Hey guys,
after putting together my itinerary I am looking for feedback from more experienced travelers as this is my first time going to Japan. I am flying with my gf in April and we are both in our 20s.
I have some questions and I hope someone can give their advice.
\- Do you think there is a day too packed?
\- We should probably take the shinkansen for longer distances (Tokyo-Kanazawa, Kanazawa-Kyoto, Kyoto-Tokyo). Due to the JR pass price increase I don’t think it’s worth it right?
\- Do you have tips on how to handle our luggage? Should we ship it in advance to our hotels? At which point do we need to do that? Or is it no problem to just take it with us?
​
Day 1 (April 6, 2024): Arrival in Tokyo
• Arrival at NRT
• Transfer to hotel in Shinjuku
​
Day 2 (April 7, 2024): Asakusa/Akihabara
• Senso-ji Temple
• Hanazono Inari Shrine & Ueno Park
• Akihabara
​
Day 3 (April 8, 2024): Shibuya
• Meiji Shrine
• Togo Shrine & Yoyogi Park
• Shibuya
• Pokemon Center
​
Day 4 (April 9, 2024): Shinjuku
• Gyoen National Garden
• Samurai Museum in Shinjuku
• Memory Lane (Omoide Yokocho)
• Golden Gai
​
Day 5 (April 10, 2024): Nikko (Overnight in Nikko)
• Early Train to Nikko
• Rinnoji Temple
• Yomeimon Gate
• Tosho-gu
• Futarasan Shrine
• Taiyu-in Temple
• Shinkyo Bridge
​
Day 6 (April 11, 2024): Small activities and return to Tokyo
• Tamizawa Imperial Villa
• Kanmangafushi Abyss
• Back to Tokyo hotel in Akihabara
​
Day 7 (April 12, 2024): Kanazawa
• Train to Kanazawa (Shinkansen?)
• Kenroku-en & Kanazawa Castle
• Higashi & Kazuemachi Chaya District
​
Day 8 (April 13, 2024): Kanazawa
• Naga-machi District & Nomura-ke Samurai Residence
• Myouryuji Temple
​
Day 9 (April 14, 2024): Travel to Kyoto
• Train to Kyoto (Probably Shinkansen?)
• Arrival in Kyoto and hotel check-in
• To-ji Temple
​
Day 10 (April 15, 2024): East Kyoto
• Fushimi Inari
• Sanjūsangen-dō Temple
​
Day 11 (April 16, 2024): Central Kyoto
• Kiyomizu-dera
• Sannenzaka, Ninenzaka
• Kodai-ji Temple
• Kennin-ji Temple
• Gion
​
Day 12 (April 17, 2024): Travel to Osaka
• Train to Osaka
• Hotel Check-In
• Dotonbori & Hozenji Temple. Optionally Shinsekai
​
Day 13 (April 18, 2024): Universal Studios Osaka
​
Day 14 (April 19, 2024): Day trip to Himeji from Osaka
• Send luggage to Kyoto here?
• Train to Himeji
• Himeji Castle
• Koko-en Garden
• Train to Kyoto
​
Day 15 (April 20, 2024): Kyoto
• Chill Day
​
Day 16 (April 21, 2024): North Kyoto
• Nanzen-ji Temple
• Zenrin-ji (Eikando)
• Philosopher’s Path
​
Day 17 (April 22, 2024): Nara Day trip
• Early Train to Nara
• Nara Park
• Kōfuku-ji
• Todai-Ji Temple
• Kasuga Taisha Shrine
• Nigatsu-do Temple
• Maybe Yoshikien Garden
• Maybe Isuien Garden
​
Day 18 (April 23, 2024): Buffer Day and Return to Tokyo
• Back to Tokyo (Shinkansen)
• Chill day
​
Day 19 (April 24, 2024): Tokyo
• Pokemon Café & Pokémon Center Tokyo DX
• Ginza
​
Day 20 (April 25, 2024): Flying back home
​
​
5 comments
Why Nikko-Tokyo-Kanazawa just to spend one night in Akihabara? Why not Nikko Kanazawa? You can just swap trains in Omiya. You can save one night that way
Since your schedule is pretty well spaced out, may I suggest two places? One is Uji and visit Byodo-in, an actual wooden building from the 12th century that still survives today. The museum is worth visiting and the street full of tea shops in front of the temple is also fun
The other is Daitoku-ji in northern Kyoto. It’s ignored by a lot of tourists but some gardens there are national treasures for a reason. Daisen-in, Koto-in, Zuiho-in are all beautiful in their own way. You have to pay for each individually as they’re separate within the big temple complex. It’s quiet and usually without crowds, unlike most other temples around there…
You’re probably right about the JR pass not being worth it but you could double check the prices with the navitime app. Might be worth checking domestic flight prices as well as that can sometimes be cheaper, eg. if you wanted to go from Osaka to Haneda airport, Tokyo.
You could probably fit in another place or two on day 9. Also while you’re in Kyoto I highly recommend Kinkakuji, in my opinion it’s the prettiest Kyoto temple
Your day in Nara is way too way. You need to cut some things out.
Skip the night in Akihabara and go straight to Kanazawa. Change Shinkansens at Omiya in northern Tokyo.
The Kanazawa to Tsuruga Shinkansen extension opens in March so might be very packed. You may still be better off getting the Thunderbird all the way from Kanazawa to Kyoto than going halfway on the Shinkansen and changing to the Thunderbird for the rest of the journey.
JR pass won’t be worth it after the rise given you’d need a 2 week pass to cover your Shinkansen trips. Will work out cheaper to buy individual tickets.
For luggage I’d recommend running with a backpack only. You’re moving around a heap and a backpack is so much easier to navigate around train stations. Bonus points if it’s carry on sized.
If you do buy a pass the Hokuriku arch pass is worth it as it covers travel within and between Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Kanazawa. For your return back just buy a 1 way on the Tokaido Shinkansen.