We’re a couple in our 30s traveling to Japan again in early March Travel. We went one year ago for a week and did most of the first-time tourist stuff in Tokyo our entire stay so this time we want to maybe spend a day or two in Tokyo again, but then head to other cities for the majority of our trip, with homebase being Osaka (Taking day trips to Kyoto, Nara). Only one hotel change from Tokyo to Osaka.
I’m still in rough planning but want to get some opinion on the itinerary so far.
Day 1 – We land around 2PM at NRT head towards Tokyo.
* TBD Shinjuku
Day 2 – Entire Tokyo Day
* TBD Shibuya
Day 3 – Entire Tokyo Day
* TBD Basically do things we maybe missed in our last trip
Day 4 – Tokyo –>Fuji Stop -> Osaka.
* Check out from Tokyo, start heading tgo Osaka
* Make a stop at Fuji Kawaguchiko, spend a couple hours at an Onsen.
* Check out Mt. Fuji
* Get into Osaka, Check-in and go to Dōtonbori
Day 5 – Day trip to Kyoto, End in Osaka for the night
* TBD
Day 6 – Day trip to Nara, End in Osaka for the night
* TBD
Day 7 – Entire Osaka Day
* Sumo Wresting starts, catch a match.
Day 8 – Departure.
* 7AM morning flight from Kansai International Airport (KIX) to Narita International Airport (NRT)
* 2PM flight out of Narita International Airport (NRT) back home.
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Questions:
1. Is this too much travel?
2. Is 2.5 days in Tokyo, and \~4 days for Osaka, Kyoto, Nara sound like a good plan?
3. What is the best way to get back to NRT from Osaka? The reason we swapped Osaka towards the tail-end of our trip is because I want to catch a Sumo match which starts on Day 7 of our trip.
4. How hard/quickly do tickets for the sumo matches sell out? Best site to buy them?
5. Any rec/tips for Osaka and Kyoto?
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3 comments
How fun! Seems like still pretty Tokyo-centric. What did you miss? Entire day Shibuya and Shinjuku seems like a lot. I was able to do Nara in a day and wished I had 2 full days in Osaka. Osaka at night was really fun but we had to cut it early. Kyoto was amazing but also shuts down early except for food.
We bought tickets at buysumotickets.com for a tour match they had at the end of October and they send you a link and you just basically go to any 7-11 and give them the QR code and they print tickets out for you.
Kawaguchiko in between Tokyo and Osaka seems like quite the detour. [japan-guide.com](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6905.html?aFROM=2164_6900) estimates about 2-3 hours by bus or train from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko, and 3.5 hours by bus and Shinkansen to Osaka. Combined with two hours at an onsen, that trip plus detour would take 8.5 hours, more depending on how much time you spend in Kawaguchiko.