I’ve been toying with the idea of traveling to Tokyo in February which will mark my fourth trip to Japan, and I am looking for a bit of feedback on my itinerary and recommendations for places off the beaten path worth visiting. I might shorten it a bit and leave on February 19th instead, but I haven’t decided yet. I had a far too intense itinerary last time, so I am hoping to balance it a bit better this time.
I have a soft spot for residential areas, and my favorite neighborhoods in Tokyo include Sangenjaya, Sasazuka, Kichijoji, Koenji, Daikanyama, and Shimokitazawa, although I find that the latter two have become increasingly packed with tourists over the past years. They are still amazing, though. I enjoy the many parks and green areas of Tokyo a lot, the usual hipster third wave coffee, and record stores, and I also tend to visit any Hard Off or Book Off I pass by.
My itinerary so far looks like this, and places marked with an asterisk are areas that I’ve already been to in the past.
**Saturday, February 10th**
* Arrival at Haneda
* Check-in at the hotel in Kichijoji
* Kichijoji\*
* Asagaya
* Koenji\*
**Sunday, February 11th**
* Sasazuka\*
* Shimokitazawa\*
* Sangenjaya\*
* Jiyugaoka
**Monday, February 12th**
* Iriya
* Kuramae
* Tateishi
* Shibamata
* Yamamoto-Tei
**Tuesday, February 13th**
* Kagurazaka
* Jimbocho
* Kitanomaru Kōen
* Hama-rikyū Onshi Teien
**Wednesday, February 14th**
* Day trip to Kawagoe
* I might go to Omiya afterward if time permits
**Thursday, February 15th**
* Buffer day
**Friday, February 16th**
* Ogikubo\*
* Nishi-ogikubo\*
**Saturday, February 17th**
* Ome
**Sunday, February 18th**
* Hiroo
* Azabu
**Monday, February 19th**
* Buffer day
**Tuesday, February 20th**
* Check-in at airport hotel
**Wednesday, February 21st**
* Departure from Haneda
Are there any places that I might enjoy that are not already included in my itinerary, or, conversely, places that I should consider skipping? I am also curious to hear what your favorite spots are in the areas that I’ve included in the list above.