cafe
**Tokyo > Nikko (11/17) – Day Trip**
*Buy Nikko Heritage Area Pass – upgrade for direct train to Nikko*
*Buy Chuzenji Onsen Free Pass + Toshogu entrance ticket @ Tourist Info Center*
*Sun set around 4:30 – 5pm*
* Kegon Falls (might be too late for fall colors)
* Futarasan Shrine
* Nikko Cafe for lunch (maybe)
* Toshogu
* Rinno-ji Temple
* Rinno-ji Treasure House
* Might see fall colors in the garden
* Kanmangafuchi – if I can find it
* Shinkyo Bridge
**11/18 – 11/22 – Flex Days**
*Not in any particular order*
* Asakusa/Ueno
* Senso-ji (maybe go back in the evening to see it at night)
* Nakamise-dori
* Hoppy Street
* Ueno Park
* Tokyo Tower
* Go morning and night
* Zozo-ji for Tokyo Tower pictures
* Tsukiji Market
* Go early morning
* Akihabara/Tokyo Station
* Claw machine (I am an addict)
* Food in Tokyo Station
* Odaiba
* Rainbow Bridge
* Round 1
* arcade
* Driver City
* Gundam Statue
* Shinjuku
* Izakaya at Omoide Yokocho (piss alley)
* Kabukicho/Golden Gai in the evening
* Meiji Shrine/Yoyogi Park
* Explore the whole area
* Find a nice cafe nearby after to relax
* Shimo-kitazawa
* Thrifting
* Cafe
* Totoro Cream Puff
**11/23 – Shopping day**
* Cosme Shibuya
* Last minute shopping for skincare
* Shibuya/Harajuku
* Nintendo Tokyo
* Shibuya crossing
* Don Quijote/Daiso @ Kabukicho
* Last minute snack shopping
**11/24 – Last minute shopping and food day**
**Tokyo > Yokohama (flex day trip)**
*Not in any particular order – \* = definitely visiting*
* Yokohama Station Underground shopping district
* Find breakfast
* Chinatown\*
* Gundam Factory\*
* Moving Gundam
* Red Brick Warehouse
* Ramen Museum\*
* Sankeien Garden
* Cup Noodle Museum\*
**Tokyo > Kamakura (flex day trip)**
*Sun set around 4:30 – 5pm*
* Hachimangu Shrine
* Myohonji (maybe)
* Hasedera Temple
* Kotoku-in Temple
* Giant Buddha
* Hike back to Kamakura station from Zeniarai Benzaiten Shrine (if time permits)
* Probably won’t have time
* Zeniarai Benzaiten Shrine
* enter thru tunnel to wash money
* Komachi Dori
**Haneda > JFK (11/24 flight @ 10:55pm)**
**Forgive my terrible formatting.**