Hi everyone,
My honeymoon is coming up soon and I’m terrified I’ve forgotten something that will turn the trip into a nightmare. I’ve been to Japan two times before but it’s my wife’s first time. All accomodations are booked and we plan on getting around everywhere with public transportatition. I’m trying to hit the balance of not overly planning since we both enjoy just walking around and having some flexibility within the day.
Do I need to reserve transportation tickets ahead of time? If so, which ones?
Below is our itinerary:
Oct 8 – Arrive in Tokyo in the afternoon
Oct 9 – Shopping and walking around in Harajuku and Shibuya
Oct 10 – Meiji Jingu and Tokyo National Museum
Oct 11 – I was planning on TeamLabs, but I heard that the exhibit is closing. We were also thinking of Asakusa shrine.
Oct 12 – Travel to Hakone, spending the night in a ryokan with a private onsen
Oct 13 – Travel to Kyoto, walking around Gion and and shopping.
Oct 14 – Fushimi-Inari
Oct 15 – Nijo castle
Oct 16 – Travel to Osaka (I orginally was planning on stopping at Nara deer park on the way there, and the realized that we would still have our bags with us, so that will likely have to be skipped)
Oct 17 – Universal Studios Japan (we have our entry tickets but were not able to secure timed entry tickets for Super Mario World, which is our main goal. We were planning on just being there at opening. Is that alright?)
Oct 18 – Travel to Hiroshima, visit Peace museum
Oct 19 – Miyajima
Oct 20 – Return to Tokyo, staying at BnA Studio Akihabara
Oct 21 – flying home.
Is there anything I should be aware of now to make the trip easier? I have ADHD and I’ve been so anxious that I’ve forgotten something about the trip. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
3 comments
I think your itinerary is very chill, and not packed with so many things to do which is great!
I would say that Meiji Jingu Shrine is so close to Harajuku that you could fit that in for Oct 9th. I’m saying this because Oct 10 you are going to Meiji Jingu and Tokyo National Museum, but Tokyo National Museum is in Ueno, and from Harajuku where Meiji Jingu is, to Ueno is like 15 stops on Yamanote line, and I personally find it annoying. But honestly if your hotel is close to Harajuku area then maybe it doesn’t really matter. If you have time in Ueno, you should go to Yanaka Ginza! It’s a nice stroll. for Oct 11, I recommend going to Asakusa, and maybe taking a cruise ( suijo bus) to Odaiba. It’s not that expensive, like less than 2000 yen, but might make your day more special.
As for going to Nara for the deer, Nara is only 30 minutes from Kyoto, so you could fit that in on Oct 15 if you want to. Also, if your luggage is not so huge, there will be lockers in Nara station. If you go to Nara you can also go see the giant Buddha which is pretty cool! But if you just want to see deer, I would skip Nara because you can also see them in Miyajima! (though, you can’t feed the deer in Miyajima)
And I don’t know much about USJ, but I think there is an app you could download so you can get e-numbered tickets so you don’t have to line up or something. It might be worth it to check it out.
> Oct 11 – I was planning on TeamLabs, but I heard that the exhibit is closing. We were also thinking of Asakusa shrine.
teamLab Planets is operating at Toyosu until the end of 2027, so you could still go there.
> Oct 14 – Fushimi-Inari
Since you are in Fushimi, you might also want to check the area out. This district used to be a warehouse area, and the canals that facilitate the transportation of goods are preserved, along with a lot of those warehouses. There’s also a sake brewery (Gekkaikan Okura Sake Museum) with a brewery tour and sake tasting if you are into enjoying sake.
> Oct 15 – Nijo castle
While in the neighbourhood, you might also want to visit the Imperial Palace (about 20 minutes away from the castle, either by bus or on foot). I was there this July, and while the visit was not long, it was quite interesting. Free English-speaking guided tours are available twice a day (in the morning and afternoon).
Japan has fabulous luggage services that pick it up from one hotel and drop it off at your next destination. I paid $30 for two bags. Got photos emailed to me when picked up and when dropped off… it was great not having to deal with it. I signed up in Klook