Hello! Visiting Japan as a first timer with my fiancé. Looking to eat, wander cool neighbourhoods, get some historical sights as well as the teamlabs museums. I like parks and old world looking buildings. I haven't researched food spots yet so you won't see that in the itinerary. Looking for feedback on what's not worth the trek to lessen down some of the denser days and see where I can build in more flex time. Tend to be ambitious of a walk, so would also appreciate where it's best to take a taxi or something instead of trying to walk between spots.
Is it better to stay in one hotel (tokyo) and use transport between the neighbourhoods, or should I consider switching hotels?
- DAY 1 – Saturday: Departure
- DAY 2-3: Tokyo – Shibuya/Shinjuku
- Arrival 1:42pm
- Shibuya: Yoyogi park, Shibuya crossing, Shibuya Sky, Harajuku area, Takeshita st, Meiji Jingu shrine and park, shaved ice
- Shinjuku: Shinkuku Gyoen national garden, Golden Gai, Omoide Yokocho
- Whatever we don't have time for here will be flexed into other days since this is dense.
- DAY 4: Tokyo – Asakusa
- Senso-Ji
- Kaminarimon
- Nakamise-dori
- Kappabashi street
- Day 5: Tokyo – Minato/Odaiba
- Teamlabs Borderless
- Tokyo Tower (likely just walk by not go in)
- Zojo-ji temple
- Hamarikyu Gardens (as motivation persists)
- Teamlabs Planets
- Day 6: Tokyo – Chiyoda
- Imperial Palace and Nijubashi Bridge
- Marunouchi Naka-Dori Ave area, including Oedo antique market
- Kabukiza Theatre
- Day 7: Tokyo to Osaka
- Backstreets tour of Osaka @ 5:30pm
- Flex time – Dotonbori area incl. Hozen-Ji
- Day 8: Osaka
- Osaka Castle and park – grounds only
- Osaka Aquarium
- Continue exploring Dotonbori
- Day 9 – Osaka
- Explore Shinsekai
- Day 10 – Nara
- Hoping to ship our bags to Kyoto and go Osaka –> Nara –> Kyoto
- Including Aoniyoshi
- Day 11 – West Kyoto
- Mostly following https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3950\_arashiyama\_full.html
- Monkey Park
- Togetsukyo Bridge
- Tenryu-ji
- Bamboo Grove, forest, garden
- Jojakkoji, Nisonin, Gioji temples
- Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street
- Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple
- Mostly following https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3950\_arashiyama\_full.html
- Day 12 – East Kyoto
- Ginkakuji
- Philosopher's Path
- Eikando Temple
- Nanzen-ji
- Keage Incline
- through Okazaki Park to
- Heian Shrine
- Yasaka Shrine & Gate (optional: explore other parts of Maruyama Park)
- (Wander Gion, nishiki market, Pontocho,)
- Day 13 – Kyoto
- Fushimi Inari (early morning)
- Kodaiji Temple
- Higashiyama District (Sannenzaka, Ninenzaka and wandering)
- Kiyomizudera
- Day 14 – Kyoto Flex time
- Hozugawa River Boat Ride
- Pick up whatever we couldn't from other days that were too dense
- Day 15 – Departure Tokyo 6:30pm
by AlphaPeach