(Rough) Itinerary Check – 2 Weeks in Japan in Mid-October

15 comments

1. Robot restaurant is currently close and it is not sure if it will be permanent or not.

   I do not understand what you mean recover on the train while you list going to Osaka mid-day the following day.

   The locations you plan to visit are quite vague, so I cannot really give more advices as if you are planning too much or too little or even if what you plan make sense to do on the same day. Generally speaking, the amount of time spent in each city is ok. While you do not have to change hotel between Osaka and Kyoto, it would give you the chance to experience two different nightlife, with Osaka being the more active one.

   Note that you do not have to go to Kobe to eat Kobe beef and it is also not the only high quality wagyu in Japan.

2. IMO, if you go during october, I suggest universal studio japan. They have halloween horror night and it is included in your ticket (yes no additional charge)

   I went there during october 4 years ago and had so much fun with USJ halloween horror night.. I had sadako appeared next to me

3. Where will you be on the 16/17?

   How much sushi have you eaten in the past? Unless you’ve eaten at a number of quality places, a Michelin starred restaurant might not be worth it as you would not have developed the palate to distinguish between mediocre and outstanding sushi. There are tons of establishments that serve sushi that don’t have stars which are well regarded.

   And as gdore has mentioned, there’s lots of wagyu to be had. Kobe is definitely the most well know and certainly one of the most expensive but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best.

   Now thats checking out for what goes in your gut

4. Looks like it may have been a typo, but I think staying that full 10/14-10/17 in Kyoto is far better than just 2 days. I think Kyoto is a really great honeymoon destination, because it’s a great place to relax, *or*, if the exploration bug strikes, to go out and see lots of sights. Osaka is great and all, but you’ll find that it has a very similar feel to Tokyo, they are both giant mega-metropolises. I’d recommend maybe doing one (or even two if you can afford it) night(s) in a fancy Ryokan, and then still spend a few nights in say, a fancy place off Airbnb (Airbnb has some really nice finds in the higher-end) or another hotel. Other than that, obviously you know you better than anyone here would. Given that you only have 2 weeks, a Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto-Tokyo trip is not a bad idea, adding another city or overnight destination would certainly start to make the trip a bit more “busy” – However, you might consider a full-day day-trip along the way, for example, Nara (during the Osaka/Kyoto portion) or Kamakura (from Tokyo) to get you out to a more rural city/environment.

5. You’ve got a rough itinerary, I’ve got some rough advice!

   All in all the basics look good. Fairly general, but fun and you are hitting most of the highlights.

   More specific feedback, ideas and advice are:

   If you want 5 stars in Shinjuku, its gonna be the Park Hyatt. Which is fine, its an amazing hotel. The location is a bit far out from the bright lights, but the view and drinks at the bar make up for it. Otherwise, I really like the Peninsula and the Palace on the other side of the city.

   I’m not a fan of the Ritz Osaka. It’s just “fine” for a deluxe hotel. Conrad is pretty spiffy though, as is the St. Regis.

   The Hoshinoya Kyoto is amazing. But keep in mind that Arashiyama is pretty far out of the center of the city. So you’ll have quite the commute for most of your sightseeing. My preference- stay in the Ritz Kyoto, its fantastic. Much, much nicer than the Ritz Osaka (or Tokyo for that matter.) And then add a ryokan night elsewhere. You’ve got FIVE more nights in Tokyo. You can pinch two of those for Hakone/ Izu/ Kaga. There are fantastic ryokan with hot springs in each of those areas, and it’s nice to get out of the city a bit and really enjoy the downtime.

6. I would fly into Tokyo and out of Osaka, so you don’t halve to backtrack by train.

   I would use the extra time for 2 nights at a Ryokan in Hakone. It’s a beautiful mountain town on the way from Tokyo to Kyoto. If you are lucky, there will be views of Mt. Fuji.

   Then I would spend the time in Kyoto actually seeing the city. There is a lot to do there.

7. Man this is almost exactly the itinerary I had on my 2 week trip to Japan, down to the hotels. I think it’s great. If you want to enjoy the country side some more, a little more time in Kyoto. I do wish I coikd have explored a little more. Osaka and Tokyo were a blast. We had to have our hotel concierge book a lot of reservations for us so keep that in mind (for Michelin restaurants).

   Kyoto has an INCREDIBLE tofu based kaiseki restaurant in the bamboo forest and I strongly urge you to make reservations. It’s beautiful , feels so traditional, and was some of the best food I had in Japan (we also did Michelin sushi, Michelin tonkatsu in Tokyo (also highly recommend ) and a handful of other Michelin restaurants. The tofu is still a stand out!!)

   Also , I know you aren’t asking for trip planning but I have to say a highlight of ours was going to Bed Fiddich in Tokyo. This man hand crafts a tasting menu of cocktails in a a quaint, warm cozy bar – you’ll see plenty of info if you google it.

   Have a great trip!!

   Edit: I’m sorry, I know you didn’t ask for trip planning but this Kobe beef place in Osaka blew our minds. Google “Kobe beef steak ken” and book a table at the chef’s grill. It is casual and the chef is A CHARACTER. So funny, and the beef was impeccable. We had such a fun time with him too; at the end of the meal he disappeared for like 15 min. He had run out to a food stall to bring us his favorite takoyaki ! Really recommend. There were 5 of us and there was so much Kobe beef we could hardly finish it off. Go hungry !

8. Spend an afternoon in Himeji. The castle is amazing. I stay with friends in Kobe and the first thing I do is go to Himeji.

   More time in Kyoto if you can.

9. Maybe instead of having breakfast in the hotel, you might want to spend one morning/afternoon hanging out in a kissaten, a western-style Japanese cafe.

10. If you’re hanging around Shinjuku on day 2 and looking for ramen, try Hayashida. For sushi maybe Ryujiro, they have one star although dude had 2 at Umi where he worked previously. Lunch is 15 nigiri for like 15k which is pretty good cost-performance wise.

11. Not sure if it’s something you would be interested in but figured I’d suggest it since you mentioned being interested in food. Again, out of a 3 week trip that was our favourite meal. all type place but the owner and cooks were so cheerful and friendly and the food was amazing! When trying to find its name last year after losing it I was told by someone living in Kyoto that it’s a Dive that all the locals love. Which makes sense, the building was quite old with only a few stools (10 I think?).

    Not sure if its something you would be interested in but figured I’d suggest it since you mentioned being interested in food. Again, out of a 3 week trip that was our favourite meal.

12. One thing to do in Kyoto that would be cool that involves drinks/food is to go to a geisha tea ceremony.

13. Golden Gai is an interesting one – it as been massively touristed out the last few years and a lot of the bars were not excited to have foreigners visit them. Given the closure and likely slow reopening though the character might change a bit.

    For me I’d prefer Shibuya or Ikebukuro for a night out.

14. If you are interested in food and culture, do a high-end kaiseki meal in Kyoto — Kitcho, Hyotei, Kikunoi, Kichisen, etc

15. you’re arriving on the exact same day I am October 7th 😵‍💫