We are HUGE foodies. Like seriously we travel for food and eat absolutely anything!! We also love video games, anime, nature, hiking, history, museums, culture…
We really want to see fall colors and we want to maximize the chances of seeing alot of changing colors.
We are fast travelers, but also like to take our time and enjoy nice scenery and spots so please let us know if this itinerary is too relaxed or rushed.
*2 Big questions at the end of post! *
**Sun, Oct 15 (Tokyo)**
• Arrive at Haneda, should have digital Suica Card ready, activate eSIM .
• Take transit to hotel, check in, casual dinner – explore immediate area if we have energy.
**Mon, Oct 16 (Tokyo)**
• Asakusa
\-The Hanayashiki Amusement Park
\-Sumida Park
\-The Tokyo Skytre
• Senso-ji temple
**Tue, Oct 17 (Tokyo)**
• Ameyoko / Americaya
• Akihabara
-Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center
\-Tokyo Anime Center
\-Mandarake Complex
\-Super Potato
Any other cool spots?
**Wed, Oct 18 (Tokyo)**
-Disney Sea
•Nishiazabu Taku at 8:15pm
**Thur, Oct 19 (Tokyo)**
• Shibuya
-meiji jingu
-Harajuku shopping and Takeshita Street
\-Starbucks just across the road from crossing, grab a coffee and sit on the second floor
•Shinjuku
\-piss alley
\-golden gai
**Fri, Oct 20 (Nikko)**
•Get up early and ride to Nikko
•ryuzu
•yudaki falls
•Kegon-no-taki
•Chuzenji Lake
•Hangetsuyama Bus Stop (might not be feasible we have to check this part as buses are rare).
**Sat, Oct 21 (Nikko)**
•Toshogu (and Rinno-ji ; Futarasan-jinja ; Taiyuin)
•Shinkyo Bridge
•Kanman Path & Kanmangafuchi Abyss
•Ride back to Tokyo for the night. (stay near tamachi station)
**Sun 10/22 – (Kyoto)**
•Get up early and ride to Kyoto
•To-ji
•Nijo-jo
•Lunch at Motoi 12pm
•Imperial Palace tour at 2pm (read that it’s free and no reservations)
•Sanjusangen-do (heard conflicting trip reports, will probably only take a quick look)
**Monday 10/23 – (Kyoto)**
•Ginkaku-ji
•Philopher’s Path (+Honen-in)
•Lunch at Kiyama at 12pm
•Nanzen-ji
•Chion-in
•Evening in gion
**Tuesday 10/24 – (Kyoto)**
•Nara Day trip
•Uji
**Wednesday 10/25 – (Kyoto)**
•Ryoan-ji – 8:00
•Kinkaku-ji – 9:30
•Garden tea house camellia at 12pm
•Daitoku-ji (maybe skip for tea house and food)
•Gio-ji
•Okochi Sanso & Bamboo Garden
**Thursday 10/26 – (Kyoto)**
•Fushimi Inari Taisha (at dawn)
•Tofuku-ji
•Nishikidori/Pontocho/Teramachi-dori & Shinkyogoku (around noon)
•Vel Rosier reservation at 12:30pm
•Kiyomizu-dera
•Kodai-ji nighttime illumination if we have the time
**Fri, Oct 27 (Osaka)**
Train to osaka early morning
Amerikamura
Osaka Castle
Tenjinbashi-suji
Shopping Street
Osaka Tenmangu Shrine
**Sat, Oct 28 (Hiroshima)**
• maybe half day in osaka
• Then peace park and museum
• Atomic Dome
• Okonomiyaki
**Sun, Oct 29 (Miyajima)**
Shrine early morning or late afternoon depending on tide
• Mount Misen hike
Not sure if to stay in miyajima for one night or hiroshima again
**Mon, Oct 30 (Himeji-Hida wide view to takayama)**
• Himeji castle early morning
• Hida wide view to Takayama
• check in and Dinner in takayama
**Tue, Oct 31 (Takayama)**
• Explore the town and Historic Street.
• hida folk village in the morning
**Wed, Nov 1 (Takayama-Hirayu onsen)**
• bus to Hirayu onsen (leave baggage at station)
• shinhotaka ropeway
• Ryokan
**Thur, Nov 2 (Kamikōchi)**
• Kamikōchi 9 or 10am
• bus to Matsumoto. * 5:30pm Last bus to Matsumoto
**Fri, Nov 3 (Matsumoto)**
•Go to Matsumoto castle
•Art Museum
•wasabi farm or sake brewery
•Go to tokyo afterward
**Sat, Nov 4 (Tokyo)**
• Kamakura day trip
• Be back by 4 to prep for L effervescence (reservation at 5:30)
**Sun, Nov 5 (Tokyo)**
• Toyosu market early morning
• Teamlab Planets at 9am
• Mori Building art and view of tokyo
*Leave Tokyo around 7pm and cry because I missed Coldplay*
**Food reservations:**
• Nishiazabu Taku for Oct 18
• Wait listed for Den Oct 16 and Oct 17 (it’s ok if we can’t make it though)
•Motoi Oct 22 at 12
• Kiyama Oct 23 at 12
•VelRosier Oct 26 at 12
• L’effervescence for Saturday November 4 at 5:30pm
\*these are the fancy options of the trip. Will gladly take more recommendations or even delicious hole in the walls and/or cheaper options if you have them.
2 Big questions:
1. Is Nov 2 doable?
2. Is Nishiazabu Taku worth doing? Considering taking it off because heard mixed reviews and that I can find lots of sushi everywhere for a better price, but still undecided.
If you read this far, I truly thank you!!!
Updates from before:
A. Switched 2 day hakone for 4 day takayama-Matsumoto area (took 1 day off osaka and 1 day off tokyo.
B. Took alot of shrines and temples off Kyoto days.
C. Added more restaurant reservations
1 comment
1. Very doable as long as you choose your Kamikochi hiking / walking route appropriately.
2. Whether very expensive omakase edomae sushi is worth it, is hugely dependent on individual. If you’re interested in trying fancy sushi experiences go for it