(Edited with more details)
Hi y’all! We are four adults traveling to Japan for the first time. We’re aiming for medium paced travel with some set destinations, but free time to wander and explore as well. Our group will occasionally split depending on personal interests.
So far we’ve booked our flights, lodgings, and major ticketed attractions. We still need to book trains and shipping luggage.
Day 1 (Monday, September 30): We will land at Haneda in the early afternoon. After checking into our hotel in Shinjuku, we will explore and eat dinner in Omoide Yokocho.
Day 2 (Tuesday, October 1): Start by visiting Meiji Shrine for their daily ritual at 8am. Then explore Harajuku district and Shibuya Scramble Crossing area. The group will then split with half staying in Shibuya for the Pokemon Center and Kumachan Onsen (Bear Cafe) and the other half going to Gotokuji Temple (Lucky Cat Temple) and the surrounding area.
Day 3 (Wednesday, October 2): We’ve booked a guided bus tour to Lake Kawaguchi. \tickets purchased*
Day 4 (Thursday, October 3): This is an open day to explore Shinjuku. Our options include Golden Gai/Kabukichō, Tower Records, Tokyo Government Building, and Suja Shrine (Your Name ❤️).
Day 5 (Friday, October 4): We will leave Tokyo early in the morning and travel to Ghibli Park \tickets purchased*. Once we’re done at the park, we will continue on to end the day in Kyoto and check into our hotel.
Day 6 (Saturday, October 5): We will possibly book a guided walking tour of Kyoto in the morning. Then visit Nishiki Market and/or Kiyomizu-dera in the early afternoon. At 4:30, we have a kimono rental and tea ceremony booked near downtown/Gion \tickets purchased*. After that, we will explore the Gion District in the evening.
Day 7 (Sunday, October 6): Our group splits on this day with half going to Osaka for a day trip. The other half will explore the port area of Fushimi Ward, Kyoto including a sake museum and canal cruise. The half in Kyoto may rent bikes to get around.
Day 8 (Monday, October 7): Visit Saihōji (Kokedera) Temple (Moss Temple) at 10am \tickets purchased*. Then visit Arashiyama Monkey Park followed by the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest in the afternoon. If we have time, we may visit Kinkaku-ji Temple.
Day 9 (Tuesday, October 8): Wake up early to hike and visit Fushimi Inari Shrine in the morning. Then an open afternoon to explore anything else we want to see in Kyoto (like Kiyomizu-dera Temple or GEAR if we need a break from walking around).
Day 10 (Wednesday, October 9): The group will travel to Miyajima Island to stay. Our plan is to hike Mount Misen and visit Itsukushima-jinja (floating torii gate).
Day 11 (Thursday, October 10): On this day our group splits again. Two will travel back to Ueno District, Tokyo and two will stay to visit Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima then relax/explore more of Miyajima.
Day 12 (Friday, October 11): The two in Tokyo will go to Akihabara while the other two travel from Miyajima to Ueno District, Tokyo. The group will reunite for dinner in Asakusa \reservation booked*
Day 13 (Saturday, October 12): Take the morning to explore Kappabashi Street and Asakusa Underground Street. Then we’ll return to Haneda in the early afternoon for an evening flight home.
by deputygus