First Trip Itinerary – May 2022 (1 month) – Osaka, Kyoto, Hakone, Tokyo

31 comments

1. Wow this is very detailed! Great job in making this. I’m still making my itinerary myself. I’m going for cherry blossom season.

2. You might wanna include Ashikaga flower park during your trip to nikko. It’s great in the month of May.

3. Day 7 is a lot of walking. You better be in good shape.

   Day 8: Ryoanji is in the same general direction as Kinkakuji, it’s one of the more famous sights in Kyoto.

   Himeji castle makes for a great day trip in Kansai region. Easiest accessed from Osaka.

   Your Kyoto days in generals are quite packed.

4. That’s what I heard as well, but we’ll deal with it. I’m taking my teenager since she’s in love with Japan. And if we’re going we might as well go the prettiest time of the year lol we’re so excited!

5. THANK YOU for spending 2 days in Odaiba. I used to live there and I get frustrated seeing people throw it in for a couple hours. There’s a ton to do there, plus you need to get there by monorail (an awesome experience) which adds to travel time. The monorail itself is an awesome highlight. Take some time to walk by the water in the evening, it’s beautiful.

   I would swap Day 2 and 3. This is your first trip to Japan. Universal Studios will feel more like Universal Studios than actually being in Japan.

   Day 6 sounds like a lot to me, but I don’t have the proximity knowledge of other folks here on how close these locations are. Getting from temple to temple takes time and planning.

   I love that you’re doing Fushimi-Inari early in the morning.

   Tokyo Disney Sea is awesome.

   IMHO you don’t really need a plan for Ikebukuro, you could just wander around towards any of those spots, there’s so much there.

   Hope you have a great trip!

6. Since you are going to so many shrines, might as well start collecting goshuin.

   https://livejapan.com/en/article-a0002402/amp/

7. What things are you interested in doing in Japan?

   I think you can maybe combine a few of the days together in Tokyo and explore more locations. You can probably do everything you listed in Odaiba in one day as Oedo Onsen is open super late. I would probably look at combining your Asakusa day with your Akihabara day. Ueno is also an option to add to your Asakusa day.

   I also recommend Mt Koya in Kansai if you are interested in temples and shrines. It’s pretty easy to get to from Osaka.

8. Disney Sea – Get there 60 min. before opening and as soon as the gates open, get a fastpass to Journey to Center of the Earth, and then ride it immediately after you grab the FP. This will allow TWO rides on a truly magnificent ride. Also make sure you ride 20,000 leagues a few times, Sindbad’s Journey (so cute!), and don’t feel shy to use single ride on Raging Spirits & Indiana Jones. ALSO…if possible make a reservation at Magellans. It’s SUCH a cool restaurant.

9. I think your itinerary is doable, it’s ideal not to put too many places in one day! I like that you put rest or more relaxed days after theme park days like USJ and Disney Sea. It gets exhausting after a full day of walking so it’s nice to get a breather in between. I’ve only been to Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo so can give you tips for those!

   DAY 2: Osaka – Universal Studios – It goes without saying the earlier here, the better. If you bought your tickets online, you can avoid the queue . You can also buy express passes to skip regular line ups.

   DAY 3: Osaka – Doable, as long as you don’t stay too long in one place. Never been to the Aquarium but I heard it’s pretty big. Dotonbori is lively at night, so I suggest going here late afternoon to evening.

   DAY 4 – Naruto Theme Park (Day Trip) – Wow I wanted to go here too, sadly it wasn’t open yet when I was in Japan! It looks fun and will visit when I come back!

   DAY 5 – Osaka to Kyoto – I suggest exploring Kyoto Station, it’s huge and next to restaurants and shopping malls in the area.

   DAY 6: East Kyoto – This might be a lot for one day, I remember exploring Higashiyama and Kiyomizu-dera and it took me half a day already. I like stopping by and taking my time with temples and shrines.

   DAY 7: South Kyoto + Nara (½ Day Trip) – Are you planning to hike Fushimi Inari? It could easily take the bulk of your time. If just visiting and walking around then you can do Nara afterwards.

