14 day Itinerary Check May 4th to May 19th

Hello,

My girlfriend and I (29) are planning a trip next year from May 4th to May 19th with the plan of Tokyo-Kyoto (+Osaka/Nara) – Hakone – Tokyo.

We are interested mostly in food/drinks, anime/manga, cool/interesting experiences, entertainment (maimai machines are fun) and seeing some shrines. Not a huge enthusiast of museums/history/art/nightlife drinking. We recently went to Taipei and that was a ton of fun.

Typically we are not much of morning people, but we will get up early if we have to. Usually we like starting around 10am, but I know some places need to go early to avoid the crowds.

I know we are arriving at the **end of golden week (**overlap that saturday/sunday), but will things be closed or unavailable? Is the week afterwards back to normal?

This is our general plan, please let me know if anything seems unfeasible or could be adjusted to flow better. I tried to put only 2-3 big things per day. Additionally if there are any cool experiences you can recommend it would be much appreciated!

Thanks!!

Japan Itinerary

* Day 0 Saturday
* Land in NRT 4:45
* Get SIM card (reservations?)
* Travel to Hotel near Ueno Station

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* Day 1 Sunday – Asakusa
* Visit Senso-Ji
* Asakusa Jinja
* Explore Asakusa
* Tokyo Skytree

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* Day 2 Monday Tsujiki/Ginza
* Tsujiki Outer Market
* Hamarikyu Gardens
* Teamlab Planets/Gundam Base or New Teamlab in Azabudai Hills (or could see on Day 12 since already near Roppongi)
* OR
* Chuo-Dori/Harumi Dori St to browse
* Explore Ginza
* See Kabuki show? K
* itamaru Park or Imperial Gardens?

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* Day 3 – Tuesday Ueno/Akihabara (maybe Ghibli)
* Explore Ueno/Ueno Park
* Explore Akihabara
* Alternatively Ghibli Museum in the morning? (worth the difficulty in getting tickets?

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* Day 4 -Wednesday Travel to Kyoto
* Travel to Kyoto
* Drop luggage off at Hotel
* Explore Kyoto
* Pagong Sanjo
* Ippudo Matcha
* Sanjo Kai KShotengai
* Pontocho

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* Day 5 – Thursday Kyoto
* Kiyomizu-dera
* Explore Sanneizaka (Sannenzaka) and Ninenzaka Street
* Kōdai-ji Temple/Ishibei Koji Lane
* Maruyama Park/Yasakaka Shrine
* Explore Gion Area

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* Day 6 – Friday Kyoto
* Kyoto International Manga Museum
* Nijo Castle
* Explore Kyoto
* Nishiki Market

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* Day 7 – Saturday Osaka
* Travel to Osaka
* Explore Umeda?
* Shitenno-ji?
* Kuromon Market for Lunch
* Nipponbashi Denden Town for Souvenirs
* Explore Dotonbori
* Hozenji Temple Street
* Return to Kyoto
* Day 8 – Sunday Arashimyama
* Travel to Arashiyama Station
* Money Park? (Or skip)
* Taxi to Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple
* Walk down to Adashino Nenbutsu Temple through Bamboo groove
* Lunch
* Gio-Ji (moss garden)
* Tenryu-ji
* Arashimyama Bamboo Forest (crowded, hopefully less by evening)

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* Day 9 Monday – Uji/Nara
* Travel to Uji
* Explore Matcha foods/drinks/teahouses and grab lunch
* Travel to Nara (\~1pm)
* Explore Nara
* Shrines
* Deer Park
* Travel back to Kyoto

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* Day 10 – Tuesday
* Taxi or Bus to Kinkakuji
* Kinkaku-ji (unfortunate its so far out of the way from everything else)
* Walk to Ryoan-ji (or skip)
* Lunch
* Rest at hotel?
* Tofuku-ji
* Fumishimi Inari hike for sunset views (and less people)
* Explore Kyoto Tower Area for dinner

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* Day 11 – Wednesday – Travel to Hakone
* Travel to Hakone
* Drop bags off at fancy Ryokan
* Hakone Open Air Museum
* Dinner
* Onsen

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* Day 12 – Thursday – Hakone Loop
* Transfer bags to smaller and cheaper hotel/in in Gora
* Hakone Loop (Counterclockwise)
* Hakone Ropeway
* Owakudani Station (eggs worth it?)
* Pirate Ship Ride
* Hakone Checkpoint
* Old tokaido Ancient Cedar Avenue
* Salon de Rosage for lunch or Bakery and Table
* Heiwai no Torii (just to see, unsure willing to queue for 1+ hr)
* Hakone Shrine
* Amasake Tea house for treats
* Bus back to Gora? Or is there better way.
* Grab dinner before going back to hotel

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* Day 11 Friday
* Travel back to Tokyo
* Drop off bags at hotel near Shibuya Roppongi
* Explore Shinjuku Garden or Metropolitan building
* Explore Shinjuku
* Omoide Yokocho
* Kurand Sake?

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* Day 12 Saturday
* Teamlab Azabudai Hills??
* Meji Jingu Shrine
* Yoyogi park
* Nakamise Dori St./Cat Street
* Explore Harajuku/Shibuya

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* Day 13 – Fly out
* Check out \~ 11
* Ask hotel to hold luggage?
* Grab lunch
* Travel to NRT (leave around 1pm?)
* Arrive at NRT by 3pm
* Flight at 6pm
* Cry during takeoff