This is our first trip to Japan. We’re a pretty active, outdoorsy family, but I understand it’ll be quite cold and perhaps rainy in Dec. Please point out any mistakes or if there are too many things packed into a single day. Any particular restaurants that would be good for our family? We are adventurous eaters. My son does watch Naruto and One Piece, but is not a huge otaku.
* Thursday, Dec 21
* Arrive at Narita Airport at 14:25
* Activate JR Pass.
* Asakusa View Hotel Annex Rokku
* Senso-Ji Shrine (close to hotel) plus Nakamise Street shopping and eating.
* Friday, Dec 22
* Tokyo metropolitan government building
* Shibuya Crossing and Shibuya Center Gai night market
* Ninja Trick House?
* Watch Sumo practice? – Arashiobeya – Dec schedule not posted yet as of 11/9
* National Museum of Emerging Science
* Saturday, Dec 23
* Tsukiji Market
* teamLab Planets booked @ 1030
* Bullet train to Osaka.
* HOTEL CORDIA – has laundry machine
* Sunday, Dec 24
* Day trip to Nara
* Nara Park
* Todai-ji Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall) – can go through the hole
* [Nara city walk](https://drive.google.com/file/d/11d7GNPlOrfbsxp8Ue4JwM_QXqcMeSQ_z/view?usp=sharing)
* Monday, Dec 25
* Day trip to Hiroshima
* Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, etc.
* Mazda Museum – BOOKED tour starts at 1415 ends at 1615
* Tuesday, Dec 26
* Universal Studios Japan – BOOKED
* Wednesday, Dec 27
* Osaka Castle
* [Osaka city walk](https://drive.google.com/file/d/11Pyt8TsGS145AHYoU_Ztvez3WruYEVS4/view?usp=sharing)
* Oyster season!
* Rest. Do laundry
* Thursday, Dec 28
* Train to Kyoto
* Kyoto Tower – get a lay of the land, next to train station
* Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
* Hozugawa River Boat Ride (Hozugawa Kudari) – at 1430
* Hotel: Rihga Gran Kyoto
* Friday, Dec 29
* Fushimi Inari Taisha – visit early, 7 or 8am, or in the evenings to avoid crows
* Nishiki Market
* Kiyomizu-dera (temple on hill)
* Camellia Tea Ceremony – FLOWER – 1400 BOOKED
* Saturday, Dec 30
* Bullet train to Hakone for hot springs resort
* Hotel Green Plaza Hakone – Reserved
* Sunday, Dec 31
* Bullet train to Tokyo
* Dormy Inn Ikebukuro
* Kitchen city shopping
* Akihabara – anime central
* Monday, Jan 1
* Department stores (Isetan, takashimaya…etc) have the biggest bargains on 1st of January.
* 1st visit of the year to shrines, very busy.
* 14:45 flight to LAX.
Are the things we want to do on the 31st and 1st open? Thank you, friends!
4 comments
If you or your son are not huge anime fans, then I would save time and skip Akiba and stay in Ikebukuro and explore Sunshine city and the surroundings instead as it has plenty of anime stores for most people. Heck, the largest Animate in Tokyo is located in Ikebukuro.
Hi!
I think someone gave you bad information. Department stores are not open on 1/1. They open for the New Year on 1/2. I would make sure to get in as much of my shopping as possible before 1/1. I think Solamachi (sky tree) and Ikspiari (TDR) are open though? I was going to check on the former, when I got there earlier in December.
I think a lot of stores in Akihabara might close early on 12/31 and stores on Kappabashi dori, could have limited hours or be closed as smaller and independent shops can have longer closures around New Years.
I would be careful about booking the train on the 30th. It’s a super popular travel day and assuming you don’t have an electronic rail pass, I would book your train as soon as possible, like the 21st or 22nd.
I didn’t find December last year rainy. It was cold at times, but I think it was unseasonably cold as there was actual snow in Nagoya!
I would make sure you know what you are doing for dinner on the 31st and to eat on the 1st before you get on your plane. I’m paying more for a hotel with breakfast, so my daughter can have a large meal on 1/1 before we leave. 🙂
Good luck!
For the Hakone stay, please check whether the hotel is providing transport from Odawara (closest Shinkansen stop) or Hakone-Yumoto station (closer to the hotel, must transfer at Odawara to Odakyu Railway).
If not, you will have to take a bus from Odawara to Ubako bus stop to get to the hotel.
28th and 29th far too hectic