A friend and I will be visiting Japan in March 2024. I’ve been there twice (once for a study mission and another for leisure) and this will be my friend’s first time.
We met online in a Pokémon community and since we both live in different countries; this will be our first time meeting up after several years of friendship! He and I both checked this Reddit for tips while creating our itinerary and we have, more or less, our final one. And now, we wanted everyone’s feedback if there’s any suggestions for things to add to the itinerary or how to make it better.
We booked an Airbnb in the Nakano Broadway area and expecting to travel mostly by trains to our destinations. In terms of hobbies, we are gamers (we’re definitely doing some of the Persona 5 pilgrimage here as well checking out a minimum of 3 Pokémon Centers), but we also wanted to balance that with scenic and cultural options. My friend is also into punk and furry culture, so if there’s any other places to consider for that, we’d love to hear it!
Thanks a lot in advance!
**Day 1 – Thursday**
* I’ll arrive in the morning at Narita Airport and proceed to the Airbnb to meet the host and drop my luggage.
* I’ll have lunch in Nakano Broadway and meet my friend in Haneda Airport in the afternoon.
* We’ll proceed to Shibuya, deposit his luggage in a locker, and walk around. Stores of interest here are Pokemon Center, Nintendo Store, Capcom Store, Tower Records, and possibly B-Side Label.
* We’ll have dinner in Hakushu, grab his luggage, and then go to the Airbnb to sleep off the jetlag.
**Day 2 – Friday**
* In the morning, we’ll go to teamLab Planets in Toyosu. I was thinking to go to the Tsukiji Fish Market as well, but only if we actually wake up early.
* We’ll have lunch in Eorzea Cafe in Akihabara and afterwards, take the afternoon to walk around and look at shops. We plan to check out Super Potato, Square Enix Cafe, and maybe other arcades while we’re here.
* We’ll go to Tokyo Skytree and pass by the Pokémon Center here.
* Afterwards, we’ll proceed to Nakamise-dori Street to look around the shops and grab a bite to eat for dinner. Then we’ll proceed to Sensoji by evening.
**Day 3 – Saturday**
* In the morning, we’ll visit Yoyogi Park and then Meiji Jingu.
* For lunch, I was thinking of passing by Tatsunoya Ramen but will have to check if there’s a long line. Are there any noteworthy ramen alternatives in the area?
* Afterwards, we’ll pass by Shinjuku Gyoen and then, we’re hoping to be able to watch a Yakult Swallows game in the Meiji Jingu Stadium.
* I’m looking for us to have lunch in Tatemichiya and then have drinks in Hair of the Dog in Golden Gai.
**Day 4 – Sunday**
* We’ll proceed to the Tokyo National Museum and then Ueno Park in the morning.
* Afterwards, we’re proceeding to Nihonbashi to pass by the Pokemon Center here. We’ll probably have our lunch somewhere in the area as well. Any recommendations?
* After some shopping, we’re proceeding to Carrot Tower and Gotokuji Temple in Setagaya.
* Finally, depending on the time, we have some options. From Setagaya, we can proceed to Ikebukuro and look at some shops or go back to Shibuya. Or in case we’re tired, we might just go back to Nakano Broadway and walk around there.
**Day 5 – Departure**
* I’ll be leaving in the morning to proceed to Narita as my flight is early in the afternoon while my friend will be going to Tokyo Station to take a Shinkansen to Sendai for his second leg of the trip. He doesn’t have a itinerary there yet, but we’ll be sure to post here when he does!
​
​