First timer about to fly to Tokyo next week. Please critique my itinerary. (Warning: this post is full of incorrect spelling. I am writing from memory)
Day 0
– Arrive at Haneda at 5am
– Keiyuki line directly to Sensoji temple (I am going to be dead tired. Is what it is)
– Grab food from a 24 hr udon place
– Walk toward Sky tower, stopping for scenic pics
– Walk through Solamachi mall though I may decide to walk to Akihabara instead
– Hotel check in near Shinjuku
Day 1
– Chuo line directly to Okutama
– Explore Okutama on foot, eat somewhere
– chuo half way back to Shinjuku, getting off at Akishima
– rent bike share thru Hello Cycling
– bike along Tama river until I get tired
– drop off bike somewhere near shinjuku
– find something to do
Day 2
– Check out of hotel
– Walk through ginkgo passage way toward shinjuku
– Chuo train to Shiojiri near Matsumoto
– Train from Shiojiri to Narai juku
– Hike first section of kiso valley nakasendo
– Yuhara station take train to Suhara station. Check into hotel
– Find dinner somewhere though most likely 7-11 meal
Day 3
– train from suhara to okuwa station
– Hike second section of nakasendo ending near Nagiso station
– Check into lodging
Day 4
– meet friends at Nagiso station
– Begin 3rd section of nakasendo hike from Nagiso to Magome
– Check into lodging
Day 5
– Final section of our nakasendo adventure is Magome to Nakatsugawa station
– Board train to Nagoya
– Skip Nagoya entirely
– Nagoya to Kyoto train
– Arrive in Kyoto early evening
– Check into hotel near kyoto station
– See Kiyomizudera autumn lights (yes I expect to be overrun by tourists but it is what it is)
– Walk back to hotel through a less busy sannenzaka
– Dinner somewhere nearby
Day 6
– Metro/ bus or taxi to Takao area
– See that temple (I forget the name)
– Walk south along the stream
– Walk to Otagi
– Walk to Tenryu temple
– Go to the public bath that is across the river
– Metro home
Day 7
– decide which temples to see on the east side of kyoto/ north higayashima , could look sometjing like:
– Metro to Enkoji temple
– Walk to Hoen in
– Walk to Nanzen ji
– Finish with fushimi inari at dusk or night arriving by metro
Day 8
– hopefully thrift shopping or doing whatever we feel we missed
– Could include:
– Nijo Castle, Tofukuji or time spent walking along the river or canals
– Shinkansen to Tokyo
– Check into hotel near Sugamo stop on the yamanote line
Day 9
– Train to Nezu area
– See the little shopping street there dont remember the name
– Make our way south to Ueno park
– Then to the street market thats near the Ueno station
– Then walk south to akihabara
– Explore akihabara
– Late afternoon, walk to bunkyo for a sunset
Day 10
– not sure, either completely shibuya or completely shinjuku
Day 11
– repeat of day 10
Day 12
– Rikugien garden in the morning
– 6pm flight home
5 comments
Is everything set in stone… or are you recognizing you may want/need some alternative plans for crappy weather or if you’re just wanting a slower paced day? Have you alerted your hotel(s) where you might have a bit later checkin time so they know you are still coming? 🤷🏿♀️
Are you packing super light like a small backpack or what is your luggage stowing strategy? Are you coming from Australia/NZ or near by so minimal jet lag?
Where is hakone and staying in a ryokan or going to the fish market
I landed around the same time as you last month arriving from North America. Sensoji was my first stop as well after dropping bags at hotel. I was able to make it till 9PM that evening before bedtime for a 4AM wake up the next day. Unless you think you will be very jet lagged, I would try not to nap and just adjust to local time.
Any reason why you want to do the sections of the nakasendo that are pretty much adjacent to or on the highway? I walked from magome to nagiso which was fun but it took like barely 3 hours. Was super quick if you’re in decent shape.