Hello, would love to get everyone’s thoughts on this itinerary! This trip will take place late March – early April. We will be coming from another Asian country before, so I’m a bit worried that we’ll be tired before we even land in Japan. In particular, I wish we had 1 more day in Kyoto do be able to do everything at a more leisurely pace, but hotels and flights have already been booked and this is the only way I can see that we can hit all the big sights. It’s my 2nd time in Japan and my partner’s first time in Japan! We’re in our mid-20s and will aim to wake up early and go to bed early.
# Day 1: Tokyo
* Flight lands in the late afternoon (will not be jetlagged since we’re coming from a nearby timezone)
* Hotel in Shinjuku, explore Omoide Yokocho and/or Golden Gai after checking in
# Day 2: Tokyo
* Use the 72-hr Tokyo Metro pass for the next 3 days
* TeamLab Planets first thing in the morning
* Lunch at Tsukiji outer market
* Hamarikyu gardens
* Walk thru Ginza
* Art aquarium
* Pokemon Center
* Imperial palace
* Dinner in Roppongi
# Day 3: Tokyo
* Senso-ji and surrounding shops in the morning
* Kappabashi Dougu street
* Lunch at some point whenever we get hungry
* Ueno Park, Tokyo National Museum
* Dinner in Yanesen
# Day 4: Tokyo
* Shinjuku Gyoen in the morning
* Chanko-nabe for lunch in Ryogoku
* Akihabara, cat/maid/novelty cafe
* Dinner back in Shinjuku
# Day 5: Kinosaki Onsen
* Activate the 2-week JR pass
* Set out to Kinosaki Onsen early in the morning
* Spend the day onsen-hopping
# Day 6: Osaka
* Finish up onsens in the morning
* Travel to Osaka, hotel in Namba
* Visit Tsutenkaku
* Explore Kuromon market, Shinsaibashi shopping street, Dotonbori street
# Day 7: Osaka
* Osaka castle in morning
* Osaka Aquarium and ferris wheel in the afternoon
# Day 8: Osaka/Himeji/Kurashiki
* Half-day trip to Himeji in the morning
* Don’t know what to do afterwards – would like to visit Kurashiki, but probably don’t have enough time
* Another option is to do the Suntory distillery tour on this day
# Day 9: Kyoto
* Depart Osaka
* Suntory Distillery tour on the way to Kyoto
* Hotel is in Downtown Kyoto, get lunch at Nishiki Market
* Ginkakuji
* Philosopher’s path
* Nanzenji
* Dinner in Pontocho
# Day 10: Kyoto
* Fushimi-inari early morning
* Tofukuji optional (but I feel like this day is too packed already)
* Half-day trip to Uji
* Byodo-in
* Lunch in Uji
* Go back to Gion
* Walk from north to south, stopping at places like Yasaka shrine
* Nineizaka, Sanneizaka
* Kiyomizu-dera
* Walk back thru Gion
* I think this day is going to be really hard but I don’t see another way to fit everything I want to do
# Day 11: Kyoto/Nara
* Nara day trip
# Day 12: Kyoto
* Kinkakuji early morning
* Ryoanji
* Arashiyama bamboo forest, monkey part, other viewpoints and shrines
# Day 13: Tokyo
* Depart for Tokyo
* Hotel in Shibuya
* Shibuya Crossing
* Shibuya Scramble Square
* This day is pretty empty because I think we’re gonna be exhausted from Kyoto
# Day 14: Tokyo
* Ghibli museum in the morning
* Lunch at Nakano Broadway and browse shops
* Shibuya bar tour in the evening?
# Day 15: Tokyo
* Meiji Jingu in the morning
* Harajuku
* Eat around Harajuku
* Yoyogi Park
* Dinner anywhere
# Day 16: Tokyo
* Ikebukuro in the morning, mostly shopping for anime stuff
* Sunshine aquarium
* Lunch somewhere in Ikebukuro – maybe Swallowtail Cafe?
* More shopping in the afternooon
# Day 17: Tokyo/Nikko
* Photoshoot in the morning
* Shopping/things we missed
* Could do a day trip to Nikko on this day
# Day 18: Tokyo
* Anything else we missed in the morning
* Flight home in the afternoon
2 comments
You know the subway ticket only cover the subway. Going to Teamlab you will have to walk form Toyosu to Shin-Toyosu station or use the Yurikamome line that is not a subway. Hamarikyu you can either go via the Yurikamome or by bus, both not covered by the subway ticket, or walk back to Toyosu station and take two subways.
Ryogoku to Akihabara is unfortunately super easy, only onw station over on JR chuo-sobu line or will be 2 subways (yes, two completely different lines). Going back to Shinjuku is doable on the Shinjuku line, but from Iwatomocho station, the other side of the river compared to Akihabara station.
I really really do not like the order of the rest. I would highly suggest to do the following.
Go to Osaka first.
Then Himeji in the morning, as you are not sure on what to do next, that’s a good thing because you will want to take the train just after lunch to go to Kinosaki. There is a direct train that will get you here around 3pm. Just in time for check in at the ryokan to stroll around town in yukata.
Then next go to Kyoto.
As someone who has traveled to Japan several times, I think your itinerary looks very well planned out, with a good mix of Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and other destinations.
It’s great that you’re planning to use a 72-hour Tokyo Metro pass, and also that you’ve factored in a rest day in Tokyo towards the end of your trip. I would suggest that on Day 3, you consider visiting Ueno Park in the morning and then head over to Senso-ji and the surrounding shops in the afternoon, as Ueno Park can get quite busy in the afternoon.
In Kyoto, Day 10 does look quite packed, so you may want to consider removing a few places to allow yourself to enjoy the sights more leisurely. Additionally, if you have the energy and time, you may want to consider visiting the Kibune and Kurama areas of Kyoto, which are known for their natural beauty and onsen.
On Day 12, it may be worth visiting the Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji) first thing in the morning, as it tends to get quite busy later in the day. Also, the Arashiyama area of Kyoto has several great places to visit, including the bamboo forest, monkey park, and the many temples and shrines in the area.
For your day trip to Himeji, you may want to consider visiting the Himeji Castle, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most well-preserved castles in Japan.
Overall, it seems like you have a good mix of cultural experiences, food, and fun activities on your itinerary. Remember to take it easy and enjoy yourself, and don’t feel like you have to stick to a rigid schedule. Japan is a wonderful place with many hidden gems, so don’t be afraid to explore a little off the beaten path.