First draft of our 2 person itinerary for a first trip to Japan. Some days seem heavy, others seem light, would love any suggestions, especially must do’s. We are content wandering around as well and exploring on lighter days.
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May 12th (\*airport\* →Tokyo)
* Fly into \*airport\* at \*time\*
* Pick up suica/passmo, what else???
* Train to Toyko (will depend on airport)
* Check into \*Hotel\*
* Small things we can do
* Combini food
* Wander
* Rest
May 13th (Tokyo → Osaka)
* Check out of \*hotel\*
* Train to Osaka
* Check into \*hotel/airbnb\*
* Osaka Castle
* Cup Noodles Museum
* Shinsaibashi
* Dotonbori (for dinner)
May 14th (Osaka)
* Namba Yasaka Jinja
* Nipponbashi
* Den-Den Town
* Shinsekai
* Harukas 300 (after dark for high city views)
May 15th (Osaka)
* Universal Studios Japan
\*Keep Free\*
May 16th (Osaka →Kyoto)
* Kuromon Market (early before busy)
* Check out of \*hotel\*
* Train to Kyoto
* Check into \*hotel/airbnb\*
May 17th (Kyoto)
* Kiyomizu-dera
* Gion (
* Philosopher’s Path
* Pontocho Alley (restaurants open \~17-23)
May 18th (Nara Day Trip)
* Nishiki Market
* Train to Nara
* Nara Deer Park
* Train to Kyoto
* \*Room for stuff\*
May 19th (Kyoto)
* Fushimi Inari
* Arashiyama Monkey Park
* Kyoto Imperial Palace
* \*Room for stuff\*
May 20th (Kyoto → Tokyo)
* Check out of \*hotel\*
* Train to Kyoto
* Check into \*hotel/airbnb\*
* Shinjuku
* Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observatory
* Omoide Yokocho
* Kabukichō
* Shin Okubo
* Golden Gai (at night)
May 21st (Tokyo)
* Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
* EST Shibuya
* Rest
May 22nd (Tokyo)
* Shibuya
* Shibuya Scramble Crossing
* Hachiko Square
* Nintendo Tokyo
* Pokemon Center
* Yoyogi Park
* Meiji Jingu Shrine
* Harajuku
* Togo Shrine
May 23rd (Tokyo)
* Tokyo Disney
* \*Keep Free\*
May 24th (Tokyo)
* Ginza
* Tsukiji Fish Market
* Chuo-dori
* Hamarikyu Gardens
* Roppongi
* Zojoji Temple
* Tokyo Tower
* Tokyo Midtown
* Toyokawa Inari Tokyo Betsuin
* Hie Shrine
* Imperial Palace
May 25th (Tokyo)
* Asakusa
* Sensoji Temple
* Nakamise Shopping Street
* Hanayashiki
* Ueno Park
* Sumida Park
* Tokyo Skytree (at night)
* Akihabara
* Yodobashi Camera
* Pop Life Department M’s
* Super Potato
* Mandarake
* Kanda Myojin Shrine
* Tokyo Daijingu Shrine
12May 26th (Tokyo → \*airport\*)
* Check out of \*hotel\*
* Train to \*airport\*
3 comments
You know that the Cup Noodles Museum in Osaka is a bit out of the way and will take some time to reach, so if you hade to do a detour via your hotel and also want to do other things before, it might be a bit hard.
The day you move from Osaka to Kyoto, you can absolutely do more, it should take about an hour by train.
I do not understand why you want to do Fushimi Inari-taisha and Arashiyama on the same day, considering they are quite far appart. Fushimi Inari-taisha would make more sense with anything along Higashiyama or even with Nara as you can take the train direct from t here to Nara.
And Nishiki market could be done in the morning before Kiyomizu-dera.
It’s a retail, but you list Yoyogi park and Meiji-jingu in Shibuya, but they are right next to Harajuku station.
Finally I guess the order for the Asakusa/Akihabara day is not exactly like that as you would return to Skytree after Akihabara. Also, if you are remotely into anime/manga, check Akiba Culture Zone and Radio Kaikan. Both are multiple story buildings full of stores that sell goods (many of them second hand).
Yoyogi Park, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Togo Shrine at near the Harajuku station.
To save money, you could consider the JR 7 Day Hokuriku pass that’s valid between Tokyo-Osaka via Kanazawa, and see something on the way.