Detailed Trip Report | 14 Days | October 2023 (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kawaguchiko, +More)

My boyfriend (30M) and I (30F) recently returned from our trip to Japan and I wanted to share our experience! This trip was originally planned for March 2020, but was postponed for obvious reasons. I’ve been lurking on this sub for 3+ years now and wanted to pay it forward with all the valuable things I’ve learned from everyone here.

We are of above average fitness and have lived in urban areas for a decade, so are fairly used to both walking and navigating pubic transit. Our primary focus of the trip was food and general sightseeing. I’d like to think we have well-rounded interests but neither of us felt too strongly about shopping or souvenirs.

# Summary

**Trip Overview (Oct 14 – Oct 28):**

Steps Averaged: 25k

* Day 1-6: Tokyo
* Day 7-8: Kyoto
* Day 9-10: Himeji/Miyajima/Hiroshima
* Day 11-12: Osaka (Nara, Kyoto day trips) – more on this roundabout travel later
* Day 13-14: Kawaguchiko

**Pre-Planning:**

I’m very type-A and needed every last aspect of this trip planned before we left. That being said, I feel I’m fairly flexible during the actual trip and doing all the extra research actually allows me to more easily pivot when something doesn’t go “according to plan.” My boyfriend, on the other hand, has a more relaxed, spontaneous approach to trips but is happy to go with my flow.

For the most part, everything did go smoothly. I had a detailed idea of restaurants/places to see in each neighborhood, and although we did move around plans on the fly, I’d say we ended up hitting 99% of my list.

* **7-Day JR Pass**: Luckily were able to buy these right before the price increase. Spent a bit of extra money to buy it through the japanrailpass website, which gave us the ability to make seat reservations in advance. This was probably not necessary but did give me peace of mind that all routes were planned before we even left for Japan. Not JR, but I also booked two highway buses ahead of time (Mishima to Kawaguchiko, Kawaguchiko to Haneda.)
* **Suica:** We already had physical Suica cards from our cancelled 2020 trip, but we added these to our Apple Wallets (this makes the physical ones unusable.) US Visa cards **do not work** to refill these, but luckily we had Mastercards as well. We had no problems using Apple Wallet and this was invaluable for our trip.
* **Japan Wireless Pocket Wifi:** My phone is not unlocked so I had to opt for a pocket wifi. I got the unlimited data plan, which was probably overkill, but I’d liked not having to think about data usage at all. I’ve seen complaints about the bulkiness/battery life but it ended up not bothering me at all. Spare for one day, I didn’t have to use the external battery pack at all and the wifi lasted me 12+ hours. Signal was great 95% of the time, although I noticed it struggled in very congested areas (Kyoto) and sometimes moving on the Shinkansen. Easy drop-off at the airport’s post office box when leaving.
* **Ubigi ESim:** My boyfriend opted for the 10gb plan and had no issues. He used my wifi for streaming/browsing. (Make sure to turn off background refresh!)
* **Cash/Card:** We withdrew 50,000 yen to begin with at Haneda airport but ended up withdrawing three more times for a total of 80,000 yen. Had no issues with using a Charles Schwab debit card at any of the 7/11 ATMs. I used my Chase Sapphire Reserve or Suica for all other purchases.
* **Reservations:** Generally speaking, I tried to make reservations whenever possible – all online. If I couldn’t get a reservation, we would try to show up before opening, at off-hours, or at branch locations. One reservation (Narikura) ended up unexpectedly being closed the week of our visit.
* **Packing/Luggage:** We each brought 7 days worth of clothes and did laundry at the halfway mark. Our luggage was 1 backpack and 1 carryon suitcase per person, as well as 1 empty checked suitcase (5 total.) This ended up working perfectly for us as the checked luggage was filled by the end. We shipped the checked bag 3 times, and stored the other bags in lockers on 2 occasions with no issues.

**Hotel Reviews:**

Generally, no major complaints about any of these and I’d happily stay at all of them again.

