itinerary check: 10-day march 2024 trip to tokyo, hakone, and kyoto of first-timer solo traveler

hi everyone! this sub has been a fantastic resource and i would love any feedback you can provide for my first trip to japan.

i’m 24-year-old woman from NYC traveling alone to tokyo, kyoto, and hakone march 20 through 31. i have a low/moderate budget and am aiming to spend around $250 day/$2500 total on accommodations, meals, transport, and entertainment.

interests include sightseeing/enjoying sakura season, collecting goshuin, shopping (mainly cosmetics, small kitchenware/ceramics, snacks, and the occasional ghibli/sanrio merch), and eating as much as possible. while i want to hit most of the basic tourist stuff (and dodge anything super tourist trap-y), i have little interest in stuff like animal cafes, feeding wildlife such as the deer in nara, and instagram photo spots like teamlabs.

i probably will end up bringing one large suitcase to check, a small suitcase to carry-on, and a small rollable duffel; i’m aiming to pack light but leave plenty room to store souvenirs. while i’ll likely be staying in hostels/capsule hotels the majority of the trip, as far as i can tell the luggage situation shouldn’t be a huge issue with the places i’m eyeing (both in terms of storing them prior to check-in & storage space once i’m checked in), but please let me know if this is not the case in your experience.

TIA! <3

# tokyo pt. 1 (days 1-5)

these days will likely be shuffled around in order, but my plan is to do tokyo in two spurts–spend the longer chunk of my trip in the western part of tokyo, then do the east side at the end.

**day 1** (thurs march 21): arrive into haneda airport from nyc! i’m thinking of staying in the shinjuku area (maybe at [unplan shinjuku](https://www.hostelworld.com/st/hostels/p/294428/unplan-shinjuku/)) and spend my first day just feeling out the area, assuming i have the energy.

**day 2** (fri march 22): keeping my fingers crossed for ghibli museum–i’m not dead-set on going but i’m a huge fan of the studio and will try my damndest to get tickets. if that doesn’t work out, i may still head toward the kichijoji area & check out inokashira park. will likely spend other half of the day around shinjuku gyoen, the tokyo metropolitan building (for the free observation deck), and omoide yokocho if i didn’t already get to some of this my first day.

**day 3** (sat march 23): head to meiji jingu & yoyogi park first thing in the morning! i hope to stop by the nearby theobroma to try their chocolate cake after it was featured in buzzfeed’s worth it lol. check out takeshita street, then head to shibuya crossing to see the hachiko statue/generally wander.

**day 4** (sun march 24): go to zojoji temple in the morning (apparently you can get a great view of the tokyo tower from here?) then go to tsukiji fish market (i know it’s tourist trap-y and not what it was, but i’m curious). may spend rest of day checking out ginza and shopping? this is the one day i’m seriously undecided about.

**day 5** (mon march 25): forward my large luggage to kyoto before taking the train to hakone!

# hakone (days 5-6)

i initially had this day planned for tokyo disneysea as i’m a big disney parks nerd, but i really want to experience a ryokan/onsen/possibly seeing mt. fuji. i’m tempted to still work in disneysea somehow, but i’m a little worried going solo will dampen my enjoyment (i think part of the fun of theme parks is enjoying them with friends/family) and that the possible opening of fantasy springs around the same time as my trip will make the park extra-packed. if i’m making a huge mistake please say so!!

**day 5 cont.** (mon march 25): drop off remaining luggage at accommodation (i haven’t booked yet, but will most likely be [mount view hakone](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g298171-d1132777-Reviews-Mount_View_Hakone-Hakone_machi_Ashigarashimo_gun_Kanagawa_Prefecture_Kanto.html) as that is the only place i can find that offers single traveler rates), then check out the area. i’m debating whether i do the full loop or just do the cable car/ropeway to owakudani & instead spend the rest of my day seeing the open air museum and relaxing in the ryokan.

**day 6** (tues march 26): enjoy breakfast at the ryokan before checking out and taking the shinkansen from odawara to kyoto!

# kyoto (days 6-9)

i’m prioritizing kyoto during the weekdays in hope of dodging the huge crowds–not sure if that makes a noticeable difference or not lol.

**day 6 cont.** (tues march 26): arrive in kyoto, drop off my small suitcase & ensure my large suitcase made it back to my new place (possibly “splurge” on [the millennials kyoto](https://www.hostelworld.com/st/hostels/p/280003/the-millennials-kyoto/)\–i’ve seen stellar reviews & it’s near most of my high-priority spots). i don’t have anything set for the rest of the day aside from maybeeee seeing kinkaku-ji?

**day 7** (wed march 27): head to fushimi inari early (ideally 7 am?). i think i’ll skip arashiyama, so i was thinking of taking the “secret bamboo path” for \~similar vibes\~, but may end up doing the standard hike through the torii; unsure if i’ll do the full hike to the summit. spend other half of the day at nishiki market (and maybe go to [this snoopy cafe](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g298564-d11626469-Reviews-Snoopy_Chaya_Kyoto_Nishiki-Kyoto_Kyoto_Prefecture_Kinki.html)\–i’m opposed to most character cafes on principle but i LOVE the peanuts comics) and pontocho.

**day 8** (thurs march 28): up early (\~6/7 am?) to go to kiyomizudera, sanenzaka and ninenzaka! i’m tempted to book [a shared tea ceremony & kimono rental with camellia](https://tea-kyoto.com/) while i’m in the immediate area. head to yasaka-jinja, then walk around maruyama park & gion.

**day 9** (fri march 29): take the shinkansen back to tokyo!

# tokyo pt. 2 (days 9-11):

probably staying in the general area of akihabara/ueno/asakusa–i imagine at this point i will want to stay somewhere a little quieter/more removed from the action. i may book a private bedroom just to have somewhere to dump souvenirs in-between shopping trips but i’m still undecided.

**day 9 cont.** (fri march 29): drop off bags at my accommodation (i’m thinking [k’s house tokyo oasis](https://www.hostelworld.com/st/hostels/p/38396/quality-hostel-k-s-house-tokyo-oasis/)?). i’m thinking ueno park/tokyo national museum/ameyoko for the afternoon?

**day 10** (sat march 30): senso-ji and nakamise-dori in the morning! afternoon is not sketched out–likely doing more shopping in asakusa/akihabara and grabbing last-minute souvenirs.

**day 11** (sun march 31): go to haneda to fly home 🙁