Hey guys, I’ll be in Japan for around 21 days, starting next week. Out of those, I’m spending around 5 days in Tokyo. Here’s my rough itinerary. What do you guys feel? Is it too rushed? Am i missing anything important?
Note: This is a solo trip. I’m not big on partying/theme parks/gaming. I also don’t like rowdy crowds, hence not a lot of time or importance being given to places like Shinjuku and/or Roppongi. Even Shibuya is an afterthought for what is basically a rest day. I like chill walks, great food, history & culture & art, and discovering new things. I also have ADHD, which is why lists help me a lot. So don’t come at me for micro-planning. I won’t be able to function or have fun without a itinerary like this. Will get too overwhelmed. But having it doesn’t mean I’ll stick to it like a Bible. I’m flexible and up for adventure as long as I have some structure, basically. Anyway, here goes.
|21st Nov|Tuesday|Check into hotel at Sumida city at 11-11: 30 pm and pass out.|
|:-|:-|:-|
|22nd Nov|Wednesday|Rest in the morning. Then head to Shibuya late afternoon and see the scramble. Check the views from the metropolitan building rooftop. Dinner there. Check out the Skytree at night, as the hotel is very close to it (10 min walking)|
|23rd Nov|Thursday|Explore Asakusa (Senso-ji Temple, Nakamise-dori), walk over to Ueno through Kappabashi kitchen street and explore the area (Ameyokocho, Ueno park, Toshogu shrine) and then end the day at Akiharabara (general walking around, Kanda Shrine, night photography and bits of shopping).|
|24th Nov|Friday|teamLab Planets in the morning, then head over to Jingu Gaien Ginko Avenue, and from there to Yoyogi Park. Explore Meiji Jingu and then Harajuku (Takeshita street, Tokyu Plaza and side streets). Explore Senso-ji at night as my new hotel is right next to it. |
|25th Nov|Saturday|Tsukiji outer market in the morning and then walk to Ginza. Explore Ginza (Kabuki-za, Ginza six, Kiriko Rooftop Terrace, Itoya store, Sanchoku Inshokugai)|
|26th Nov|Sunday|Day trip to Kamakura and Enoshima, back by 6-7 pm. Head to Shinjuku Kabuki-cho to walk around and explore a bit. Golden gai, Omoide Yokocho. |
|27th Nov|Monday|Spend a chill day at Shimokitazawa, walk around and vibe. Head to Hiroshima in the evening and continue to the rest of my Japan trip.|
|10th Dec|Sunday|Last day in Japan. Will check into hotel at Ueno around 3-4 pm. Plan is to head to Jimbocho to spend a chill evening, going through old books and prints and maybe a last trip to Shibuya/Shinjuku before getting back to the hotel.Flight back is early the next morning from Narita. |
Will wait to hear from you guys! 🙂
5 comments
It looks fine. I’m not sure about the ‘chill day in Shimokitazawa’, though. I live near there, and there’s not much really relaxing there. There are a lot of small, crowded, overpriced shops and some crowded streets, though. It’s also a bit of an out-of-the-way place if you’re going to Tokyo or Shinagawa Stations to go to Hiroshima later in the day. If you’re going out that way, you may as well go to Kichijoji or Sangenjaya, both of which are more convenient for Tokyo and Shinagawa Stations and are closer to Shimokitazawa’s reputation than Shimokitazawa is.
That all seems logical, and about the right amount of things to do each day.
On the first day I would do Shibuya Sky instead of going all the way to Shinjuku for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, that is an observation deck without rooftop access, unlike Shibuya Sky. And if you decide to go… then why not go to Kabukicho/Golden Gai while you are in the area instead of doing it on a completely different day?
Pretty much no notes – logical, reasonable, entirely doable. Strong A 😛
In Ueno, I recommend visiting the Hanazano Inari and Gojoten Shrine complex, which is entirely charming, and the National Museum of Nature and Science, which has an extraordinary collection of dinosaur and other fossils.
In Ginza, don’t miss the food basements in both Ginza Six and Mitsukoshi Ginza.
I know you’ve ruled out Roppongi, but the Mori Art Museum is really very cool. There can be crowds at Mori but they tend to be very much well behaved. The exhibition of modern Japanese installation artworks they had in March this year was one of the fun highlights of my last trip. The Mohri garden just next door is very beautiful, and then it’s an easy walk down the hill to Azabujuban which has lots of amazing restaurants.
Wear shorts for teamLab planets (though they would lend you some if you dont have) 😅 ..or any bottoms you can easily pull/fold up
Also, if you’re in Shibuya and have some free time, try some fluffy pancakes 🥞 from Flippers 😊