* **Sotetsu Fresa Inn Higashi-Shinjuku Ekimae** **(7.5/10)** \- Great location, right next to a non-busy subway line and 24 hour conbinis. Cramped room but all necessities provided.
* **Hotel GOCO Stay Kyoto Shijo Kawaramachi** **(9/10**) – Lovely boutique hotel a block away from Nishiki Market. Washer/Dryer in room which I highly highly recommend. They only accepted cash for luggage shipping whereas the other hotels took card.
* **HOTEL THE FLAG Shinsaibashi** **(8/10)** \- Bouji-looking hotel for mid-budget prices. Great multi-lingual staff. Washer/dryer is ass and would not recommend (if you’re lucky enough to even snag one.)
* **Miyajima Grand Hotel Arimoto** **(11/10)** \- Our favorite hotel of the trip. Amazing hospitality, room, food, and amenities. Dinner and breakfast, both kaiseki style, was served in a communal dining area.
* **Fuji Kawaguchiko Onsen Hotel Konansou** **(10/10)** \- Similar to above, with added views of Lake Kawaguchiko and Mt. Fuji. More guests than Grand Hotel Arimoto. Dinner, kaiseki style, was served in room and breakfast was buffet style.

**Favorite Cities:**

* **Tokyo** \- Admittedly we spent the most time here, but I absolutely loved everything about Tokyo. As I mentioned, our main focus of the trip was food so there’s no surprise most of my food favorites also come from here. I loved exploring both the bustling and quiet neighborhoods, and the world-class subway system just made everything so accessible.
* **Miyajima** \- Breathtakingly serene at night and early in the morning. Probably would feel differently had we only done a day trip.

**Food Highlights:** Tonkatsu Keita, Nakiryu, Sushisho Masa, Cafe Aaliya, Ron Okonomiyaki, Kaisekis, Conbini food

# Detailed Itinerary

\*We’re generally speedy travelers and I found we spent less time at places than I’d anticipated. I highlight the food spots because, again, we love food.

\*This is super long.

**Day 1 – Sunday, Oct 15** (Tokyo)

* **2:40 PM:** Flew nonstop from Seattle, WA to Haneda. Customs line took \~30 minutes with our Visit Japan QR codes. Grabbed bags, picked up pocket wifi, and withdrew cash.
* **3:50 PM:** Airport limousine bus to Kabukicho. Originally got in line to buy tickets, but it was barely moving. Thankfully managed to buy tickets from my phone 10 minutes before departure and made it in time.
* **6:15 PM:** After settling in, we walked through Shinjuku to Udon Shin. Put ourselves on the waitlist and went next door to Family Mart for our first snacks. Divine. Went to Shinjuku Station and tried our luck at the JR South Gate office. To our surprise, there was no line 15 minutes before closing so we picked up our JR passes and shinkansen tickets. They do promptly shut the doors at 7PM. Went to Don Quijote, which was entirely overwhelming, but snagged some hair/skincare for myself and walked more around the area taking in all the sights.
* **8:00 PM:** Tiredness is starting to kick in and we’ve run out of things to do. Regretting queueing at this point but we manage to find chairs in Lumine (department store) and spend the rest of the time loitering there.
* **9:15 PM:** Ate at **Udon Shin (7/10)** after 3-hour wait. Eyes were heavy, udon was delicious but didn’t feel particularly special or better than what I’ve had in the states (LA’s Marugame Monzo.)

**Day 2 – Monday, Oct 16** (Tokyo)

* **6:30 AM:** Arrived at Tsukiji Market and lined up for 7AM **Unitora Nakadori (9/10)** opening. We were the last group to make first seating. Delicious uni at hefty prices but great value. Had tamago and tuna nigiri afterwards.
* **9:00 AM:** Teamlab Planets – fun exhibition worth visiting once and ripe for pictures. Took us a little over an hour.
* **11:00 AM:** Boyfriend is a Gundam enthusiast – we head to Odaiba and see the Gundam Unicorn statue “show” at 11am. Admittedly, this was better than I expected and probably even better at night. Explore the Gundam store and greater DiverCity Tokyo Plaza, which was not busy at all and very nice to walk around.
* **1:00 PM:** Arrived at **Savoy Azabujuban (9/10)** with no wait. Delicious Neapolitan pizza, salad, and peach iced tea for 1100 yen. An absolute steal. Went back to the hotel to rest after this.
* **6:30 PM:** Rallied and arrived at Gundam Factory Yokohama. Super impressive moving Gundam and nighttime show. Nice views of the bay in the area as well.
* **8:00 PM:** Dinner at **Gyukatsu Motomura (7/10)** in Yokohama Station, no wait. Again, delicious but didn’t particularly stand out to me.

