Hi everyone! Looking for any feedback or suggestions for my 2 week trip with my two siblings in December!
For background info about us, we’re in our early 20s and this is our first time traveling internationally. Our interests:
* Local food
* Anime/manga
* Japanese culture
* Things in general that are more unique to Japan (like say a capsule hotel or stamp collecting)
* Gaming
* Art (one of us enjoys drawing/watercoloring)
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**Day 1 (Tokyo) (Friday)**
* Land in Narita Airport in the afternoon
* Pick up portable wifi and buy Suica cards
* Ride the train into Tokyo and check into capsule hotel near the Imperial Palace
* Walk around the area until time to sleep (Imperial Palace, Hibiya Park)
**Day 2 (Tokyo –> Osaka) (Saturday)**
* Tsukiji Outer Market, Kabuki-za Theatre (single act), Pokemon Center Tokyo DX
* Check out of Tokyo hotel and shinkansen into Osaka (buy train station bento)
* Check into Osaka hotel near Dotonbori
* Dotonbori (not worried about not having enough time here as we can revisit on later days since it’s right by the hotel)
**Day 3 (Osaka) (Sunday)**
* Kuromon Ichiba Market, Denden town, Shinsekai
**Day 4 (Osaka) (Monday)**
* Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
**Day 5 (Osaka –> Kobe –> Osaka) (Tuesday)**
* Train to Kobe for day trip
* Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum, Kobe Nunobiki Ropeway/Herb Gardens
* Eat kobe beef
**Day 6 (Osaka –> Nara –> Kyoto) (Wednesday)**
* Check out of Osaka hotel (need to figure out how/where to send luggage to Kyoto hotel)
* Train to Nara for day trip
* Hiraoka Shrine (buy goshuincho), Nara park, Kasuga-taisha shrine
* Sleep at Kyoto hotel near Gion district
**Day 7 (Kyoto) (Thursday)**
* Gion, Yasaka shrine, Kamogawa river, Pontocho alley
**Day 8 (Kyoto) (Friday)**
* (Not sure what to do in the morning, might just rest if we are tired)
* Fushimi Inari Taisha (arrive around 3:45 to get goshuin before it’s too late) (trying to time it so we head down after the sun has set)
**Day 9 (Kyoto) (Saturday)**
* Nishiki market, Samurai & Ninja Museum and Experience, Kyoto International Manga Museum (get anime-styled portraits drawn)
* Mikane Jinja and Nijo Castle (if we have time)
**Day 10 (Kyoto –> Tokyo) (Sunday)**
* Kyoto station (skywalk and shopping mall)
* Ride train into Tokyo and check into hotel near Tokyo Dome
* Nakano Broadway
**Day 11 (Tokyo) (Monday)**
* Harajuku – Owl cafe, Meiji Jingu
* Shibuya – Shibuya crossing, hachiko statue, One Piece store, KitKat Chocolatory
**Day 12 (Tokyo) (Tuesday)**
* Akihabara – Maid cafe, stock up on souvenir stacks at Don Quijote Akihabara, Purikura photos
**Day 13 (Tokyo) (Wednesday)**
* Tokyo Dome City Attractions (not sure if Haunted House “Onryou Zashiki” is still open)
* Mainly only interested in the haunted house (which might even be closed) here so need a lot more to do for this day
**Day 14 (Tokyo) (Thursday)**
* Hang out at Narita Airport
* Fly back home in the late afternoon/early evening
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**Miscellaneous stuff to try at any time:**
* Vending machine, convenience store food, shrine emas, arcade
* Food (let us know of interesting things we missed!): Sushi, ramen, takoyaki, yaikiniku, okonomiyaki, taiyaki, shabu shabu, mochi, curry pan, oden, yatai food stall, kobe beef
**Things we still need help with:**
* Finding December/winter events or local events in general
* Night activities (not sure what to do as we don’t drink alcohol)
* More activities/direction on some days (especially for Osaka and Tokyo)
* More activities related to our interests
What do you guys think? Thanks for reading!
1 comment
I notice you have some free time in Tokyo and nerdy interests. May i recommend my old ‘hood, Ikebukuro? The area around and including sunshine city has anime stuff galore, though most of it is tilted toward things loved by women.
As for nighttime activities, karaoke is all I have to offer. It’s definitely plentiful in the places you’ll be.