Greetings! First off I want to thank everyone for their posts on this page, I’ve gathered a ton of helpful information here. As the title says, this will be my first time to Japan and will be traveling solo from the U.S. I will be staying mostly in Tokyo and Kyoto and my goal for the trip is just to soak in as much Japanese culture as I possibly can, as this is a once in a lifetime trip for me.
I’ll be arriving at Haneda at 3:30pm local time. I plan on picking up eSim and IC card, as well as exchanging currency. Navigating my way to hotel (likely in Asakusa) and exploring a bit if I have the time and energy.
Day 1: Tokyo Bus Tour via TripAdvisor. Sights include Shinjuku, Kabukicho, Meiji Jingu, Takeshita Street, Imperial Palace, Akihabara, Sensoji Temple, Tokyo Skytree, Odaiba District, and Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower
Day 2: Tokyo DisneySea
Day 3: Tokyo Disneyland
Day 4-5: Still in Tokyo. Will likely use these days to relax and visit with a relative. Maybe check out Ueno Park, Shibuya, Tokyo Tower, and of course the cherry blossoms
Day 6: Day trip to Kamakura to see the Great Buddha, Tsurugaoku Hachimangu, and Hokokuji Temple
Day 7: Shinkansen Tokyo to Kyoto. Staying at a Ryokan one night and will visit Kiyomizudera Temple and Higashiyama
Day 8: early morning start to summit Fushimi Inari Shrine. After that I’d like to see Arashiyama bamboo grove, Tenryuji Temple, and Kinkakuji if there’s time.
Day 9: Day trip to Nara – visiting Todaiji Temple and Deer Park, Kasuga Taisha if there’s time
Day 10: Shinkansen Kyoto to Osaka to walk around Dotonbori, Shinsekai, and maybe Osaka Castle
Day 11-12: Staying in Nagoya for the weekend for the Formula 1 Suzuka Grand Prix
Day 13-14: Staying in Fujiyoshida to see Fuji-san – Visit Arakura Sengen Shrine and the Chureito Pagoda
Day 15: back to Tokyo for final exploring, shopping and picking up souvenirs
Some general questions I still have:
the obvious Is it worth it for me to buy a JR Pass?
I’m a little confused about the IC/credit card situation. I think I’ve seen here that they do not accept Visa credit cards in Japan and I currently only have Visa. Will there be any issues transferring money to IC or using a credit card at stores or vendors throughout?
Luggage: How sparse are the luggage storage centers? I would love to be able to visit all these wonderful places and not have to worry about my luggage.
Maybe a silly question, but should I take a DSLR camera? I enjoy photography and would like to take lots of photos of my travels, but by no means am I a professional. Is it worth lugging the camera bag around or would it take away from being present in the moment?
I have a relative that lives in Sendai and he warned me that the crowds will likely hinder traveling and wait times for just about everything. Not only will there be tourists visiting from all over the world to see cherry blossoms, but I did not realize that schools will be out of session as well. Is my itinerary do-able?
I would love any feedback, tips, recommendations you have! Please and thank you! 🙂
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