My husband and I are going to Japan for the first time and I just wanted to get a gut check on our itinerary. I’ve booked the hotels but everything is still cancellable and I haven’t book the activities yet so there is time to change things around if you see any issues,
I would also love suggestions. In particular for Tokyo, I’ve scheduled some things like Tokyo Tower but then I wonder why I’m even planning those things? I know so little about Tokyo that I feel like I’m just defaulting to touristy things. I’d love “only in Tokyo”, off the beaten path, unique activities but I don’t even know where to start with finding them. Any advice would be much appreciated. There are quite a few gaps in our itinerary I’m trying to find ideas to fill in.
\*\*\*\* LEG 1 – TOKYO \*\*\*\*
Day 1 – Arrive in Tokyo
* Flight arrives around 4pm. Activate JR Pass, train to hotel in Minato, check in.
* Sleep.
Day 2 – Tokyo Highlights
* Breakfast at 7/11 below hotel
* 10am – Tokyo Tower, Shiba Park, and Zojoji Temple
* Lunch at Tanuki Sushi near Shiba park (takeaway bento boxes)
* Free time between lunch and dinner (can go back to hotel and relax)
* 6pm – Dinner at Niigata Katsudon Tarekatsu Shibuya
* 8pm – 2-3 hour guided walking tour of Shibuya (Shibuya crossing observatory deck, photos, and Kabukicho district to see Godzilla’s head)
Day 3 – Tokyo: Harajuku and Shinjuku
* Morning: explore Harajuku (Takeshita Street and its unique fashion boutiques)
* Owl Village Cafe Harajuku for a coffee
* Lunch at a Roast Beef Ohno Harajuku in Harajuku
* Free time between lunch and dinner (can go back to hotel and relax)
* Evening: Dinner at Harukor Ainu Restaurant (traditional northern Japanese cuisine) and explore lively network of bars at Golden Gai in Shinjuku
Day 4 – Tokyo: Incomplete?
* Morning: Join a free guided tour of the Imperial Palace
* ??
* Perhaps Mark’s Tokyo or The Bellwood’s Sushi experience (A hidden sushi restaurant with only 4 seats inside the bar) for dinner??
\*\*\*\* LEG 2 – KYOTO AND DAY TRIPS FROM KYOTO \*\*\*\*
Day 5 – Tokyo to Kyoto
* Check out of hotel and bullet train to Kyoto
* Check in at Airbnb in quiet district of Kyoto (Kyoto-shi)
* Walk around neighbourhood, grab something to eat (small Unagi bowl restaurant) relax
Day 6 – Kyoto Highlights
* Morning: Visit Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
* Afternoon: Explore the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, followed by a stroll along the romantic Togetsu-kyo Bridge.
* Dinner at Honke Owariya (traditional Kyoto cuisine)
Day 7 – Kyoto Tea Ceremony and Higashiyama
* Morning: traditional tea ceremony (airbnb booking)
* Afternoon: Wander through the historic district of Higashiyama. Visit Kiyomizu-dera Temple and explore the charming streets lined with traditional shops.
* Evening: Explore Gion, Kyoto’s famous geisha district. Possible a kimono rental experience.
* Dinner: ??
Day 8 – Day Trip to Osaka from Kyoto
* Take a morning bullet train to Osaka (30-40 minutes).
* Explore the bustling Dotonbori area, known for its vibrant nightlife and delicious street food.
* Visit the Osaka Castle for a historical experience and panoramic city views
* I might book a food walking tour around dinner time in Osaka??
Day 9 – Day Trip to Nara from Kyoto
* \- Take a morning train to Nara (30 minutes) to visit Nara Park and the famous Todai-ji Temple with its massive Buddha statue.
* Explore Nara’s streets and interact with the friendly deer in the park.
* Airbnb experience where they take you cycling along the river
* Back to kyoto for dinner and a stroll on philosopher’s path
\*\*\*\* LEG 3 – SNOW MONKEY PARK AND ONSEN \*\*\*\*
Day 10 – Travel to Senjukuku Ryoken near snow monkey park in Nagoya
* Arrive at Yudanaka Station via the free pick-up shuttle from Senjukaku Ryokan.
