Hello! My fiancé and I are going to Japan Dec 17-30, with the tail end 3 days skiing at Niseko. Below is a high level first draft itinerary – we are both first timers! Would love to get people’s thoughts about anything we are missing, if we are doing too much, logistics, etc. Meals are still TBD. We are from NYC and are happy to taxi/uber around in addition to using the metro, no problem. Thank you!
Tokyo (Staying at the Peninsula)
Sunday Dec 17
Land 3pm from NYC. Go to hotel. Nap as needed
Afternoon options:
Hotel indoor pool / spa post-flight?
Potential to walk around Imperial Palace / Imperial Palace gardens next door to hotel
Monday Dec 18:
Morning – Teamlab Planets (buy tix)
Afternoon – Asakusa (Consider booking a tour guide for this afternoon via hotel)
Start at Kaminarimon Gate
Nakamise-Dori Street / covered arcade shopping areas
Senso-ji Temple
Night or before dinner – SAKE MARKET (cool sake tasting experience)
Tuesday Dec 19 – Harajuku and Shibuya
Harajuku: Meiji Jingu shrine, Takeshita-dori, Cat street, Ometasando
Shibuya
Golden Gai / Shinjuku at night
Wednesday Dec 20 – Fish Markets and Shinjuku
Morning: Toshi Airbnb Experience – fish markets (6am to 2pm)
Afternoon: Ginza this afternoon (famous mega Uniqlo store) and maybe Ameya Tokocho Market. Whatever we do not hit Sunday Dec 17 afternoon post-flight
Thursday Dec 21 – bullet train to Kyoto
TBD Morning Activity. Can do Teamlab Planets this day?
Bullet train to Kyoto midday / early afternoon
Kyoto
Thursday Dec 21 – arrive afternoon. Check in at Ryokan
Ryokan onsen / relaxation in afternoon
Walk to Gion – old Kyoto streets, pedestrian area (classic Kyoto / old Japan)
Friday Dec 22 – move to Hyatt Regency, check in. Explore Southern Higashiyama
Kiyomizu-dera
Sannenzaka street
Maccha (matcha) House
Ninenzaka Street / Ichibeikoji Street
Kodai-ji Temple
Maruyama Park
South / other end – Fushimi shrines. Best to be here very late in afternoon (or early morning) post-crowds
Saturday Dec 23 – central Kyoto / back to Gion
Easy morning / workout
Nishiki Market – famous food market for lunch
Kyoto Imperial Palace / Explore central Kyoto a little.
Gion area in the afternoon, walk around
Philosopher’s path
More temples
Sunday Dec 24 – Arashiyama (northwest Kyoto). Discuss guide/tour with hotel
Bamboo Forest, monkey park, temples.
Kinkaku-ji – Golden Pavilion
Afternoon – TBD, hotel relax?
Friday would have been ideal but tricky with changing hotels. Will be crowded
Remainder
Monday Dec 25 – train to Osaka and check in for 1 night. Walk around Dotonburi / main Osaka thoroughfare. Famous street food
Tuesday Dec 26 to December 29 – fly to Hokkaido, fly into Tokyo
December 29 – fly into Tokyo late afternoon. Get amazing final dinner.
December 30 – last items for Tokyo in morning pre late afternoon flight. Can hit a neighborhood or something we missed.
1 comment
Hi!
The 23rd and the 24th are likely to be popular nights at restaurants. So depending on where you want to eat you might need a reservation.
Uber isn’t really a thing in japan, it just calls a taxi. Getting a taxi from the Hyatt is super easy, as there is a taxi pick up area right there. I am sure the Peninsula will also not have a problem getting you a taxi.
Taxis will definitely make the trip to/from the Golden Pavillon faster.