**Day 3 – Tuesday, Oct 17** (Tokyo)

* **11:00 AM:** Lunch at **Tsujihan Azabujuban (7/10**). Arrived 20 minutes before opening and there are \~15 people ahead of us but we make first seating. Kaisendon is not impressive, especially after Unitora Nakadori, but the sea bream soup at the end hits the spot and elevates the meal.
* **12:00 PM:** Made it to the Hayao Miyazaki Clock just as the 12PM show is starting. Cute little display. Walked to Ginza afterwards and spent some time window shopping at Muji HQ, Uniqlo HQ, and luxury department stores. Also visited **Glitch Coffee (7.5/10)**, which I was entirely unprepared for. I’m a basic bitch latte drinker and my stress levels were at 1000% presented with so many bean options and a personal attendant in-store. Panicked and walked away with a drip coffee, which I still finished, but didn’t love.
* **2:00 PM:** Headed to Nakamise-Dori. Packed to the brim but still sampled cremia, melon-pan, and strawberry daifuku. Explored and slowly made our way towards Sensoji Temple. Got our fortunes, walked around, but didn’t linger.
* **4:00 PM:** **HatCoffee (6.5/10)** Terrible coffee, but highly skilled barista art. We only paid for one custom 3d latte of our dog, but they were nice enough to make a 2d latte of him as well.
* **5:00 PM:** **Kikanbo (7.5/10)** No wait, but there was a long line forming by the time we left. Spicy ramen, and I think I could’ve enjoyed this more but jet lag was kicking in and I just had no appetite. We were sitting right by the fire and I was just sweating profusely and struggling to finish my noodles.
* **6:00 PM:** Ventured to Akhabara. I was on the hunt for Frieren merch and boyfriend wanted a specific Artisan mousepad. We went into 5-6 stores but were unsuccessful at locating both. Still, the neighborhood was a sight to take in and I’m glad we checked it out.
* **7:30 PM:** Exhaustion hit at this point and we made our way home to pass out.

**Day 4 – Wednesday, Oct 18** (Tokyo)

* **9:25 AM:** Show up to line up for Nakiryu, which opens at 11AM. There are already 11 people there and I know we won’t make first seating. During our wait, I suddenly get a LINE from Tonkatsu Keita that there are reservation openings for the week. Since Narikura was unexpectedly closed, I snag the last seating for tonight.
* **11:45 AM:** The wait is painful, but we finally make it into **Nakiryu (10/10)** and it is absolutely delicious michelin-starred tantan ramen. I loved it so much I’d be crazy enough to consider waiting again.
* **1:00 PM:** MiPig cafe reservation. The pigs are super cute and my boyfriend is a pig whisperer because 5 of them end up sleeping on him. We had a peaceful corner, but quite a few fights broke out across the room and you could see the bite marks on the pigs’ ears. Questionable ethics, so do what you’re comfortable with. Afterwards, we walk around Takeshita street and have some yummy crepes.
* **3:00 PM:** Walk from Harajuku to Shibuya, exploring shops and the famous crossing along the way. Had time to kill so got Starbucks and chilled over the crossing. Sad to say, but I absolutely hated the Cafe Latte as I love a strong espresso taste and this just tasted like milk.
* **4:00 PM:** Shibuya Sky reservation. It was a clear day so there were stunning views of 360 Tokyo. We stayed for sunset and a little afterwards for night views.
* **6:30 PM**: Reservation at **The SG Club**. I don’t drink but I wanted my boyfriend to have at least one bar experience. Cocktails were pricy but delicious and unique. They were also kind enough to make mocktails for me which were glorified juices but also tasty. The atmosphere in the basement was very swanky and we had fun chatting with our neighbors.
* **8:15 PM**: Originally I had reservations for SG Low as well but cancelled these for **Tonkatsu Keita (10/10).** Located in a very unassuming neighborhood and not a single foreigner in sight, I was quite nervous that the restaurant wasn’t going to be English-friendly. Armed with basic phrases and Google Translate, we made it all about 5 minutes in before the waitress broke out in fluent English and asked if we wanted to switch menus. Phew! This ended up being my favorite meal of the trip – incredible hospitality, masterfully cooked tonkatsu, relaxed atmosphere – everything was perfect.