   DAY 8: West Kyoto – This is the same day itinerary that I did lol so doable. Go to Arashiyama early cuz it gets crowded with tourists by mid-day. I reached Gion area in late afternoon too so had dinner there.

   DAY 13: Studio Ghibli Museum – Wanted to visit this too but sadly didn’t get the chance! I heard you have to book tickets here in advance, cuz they only accept reservations.

   DAY 14 & 15: Shinjuku – I suggest visiting Tokyo Metropolitan Building, it has great viewing spot at the top and it’s free. Shinjuku Gyoen should be nice in the spring!

   DAY 16: Shibuya & Harajuku – Good to do your shopping on this day cuz a lot of department stores are found here.

   DAY 17: Asakusa – I recommend visiting Tokyo Skytree eventhough you don’t plan on going to the top. It’s really amazing and close to Asakusa, it’s within walking distance if you still have time.

   DAY 18 & 19: Odaiba – Great choice doing Odaiba in 2 days, I did it in 2 as well, there’s a lot to see here. Also super cool to see the life-sized Gundam! I went to Ooedo Onsen Monogatari and easily spent at least half a day there.

   DAY 24: Akihabara – Yes this was also on my bucket list going to Japan! Can I ask why you put this off last? I easily spent 1 full day here and feels like it’s not enough, there’s so much to see and buy LOL. Didn’t go to themed cafes, there were line ups when I went, but spent most of my time browsing anime merch and manga stores.

   Hope this helps, good luck! I can answer follow up questions you may have, let me know!

   Edit: spacing

10. I would honestly suggest that you adjust your dates so leave before golden week happens if you can avoid it. Attractions will be busy throughout that week not just the weekends and hotel prices will also be higher as well.

    The Eorzea Cafe is in Akiba so you might just want to group that with your other Akiba day. Also there are other Pokemon stores like the new one Shibuya that you could go to as well.

    If you’re into Ghibli stuff I suggest you try and make it out to shirohige creampuff factory its near shimkita.

    For your Asakusa you can probably get through most it in a half day so you’ll have some time for other locations. Lots of option on what to do from there. You can head to sky tree, take a ferry to odaiba, walk to kappabashi.

11. Looks like a fun and well-researched trip! My only advice would be to have a few backup dates/times planned for the Ghibli Museum, just in case you’re unable to get the ticket you want. Their servers are terrible, and getting the tickets you want can be a total crapshoot. I got on right as they went on sale, and it still took 80 minutes to get my tickets because I kept getting kicked off the server. I ended up with my last choice, but still had an awesome time!

12. Day 13 you’re doing the Ghibli museum, I’m also doing that and had a chance to research the surrounding area.

    Kichijoji and Inokashira Park are well worth an explore by the looks of things and the museum itself will only take up a few hours at most so it’s probably worth sticking aroundand seeing what else the area has to offer. There’s some good walk videos of this area on YouTube which are worth checking out.

13. Your Kyoto days, especially east Kyoto, seem very busy. You could easily add another day to Kyoto. Also seconding adding Ryoanji (very close to Kinkakuji) and a daytrip to Himeji.

    I also think you have too much time in Tokyo; I don’t know that the things you’re planning will take as much time as you think but that’s just me. I would personally at least shift a day from Tokyo to Kyoto.

    Finally, it’s becoming increasingly more common for people to delay their GW holidays until after the actual holidays, so you might find that things are not as not-busy as you think. Or, to be honest, you might just find that it is always busy regardless of when you go because you’re just not used to that level of people. Please keep this in mind when you go.

14. Thank you for this! I plan to go to Japan and organise some of my stay there so I appreciate this a lot.

15. The Studio Ghibli Museum tickets are difficult to get overseas. I recommend getting it from the Lawson ticket online, which opens up at 10:00am Japan time on the 10th of each month for the following month.
    [https://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/tickets/](https://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/tickets/)

    Basically I had to refresh the screen at exactly the time the tickets opened up to book them. It took a few refreshes because I think other people were doing the same thing, so the site was glitchy and slow.

    You might not get the exact date you want, so just keep that in mind. I got a date where I was in Tokyo, and rearranged things around it.

