Hi! I’ll be going to Japan for the first time with my friend and my grandma (77 yrs old). She isn’t in perfectly good shape but is willing to explore. I’m aware that the itinerary is quite packed, however we’re willing to give up some activities for her sake if she gets tired. We may also leave her at the hotel or nearby to rest. I’m looking for feedback and maybe some tips on which of the activities could be too tasking for the elderly. I’m willing to pay extra for taxis in some cases to avoid straining my grandma.
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***Tokyo – stay at Shinjuku***
**Day 1**
* Arrive at Narita at 18:30
* Pick up pocket-wifi and PASMO
* Go to the hotel
**Day 2**
* Grab a breakfast in the neigbourhood and exchange JR Pass
* Go to Shibuya, do some shopping and exploring
* Rest at Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Park
* Grab some food
* Harajuku
**Day 3**
* Eat breakfast in Ginza
* Go to teamlabs
* Ginza Tower (without going up) and Tsukiji fish market
* Visit a shrine in Shinagawa to get a goshuincho (they have beautiful ones during a limited period of time)
* Tea ceremony at 6 pm in Shinagawa
* Get back to hotel, leave grandma if she’s tired, maybe visit Golden Gai
**Day 4**
* Half a day trip to Tsumago-juku
* Trip to Ikebukuro, Animate and Sunshine 60
* Maybe visit an onsen nearby
**Day 5**
* Akihabara shopping (we have a lot on our list)
* Kanda Shrine
**Day 6**
* Imperial Palace with Gardens, Tokyo National Museum, Asakusa and Shrines Nearby
* If grandma won’t be exhausted by now, Kameido Tenjin Shrine
* Visit Shinjuku Gyoen Garden near the hotel
***Kyoto***
**Day 7**
* Take a shinkansen to Kyoto and leave luggage at the hotel
* Breakfast at Nishiki Market
* Kyoto Imperial Palace
* Kamigamo-jinja, Kinkaku-ji, Ryoanji Goryonshitacho, Ninna-ji
* Visit flea market at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine
* Nijo Castle
**Day 8**
* Kimono rental
* Breakfast at Gion
* Yasaka-jinja, Kodai-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, Higashiyama, Kennin-ji
* Dinner at Gion
**Day 9**
* Grab breakfast to go and go to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
* Jojakko-ji, Gio-ji, Saga Toriimoto, Otagi Nenbutsuji, Daikaku-ji
* Dinner
* Fushimi Inari
***Nara***
**Day 10**
* Breakfast
* Kofuku-ji, Kasuga Taisha, Todai-ji
* Nara Park
* Buy some mochi at Nakatanidou
* Shopping at Higashimuki
* Dinner
* Horyu-ji if we won’t be tired
***Osaka***
**Day 11**
* Eat breakfast at Dotonbori
* Shinsaibashisuji
* Osaka Castle
* Go to festival in Kyoto
**Day 12**
* Breakfast at Hozenji Yokocho
* Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum
* Den den town
* Dinner at Kuromon Ichiba Market
**Day 13**
* Breakfast at America Mura
* Osaka Aquarium
* Umeda Sky Builiding
* Dinner at Shinsekai
***Hiroshima***
**Day 14**
* Breakfast near the hotel
* Hiroshima Castle
* Gokoku Shrine
* Atomic bomb dome
* Peace Memorial Park
* Eat something by the coast
* Itsukushima
***Tokyo***
**Day 15**
* Grab some breakfast, and leave for Tokyo
* Leave our luggage somewhere
* I don’t have yet plans for this day, we will probably go to Odaiba and do some final shopping
* Go to the airport
![[TRIP REPORT] 11 Days First Time Travelling to Toyko, Osaka, Kyoto, Uji Hiroshima September 2023](https://www.lonelyjapan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/cCQ8kYAAPLEx36LVfLiJNAAiEm0Ine8MBih6HWA2gs-380x220.jpg)
2 comments
You seem to be teleporting between Tokyo and Kyoto – Shinjuku on day 6 evening and Nishiki day 7 morning?
Seems like a fun but packed trip, a few pointers though:
– How are you getting from to Kyoto between day 6 evening and day 7 morning? With travel and checkin it might take more time than you have.
– Day 3, Too much stuff before you get to Tsukiji, it closes at 2pm but ideally you would be there way earlier.
– Day 14 is insanely packed, You are again not counting travel time again, but even with that I doubt you’ll make it to Itsukushima before it gets dark (and everything on the island will close)
– The overal itinerary seems fun for 20-30 something fans of japan with lots of energy, but not for your typical 70+ grandma… I don’t know you or your grandma but I would rethink some parts of your trip. Your days are very very packed and focussed around what I presume are your interests. If this was my grandma (or even my 60yo mother) they would be worn out in a few days and be would have to be dragged around and abandoned at the hotel for most of the trip, which would defeat the purpose of going on vacation with them.