Itinerary Check – Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima

Hey everyone! Finally posting my itinerary to this sub. I, 25F will be travelling with my partner, 25M – we’re both gym junkies so have high level of fitness and don’t mind getting our steps in! Please let me know if this itinerary is too congested, unrealistic, or just silly! It’s my second time in Japan but it’s been a while. We’re both visiting Japan mostly for food, shopping (streetwear, high end fashion) and amusement parks/arcades.

*Note: We’re travelling from Australia so only a 9hour day time flight with a 2 hour time difference so no jetlag. :D*

**TOKYO**
29/11 – *Day Zero. Wednesday.*

8:00PM: Arrive in Haneda airport.
9:30PM: Check into airbnb in Koto city (near Akihabara). Grab some conbini food and tuck in for an early night.

30/11 – *Thursday.*
8:00AM: Arrive early to line up outside Disneysea.
9:00AM: Disneysea opens up.
9:00PM: Depart Disneysea, head back to hotel area for dinner and shut eye.

01/12 – *Friday.*
8:00AM: Arrive early to line up outside Disneyland.
9:00AM: Disneyland opens up.
9:00PM: Depart Disneyland, head back to hotel area for dinner and shut eye.

02/12 – *Saturday.*
**Free day today**! (kinda). Redeeming our 2 day Tokyo Hop on Hop off Bus ticket (2 days), so planning to pick an area and explore. Does this day seem full enough or should I pick an adjoining area to explore?
10:30AM: Redeem Skybus tickets and enjoy the sights until Harajuku station.
12:00PM: Explore Harajuku for shopping and food.
2:00PM: Check out Yoyogi park. (maybe have picnic lunch here instead?)
4:00PM: Line up at Shibuya sky to hopefully see the sunset. Should I buy tickets in advance for this?
6:00PM: Dinner somewhere in Shibuya! Any recs? 😀

03/12 – *Sunday.*
7:30AM: Wake up early and grab breakfast at Tsukiji Outer Market.
9:00AM: Teamlabs Planets – first spot of the day for pictures hopefully!
11:00AM: Explore DECKS Tokyo Beach afterwards for the Daiba Haunted school.
3:00PM: Hop back on Skybus and head back to Akihabara.
4:00PM: Check out Namco arcade.
6:00PM: Dinner in the area.
7:30PM: Check out some stores and go shopping (BIC camera, want to get airpod maxes!)

**KYOTO**
04/12 – *Monday.*
8:30AM: Catch bullet train from Tokyo Station to Kyoto Station.
11:00AM: Leave bags at airbnb reception counter outside Kyoto Station.
12:00PM: Light lunch or exploring if not hungry.
12:45PM: Kyoto Samurai Experience. Staring at @ 1PM.
3:00PM: Check bags into Airbnb.
5:00PM: Relax for remainder of day, potentially do Philosopher’s path for a sunset stroll if up to it?

05/12 – *Tuesday.*
Kyoto Golden Tour booked. Whole day experience.
8:45AM: Meet at Kyoto station for Kyoto Golden Day Tour.
7:00PM: Return to Kyoto station at end of tour.
7:30PM: Enjoy Kobe beef at restaurant in Kyoto city centre.
9:00PM: Back to hotel for the night.

**OSAKA**
06/12 – *Wednesday.*
11:00AM: Check out of airbnb.
11:30AM: Bullet train from Kyoto to Osaka.
1:00PM: Check into hotel – THE ROYAL PARK HOTEL ICONIC OSAKA MIDOSUJI.
3:00PM: **Free afternoon.** Thinking about visiting Osaka castle at night because there’s an illumination event but also really want to see it during the day. Is both worth it or just overkill? *(note: this is my second time going to Japan and for some reason I remember really loving Osaka castle when I went during the day! But also, my bf nicknamed me a ‘moth’ because I love LEDs and all things lights. So the illumination event sounds dope!)*

07/12 – *Thursday.*
7:30AM: Arrive early at USJ.
8:30AM: Rush to SNW to to try and beat timed entry. We have express pass 7 but unfortunately SNW is timed for 1:50PM.
9:00PM: Exit USJ
9:30PM: Return to hotel, drop stuff off and have dinner somewhere.

08/12 – *Friday.*
8:30AM: Depart Osaka for Ghibli Park, Nagoya.
12:00PM: Grand Warehouse & Mononoke Village timed entry.
3:00PM: Hill of Youth timed entry.
5:00PM: Depart Nagoya.
7:30PM: Return to Osaka, dinner somewhere and relax at night.