16. I did a similar vacation in reverse in September 2019. One of the best things I did was ship my luggage from Tokyo to Kyoto and take a small roller bag on the train for 2 nights in Hakone. Cost $18 for one big bag and it was waiting in my room when I arrived at my Kyoto hotel. The concierge at the Tokyo hotel took care of everything, including filling out the paperwork.

17. So, just some thoughts on Day 24.

    FYI that Ninja restaurant is in Akasaka, nowhere near Akihabara (I also don’t think it’s worth going to)

    Also FYI, Yamashiroya is across the street from the south exit of Ueno station, maybe a 20 minute walk from Akihabara if you know exactly where you’re going and don’t stop along the way. I think it’s worth checking out, just realize it’s not in Akihabara. There are several similar stores in Akihabara itself to check out – Gamers, Animate, Kotobukiya, Mandarake, all the shops in the Radio Kaikan, to name a few.

    If you’re into Gundam, by all means check out the cafe and eat there for the experience, but if not I’m not sure how much a non-fan would get out of it. As for the maid/butler/vampire cafe stuff, I’d suggest just getting a drink and/or snack/dessert there and having a meal somewhere else. The food is generally overpriced and unremarkable. You’re mostly paying for a maid to sit and have a conversation with you, which (unless you speak Japanese) you won’t get much of if there’s no English speakers on duty (likely). But there are plenty of actually good places to eat in and around Akihabara!

18. Wish you the best on this trip. I’m planning for June or July 2022 and you have quite a few things that I’m interested in doing too. Are you booking your hotels and flights separate? Are you planning on traveling on the Shinkansen?

19. Reading all these comments and seeing how well-received this itinerary is, I may just save it and use it to help plan my own trip for (hopefully) 2023! Fingers crossed that travel is permitted by the time you want to travel!

20. Super Nintendo World!!!

21. I haven’t been inside personally but I helped guide a friend to the Eorzea Cafe not too long ago. It is actually right next to Akihabara, so it may make sense to combine those activities, depending on how packed you think your Akiba day will be

22. if you can get to mt. koya (not terribly far from osaka) i’d recommend that as a great place to explore. you might want to make an overnight of it though.

23. Day 6 is a lot, I would split it in two different days tbh, all in all a solid looking trip, if you’re looking for more day trips from Tokyo you can go to Kawagoe, it’s an old (reconstructed?) edo period town and hour outside of the city

24. Osaka: Dotonburi at night is great but don’t miss out on Shinsekai and some of the other great night views. Yes, the theme parks are tiring so you might not want to explore more after getting back but if you feel up to it you can get a number of night/bright light experiences in Osaka.

    – [Best Things to Do in Osaka at Night ](https://jw-webmagazine.com/best-things-to-do-in-osaka-at-night/)

    Day 5: I’d recommend doing Nara as a day trip as you shift between Osaka and Kyoto. Checkout of hotel in Osaka in morning, go to Nara and store bag in luggage locker at the station, sightsee in Nara, when done collect bag and head to Kyoto to Checkin to your hotel. Also, don’t overlook Kasuga-Taisha in Nara. It was my favorite place there by far with thousands of intricate metal lanterns and if you pay to go into the inner area there is a darkened room where you can see the lanterns lit up. Depending on when you’re there in May you may get to see it’s famous wisteria in bloom too. 🙂 It’s not far from the Daibutsu and is a pleasant shaded walk in a less busy area.

    – [Luggage Storage Nara ](https://www.narastation.com/lockers-luggage-storage-at-the-nara-stations/)

    – [Kasuga-Taisha ](https://goo.gl/maps/eo5D55JDPJiBk5HK7)

    – [Nara Half Day Itinerary ](https://www.insidekyoto.com/nara-itineraries)

    Day 6: Since you plan to do a lot of sightseeing in this area I strongly recommend booking lodging in the Higashiyama/Gion area. That puts you really close to all these sites and there’s tons of great restaurants/shops here. You will also naturally wander through Gion area at different points in the day/evening so no worries about making that a separate visit on your schedule. We stayed near Kyoto Station and regretted it as we spent a lot of time in Higashiyama/Gion/Kamo River area.