**Day 5 – Thursday, Oct 19** (Tokyo)

* **10:00 AM:** Reservation at CapyNeko Cafe. Kii-chan the capybara is super cute (and larger than I thought!) but will only pay attention to you if you have lettuce. The cats are adorable and playful and I loved them. They’re all available for fostering/adoption so I felt better about this than the MiPig cafe.
* **11:00 AM:** Grabbed Totoro creampuffs from **Shirohige’s Creampuff Factory** **Kichioji (6.5/10)**. Adorable but tasted exactly like, well, a creampuff. Ate them at Inokashira Park, which didn’t impress me too much, and I got my sole pesky mosquito bite of the trip.
* **12:00 PM:** Lunch at the Kichioji branch of **Fuunji (9/10)**, no wait. I love tsukemen and am biased but this hit the spot. Broth was slightly salty at the very end.
* **1:00 PM:** Headed over to Shinjuku Gyoen, spent some time lazing around and then circled the perimeter of the park. Rose Garden was not in bloom at this time. Lovely, well-manicured park.
* **2:40 PM**: I absolutely wanted to try the french toast at **Cafe Aaliya** **(9.5/10)** but had a hard time fitting it in with all the other meals. We opted to share one order and they were perfectly fluffy and eggy, better than the pancakes we’d try later on. I mildly regret not going back one more time. Went back to Donki for some gift shopping and then went back to the hotel to rest.
* **9:00 PM: Sushisho Masa (10/10)** reservation. My boyfriend’s favorite meal of the trip. The regular omakase is 45 pieces of seafood, but you can continue to eat more at additional cost. Chef takes every part of a fish and serves it in multiple ways. His assistants are also skillful, personable, and come prepared with information pamphlets about each fish. I was so full but somehow no one was backing out, so fomo kept me going until chef ran out at close to 60 pieces. Honestly, painful but so satisfying. Our meal ended shortly after midnight and we booked it to one of the last trains of the night.

**Day 6 – Friday, Oct 20** (Tokyo)

* **11:30 AM:** Packed our checked luggage and shipped it off to Kyoto.
* **12:00 PM:** Lunch at **Roast Beef Ohno Harajuku (8/10)**, 5 min wait. I don’t typically like roast beef so this was much better than I expected. Filling, well-balanced set meal.
* **1:00 PM:** Walked down to Shibuya again because boyfriend wanted to check out Miyashita Park (unimpressive.) Walked back up to Harajuku and spent some time relaxing at Blue Bottle Coffee (delicious.) Made our way up through Yoyogi Park and to Meiji Jingu. Again, admired the temple but didn’t linger too long.
* **4:30 PM:** Reservation for kakigori at **Azuki to Kouri (7/10)**. I expected this going in, but you absolutely pay for the presentation and ‘exclusivity’. Tasty shaved ice but not much different than places at half the price.
* **6:00 PM:** Tour (aka a ride) to Daikoku Parking car meet. I don’t appreciate car culture nearly as much as my boyfriend, but this was still a cool experience to see all the different cars and where the locals hang on a Friday night. We zipped around the expressway in a GTR which had my heart in my stomach, but my boyfriend loved it. Police shut down the meet around 9:30PM. Also stopped by Autobacs, Rainbow Bridge, and Tokyo Tower.
* **12:00 AM:** Late dinner at **Coco Ichibanya (7.5/10)** by our hotel. I love curry, can’t go wrong with curry.

\*Originally intended to head to Kyoto today, but added the car meet last minute. Had to shorten our stay in Kyoto by one day, which we revisit from Osaka later on.

