Hi all,
This sub has been so helpful and I would love to get your feedback on our **finalized** itinerary next month. My husband and I (both mid 30s) are heading to Tokyo for the first time! I will be in my second trimester so not looking to over do it on hard core activities or drinking but still trying to be as active as possible. We love to hike, people watch, some vintage shopping but mostly… EAT a lot. How does this look?
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**Leave on 19th, land on Nov 20th at 7am in Osaka airport**
\- Go straight to Yamato counter in KIX and get my large luggage delivered to Tokyo *(or doing this in Namba is easier?)*
\- check into W hotel Osaka if possible
\- Maybe Osaka Castle if we aren’t super tired
\- Dotoburi at night (eat okonakamyaki and takoyaki)
**Nov 21**
\- Train to Nara (is this a good idea or do it another day? will leave carry on at Inari station while we explore)
\- Half day in Nara + Todai-ji
\- Train to Kyoto and check into hotel
\- \[Food\] Kichi kichi omurice reso
\- Kiyomuzu at night to see foilage
**Nov 22**
\- Morning – Southern Higayashima – Kodaji temple, Maruyama Park, one of either nanzen ji or eikan Do
\- Afternoon (4- 6) – Nishiki market
\- Night – gion to walk around
**Nov 23**
\- Fushimi Inari in the morning *(or if this is too rushed, do this one of the nights before?)*
\- Go back to Kyoto hotel and check out (20 minutes ride )
\- Shinkasen to shinjuku hotel
\- explore shinjuku at night
**Nov 24**
\- Explore Shibuya (meiji shrine + yoyogi park + Shibuya scramble )
\- Maybe Shimokitazawa if time permits it to shop
\- Harajuku at night
**Nov 25**
\- Free morning (or shimokitazawa if i didn’t get to it before)
\- Move to conrad hotel in the afternoon
\- explore Asakusa or akihabara \[any feedback on which area?\]
**Nov 26 -**
\- Morning + afternoon Tsujiji outer market
\- Explore ginza
\- Maybe hair scalp spa
*OR hakone or mt fuji day trip??*
**Nov 27**
\- teamlab in the morning OR studio ghibli
\-free day
**Nov 28**
\- Fly out of Narita airport
**Food I Must eat / restos :**
\- gyukatsu motomura
\- any and every japanese dessert possible: cremia icecream, mochi
\- a traditional kaiseki meal
\- good ramen & udon
\- some sort of omakase ( any recos on affordable and still bookable places?)
**Some overall questions:**
\- Overall for Tokyo, we’ve left it pretty open because I tend to over plan and trying be as flexible as I can on the trip. Just wanted to sense check if my groupings of areas make sense and not too rushed
\- Based on this itinerary, is trying to fit in a Hakone or Mt.Fuji day trip too much?
\- I haven’t bought the JR pass or booked tickets for transportation – based on my itinerary, should I at least purchase a few legs in advance?
\- Would also love any restaurant recommendations based on my food must eats – I currently have 91 places bookmarked so having a bit of decision paralysis.
\- We are celebrating both our 35th bdays there, so recs on something unique/ special if any of you celebrated a special occasion there – I was originally thinking a ryokan but not sure if I have time to fit that in
1 comment
Looks good in general.
Fushimi Inari early in the morning is probably not bad at all as you might otherwise spend a lot of time slowed down by crowds.
I don’t quite get why you’re changing hotels in Tokyo though, that seems like unnecessary stress for the little time you have.
Hakone or Fuji means you’ll spend half your day on the train/bus. That’s also a bit much considering your time but depends on how much you want to be there.
If it’s about Fuji view, that’s not guaranteed (check the weather report in the morning because there’s mostly clouds around the summit). You can get some good views of Mt. Fuji from the Shinkansen between Kyoto and Tokyo if you sit on the left side in driving direction.
For eating, it’s nice to have an overview but often you just walk by a restaurant or smell something and decide by that or just take the one that’s closest when your stomach starts to growl.
Convenience store food is also really good and should not be overlooked, especially if you have little time.
I don’t think you need to purchase any train tickets in advance. Ok, maybe book the seats for the shinkansen on 23rd because that’s a holiday and the trains might have more passengers (I’m not sure though, it’s not like Thanksgiving in the US).