16 Day November Itinerary Check: Tokyo > Hakone > Osaka > Kyoto > Tokyo

Hey all – heading out for 16 days for the very first time in November! We’re super excited, and have been planning for months. Our tentative itinerary is below and I’d love some feedback. Note that most of the food are not set in stone other than ones that are noted to have a reservation:

Day 1 – Day 1 (Sat 11/11) – Tokyo (Rest)
\- Airport Arrival @ 5:30PM
\- Check into hotel (Hotel Century Southern Tower)
\- Grab dinner (Ichiran Shinjuku?)

\- Chill
Day 2 (Sunday 11/12) – Tokyo (Shinjuku, Harajuku, Roppongi)
\- Grab breakfast form convenience store
\- Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
\- Meiju Jingu Temple
\- Harajuku
\- Optional: Walk to Omotesando, Aoyama & Roppongi (this will actually lead us to Tsujihan)
\- Dinner @ Tsujihan Akasaka Ark Hills
\- Grab drinks in Akasaka

Day 3 (Monday 11/13) – Tokyo (Ginza, Tsukiji Fish Market)
\- Tsukiji Fish Market
\- Grab food at Tsukiji Fish Market (Oysters, Sashimi, Wagyu, etc.)
\- Shopping in Ginza
\- Go back to hotel to drop-off things
\- Dinner @ Tsukemen Gonokami (Tsukemen)
\- Bar hopping in Golden Gai

Day 4 (Tuesday 11/14) – Tokyo (Tokyo DisneySea)
\- Tokyo DisneySea, get to Tokyo DisneySea by 9AM

Day 5 (Wed 11/15) – Tokyo > Hakone
\- Forward luggage to Osaka
\- Take Romance car from Tokyo > Hakone
\- Go to Hakone Open Air Museum
\- Walk to Gora Station
\- Call ryokan for pickup
\- Check into ryokan (Gora Hanougi)
\- Chill/Onsen!
\- Kaiseki Dinner
\- Relax

Day 6 (Thursday 11/16) – Hakone
\- Breakfast at ryokan
\- Leave hotel to head out to Hakone (hotel might be able to provide transporation to Gora Station)
\- Cable Car and Ropeway to Owakudani (Eat black eggs, add 7 years to life)
\- Ropeway to Togendai
\- Pirate Ship Cruise Across Lake Ashi
\- Lake Ashi
\- Hakone Shrine
\- Grab lunch around Moto-Hakone pier
\- Head back to ryokan to chill, dinner, etc.

Day 7 (Friday 11/17) – Hakone > Osaka
\- Checkout, get dropped off at Gora station, travel to Osaka (3.5hr)
\- Check into hotel ((The Royal Park Hotel Iconic Osaka Midosuji))
\- Dinner @ Gyukatsu Tomita (Gyukatsu)
\- Walk around Dotonbori

Day 8 (Saturday 11/18) – Osaka
\- Osaka Castle
\- Kobeya Fresh Bakery – Morinomiya Station
\- Teppan Jinja (Yakitori)
\- Walk around Dotonbori

Day 9 (Sunday 11/19) – Osaka
\- Go to Umeda Sky Building
\- Grab Coffee at the rooftop
\- Go to Namba / Dotonbori during the day
\- Street for lunch (Chiba Okonomiyaki)
\- Dinner @ Wherever our hearts desire (Izakaya? Yakiniku?)”

Day 10 (Monday 11/20) – Osaka > Kyoto
\- Travel from Osaka > Kyoto
\- Drop-off luggage at hotel and check-in (TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo by THE SHARE HOTELS) at 3pm
\- Check out Nishiki Market”
\- Sushi Shin in Nishiki Market (If we can get a seat for lunch, if not just grab something in the market)
\- Snacks (matcha) in Gion
\- After Nishiki market, walk to Gion
\- Check out Kiyomizu-dera temple
\- Walk to Higashiyama
\- Head back to hotel
\- Dinner @ Kyo-no-Yakiniku-Dokoro Hiro Pontocho (Need to make reservaton

Day 11 (Tuesday 11/21) – Kyoto (Nara Day Trip)
\- Travel to Nara
\- Todaiji (Temple), hang with deer at Nara Koen Park, Kasuga Taisha Shrine
\- Lunch @ Kamaiki (Udon)
\- Nakatanidou Mochi Shop
\- Head back to Kyoto
\- Head back to hotel to chill
\- Dinner in Gion @ Ramen Musoshin (Ramen)

Day 12 (Wednesday 11/22) – Kyoto
\- Forward luggage to Tokyo
\- Fushimi Inari Taisha (Red Gates)
\- Arashiyama Forest, Iwatayama Monkey Park
\- Lunch @ Yudofu Sagano (Tofu)
\- Dinner @ Kichi Kichi? (Need to make reservation) OR Hikiniku? (Need to go in morning to get a ticket if so)

Day 13 (Thursday 11/23) – Kyoto > Tokyo
\- Travel from Kyoto to Tokyo (3hrs)
\- Check into hotel (Hotel Century Southern Tower)
\- Rikugien Garden to see fall foliage @ 3PM
\- Thanksgiving Dinner (Takumi Sushi Owana, reservation made)

Day 14 (Friday 11/24) – Tokyo (Shibuya)
\- Souvenier shopping in Shibuya
\- Get coin cheese at MEGA DON QUIJOTE
\- Shibuya Scramble, Shibuya SKY
\- Lunch in Shibuya (Curry, fluffy pancake, tonkatsu, etc.)
\- Another nice dinner reservation?

Day 15 (Saturday 11/25) – Tokyo (Free Day)
\- whatever we want

Day 16 (Sunday 11/26) – Depart
\- Check out of hotel
\- One last meal 🙁
\- Head to Haneda Airport
\- Flight leaves at 4:25pm

Would love feedback, suggestion, recommendations, any must-do’s I’m missing. We’re big into food, culture, nature, and activities. Thanks in advance!