I just got back from a two week trip with my fiance and wanted to share some of our experiences in case it’s helpful for others. These trip reports were helpful for us when we were planning our trip so I want to pay it forward. We each brought a checked luggage, carryon luggage, and backpack. This was appropriate for us because we knew we wanted to buy a lot in Japan. We forwarded our checked luggage so that we only traveled with our carryons.
\*Using a throwaway account since I know some of coworkers are on this subreddit.
**Tips**
1. **Cash.** We didn’t bring any yen with us and only withdrew at Haneda and ATMs. There are ATMs everywhere so don’t worry about being unable to withdraw money.
2. **Suica card.** We got the Welcome Suica. Keep an eye on the balance so you know when to reload. The balance can be found when you tap in/out at the station.
3. **Data.** We both used this [esim](https://esimjapan.com/product/esim-japan-fixed-plans/) and it worked great.
4. **Transportation.** We got the 7 day JR Pass which was worth it since we went to many cities. The prices are going up so I recommend using this [calculator](https://www.jrpass.com/farecalculator) to determine if the pass is still worth.
5. **Navigation.** We used Google Maps which worked fine but there were times where the GPS wasn’t super accurate.
6. **Luggage forwarding.** We forwarded our checked luggage from Tokyo to Kyoto and then from Kyoto to Tokyo, so we only traveled with our carryons. The hotel reception handled the process and it was straightforward. We shared the address and our arrival date and they handled the rest. It was around \~$35 for two checked luggages. Overall this worked well for us since we didn’t want to lug 4 suitcases around.
7. **Payment.** The majority of places accepted credit card and google pay. There were a few places that were cash only. We both paid using the Chase Sapphire card (no foreign transaction fee) and withdrew money using a Charles Schwab account since it refunds ATM fees.
8. **Language.** We were able to get by using English or through hand/face gestures. There were a few times where we used google translate. We also used the camera feature which was helpful when shopping or viewing menus. Recommend learning basic Japanese phrases (thank you, I don’t speak Japanese, etc).
9. **Walking.** We walked A LOT. My highest step count was 36000 steps (the day we went to Fushimi Inari). Make sure you bring good shoes that are broken into.
10. **Breakfast.** We booked breakfast (had Asian and western options) at most of the hotels we stayed in was which worth it since a lot of places don’t open till 11. FamilyMart and 7/11 are always good for breakfast though.
**High-level itinerary:**
* October 4: Direct flight from LAX (Los Angeles) to Haneda at 11:30am
* October 5: Land in Haneda at 3:30pm. Arrived at hotel around 5:30pm
* October 6: Full day in Tokyo
* October 7: Full day in Tokyo
* October 8: Full day in Tokyo (DisneySea)
* October 9: Morning in Tokyo. Travel to Ito for our onsen in the afternoon
* October 10: Morning in Ito. Travel to Kyoto
* October 11: Full day in Kyoto
* October 12: Full day in Kyoto
* October 13: Travel to Hiroshima
* October 14: Full day in Miyajima
* October 15: Travel to Osaka
* October 16: Full day in Osaka
* October 17: Travel to Tokyo
* October 18: Half day in Tokyo. Flight from Haneda to LAX at 6:30pm
**October 4: LAX to Haneda**
We actually drove from the bay area to fly out of LAX so we left at 3am to make sure we had time to spare. Our decision to fly out of LAX instead of SFO was that the flights were a lot cheaper (we saved $1000) and didn’t have layovers. We rented a car which cost \~$250 roundtrip excluding gas. We flew with United and got two meals, in-flight service, a pillow and blanket. The flight attendants handed out paper customs forms so I recommend bringing a pen so you can fill them out on the flight.
**October 5: Land in Haneda, first night in Tokyo**
Landed at 3:30pm.
First stop – customs. Pretty quick process.
Second stop – pickup checked luggage. I activated my esim while waiting and didn’t run into any issues. We both used this [esim](https://esimjapan.com/product/esim-japan-fixed-plans/) and it worked great.
Third stop – pickup JR pass. We purchased the 7 day JR pass from the official website. Long queue but moved quickly.