    Walking around the river, Gion, the shopping streets, and seeing sunset from Edit: Sunset from Kiyomizudera not Kodaiji, are all really nice experiences and if your hotel is in this area you’ll get to enjoy your evenings a lot more.

    – [12 Things to Do in Kyoto at Night ](https://trip101.com/article/things-to-do-in-kyoto-at-night)

    – [Things to Do in Kyoto at Night ](https://www.wapititravel.com/blog/en/things-to-do-in-kyoto-at-night/)

    Truthfully, I’d recommend adding at least one or two more days to Kyoto as then you’ll be able to really enjoy it and go at a more leisurely pace. There’s also lots of off the beaten path places to visit that are less crowded and nicer to visit. If you have another day or two you could see some of these too.

    – [15 Little Known Kyoto Gems ](https://matcha-jp.com/en/4897)

    – [Kyoto Off the Beaten Path Itineraries ](https://www.insidekyoto.com/kyoto-off-the-beaten-track-itineraries)

    Day 7: If you do Nara on your way to Kyoto, this frees up today for a full day Arashiyama experience. You really should spend the whole day up here as there’s lots to see. My husband and I did the Sightseeing train, took the riverboat cruise back, and still had time for the bamboo grove. If you stay til evening you can see the Kimono Garden lit up and take the old school Randen Trolley line back. Personally, I liked the bamboo grove at Kodaiji much more than in Arashiyama.

    – Edit to Add: [Arashiyama Railroad and Riverboat Trip Report](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/mibm8t/kyoto_sagano_scenic_train_hozugawa_riverboat/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)

    – [Kimono Forest ](https://goo.gl/maps/NxVRxfJS7DRzgyJL8)

    – [Randen Line ](https://www.japanvisitor.com/kyoto/randen-tram)

    Day 9: If you’re staying at a ryokan with onsen you might not need to go Yunnessn too as it’s more of a kitschy onsen feel. After dropping off your luggage, take a peek at the onsen there and decide if you still want to go to Yunnessn but you’ll want to give yourself down time at the ryokan after Checkin to relax and enjoy the onsen there as that’s part of what you’re already paying for. Most ryokan you can Checkin at 3:00 pm and start using the onsen either right then or maybe about 5:00 pm so ask when you Checkin and head back to the ryokan early enough to soak before dinner. It’ll feel great after all the walking around.

    If you’re looking for a good lunch/dinner place check out [Gora Brewery and Grill,](https://goo.gl/maps/HDkfAw2VSRSGNtMJ9) though it’s best to make reservations as it’s a popular place. I haven’t been but friends have also recommended [Gyoza Center. ](https://goo.gl/maps/6HjEV9iQQ5Sb4KcSA)

    Day 13: If you’re heading out to Kichioji for the Ghibli Museum don’t miss out on some of the great cafes and restaurants there. It’s been voted one of the most livable neighborhoods in Tokyo! If you like anime you can also stop off in Nakano Broadway on your way home. I like this area better than Akihabara as it’s less overwhelming and unless you want to do a lot of shopping after a bit the different shopping centers in Akihabara can merge together. Both Kichijoji and Nakano are on the Chuo line so you can visit Nakano on your way out to Kichijoji or your way back into central Tokyo.

    – [Kichijoji: Explore Tokyo’s Top Rated Suburb ](https://livejapan.com/en/in-tokyo/in-pref-tokyo/in-kichijoji/article-a0001626/)

    – [Kichijoji: Guide to Tokyo’s Most Livable Neighborhood ](https://savvytokyo.com/kichijoji-guide/)

    – [Kichijoji: Full Area Guide ](https://sugoii-japan.com/kichijoji-tokyo)

    – If you’re craving Western breakfast or burgers check out [Bubby’s Kichijoji. ](https://goo.gl/maps/pZnz1TvPixGNGtGi7) They also have locations in other places including Akasaka.

