Hello, I (Solo) will be going to Japan for the first time on the 20th and I would like some recommendations. It would be helpful to know if I am missing out on any places. Do I have too much time in Kansai? Is it worth going to Mt Koya? I don’t have specifics that I really want to go and I just want to pace out my trip to get as much out of it.
TIA!
**20 – Land at KIX 11am -> Live in Osaka**
\- (unsure if I can hit Himeji Castle + Kobe for dinner otherwise, will be swapped for one of the days below)
\-Any Recommendations for Kobe Dinner?
**21 – Osaka**
\- Dotombori District
\- Aquarium
**22 – Osaka**
\-Kuromon Market
\-Osaka Castle
**23 – Osaka**
\-Sumiyoshi Taisha
\-Shinsekai
\-Shinsaibashi-suji
**24 – Osaka**
\-Chill Day / (Tsutenkaku Tower) / Christmas Eve?
**25 – Depart Osaka. Day Trip in Nara -> Live in Kyoto**
\-Todaji Temple
\-Horyuji Temple
\-Nara Park
**26 – Kyoto**
\-Nijo Castle
\-Nishiki Market
\-Sento Palace
\-Pontocho
**27 – Kyoto**
\-Kiyomizudera
\-Higashiyama
\-Ginkakuji
**28 – Kyoto**
\-Fushimi Inari Shrine
\-Daigoji Temple
\-Fushimi Sake
**29 – Kyoto**
\-Kinkakuji
\-Kibune
**30 – Leave Kyoto. Day Trip in Uji -> Leave for Tokyo**
\-Byodoin Temple
\-Get Tea at Nakamura (Any other reccs?)
**31 – Tokyo**
\-Shibuya
**1 – Tokyo**
\-Shinjuku
**2 – Tokyo**
\-Tsukiji Outer Market
\-Akihabara
**3 – Tokyo**
\-Asakusa
\-Harajuku
**4 – Tokyo**
\-Shinjuku again
\-Ghibli Museum at 4pm
**5 – Nikko**
\-Onsen?
\-Toshogu Shrine
\-Kanmangafuchi Abyss
**6 – Fuji Five Lakes or Hakone**
\-Lake Kawaguchiko.
\-Should I Onsen here instead over Nikko?
**7 – Yokohama**
\-Chinatown
\-Minato Mirai (Cup Noodle Museum)
**8 – Tokyo**
\-Chill Day. I Leave at Night (Kamakura?)
4 comments
Osaka 20 – not sure if you want to ride a bullet train to Himeji after getting off the plane. It was a good day trip for my group and me, and I highly recommend visiting the Koko-en garden as it was beautiful during the mid-late November autumn foilage. Other than that, there wasn’t much in Himeji. I personally don’t think you have to go to Kobe for Kobe dinner, as MANY places serve high quality Wagyu throughout the country.
Osaka 21-24 seem pretty sparse. Dotonbori + Aquarium shouldn’t take more than half the day. I would swap the two and do Dotonbori at night as it becomes really lively with all the LED signs and such.
Tokyo 3 – Harajuku, imo, should be paired up with Shibuya since they’re so close together. You could walk to one another. But other than that, the Tokyo days seem fine. You’ll have no problem spending the day in each of those districts.
Recommend to visit Tenma in Osaka for local food or bars.
Have you done the research into what will/won’t be open in Tokyo over the New Year? It’s a major holiday in Japan and starting around Dec 29th-30th until Jan 3rd-4th some major tourist attractions and many smaller mom/pop establishments close down.
Edit: In fact, I’m not even sure Tsukiji will be open on the 2nd. Their info center website says ‘open every day except for new years and year end holidays’
Traveling to Tokyo on the 30th may be extra crowded as well.
Tokyo 31: The New Year’s Eve countdown has been cancelled; people are being discouraged from going to Shibuya. Most shops will close earlier than usual (maybe at 5 PM?).
Tokyo 1: Nothing will be open except convenience stores.
Tokyo 2: Tsukiji Outer Market is closed. Most places in Harajuku will be closed.
Tokyo 3: Asakusa will be even more crowded than usual because of the New Year holidays.
Did you do any research?