Hi, I am about to head for Japan for the first time in a few weeks. I have most of my itinerary set and already paid for hotels and JR rail pass, but some things are still in need of adjustment. I do not need to see everything, rather see specific things well.
My general itinerary is this: 6 nights in Tokyo, 5 in Kyoto, 2 in Yokohama. Staying in Shinjuku, 2 subway stations away from Kyoto station and near Chinatown, respectively.
For Tokyo I have the following program (most days interchangeable)
* Shinjuku on arrival day an bits and pieces on other days (hotel is here).
* Meiji Shrine + Harajuku + Shibuya Crossing. Shibuya Sky tickets at 3pm. Improvise after.
* Ueno National Museum + Sensoji + Skytree, then do Sensoji a second time in the evening.
* Central Tokyo (Tokyo Tower + Ginza + surroundings)
* Kichijoji + Ikebukuro, then train to Odaiba. *I think I could fit something in between or after.*
* *Alternative: do Central Tokyo + Odaiba, and something else in western Tokyo alongside Kichijoji and Ikebukuro*
* 1 day intentionally spare.
Early transfer to Kyoto by Shinkansen. Again, interchangeable days. A few sore spots.
* On arrival in Kyoto, central Kyoto, check in, Fushimi-Inari at night
* Kurama/Kifune daytrip, improvise the evening.
* Fushimi-Inari early morning, then train to Arashiyama. Skipping monkeys. *Is Kinkakuji after this possible without rushing?*
* Early morning walk to Kiyomizu-dera, then work my way up to Higashiyama Honganji and return by public transport.
* *Early morning train to Nara. In the afternoon train to Osaka Shinsekai, then walk to Dotonbori through Namba. See following points.*
* *Train to Osaka, Osaka Castle, Umeda Sky building. Alternative: Kobe*
* *Alternative program: Osaka Castle to Shinsekai to Dotonbori on one day, and do Nara + whatever I couldn’t do in Kyoto on the other*
For the last leg of the trip, transfer to Yokohama (within 7 day rail pass)
* On transfer day, take Shinkansen to Shin-Yokohama, put luggage in locker, ramen museum, then head for Yokohama proper, Chinatown
* Explore Yokohama (Minato Mirai, maybe Gundam, souvenir shopping, Red Brick warehouse +German Xmas market, Cosmo World). *I do not think a half-day trip to Kamakura in the morning will fit or make much sense at this point?*
*Bonus round: how early do I need to leave Yokohama old town if my flight departs from Haneda at 10:30?*
3 comments
I am not sure what you have planned for Skytree, if you hope to go to the top.. there was (pre Covid) a variety of line ups and paying for the view depending on what you want to see (there are several types of tickets. <edit> more info [here](https://www.tokyo-skytree.jp/en). Generally – you can not just walk up to the base of Skytree and take an elevator to the top in minutes.. Skytree is a very busy place, especially on a clear day.
And as for leaving Yokohama old town and your flight leaving at 1030 (AM?), with morning train transfers, not familiar with the area and just general getting through an airport, I would be in the Haneda region early, which would mean an early start leaving the Yokohama region early. The Google says ~30 kms away.. I am not sure the train/bus connections but [Jorudan travel planner](https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en) can help you.
edits
It will take you about an hour to get from Yokohama to Haneda by train/monorail, regardless of whether you depart from Yokohama or Shin-Yokohama. Yokohama-Tokyo and the Haneda monorail are both very affordable trips, (around 500 yen each) so don’t feel like you have to use the Rail Pass on your last day.
Don’t go to Fushimi-Inari again in the morning; that’s a complete waste. Go to Kinkaku-ji in the morning instead. My favourite route involves walking from there to Ryoan-ji (20 mins) and then from there to Taizo-in (another 20 mins) which puts you right next door to Hanazono station, only a few stops away from Arashiyama.
I would cut Kurama and do Nara and Osaka on separate days, but ymmv.
I’m not sure I’d go to SkyTree *and* Tokyo Tower *and* Shibuya Sky if you’re only going for the views. They all take time and money (and reservations for the first and last) and will constitute wasted time and money if it’s cloudy or rainy. Choose one or consider going to another place (such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Building) with a free, non-reserved observation deck.
Kichijoji and Ikebukuro are not really convenient to do together, as you’ll need to switch trains to get from one to the other. Regarding transportation, Kichijoji is more convenient to reach from Shibuya or Shinjuku. Ikebukuro can be reached more conveniently from Shibuya, Shinjuku, or Ueno.
Note that if you are intent on using the JR Rail Pass only, travel times will be much longer in some cases, as the JR network is not the fastest way to move around within Tokyo. Tokyo Tower and parts of Ginza are not close to the nearest JR Stations. I’m not sure if Odaiba has any JR service at all.
Odaiba is on the opposite side of the city from Kichijoji and Ikebukuro. Count on at least an hour travel time to Odaiba.
Ueno Park has three major museums.
If I were catching a flight at Haneda at 10:30 AM, I’d leave from Yokohama Station at 7 AM.