* Check in at Japanese-style room at Senjukaku Ryokan.
* Relax and unwind – reserve private onsen
* Dinner included at Ryokan and is a traditional japanese spread
Day 11 – Hike at Snow Monkey Park
* After traditional Japanese breakfast at the ryokan, head to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park.
* Hike, observe, etc
* Return to the ryokan and enjoy a soak in the heated indoor pool or another round of onsen bathing.
* Dinner again at Ryokan
\*\*\*\* LEG 4 – BACK TO TOKYO \*\*\*\*
Day 12 – Travel back from Nagoya to Tokyo
* Check in to hotel in a different area of Tokyo (Asakusa)
* Nothing planned??
Day 13 – Tokyo: Akihabara, and Asakusa
* Late Morning: Explore Akihabara, visit and arcade, visit Yodobashi-Akiba
* Lunch at Kyushu Jangara Ramen Akihabara
* Late afternoon / evening: Explore Asakusa. Visit Senso-ji Temple, Tokyo’s oldest temple, and stroll through Nakamise Shopping Street. Enjoy the traditional atmosphere and perhaps try some street food.
* I might book a ramen food tour in Asakusa around dinner time
Day 14 – Nikko Day Trip from Tokyo
* Get a Nikko pass and explore the lake, waterfall, and temples
Day 15 – Depart Tokyo
* Plane leaves in evening so we need to be at airport by 4pm and can explore tokyo a bit in the morning (nothing planned)
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10 comments
What is the scheduled date for the trip? And what is the closest train station to your hotel? This may slightly affect our recommendations.
Just got back from 10 days in Japan, Osaka is worth more than 1 day especially just dontonbori, Tokyo is good but I got over it by the 4th day.
Osaka is also very well located to get to Kobe Kyoto and Nara park.
When you get to Nara park buy like 10 stacks of deer biscuits and get who ever you are traveling with to record.
It’s not a good idea to go to owl (or other wild animal) cafés. The animals are usually not in good condition and certainly are not in anything resembling natural surroundings.
honestly I think Kyoto could be a day trip and more time is better spent in Osaka unless you booked a ryokan or something. Kyoto is fun but it’s way too touristy
I’d spend fewer days in Tokyo as I can’t stand the jam-packed train there. It’d be better to go to Arashiyama early, it will be crowded from 10am onwards. Check out Okochi Sanso, my fave in Arashiyama! https://www.discoverkyoto.com/places-go/okochi-sanso/
Tokyo and kyoto are wonderful places. Do not get discouraged by people telling you to spend less time there. Especially since it’s your first visit. Is Kyoto touristy? Yes but it is also beautiful, and an amazing place to visit there is a reason people go there.
This is a pretty good itinerary. day trips from Kyoto to Osaka and Nara are th best plan. No point in staying in Osaka unless you really want to do a lot there.
Minimize hotel moves with your trip, just staying in three hotels is perfect.
Looks pretty good overall. My husband and I did our first Japan trip back in April. Personally I enjoyed Kyoto the most. We did 2 walking food tours in Osaka (we started our trip there) and really enjoyed those so I would recommend. It’s a great way to see some unique places, meet other travelers and have access to a knowledgeable guide you can ask questions of. If you enjoy nightlife, you may want to hot golden Gai more than once. We ended up going a few nights and created some of our favorite memories of the trip there. We met lots of interesting people both Japanese and other travelers. I’m not sure what time of year your going so unsure what the lighting will be like for philosophers path if you’re going in the evening but this is something we really enjoyed in the afternoon. Not sure if it would be treacherous at night.
How long is your JR pass for?
I’d recommend checking out Shimokitazawa if you have time. I liked the chill vibe… less busy, no skyscrapers.
We stayed at the Onsen Ryokan Yuen Bettei for 2 nights and really loved our experience there. It’s also very close to the Setagaya station