Hi all, it’s going to be my first time travelling to Japan since 2009 and first time for my husband. We’re going to be staying 7 nights in Tokyo (with Kamakura and Kawagoe day trips) and 6 nights in Osaka (with Kyoto, Nara and Kobe day trips). I didn’t want to move around with big luggage often so this is why I decided to not get a hotel in Kyoto for the days we’ll be visiting there.
I love purin so I want to try as many different ones as I can. So far I’d like to try the ones from 7/11, Marlowe (in Ginza), Happy Pudding (in Daikanyama), Kawagoe Purin and Daibutsu Purin (in Nara or aboard the Aoniyoshi train). If anyone has recommendations I would love to hear them.
**Day 1**
* land at Narita airport at 15:40, get Welcome Suica cards
* Check-in to hotel in Nihombashi, get food in the area
**Day 2**
* Gotokuji temple around 8:00 (we’re early risers and will be jet lagged anyway)
* Shirohige’s cream puff factory at opening. We’ll get the Totoro cream puffs as take out and find a bench somewhere to eat.
* Walk to Shimokitazawa and explore for a bit.
* We have tickets for The Roof @ Shibuya Sky, entrance at 16:30. If we’re in Shibuya earlier we’ll do some shopping.
**Day 3**
* TeamLab Planets tickets at 9:00. We will probably get there around 8:30 to start lining up. If we’re up super early I was thinking we could get some food at Toyosu fish market, but I don’t know if that’s realistic.
* Optional: Small Worlds Miniatures museum is close by, depending how long we spend at TeamLab and if we feel like it on the day.
* Take the Yurikamome to Shiodome to check out the giant Ghibli clock at NTV headquarters. We’re going to try to catch the “show” but I get conflicting reports online on what times it starts moving.
* Walk towards Ginza for a bit of shopping (Muji flagship, Itoya, Onitsuka Tiger, etc) and finally arrive at Tokyo Station to explore First Avenue Tokyo Station
**Day 4**
* Grab queue tickets early for Udon Shin. Spend time in the area (Shinjuku Gyoen) until we get notified to go back to the restaurant.
* Walk around Nakameguro/Daikanyama
* Head back to Shinjuku in the evening to go to a whiskey bar (Bar Zoetrope probably) and walk around (Tokyu Kabukicho Tower, I want to see the Kabukicho red gate because I’m a Yakuza fan)
**Day 5**
* Day trip to Kawagoe for Kawagoe Matsuri (October 14)
**Day 6**
* Day trip to Kamakura
**Day 7**
* Visiting Senso-ji, walking around Nakamise Dori and surrounding streets, Kappabashi
* Reservation at Eorzea Cafe in Akihabara at 13:00
* Exploring Akihabara
**Day 8**
* Shinkansen to Osaka at noon
* Check-in to hotel in Shinsaibashi
* Exploring Dotonbori & Shinsaibashi area
**Day 9**
* Kifune shrine to Kurama temple hike
* Back to central Kyoto: checking out Ninenzaka/Sannenzaka, Yasaka dori, etc. Sit by the Kamo river (is it allowed to drink?)
**Day 10**
* Pink Halloween Afternoon Tea at ANA Crowne Plaza Osaka
* Explore Umeda (Hankyu Brick Museum, Hep Five, maybe Umeda Sky Building)
**Day 11**
* Aoniyoshi train to Nara
* After Nara, take the train to Fushimi Inari. I’d like to climb around late afternoon/sunset but that will depend on how long we spend in Nara.
**Day 12**
* Reservations at Kobe Beef Ishida at noon
* TBD, probably Chinatown, the waterfront
**Day 13**
* Osaka Castle
* Cup Noodles Museum
**Day 14**
* Flying out of Itami airport at 14:00
That’s it! I hope my days are not too packed, I feel like the Kyoto days are going to be the most exhausting, but at least there’s a relaxed day in between. Thanks for any feedback!
