Hi all,
First of all thanks for reading, here for an itinerary check. Happy to listen to all suggestions and advice as a first traveller to Japan.
Mostly the things I want to check are the day to day activities, Cities and daytrips are 90% locked out but I still have room for suggestions in that matter too.
All activities yet to be decided (I have marked all I want to do and how much they might take but still have to cut off or add some), I am mostly trying to check rn if the amount of days or parts of the city per day seem ok
Also please note that we (me and my gf) do not want a fast pace trip, looking forward to enjoy the combination of getting lost and have plans
Day 1 – Nov 22 friday:
Arrive in Kansai, Osaka at 11:15
Travel to hotel, do check in or just leave luggage if check in not possible.
Grab something to eat
Direct to Osaka Aquarium
Do a quick stroll through Namba and head to hotel to sleep to wake up early
Day 2 Nov 23 saturday:
Travel as early as possible to tokyo (Have already my smartex account, will book trains next month due to disccount for getting it between 90-28 days in advance) dropping lugagge in hotel
Going to Shibuya area:
Morning:
Yoyogi park
Meiji Sanctuary and its exterior garden
Takeshita Street
Ura Harajuku
Midday + afternoon:
Kono Hachiman Sanctuary
Toyosaka Inari Shrine
Hachiko Statue
Shibuya Crossing
Shibuya Stream
Shibuya Sky (at dawn if possible)
One Piece store
Dar 3 Nov 24 sunday:
All shinjuku area + Koenjikita
Morning:
National Shinjuku Gyoen garden
Nishi-shinjuku
Hanazono Sanctuary
Golden-Gai (Not interested in night life but wanna see the area)
Tokyu Kabukicho Tower
Afternoon:
Nakano Broadway
Koenjikita
Go for a walk to Kichijōji
Inokashira Park
Day 4 Nov 25 monday:
Akihabara + Ueno + Taito and skytree
Morning:
Ameyoko st.
Benten-dō Temple
Ueno Park
Nezu Sanctuary
Afternoon:
Kappabashi
Hozomon door
Tennoji
Shin-Nakamise
Sensō-ji
Sumida Park
Tokyo Skytree
Night:
Akihabara, will be staying close so I will visit this neighborhood at night
Day 5 Nov 26 tuesday:
Nikko only world heritage area, will book the Nikko world heritage area pass once there
Day 6 Nov 27 wednesday:
Chuo + Minato + Tsukiji Market area
Morning:
Tsukiji Market
Hamarikyu Garden
Tsukishima Monja Street
Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai
Statue of Liberty area
Midday:
Toyosu Market
Afternoon:
Walk through Ginza
Tokyo Station
Imperial Palace and Gardens
Day 7 Nov 28 thursday:
Day Trip most likely, still not decided between sightviewing Hakone or Kawaguchiko or other like Mount Takao for hiking
Day 8 Nov 29 friday:
Kamakura + yokohama at evening/night
Morning and early afternoon in Kamakura:
Hase-dera
Kotoku-in Temple
Wakaenoshima
Komachi-dori Street
Jokomyoji
Jochi-ji
Tokei-ji
Engaku-ji
Meigetsu-in
Kencho-ji
Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū
Hokoku-ji
Sugimoto-dera
Zuisen-ji
Might be too much for a day?
Night:
Go to yokohama for Chinatown and Yokohama Cosmo World if possible
Day 9 Nov 30 saturday:
FREE DAY
Mostly to just get lost in less touristic areas:
Sangenjaya
Nakameguro
Daikanyamacho
Go to Gōtokuji
Possibly go to Starbucks Reserve (Is it worth?)
Day 10 Dec 1 Sunday:
Wake up as early as possible and go to kyoto, same as before will book train in 40 days time.
I will be staying in Fujimi Inari zone so:
Morning:
Uji
Byōdō-in
Nintendo Museum if open
Afternoon/ evening:
Senbon Torii
Fushimi Inari-taisha
Tofuku-ji
Fujinomori-jinja Shrine
Day 11 Dec 2 monday:
Visit central kyoto + Gion:
Morning:
Sanjūsangen-dō
Pagoda
Toji Kanchiin
Kioto Tower
Higashi Hongan-ji
Nishi Hongan-ji
Afternoon:
Kiyomizu-dera
Sanneizaka
Miyagawa-chō
Gion
Yasaka Sanctuary
Chionin Temple
Heian Jingū
Nanzen-ji
Eikando Temple
Ginkaku-ji
Day 12 Dec 3 tuesday:
Northern kyoto in general
Morning:
Kyoto Gyoen National Garden
Nijō Castle
Shimogamo Shrine
Urasenke Konnichi-an
Daitoku-ji Temple
Afternoon:
Kitano Tenman-gū
Golden pabellion
Ryōan-ji
Tōji-in Temple
Ninna-ji
TBH would like to go to Otsu too, but not sure if I have enough time
Day 13 Dec 4 wednesday:
Arashiyama zone
Morning:
Arashiyama
Arashiyama Monkey Park (worth it? Have read Japan is quite bad at animal rights)
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Afternoon:
Jōjakkō-ji
Nison-in
Giouji
Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street
Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple
Mausoleum of Emperor Saga
Day 14 Dec 5 thursday:
Wake up early, travel to osaka. Leave luggage and travel to Nara for the day trip.
Remaining of morning:
Yakushi-ji
Tōshōdai-ji
Heijō Palace
Go have a walk to Yamatokōriyama
Afternoon:
Gangō-ji
Kōfuku-ji
Go for a walk to Naramachi
Shin-Yakushi-ji
Kasuga-taisha
Nara Park
Wakakusa Mount
Day 15 Dec 6 friday:
Day trip to Himeji and Kobe
Himeji:
Mostly and almost only all related to Himeji Castle, please let me know if any other super interesting spot
Kobe:
Kitano Tenman Shrine
Nunobiki Park
Walk to Kitanocho
Nunobiki Garden
Ikuta Rd
Kobe Chinatown
Kobe Port Tower
Kobe Harborland
Meriken Parl
Day 16 Dec 7 Saturday:
Getting Osaka Amazing pass
Horikoshi Sanctuary
Isshinji
Shitennō-ji
Tsūtenkaku
Shinsekai Hondori Commercial ST
Imamiya Ebisu Sanctuary
Nipponbashi Denden Town
Namba Parks
Yasaka Namba
Kuromon Market
Hozen-ji
America-mura
Namba Sanctuary
Day 17 Dec 8 Sunday.
Osaka Castle
Utsubo Park
Goryō Sanctuary
Osaka Tenmangu
Takimikoji
Suigetsu Park
Ikeda Castle Ruins
Minoh Park
Momiji square
Katsuo-ji
Day 18 Dec 9 monday:
Flight home at 17:15, just a last day of last minute shopping for souvenirs and gifts and last view of the city
Of course, all the critic is welcome, I know it might be a scrappy itinerary yet but I have been overwhelmed with all the places to go, information and different opinions. I tried to fit all + my personal choices and judgement to put this up. There is still plenty of time for the trip so I want to do it soon to correct all the possible and have something that convinces myself too
Specially looking forward to being told what might not fit in a day, might be too little for a day or shouldn't be done in a weekend/weekday.
Initially I was going to visit more cities but preferred to have more time for those ones and visit other parts of Japan in future trips
Anyway, once again thanks in advance!
by TheGeneralPeron