**Day 7 – Saturday, Oct 21** (Kyoto)

* **9:30 AM:** Arrived at Tokyo Station and queued for 10am lunch at **Rokurinsha (9/10).** I liked Rokurinsha marginally better than Fuunji, but my boyfriend thought the opposite.
* **11:00 AM:** Shinkansen to Kyoto
* **2:45 PM**: Arrived at hotel and they had our shipped luggage in the room and allowed us to check-in early.
* **3:30 PM:** Walked through Gion, Ninenzaka, and Sannenzaka. Crazy packed along these streets but we managed to stop by Apple Pie Lab and Maccha House (overrated) for snacks. Made it to Kiyomizu-Dera for sunset and managed to walk around and take same nice pictures despite the crowds.
* **5:30 PM:** The streets considerably thinned out after dark and were much nicer. Today also happened to be the opening of the Kodai-ji Temple autumn night viewing so we made our way over. I expected this to be packed but it was mostly Japanese visitors and not nearly as busy. Perhaps people didn’t know yet? Lovely stroll through the grounds, which had a light projection show and a beautifully illuminated bamboo grove.
* **6:45 PM:** Walked back towards Gion, stopping by Yaska-jinja Shrine, and to **Chao Chao Gyoza (6/10)** for dinner. This was my least favorite meal of the trip. I should’ve known when the line was entirely made up of foreigners, but I persisted and we waited an hour to get seated. Nothing wrong with the gyoza, but I honestly get equal satisfaction from frozen ones. 10/10 to the staff hustling and managing the queue. Went home and did laundry afterwards.

**Day 8 – Sunday, Oct 22** (Kyoto)

* **8:00 AM:** Arrived at Fushimi Inari – we climbed halfway up and decided to turn around. Crowd considerably thinned out after we turned around. Tried some overpriced dango and the 10-yen coin (pancake) at the stalls outside.
* **9:45 AM:** Stopped by **Weekenders Coffee (8/10)** then made our way to Nishiki Market. Had an assortment of tasty street foods.
* **11:00 AM:** Showed up 10 minutes before opening for **Micasadeco Pancakes (7/10)**, although there was no need as the place is quite large. Pancakes were yummy, but ricotta filling was a bit heavy for my tastes. Back to the hotel to do more laundry.
* **1:30 PM:** Stopped by Jidai Matsuri parade on our way towards Ginkakuji. The crowds were massive and you could barely see anything so we moved along. What I should’ve but didn’t anticipate was that the parade absolutely fucked with bus schedules for the day. It added a considerable amount of travel time to interpret where the new routes/times were but we managed.
* **2:30 PM:** Made it to Ginkakuji but decided not to go inside. Walked down philsopher’s path and stopped by Nanzeji as well.
* **4:30 PM:** Back to Gion and lined up for **Sushitetsu** (**6.5/10)** opening at 5PM. I knew I wouldn’t be impressed by this meal but boyfriend was craving sushi – it is what it is. Filling, cheap sushi at great prices.
* **6:00 PM:** Walked back to the hotel, snacking on dango, takoyaki, and warabi mochi on the way. Packed our checked bag and shipped it off to Osaka.

**Day 9 – Monday, Oct 23** (Himeji/Miyajima)

* **7:00 AM:** Headed to Kyoto Station bright and early to catch the shinkansen to Himeji. There was a transfer in Shin-Osaka, and this was where I made my first transit mistake. I accidentally exited the JR gate and couldn’t get back in because it ate my ticket. Not a huge deal, the gate agent was able to get seats for the next train but this would begin a long day of travel woes.
* **9:15 AM:** Stored our bags in coin lockers at Himeji Station. Made it to Himeji Castle and booked it inside and to the top. This was the right choice as 30 minutes later they announced they were limiting entry due to crowding.
* **10:30 AM:** Koko-en garden, which was beautiful and not too busy at this time yet.
* **11:15 AM:** Lunch at **Kushiyaki Kobe Beef (8/10)**. Small shop with delicious kobe beef rice bowls. We were very ahead of schedule at this point as our next train wasn’t until 12:52PM. Spent the rest of the time walking around but found most shops were closed (maybe cuz Monday?)
* **12:30 PM:** Arrived back at Himeji Station to find our train had been cancelled and all trains are delayed 2+ hours due to a wayside fire. Originally, we had a direct shinkansen to Hiroshima but now we needed to take the only available train to Okayama and then to Hiroshima from there. The gate attendants were incredibly helpful, especially considering how chaotic it was becoming, and even booked us reserved seats for the new train.
* **3:30 PM:** The next train finally arrives, and we make our way to Okayama. The Okayama to Hiroshima shinkansen arrives shortly after, and the non-reserved car is standing room only since everyone’s been rerouted here. Get to Hiroshima station and board the JR Miyajima ferry, where we get a lovely sunset view on the way over to the island.
* **5:45 PM:** Finally make it to our ryokan, and don our yukatas before an unforgettable **Kaiseki** **(10/10)**. Afterwards, we slip on rental getos and walk over to view Itsukushima Gate at night. There was barely anyone out, and standing along the water soaking in the moment is one my favorite memories from this trip.
* **9:00 PM:** Briefly enjoy the onsen and call it a night.

