Feeling Overwhelmed 19 Days in April 2023

9 comments

1. Just my two cents as I’m planning my own. Be on the look for late blooming Sakura. I understand Shinjuku Gyoen is a great place for that due to the sakura variety they have but there’s probably a few other places.

   Also we are combining Odaiba/Teamlab Planets with Ginza (and maybe Hie Shrine or Imperial palace gardens If time allows).

2. > Metropolitan Building? I heard it has good views but i am still unsure

   It’s more that it’s free tbh. It’s the best free view of the city.

   > Animal Cafes?

   No.

   > APR 7 Day 5 (haven’t 100% decided)

   Odaiba is in a bit of a major renovation atm. Palette Town is shuttered, and that includes most of the major attractions in the area besides Diver City and Planets. That said, there is the Gundam Statue and the Statue of Liberty in Odaiba to sightsee, the Miraikan, and the Fuji TV observation deck.

   > Day trips to Kyoto, Nara, Himeji? Kobe? (Details in the works)

   I’ll toss Uji into the list as well for good daytrips from Osaka. That said, Kyoto deserves at least 2 or 3 days if you haven’t been there yet

   > We leave Japan via Narita at about 6pm so im wondering if its best to travel from Hiroshima-Tokyo on the 20th and spend the night in Tokyo to ne near the airport.

   I’d say yes just in case, but the trains are pretty reliable.

   > Would it be worth us staying in Hiroshima for a night or two? Or would it be more worth doing a day trip?

   Hirashima is definitely a two day place. First day do the city (peace park, castle, dome, museum) and then second day head to Miyajima. It’s not really a day trip

   > Is there any suggestions on how to improve my planning/itinerary I am feeling pretty overwhelmed with the planning

   Imo, for Tokyo make a list of your absolute musts (A-tier) and then separate into districts. You usually can do two districts close together in a day in my experience (ie Shinjuku & Shibuya, Ueno and Akiba, etc), unless you really have a ton of A-tiers in one place. Then create a list of B-tier things that are “if we have time” or “we can always come back another day / trip” to fill up your itinerary.

   It is a bit surprising to me that you have already been to Tokyo and Osaka and are basically doing another Tokyo/ Osaka trip. That isn’t a judgement, do whatever you want! But I assume you have already been to Shinjuku, Shibuya, Akiba, Dotonbori, etc so although I definitely say take another quick visit to these places– like dinner in Dotonbori for instance, or drinks in Shinjuku– there is so much else to see. For instance just off the top of my head in Tokyo there’s Shimokita, Asakusa, Koenji, Ikebukuro, Rappongi, and Ginza that may have something you are looking to do if you haven’t been already.

   Outside of Tokyo, it’s best to consider why you want to visit somewhere and if that place has enough to fill up a day / two days / three days etc. And then plan from there. I’m not sure where you have been already, but if you have never been to Kyoto and you are starting fresh it is at least a 2 day thing (one day Higashiyama, one day Arashiyama). As I said above, Hiroshima is an overnight for at least one night. For most itineraries Nara, Uji, Himeji and Kobe can each be done in day trips.

   You do have an opportunity to go even further off the beaten path though if you want… this is trip #2, so you can skip a lot of the stuff you have done already.

3. For Day 8 in Kichijoji, you could visit Shiro-hige Cream Puff Factory if you are interested in Totoro-themed snacks. There is also Harmonica Alley which from what I understand is slightly unusual for a yokocho as it opens earlier and closes earlier, making it a good lunchtime spot for exploring.

   For your days when you have nothing in Tokyo planned, there is Yanaka Ginza which could be a nice way to spend a morning looking around the food and craft shops.

   Nakameguro is famous for its blossom along the river, but may have faded by the time you visit.

   You could also do a mini food tour around Kagurazaka area. Have a look on YouTube for “Kagurazaka food tour” for some ideas of food stores to visit.

4. The Shinjuku Gyoen Garden is a modest place, but you can see the remains of an Edo Period waterworks system. It is also famous for its more than 100 varieties of roses, although I am not sure if you can see them in April.

   It is thought that the double-flowered cherry trees are in bloom.

   ​

   PS

   The itinerary is very relaxed and nice.
   Japan can be very crowded and tiring in some places.

5. Some basic information from a guy who is still in Japan on vacation:

   Just stayed a night in Hakone (Tenyu) two days ago, recommend getting the hakone free pass for site seeing purposes. It also makes traveling in the area easier and we got our moneys worth in one day when the pass is good for 2-3 days.

   Best to leave Hiroshima a day early if your schedule allows, it’s decent ride back. One option is to take a sleeper bus which takes about 13 hours overnight. Shinkansen is an option also, but it’s minimum of 5.5 hours. Seems like a decent planning on the back end is needed.

   Not sure about your budget, but JR Pass is a must.

6. I’ll be in Japan around the same time!
   I am also landing and departing from Tokyo (Haneda though) and I have chosen to do 2 days in Tokyo first and then head to Kansai immediately. Reason being a potentially better Sakura viewing due to them blooming later in Kansai (see cherry blossom forecast: https://www.japan-guide.com/sakura/) and fitting my 14-day trip in a 7 day JR-pass.

   I am doing 2 days (1 night on Miyajima) in Hiroshima. Planning to visit Miyajima one day and Hiroshima the next day and then take the Shinkansen back to Tokyo on the last day of my JR-pass.

   Kyoto is not really a day trip, I think you’d be better off allocating a few days if you want to see everything, especially if you’ve already gone to Osaka last trip. Last time I went we stayed in Osaka and travelled back and forth to Kyoto and am doing the same thing this time again.

7. Gets said to death on here but for good reason – the animal cafe I went to left me feeling extremely upset and angry, and kinda spoiled my day. Be prepared for this if you really want to go check one out. Otherwise doesn’t seem too over packed to me. Hope you have a great time!

8. >Animal Cafes?

   Please no.

9. > Day trips to Kyoto, Nara, Himeji? Kobe? (Details in the works)

   Kyoto is too big for a day trip. As a suggestion, since you went to Osaka before, why not make Kyoto your base for Apr 13-17 instead and do your day trips from there as well as seeing Kyoto? It’s probably easier to get to Nara from Kyoto, Uji as well.

   By the way I stopped off at Himeji on the way to Hiroshima, a few hours there is enough to see the castle etc., and there’s still plenty of time for travel.

   >Thinking of staying in Hiroshima for 1-2 nights

   >Wanting to see Peace Park, Hiroshima Castle, Miyajima, Atomic Bomb Dome

   2 nights is about right to see those things, 1 night will be too rushed.