Fourth stop – purchase Suica cards. Another long queue that moved slowly since there was one kiosk. There was an ATM nearby so we each withdrew 10000 yen (\~70 USD).
After that we took the Keikyu Airport line to our hotel Keikyu Ex Inn Hamamatsucho. We checked in and decided to rest but ended up falling asleep for the rest of the night. (Pls don’t come at us for not cleaning up first).
**October 6: Full day in Tokyo**
We woke up at 5am and got ready. Went to a 7-11 and FamilyMart for breakfast. Headed to Meiji Jingu Shrine and had a nice walk around Yoyogi Park. On our way to theHedgehog Cafe Harajuku we actually came across another hedgehog cafe Harajuku Kawaii Land Kyun kyun and went there instead since the other cafe was still closed. Walked around Takeshita Street Square and got a rainbow grilled cheese sandwich and strawberry crepe. Had a late lunch at Gyukatsu, there was a queue and we waited for about an hour. Stopped by Rilakkuma Kiddyland after. Headed to Shibuya and walked across the infamous crossing and took a pic with Hachiko. Spent the rest of the night at Don Quijote and other stores. My fiance found new running shoes at Adidas and got the last pair. Grabbed dinner at Gansozushi (conveyor belt sushi).
**October 7: Full day in Tokyo**
Arrived at Senso-ji Temple around 9am and it was getting crowded. Walked the main Nakamise Shopping Street leading up to the central temple. Entrance to Nishi Sando Shopping was nearby and we got some kurimpan (bread filled with custard cream). Stopped by Kanda Shrine on the way to Akihabara. Spent the rest of the day in Akihabara and went to many arcades and shops. Ate a late lunch at Yoshinoya. Decided to skip Shinjuku since the garden there was closing so we headed to Tokyo Station instead to visit the Rilakkuma Store. Ended up eating ramen at Tokyo Station Ikaruga.
**October 8: Tokyo DisneySea**
We were up around 5:30 and arrived at DisneySea around 7:30. There were already so many people lined up that everyone was just sitting on the ground. I think many people were used to this because they were sitting on blankets and some even brought folding chairs. We got in the park around 8:50 and first headed to Journey to the Center of the Earth. We also went on Indiana Jones, Sinbad, Raging Spirits, Aquatopia, and Nemo. Had lunch at Vulcania (Chinese food). We also tried the Yucatan sausage roll (so yummy) and curry popcorn.
**October 9: Morning in Tokyo. Travel day to Ito for onsen**
We spent the morning exploring the area near our hotel. Walked to Prince Shiba Park and got some pictures of the Tokyo Tower (which we also saw from our room). Took the limited express train to Ito for our onsen. Arrived at Hanafubuki Onsen around 3, checked in and soaked in the hot springs until our dinner at 6. Spent the rest of the night soaking in the hot springs and went to sleep. This was much needed because it was nice to relax after Tokyo and before we headed to the next cities.
**October 10: Travel day to Kyoto**
Accommodation: Forza Kyoto Shijo Kawaramachi
We had breakfast at 9 and then headed out for Kyoto. Arrived at Kyoto around 3:30 and checked into our hotel. We scheduled Nijo Castle in our itinerary but since we arrived later than expected and the castle closed at 5 we decided to skip it. We explored Nishiki Market which was super close to our hotel and did some shopping. Had dinner at Sushi no Musashi (conveyor belt sushi). Very popular with a long queue but we didn’t wait too long (\~30 min).
**October 11: Kyoto**
Woke up bright and early to head to Fushimi Inari. We arrived around 6:15 and was surprised by how many others were already there. We were able to get some decent shots toward the beginning but recommend walking further up, especially if you come later. We went all the way to the top and I’m glad we did it in the morning because it was a workout. Then we headed to Kiyomizudera Temple and there were so many people. Headed to Kodai-ji Temple. There’s a nice little bamboo grove there if you don’t want to head to Arashiyama. We took some sunset pictures at Hokanji Temple and made our way to Yasaka Shrine. We headed to the Gion district but didn’t see any geishas. Next time we’re going to book a Geisha performance.