**Day 10 – Tuesday Oct 24** (Miyajima/Hiroshima)

* **6:00 AM:** Headed back to Itsukushima Gate for sunrise, although be warned the sun is blocked by mountains. Still very serene and we walked through Itsukushima Shrine afterwards. Back to the ryokan for another amazing kaiseki-style breakfast.
* **8:00 AM:** Began hiking the Daisho-in Course (2.8 km) up Mt. Misen. The beginning was lovely, and we even stumbled upon two deer grooming each other on the path. It did start feeling like endless stairmaster, but I’d say still a manageable hike. It took \~90 minutes to reach the observatory. We then took the ropeway down. No one else was headed down at this time so we had the cable cars to ourselves.
* **11:00 AM:** Since we were delayed yesterday, we didn’t have a chance to walk through the streets so we opted to do it now back to the ferry terminal. Sampled various street foods but the crowds, especially school groups, were absolutely coming in and it was difficult to navigate. Made me especially happy we decided to stay on the island.
* **12:00 PM:** Arrived back at Hiroshima Staton, and the coin lockers were completely full. They were rerouting everyone to another storage area a 10 minute walk away. We lucked out by just happening to catch someone finished with their locker.
* **2:00 PM:** Lunch at **Ron Okonomiyaki (10/10)** in Okonomimura. Lovely, energetic owner who made us the most delicious okonomiyaki I’ve ever had. I especially loved the yakisoba layered with the pancake.
* **3:00 PM**: Walked through Peace Memorial Park, with our last stop at the Peace Memorial Museum. This was one of my most highly anticipated stops but unfortunately, ended up being one of the most disappointing. The lines to get in were absolutely massive, and there seemed to be an endless sea of students visiting that day as well. Once inside, it was so tightly packed, you couldn’t even get to an exhibit, and felt forced to shuffle along with the flow of traffic. We were pushed through the entire exhibit in 45 minutes. Luckily, we’d splurged on audio guides, as it would’ve been a completely wasted visit without them. Sat outside on a bench and spent some extra time going through all the audio snippets (60+).
* **6:00 PM:** Shinkansen to Osaka. Luggage in room upon check-in.
* **9:00 PM:** Reservation at **Matsusakagyu Yakiniku M (6.5/10)**. Meats were good, but still felt overpriced and atmosphere felt very impersonable after the past week of amazing hospitality elsewhere.
* **1:00 AM:** Boyfriend spilled some food on his pants and decided to use the hotel’s laundry (300 yen.) This ended up being a huge mistake as it left his clothes dripping wet and all dryers were occupied even past midnight. Resigned to hang his clothes in the bathroom and hope they’d air dry (they didn’t.)

**Day 11 – Wednesday, Oct 25** (Nara/Osaka)

* **9:00 AM:** Stopped by Namba Yasaka shrine, then headed to Kuromon Market for street food.
* **11:30 AM:** Arrived at Nara, only to find Nakantidou (mochi) was closed for today! Highly disappointed. Ate my woes at yummy shop **Wakakusa Curry (7.5/10)**.
* **12:30 PM:** Stopped by Kofuku-ji, then bought some crackers to feed the deer. They were aggressive as everyone warns, and I definitely enjoyed the Miyajima deer more. Headed over to Todai-ji to check out the massive Buddha and called it a day in Nara.
* **3:30 PM:** Back in Osaka, went to **Lilo Coffee Roasters** **(7.5/10)** and headed to Shinsaibashi PARCO for shopping. Went a little crazy at the Ghibli store.
* **4:50 PM:** Lined up for **Ajinoya Honten** **(7/10)** and waited about 40 minutes to be seated. Boyfriend and I agreed we preferred hiroshima-style okonomiyaki.
* **7:00 PM:** Back to Donki to get one last round of gifts for friends/family. Back to PARCO to check out Pokemon and Jump stores. Again, went a little crazy with sticker shopping.
* **9:00 PM:** Laundry debacle from the previous night was still unresolved. Dryers were still completely occupied and undried clothes were now starting to smell. We found a 24-hour laundromat a few blocks away that was barely occupied and rewashed his clothes there. Packed our checked luggage once more and shipped one last time to Kawaguchiko.

