Hi everyone,
Looking for some advice on me and my partner’s first-time trip to Japan. The end of our trip overlaps with Golden Week, so trying to get some early itinerary advice so that we can lock in dates for our accommodation. We are travelling for 3 weeks from mid-April to early-May in 2024.
I’m hoping to get all the major tourist attractions done in our first Tokyo leg, leaving all the shopping and major city visits in our second Tokyo leg that will overlap with Golden Week. Generally planned for 3 things per day (morning, afternoon, and evening), although some evenings I am struggling to fill so maybe we will repeat some evening areas.
Main things requiring advice on:
1. Should I shift the Hakone day by one (i.e., 29/04 – 30/04 so that it falls over a non-public holiday?) In that case, is there one more day trip we can take from Kyoto?
2. Any recommendations for waterfall sight-seeing?
3. Any recommendations for arcades with claw machines?
4. Any recommendations for hotels that are clean? We have had some bad experiences with cleanliness in budget hotels in the past… I guess something similar to APA Hotels that are frequently mentioned online.
5. Any places for late cherry blossoms? Or are we just too late in the season?
# 13/04 – 16/04 Tokyo (First Leg)
**13/04 Saturday**
* Arrive Narita in the evening
* Check-in to hotel (thinking Asakusa or Ueno) and look for dinner around hotel
**14/04 Sunday**
Thinking of taking this day slow to familiarize ourselves with everything. Struggling to fill this day out but happy to just walk about.
* Asakusa: Senso-ji, Nakamise Dori, Tokyo Skytree
* Ueno: Ueno Park in afternoon
* Evening (?)
**15/04 Monday**
* Toyko Disneyland
**16/04 Tuesday**
* Tsukiji Market in morning
* Ginza – check out shops in midday
* TeamLabs Borderless in afternoon (if reviews end up being good). I think we are leaning towards skipping TeamLabs Planets based on reviews.
* Evening (?)
# 17/04 Kanazawa
**17/04 Wednesday**
* Toyko to Kanazawa (maybe forwarding luggage to our next hotel in Osaka)
* Kazue Machi Chaya, Omicho Market for lunch
* Kanazawa Castle Ruins & Kenroku-en in afternoon – will we have a chance at late cherry blossoms or are we dreaming?
# 18/04 – 22/04 Osaka
**18/04 Thursday**
* Finish up any last things in Kanazawa then arrive at Osaka hopefully before midday – check out view from Hankyu Grand Building 31st floor
* Kuromon Ichiba Market for lunch, then walk to Den Den Town in afternoon
* Hozenji Yokocho then Dotonburi in the evening
**19/04 Friday**
* Day trip to Nara. Will figure this out in the future as there are plenty of guides online…
* Back to Osaka in the evening, planning on walking between Shinsaibashi and Amerikamura with some bars inbetween.
**20/04 Saturday**
* Morning trip to Himeji (Castle and Garden)
* Kobe in early afternoon (maybe Steakland for lunch? Somewhere big where reservations aren’t required)
* Ikuta Shrine, Kitano Street, and Kobe Nunobiki before sunset. Maybe do the hike down if time allows.
* Kobe Chinatown in the evening, then back to Osaka
**21/04 Sunday**
* Planning on keeping morning free as a mini-rest day.
* Osaka Castle in afternoon
* Shinsekai at night
**22/04 Monday**
* Universal Studios Japan
# 23/04 – 27/04 Kyoto
**23/04 Tuesday**
* Osaka to Kyoto in the morning. Maybe store our luggage in a locker.
* Head to Golden Pavilion first, then to Nijo Castle and surroundings in afternoon.
* Kyoto Station roof view at night
**24/04 Wednesday**
* Head to Arashiyama in the morning
* Arashiyama & Monkey Park, Okochi Sanso Garden if we have time or is this skippable?
* Back to Kyoto for the evening (?)
**25/04 Thursday**
* Fushimi Inari in the morning
* Tofuku-ji and surrounds in the afternoon
* Evening (?)
**26/04 Friday**
* Start at Nishiki Market in the morning
* Bus to Kiyomizu-dera and work our way through Gion: Sannenzaka, Yasaka and everything in between
* Pontocho Alley in the evening
**27/04 Saturday**
* Philosopher’s Path – start at Higashiyama and end at Nanzenji
* Get to Heian Shrine by late afternoon
* Evening (?)
# 28/04 Hakone
**28/04 Sunday**
* Kyoto to Hakone in the morning
* Open Air Museum
* Check in to ryokan
# 29/04 – 04/05 Tokyo (Second Leg)
Roughly planned… Maybe stay near Shibuya or Ikebukuro?
**29/04 Monday**
* Hakone to Tokyo
* Explore around whatever hotel we decide with
**30/04 Tuesday**
* Shibuya, Meiji Shrine
* Harajuku
**01/05 Wednesday**
* Ghibli Museum
* Shinjuku, Omoide Yokocho
**02/05 Thursday**
* Akihabara
**03/05 Friday**
* Ikebukuro
**04/05 Saturday**
* Wrap up any last things around our hotel area.
* Early dinner and then head to Narita a few hours early (our flight departs 8PM)
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Thanks in advance!!