**October 12: Kyoto**
Arrived at Arashiyama Bamboo Grove around 9am. We went to Okochi Sanso Garden (located next to the bamboo grove) and had some green tea and walked around a nice garden. It was less crowded here. Walked over to the Rilakkuma Cafe and had a light lunch. Went to the Monkey Park (uphill hike) and saw a monkey grab a girl’s legs. Took the bus to Kinkaku-ji. The temple was beautiful but the park was a lot smaller than I thought it would be. Headed back to our hotel where we went to Unagi Sora (grilled eel) for dinner and walked back through Nishiki Market.
**October 13: Hiroshima**
Accommodation: Hotel Intergate Hiroshima
We left Kyoto and headed to Hiroshima. Went to the Hiroshima Castle and then walked over to the Peace Museum. It was really heartbreaking to read/watch the testimonials and one lady was crying. We walked around the Peace Memorial Park and went over to the Atomic Bomb Dome. Had dinner at Okonomimura which is an okonomiyaki restaurant complex. There’s 3 floors filled with different okonomiyaki shops. You just sit down, look at a menu, and tell the chef which one you want.
**October 14: Miyajima**
Took the train and ferry to Miyajima Island. Took pictures of the Itsukushima Shrine at high tide (9:30am) and then we hiked up to Mt Misen instead of taking the ropeway. The hike is around 1.5 miles one way but it’s all uphill and we were sweating so much at the end. Nice views though. Headed to the Daishoin Temple after. Took pictures of Itsukushima Shrine at low tide (3:30pm) after eating soba. Headed to Omotesando Shopping Street where we ate oysters at Hanayashiki and stopped by the Rilakkuma Store.
**October 15: Travel to Osaka**
Accommodation: The Bridge Hotel Shinsaibashi
Headed to Osaka and were able to check in early. We went to the aquarium and it was really cool. Had a late lunch at Wendy’s (we were starting to crave American food) at the Tempozan Mall next door. From there we headed to Umeda Sky Building. Really beautiful views of Osaka. This is a little cheesy but we bought a heart lock and had it engraved. I would recommend reserving a heart lock online since you can choose a different color. We were able to buy one there but the only color available was orange. Checked out another Rilakkuma Store.
**October 16: Osaka**
Arrived at Osaka Castle around 10am. If you buy a ticket to go inside you can either queue for the elevator or just take the stairs up. We opted for the latter because there was a long non-moving queue for the elevator. However the queue had died down when we came back down two hours later. Headed to Kuromon Ichiba Market for lunch but didn’t find anything there so we went to Gyukatsu again. We also picked up a cheesecake from Rikuro’s. Went to Namba Yasaka Shrine. Spent the rest of the night exploring Dotonbori Street. We also went to Dotombori Tsuribori (a fishing pond) and wouldn’t recommend. Read the reviews, we wish we had.
**October 17: Back to Tokyo**
Accommodation: Superhotel Premier Ginza
Headed back to Tokyo. We had Imperial Palace on our itinerary but didn’t realize you had to make reservations to go inside. We walked back to Tokyo Station since we wanted to check out the Rilakkuma Store again and got lunch at Yoshinoya. Afterwards we went to the Art Aquarium which was really neat and not too crowded. Headed to Shibuya to do some last minute shopping. Had dinner at Ipuddo.
**October 18: Last day in Tokyo and back to the US**
Our flight was at 6:30pm so we went to TeamLab Planets in the morning. It was a pretty cool experience. A lot of people and the staff were walking around to keep everyone moving so it was hard to have that immersive experience but still super cool. After, we headed to the Ariake Mall where we had lunch at Dipgarden Terrace (Indian and Thai food). Relaxed at Tully’s and then headed back to our hotel to get our luggage. We also stopped at Lawson’s and FamilyMart to use the last bit of our money to buy some snacks. Headed to Haneda around 3 and chilled at the airport until our flight. We spent the rest of our Suica card money at the vending machines in Haneda.
Overall it was an amazing trip filled with lots of good food, walking, and learning about a new country and culture. We waited three years for this trip and it was worth the wait. I think 2 weeks was a good amount of time and even though our itinerary might seem a lot, it worked for us and how we travel. We’re already thinking about what we want to do on our next trip 🙂
1 comment
Thanks for sharing. How was the weather?