Hi all,
I am planning to travel with my family (5 of us) to Japan in January 2023 during Winter, as a first timer I need some advice on my itinerary.
Summary:
Arrived in Tokyo in day 1,
starting day 2 I will activate my JR National for the next 7 days and spend in Osaka (2days)-Kyoto(2 days)-Nagoya-Kobe-Nara >> accommodation will be on Osaka for this 7 days
in day 9 we are planning to fly from Osaka to Hokkaido and spend the next 3 days in Hokkaido
Flying back from Hokkaido to Tokyo and spend the next 5 days in Tokyo before flying back.
Total days: 16 (6 days Tokyo, 2 days Osaka, 2 days Kyoto, 1 day Kobe, 1 day Nara, 1 day Nagoya, 3 days in Hokkaido)
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Here is the detail:
**DAY 1 : Tokyo**
Expected arrival 7.30 AM in the morning
Buy SUICA/IC
Lunch
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Meiji Jingu
Dinner
Yoyogi Park
Hachiko statue
Night: Shibuya Crossing
Optional: Golden Gai(bar hopping at night)
**DAY 2 : Osaka**
Explore Osaka Castle
Nishinomaru Garden
Lunch @ Kuromon Market
Tenjimbashi-suji Shopping Street
Teamlab Osaka botanical garden
Dinner Dotonbori Street Food
**Day 3 : Kyoto**
Fushimi Inari Taisha (early in morning)
Nishiki Markets
Kyoto Imperial Place
Higashiyama Area (Yasaka Shrine, Maruyama Park,Rinchako)
Optional: Kiyomizu-Dera
Dinner
**Day 4 : Kyoto**
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Iwatayama Monkey Park
Optional: Kinkaku-ji (Golden Temple)
Lunch
Ginkaku-ji (Silver Temple)
Philosophers Path
Potoncho Area
Kyoto Tower
Dinner around Kyoto Tower
**Day 5 : Nagoya**
Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology
Nagoya Castle
Lunch
OSU SHOPPING STREET
ATSUTA JINGU
TOKUGAWA ART MUSEUM AND TOKUGAWAEN
**Day 6 : Kobe**
Shin-Kobe Ropeway
Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens
Nunobiki Falls
Lunch
Explore Kitano-cho Historic District
Ikuta-jinja Shrine
Harborland or Merikan Park at night
Dinner
**Day 7 : Nara**
Visit Kofuku-ji temple
Wander through Isuien Garden
Todai-ji Temple
After Todai-Ji, Lunch at Kitahara Soba
Explore Nara Deer Park
Mt Wakakusa walk from Nara park (Sunset?)
Kasuga Grand Shrine
Dinner at Higashimuki Shopping Street
**Day 8 : Osaka**
Osaka Aquarium
Lunch Marketplace
Tempozan Ferris Wheel (Optional)
Tempozan Park
Namba Yasaka Shrine
Early Dinner
Umeda Sky Building at Night
**Day 9 : Hokkaido**
Flight to Hokkaido from Osaka in the morning
Will spend the rest of the day exploring Otaru (Tanaka Sake Brewery, Otaru Music Box, Otaru Museum, Otaru Aquarium, etc)
**Day 10 : Hokkaido**
For Day 10 I have not decided whether we spend the day **exploring Noboribetsu area or go Smelt Fishing Tour + Shiroi Koibito Park or Snowmobiling + Shiroi Koibito Park**
**Day 11 : Hokkaido**
Sapporo Clock Tower
Nijo Market
Sapporo Beer Museum
Flying back to Tokyo at night
**Day 12 : Tokyo**
Brunch at Tsukiji Fish Market
Ueno Park
National Museum of Modern Art
Kokyo Gaien National Garden
Pokemon Centre
Night: Tokyo Tower
**Day 13 : Tokyo**
Inokashira Park (morning)
Harmonica Alley
Imperial Palace Garden
Explore Yurakucho
Hama Rikyu
Dinner
Tokyu Hands
Browse Akiba Shops
Optional: Sunset @ Shibuya Sky
**Day 14 : Tokyo**
I am considering between **exploring Hakano or spending full day on Tokyo Disney Sea**, please help me decide! (LOL)
**Day 15 : Tokyo >> Shopping day**
ASAKUSA
Sensoji shrine
Lunch Asakusa
Sumida River Boat Ride
Nakano Broadway
Mega Don Quijote
Harajuku Shopping + Street food at night
Optional: TeamLab Exhibit
**Day 16:** Flying back from Tokyo, Expected departure on around 18 PM, **Need advice what should I do in the morning**
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For my current itinerary I have some questions:
1. Whats the actually the different between IC/SUICA/Pasmo Card?
2. Is my itinerary make sense? doable?
3. Is Noboribetsu area reachable using public transport?
4. Teamlab Tokyo or Osaka?
5. Tokyo tower or Shibuya Sky?
6. Hakone or Disney Sea?
7. Any advice for restaurants that sell Kobe beef in Kobe and bookable as international tourist (english website)
8. as 5 is it wiser to stay at airBnB or Hotel?
9. Anything I should know about winter in Japan?
I am really open to any advice on what I should add or remove in my itinerary!
Thank you for reading, really need you guys help
2 comments
No.1, no difference
No.5, Shibuya Scramble is my preferred option from those 2 if a quality view is your main goal.
For Nagoya, I would drop Toyota and Osu. As is, you’ll be bouncing around the city. Keep the castle, Tokugawa museum, and Atsuta. Grab miso katsu, one of Nagoya’s famous foods.