Hi all! I’m travelling to Japan for the first time with my friend, and we’ve made a rough outline of our plan. Not too fussed about “fitting” everything in as we know it’s not possible to see it all. So just want to make sure our selection of places have the most bang for our buck. Focussed on just enjoying sight seeing and experiencing culture, we’re travelling pretty broke and will mostly just being eating cheap and 7/11 😅. Don’t want to default to generic tourist places (even though we have a few listed down), so some good hidden gem suggestions on the less beaten bath would be super cool!! Overall, any suggestions would be appreciated.
Left a few holes… Would love any feedback. Particularly need some help on “must see” places in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Ran out of ideas and not sure where our best bet would be.
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Day 1 – Land in Tokyo 7pm
Day 2 – Tokyo
Morning – Midday: Shibuya Don Quijote, shopping centre.
Afternoon – Night: Shibuya Centre Gai Street, nightlife.
Day 3 – Tokyo
Morning – Travel to Shinjuku
\- Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Midday – Yanaka Ginza –> Yuyake Dandan (Your Name stairs <3) –> Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street
Afternoon – Night: Explore ideas
Day 4 – Tokyo –> Asakusa
Morning – Midday: Travel to accomodation
Midday – Afternoon: Sensoji Temple, Nakamise Dori, Nishi Sando Shopping Street
Evening – Night : Sensoji Temple at night (5 mins from hotel), Don’t know what else to do in Asakusa.
Day 5 – Asakusa
Morning – Midday: Ameyoko Shopping Street
Midday – Afternoon: Explore Oku Asakusa + Go shopping at Okachimachi Yoshiike Main Store Building
Night: Goto Akihabara, explore nightlife
Day 6 – Asakusa –> Takayama
Morning – Train to Takayama
Evening – Night: Explore Takayama
Day 7 – Takayama
Morning – Midday: Shirakawa Go
Midday – Evening: Explore Takayama
Day 8 – Takayama –> Nagano
Morning – Afternoon: Train to Nagano
Evening – Night: Explore ideas for Nagano at night
Day 9 – Nagano
Evening – Night: Nagano Ebisuko Firewords Festival
Day 10 – Nagano –> Osaka
Morning – Late afternoon: Train to Osaka
Evening – Night: Shinsekai Dinner
Day 11 – Osaka
Morning – Afternoon: Kishinosato-Tamade, Kuromon Ichiba Market, Namba Yasaka Shrine
Night – Dotonbori
Day 12 – Osaka
Morning – Afternoon: Day trip to Nara Todaiji Temple
Evening – Night: Explore ideas for Osaka at night
Day 13 – Osaka –> Kyoto
Morning – Midday: Travel
Midday – Evening: Nishiki Market, Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine, Pontocho Alley
Day 14 – Kyoto
Morning – Afternoon: Arashiyama, Kifune Shrine, nakagawa hatsumeido
Evening – Night: Yasaka Shrine, Gion District
Day 15 – Kyoto
Morning – Midday: Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
Day 16 – Kyoto –> Hakone
Enjoy accommodation and onsen
Day 17 – Hakone –> Tokyo
Day 18 – Tokyo
Day 19 – Tokyo –> Home
1 comment
If you’re not pressed for time the day you visit Yanaka Ginza, I’d recommend walking from there to Nezu Shrine – it’s got a bunch of small torii gates, but is way less crowded than somewhere like Fushimi Inari, so you get a lot more time and space to enjoy it.
It’s a little less than a mile away, and it’s fun to get a sense of the neighborhood along the way (provided you’ve got a navigation app open – it’s also easy to get kind of lost).