My fiancee and I will be honeymooning in Japan for about 2 weeks at the end of September into mid October. We have loose plans below, but looking for general thoughts on the structure of our trip – we’re trying to maximize our time, but don’t want to feel like we’re running around just checking boxes in trying to visit everything possible. In particular, my fiancee prefers a bit slower paced places and activities, while I prefer more active things (she loved Santorini during a trip to Greece, for instance, while I preferred Athens for historical aspects). We’re both basic and are looking forward to getting souvenirs and going shopping, with my eyes in particular on items for the kitchen and potentially on a new watch.
Day One (Tokyo):
arrive in Haneda around 6pm, light dinner and call it a night.
Day Two:
Tsukji Market in the morning, Imperial Palace / Gardens / Museum in the afternoon, Ginza for shopping and dinner (watch shopping in particular, likely a visit to Seiko).
Day Three: Asakusa / Senso-Ji Temple / Nakamise Street in morning / early afternoon, lunch then shopping in Kitchen Town in the afternoon, maybe visit to Tokyo Skytree, dinner
Day Four (Hakone): Morning train to Hakone, check into hotel, visit Hakone Shrine, Open Air Musuem, Lake Ashinodo, head back to Hotel / Ryokan (if we can book one)
Day Five (Kyoto): Breakfast in Hakone, train to Kyoto in late morning / early afternoon, check into hotel, walk around and grab dinner
Day Six: Golden Pavilion, Ryoanji, Nishiki Market
Day Seven: Fushimi Inari, Sake District, Dinner Pontocho Alley
Day Eight: Temple day: Kiyomizudera Temple, Higashiyama District, Kodaiji Temple, Kenninji Temple, End in Gion (dinner)
Day Nine: Day trip to Nara
Day Ten: Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Tenryuji Gardens, Monkey Park
Day Eleven (Osaka): Morning train ride to Osaka, check into hotel (if possible), walk around and mostly do shopping: Shinsaibashi,
Nipponbashi Den Den Town, Kuromon Market, Doguyasuji Shotengai
Day Twelve: Osaka Castle, Shitennoji Temple
Day Thirteen: Morning train ride to Tokyo, check into hotel, day is otherwise open so suggestions appreciated (Akihabara?)
Day Fourteen: Meiji Shrine, Shibuya, Shinjuku
Day Fifteen: Return home
by YoungDumpy