    – [Best Kichijoji Coffee Spots ](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/2020/09/the-6-best-kichijoji-coffee-shops-as-recommended-by-locals/)

    – [Who Needs Akihabara When You’ve Got Nakano Broadway?](https://tokyocheapo.com/lifestyle/nakano-broadway-akihabara/)

    – [Guide to Nakano Broadway ](https://www.tsunagujapan.com/nakano-broadway-a-collectors-paradise/)

    Day 18-19: You probably don’t need 2 days for Odaiba as it’s not that big an area. I would recommend spending all day and staying til night to see the Tokyo skyline lit up across the bay and the Rainbow Bridge/Ferris Wheel lit up. If you’re craving Wester breakfast you can find a branch of [Bill’s ](https://goo.gl/maps/xc1tqKSBy8tMefvU7) or [Eggs n Things ](https://goo.gl/maps/NQ8ekLvyhhJcc2bp9) here too. Also, since most things on Odaiba are indoors it’s great on a rainy/bad weather day so if you do encounter bad weather in Tokyo switch up your plans and head here on that day. Also, Oedo Onsen is usually open 24 hours I believe so if you really want to go here save it for last as it’ll be a nice way to relax before heading back to your hotel to sleep that night.

    Day 20/21: Did you mean to write Nikko as an overnight trip? It really does not make sense to do Nikko as two day trips as it takes a long time to get here. Instead, checkout of your hotel in Tokyo and ask if they can store your large luggage or leave it at one of the luggage counters in a large station in Tokyo and park plan to spend the night at a ryokan in Nikko. That way you can really enjoy your sightseeing here and get another relaxing onsen/ryokan experience. (If you’re staying in Nikko I’d actually not go to Oedo Onsen in Odaiba as, again, it’s more kitschy than traditional).

    – [Luggage Storage Tokyo ](https://tokyocheapo.com/living/luggage-storage-in-tokyo/)

    – [Nikko Overnight Itinerary ](https://livejapan.com/en/in-tokyo/in-pref-tochigi/in-nikko/article-a0003340/)

    – [48 Hours in Nikko ](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/2018/03/48-hours-in-nikko-a-complete-itinerary-of-what-to-do-where-to-eat-where-to-stay/)

    Day 22/23: While you can do Kamakura and Enoshima in a single day I actually like them better as separate day trips. I’d actually recommend moving them to your last two days in Tokyo and spending one night in Yokohama which is not far from Enoshima/Kamakura area. That way you can see the sun set over the beach and there’s lots of great restaurants in this area too. It’d be a relaxing end to your long trip. You can also catch the Narita express back to Narita Airport right from Yokohama Station so you just get on there and zoom all the way to the airport. 🙂 Yokohama is also a nice place to stay and looks really cool lit up at night.

    – [Enoshima Day Trip](https://trulytokyo.com/enoshima-island-day-trip-itinerary/)

    – [Kamakura Day Trip ](https://livejapan.com/en/in-tokyo/in-pref-kanagawa/in-kamakura/article-a0003564/)

    – [Night Views Yokohama ](https://www.yokohamajapan.com/tour-itineraries/detail.php?id=1)

    – [Narita Express ](https://www.japanstation.com/narita-express-tokyos-airport-shuttle/)

    Looks like a great plan overall and since you’re staying a long time you get to see/do a lot without being super rushed. 🙂

25. Also, here’s some restaurant recommendations for Kyoto.

    One place we found in Gion that was open all day/night was [Riggoletto Smoke Bar and Grill. ](https://goo.gl/maps/tpEx5XTGrbNoTv979) Many restaurants in Japan are only open from about 11 – 2 or 3 pm and then from 6pm on for dinner. So there is a gap when you may have few options. This is where street food/shopping streets are handy but we loved being able to sit and have a drink at Riggoleto’s bar for an afternoon break too. Similar to this would be [Spring Valley Brewery ](https://goo.gl/maps/w39ub5WuNMA3MySb8) near Nishiki Market. Other restaurants we enjoyed in Kyoto include:

