Itinerary for the first half of a 14 day trip to Japan at the end of January:
Route: Tokyo- Aomori- Sendai-Tokyo
Main goals: Just wander and have a rough idea of where I want to go and one or two specific attractions I would like to go see. Take it easy and just play it by ear. Saving the shopping and game hunting for the northern prefectures of Japan. Trying to keep the main things I want to see close, while also taking enough time to realistically enjoy things and listen to my body and relax if need be.
Day 0/1
Flight to Tokyo Leaving approximately 1400 on Friday arriving approximately 1945 Saturday, try to get a little bit of a nap on the plane.
Go through customs, get my suica card, drop off biggest piece of luggage at a storage place, check into my Airbnb in Arakawa hopefully around 2000-2100
Go to the nearby convenience store for a quick/light dinner, then bed.
Depending on energy level I may go to Tabata station to start my Makoto Shinkai location tour. Weathering With You is one of my favorite Anime movies.
Day 2 Sunday:
If I can't make it to Tabata station the night before start my day by walking there.
explore Ueno park
Main attractions:
Tokyo National Museum/Ueno Zoological gardens
Day 3 Monday
Senso-Ji and the area surrounding it. Leave early to beat the crowds. Do some souvenir shopping on the side streets for my family. Enjoy some street food.
Main attractions:
Senso-Ji
Day 4/5 Tuesday/Wednesday
Shibuya/Akihabra (where I go on these days depends on weather)
Shibuya main attractions:
leave early to go to the Your Name stairs on the way to Shibuya
Pokemon center
Shibuya crossing
Blacows for lunch
Tokyo Metropolitan Government building
Otherwise just wander around and take it all in.
Akihabara main attractions:
Gatchapon machines
Super Potato
Hijiri Bridge (Suzume location)
Ochanimizu station (Suzume location)
otherwise more wandering and exploring
Day 6 Thursday
Nakano Broadway
Wrap up the first leg of trip:
Free day to explore anything that caught my eye but haven't had the chance to go to yet. But I will play it by ear.
Day 7 Friday:
Travel to Aomori early. Go to A-Factory, grab lunch at Aomori Gyosai Center
Go to The Nebuta museum
Check in to my ryokan near A-Factory
laundry at the ryokan
Day 8 Saturday:
Morning: Aomori Prefecture Tourism center to go to the observation deck
Seikan Train Ferry Memorial ship
afternoon: game hunting in Aomori
Day 9 Sunday:
Check out of hotel.
Take Shinkassen to Sendai.
check in to Air Bnb in Sendai
Wander around the area near my air bnb.
Day 10 Monday:
video game hunting in Sendai and explore. I figure the prices may be slightly cheaper in Sendai than in Tokyo. Especially as I will be hunting for copies of the Pokemon DS games.
Day 11 Tuesday:
Sendai Tram Museum.
Day 12 Wednesday:
Nikka Whisky Sendai factory tour. Take some time to enjoy the scenery around there.
Day 13 Thursday:
back to Tokyo, check into final hotel near Haneda airport. Do any final souvenir shopping for my family if needed
Day 14 Friday:
Final full day in Japan. Go to Nakano Broadway if I didn't get a chance to do so. Check out any other major locations from Makoto Shinkai movies I haven't seen yet.
Day 15 Saturday:
If I can squeeze something in before checkout I will, but otherwise take the shuttle to the airport and head home. Leaving Japan around 1625. Will be a long day as I will be arriving back home on Saturday.
Was going to look into going to Kyoto, but maybe for a second trip.
Also I know I have four hotels in 14 days. Just wanted to not have to do a long train ride on top of a 12 hour plane ride home.
Thank you
by Spot255