09/12 – *Saturday.*
10:30AM: Osaka castle + conbini breakfast at the neighboring park.
1:30PM: Head to America Mura for some shopping.
3:30PM: Shopping continues in Dotonburi.
6:00PM: Teamlabs Botanical Gardens.
8:30PM: Dinner then return to hotel.

10/12 – *Sunday.*
**Free day! Open to suggestions.**

**HIROSHIMA**
11/12 – *Monday.*
11:00AM: Check out of Osaka hotel.
11:30AM: Sakura Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima.
1:00PM: Arrive in Hiroshima.
1:30PM: Check into hotel – Randor Hotel.

12/12 – *Tuesday.*
9:00AM: Depart for Nagasaki.
11:30AM: Arrive in Nagasaki.
11:50AM: Hashima (Battleship island) tour. Starts @ 12PM.
3:00PM: Tour finishes at Gunkanjima Concierge Office. Head to Chinatown for some food.
4:30PM: Board bus from Nagasaki Station South Exit towards Iojima terminal. Change at Iojima and catch bus to “Lighthouse entrance” for Island Lumina.
5:30PM: Island Lumina hiking experience.
6:30PM: Bus back to Nagasaki station.
7:30PM: Nagasaki station to Hiroshima station.
10:00PM: Return to Hiroshima station.
13/12 – *Wednesday.*
9:30AM: Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.
11:00AM: Visit Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome.
12:00PM: Walk to Hiroshima castle (25mins), explore and enjoy lunch in area.
1:30PM: Head back to Hiroshima station and travel to Miyajima.
2:30PM: Omotesando shopping street (fish nibbling pedicure!).
3:30PM: Floating torii gate (5 min walk from Omotesando).
Considering adding in the Miyajima ropeway up Mt Misen in here around 4pm but unsure if practical. I hear it runs until 5pm (want to take it up and down the mountains) so would that be enough time to ride it up and down before it closes for the day?

**BACK TO TOKYO**
14/12 – *Thursday.*
11:00AM: Check out of hotel. Head to Hiroshima station and grab some food for the long shinkansen ride. Make sure Nintendo Switch is charged so I can grind out some Stardew Valley (important).
11:30AM: Sakura shinkansen to Shin-Osaka.
1:00PM: Arrive Shin-Osaka station then board Hikari shinkansen to Tokyo.
4:15PM: Arrive in Tokyo station, board local trains to Shinjuku.
4:45PM: Check into hotel – Hotel Groove in Kabukicho Tower.
7:00PM: Explore Kabukicho, maybe play some arcade games in Kabukicho Tower and grab a bite to eat somewhere close. I’m anticipating exhaustion from the long shinkansen ride so most likely won’t be bothered travelling out of the area. If we are bothered, however, might finally chose this day to bar hop!

15/12 – *Friday.*
1:00PM: Sumo Experience lunch booked @ Sumida City. Super cool experience where we have lunch then get to go up against some retired sumo wrestlers. ~~Gonna try my absolute best to convince my incredibly timid and introverted (but 6’4, 115KG/254lbs bodybuilder) bf to volunteer. Going to need the luck of a thousand stars for this one.~~
3:00PM: Experience finishes. Head over to Ginza to shop til’ we drop (or not really, ‘cuz it’s all designer, right?)
6:00PM: Fine dining @ Tapas Molecular Bar, Nihonbashi.
8:00PM: Experience finishes.

16/12 – *Saturday.*
11:00AM: Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour, Nerima City, Tokyo.
5:00PM: free!

17/12 – *Sunday.*
7:50AM: Meet at Shinjuku-nishiguchi station for Nikko Bus Tour full day.
6:00PM: Tour finishes back at Shinjuku-nishiguchi station.
6:15PM: Probably gonna head back to the hotel to freshen up then go out again for food/activities. Last night here so open for some suggestions!

18/12 – *Monday. Final day :(*
11:00AM: Check out of hotel, ask if we can leave luggage there.
11:30AM – 5:00PM: **free! open to suggestions. :)**
5:30PM: Narita Express from Shinjuku st to Narita airport – but unsure how to book this? Should I book in advance or simply show up at the time?
7:00PM: Arrive at Narita airport in preparation for flight.
9:00PM: Flight back home to Sydney, Australia.

Thanks in advance 🙂

1 comment
  1. to watch the sunset in Shibuya sky it’s always a must to buy in advance, that’s the time range that usually sells out first. It usually sells out on the sunset hours the first day of release on the official site. 3rd party sites usually are a day or 2 delayed release.

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