    – [Ninenzaka Starbucks in Old Kyoto House ](https://goo.gl/maps/1KXutJT52LVMtac89)
    – Walk [Sanneizaka Shopping Street ](https://goo.gl/maps/Bi83LXTXU9Mc9Sej7) to get from Kiyomizudera to Kodaiji. It’s a beautiful walk at night too.
    – We has the best Gyoza at [Gyozadokoro Takatsuji Sukemasa ](https://goo.gl/maps/yWa74U7MnHxtNzgy9)
    – [Kawa Cafe ](https://goo.gl/maps/NTLVd1FATYntzqc48) has great views of the river.
    – A bit out of the way but if you’re going to the Imperial Palace area [Me Me Me Cafe ](https://goo.gl/maps/3K8D51oZNEbhtUn58) has nice breakfast and coffee.
    – If you want an easily accessible Okonomiyaki experience not far from Kyoto Station try [Donguri Kyoto Station. ](https://goo.gl/maps/wozTdsAiCAD3gbGQ9) You order via an English tablet and it’s open quite late. There are other locations too but this is nice if you’re near the station to see [Kyoto Tower at night. ](https://www.tsunagujapan.com/7-most-romantic-night-views-in-kyoto/)

    There are also some special events and flowers in Kyoto/Osaka in May you could seek out. I haven’t been there in May but you may want to look into some of these.

    – [Kyoto in May ](https://www.discoverkyoto.com/event-calendar/may/)
    – [Flower Spots in Kyoto ](https://www.discoverkyoto.com/event-calendar/may/)
    – [Shinntenoji Flea Market (Osaka) ](https://www.osakastation.com/shitennoji-temple/)
    – [Flea Markets Kyoto ](https://sharing-kyoto.com/Events/magazine/ev005928)
    – [May Flowers and Children’s Day ](https://matcha-jp.com/en/7482)
    – [Best Wisteria Spots Japan ](https://learnjapanese123.com/japans-top-10-wisteria-viewing-spots/)

26. I had a similar itinerary when I went but I ended up skipping Hakone (weather wasn’t great there) and went to Nara. A day in Nara is worth it. End up walking around the lanterns at dusk and took the commuter back to Kyoto around 9pm. It was a long day but very memorable.

27. Day 5, honestly, if you consider the area around Kyoto station to be “downtown”, it’s not that interesting.

    Day 8, Arashiyama + Kinkaku-ji, I can understand, but Gion is not at all in the same area.

    What I would do is try to do Higashiyama area + Gion on day 5. That is unless you decide to get a hotel more or less around Gion area, so still you could do Higashiyama on day 5 and Gion just anytime you want.

    ​

    Side note, the deer in Nara park is not the only thing, Make sure you visit Todai-ji, I think it is really worth visiting.

    For the Hakone part, if you are able to only bring a day bag with cloth for your 2 nights, you can use a luggage delivery service to send the luggage to Tokyo. So you do no really have to worry about bringing it to the ryokan or dropping it in Tokyo before exploring. Also, depending on the size, not it is required to reserve luggage space in the shinkansen between Osaka and Tokyo, so if your luggage is big, you would not have to think about it if you forward it.

    Just in case it matter to you, in yunessun, there is two parts, one side is the more “water park” experience with slide and strange bath, this side is mix gender and you wear a swimsuit, the other, called mori no yu, is the onsen area that is naked and separated by gender.

    Ghibli day, you can do much more. And why last admission slot ? This mean you can stay maximum 2 hours and that there will already be people from the previous slot that decide to stay longer. If you get the first slot, you are sure to only have people from your slot in the museum for the fist two hours and if you stay longer, then it might get a bit more crowded with the next group. If you are into anime, a popular stop is Nakano broadway.

    some of the Tokyo day are slightly light, but for sure you can find things to do.

28. Inspiration!!!

29. If you’re going to Minoo Park, try to visit Katsuoji temple too! I think those two look the best in Fall, but it’s a nice hike on Spring as well.

    And I agree with the others as well with your plan in Kyoto. It’s too busy imo. I feel like Kyoto is best when experienced more slowly with enough downtime.

30. Hey I’d really like to know what is your budget for this trip, if you dont mind 🙂

31. I’ll be saving this to steal all your ideas for my May 2022 solo trip