**Day 12 – Thursday, Oct 26** (Kyoto/Osaka)

* **7:00 AM:** Up bright and early to head to Kyoto and Arashiyama. Bamboo grove wasn’t impressive as anticipated (especially after Kodai-ji’s) but we grabbed some yummy street food for breakfast.
* **9:00 AM**: Trekked up Arashiyama Monkey Park, which was a breeze compared to Mt. Misen. I loved the monkeys, and it was my favorite animal experience of the trip. The little ones were especially cute and I loved feeding them.
* **10:30 AM:** Waited 40 minutes for **Arabica** **(9/10)**, which is probably not worth but I’m a sucker for their Kyoto Latte. Then, waited 30 minutes for **Arashiyama Yoshimura (8.5/10)** afterwards. It’s a little overpriced but their soba set was filling and delicious- I preferred the cold soba over the hot.
* **1:30 PM:** Arrived at Kinkakuji, which was not as busy as I’d anticipated. We walked through but didn’t stay long.
* **4:30 PM:** Back to Osaka, and to Den-Den Town. Boyfriend is finally successful in finding his Artisan mousepad! We, mostly I, get sucked into crane games and lose too much money too quickly.
* **6:30 PM:** Up to Umeda for unagi dinner at **Hitsumabushi Bincho** **(8/10)**. We love unagi. We were absolutely stuffed at this point but I didn’t want to leave Osaka without getting takoyaki. **Hanadako (8.5/10)** was nearby so we got some to-go. Didn’t end up eating it until 40 minutes later but it was still delicious and I would probably rate higher had I tried fresh.

**Day 13 – Friday, Oct 27** (Kawaguchiko)

* **7:30 AM:** Shinkansen to Mishima. Transfer over to Kawaguchiko highway bus took 10 minutes and was very easy. Our seats were assigned.
* **12:00 PM:** Arrived at ryokan, and stored our luggage until check-in. Made our way to Shimoyoshida Station, which was not the most intuitive process. You can buy the basic ticket with suica but the Limited Express train (which seemed to be the only one in the near future) required an additional 200 yen ticket that could only be purchased at the counter.
* **1:45 PM:** Lunch at **Fuji Sengenya (7.5/10)**, an unassuming shop with very affordable prices and tasty noodle dishes. Also enjoyed some hokkaido soft serve afterwards.
* **2:30 PM:** Walked up Arakurayama Sengen Park to Chureito Pagoda, where there were quite a few tourists. Fuji-san was mostly visible. Wandered around to a quiet area of the park, and my boyfriend proposed. I said yes. 🙂
* **4:30 PM:** Checked-in to the ryokan and made it onto the rooftop in time for sunset. Mt. Fuji was completely clear from this side and the view was truly epic. Dinner was another outstanding **Kaiseki (10/10)**, although we agreed the Miyajima one was slightly better. Enjoyed our balcony’s private onsen afterwards.

**Day 14 – Saturday, Oct 28** (Go Home)

* **5:30 AM:** Woke up at the buttcrack of dawn for an engagement photoshoot! Our lovely photographer picked us up and we drove to Tenku-no Torii for sunrise. It was just us for over an hour. Afterwards, drove to Oishi Park as our second location, which was also quite empty still. This was an absolutely perfect way to cap off our trip and now we have a lovely memento.
* **9:00 AM:** Got back to the ryokan, stuffed our faces at the breakfast buffet for 10 minutes, packed, and made our way to the station for our 10AM highway bus to Haneda airport. Seats unassigned.
* **2:00 PM:** One last meal at **Hanayama Udon (8/10)** in Haneda’s Airport Garden. I miss the food.
* **5:30 PM:** Flight home. Can’t wait to visit again!

If you made it this far, thanks for reading! Happy to answer any questions.