Hello! My partner and I are planning our first trip to Japan and I would love any advice/suggestions for our two-week itinerary.
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* May 11
* Flight departs
* May 12 – Day 1 Tokyo
* Arrive 2:00 pm
* Go to hotel
* Nakamise Shopping
* Senso-ji Shrine
* May 13 – Day 2 Tokyo
* Imperial Palace
* Akihabara district
* Ueno Park if time?
* Possible food tour in the evening
* May 14 – Day 3 Tokyo
* Yoyogi Park/Meiji Jungu Shrine
* Miyashita Park
* Shibuya shrine at sunset
* Explore Shibuya Crossing
* May 15 – Day 4 Tokyo
* Teamlab planets
* Shinjuku neighborhood/Gyoen Garden
* Golden Gai and/or Omoide Yokocho
* May 16 – Day 5 Tokyo
* Ghibli Museum
* Edo Tokyo Open Air Museum
* Ueno park if time?
* May 17 – Day 6 Hakone
* Early train to Hakone
* Hakone Free Pass Loop
* Stop for Hakone Open Air Museum
* Stay in Hakone
* May 18 – Day 7 Kyoto
* Early train to Kyoto
* Kurama Dera Temple OR
* Imperial Palace
* Fushimi Inari
* May 19 – Day 8 Kyoto Arashiyama
* Gioji
* Tenryu-Ji Temple
* Arashiyama Monkey Park
* Sake tasting in the evening
* May 20 – Day 9 Kyoto
* Early morning Kinkaku-ji
* Nineizaka and Sanneizaka shopping
* Kiyomizu-dera temple
* Nishiki Market
* May 21 – Day 10 Kinosaki Onsen
* Early train to Kinosakionsen
* Gondola ride up the mountain
* Check out local onsens
* Kaiseki dinner
* May 22 – Day 11 Osaka
* Takenohama Beach or Genbudo Park
* Afternoon train to Osaka
* Food tour in Osaka and/or Dotonbori
* Possibly teamlab botanical gardens
* May 23 – Day 12 Osaka
* Universal Studios Japan Super Nintendo World!
* Dinner/explore dotonbori
* May 24 – Day 13 Osaka/Nara
* Day trip to Nara
* Nara Park/Yoshikien Garden
* Todai-ji
* May 25 – Day 14 Osaka>Tokyo
* Osaka Castle
* Shinsekai Market and/or kuromon ichiba market
* Late Train to Tokyo
* May 26 – Day 15
* Check out anything we missed
* Flight departs at 4:00 pm
2 comments
The Ghibli Museum is closed May 16th-26th so when tickets go live for may make sure you grab them quick, also you will have to do it an earlier day.
I’m just here to say that we’ve planned such similar trips! We’re landing, departing and (give or take a few days) in some of the same spots you’ll be.
FYI, there’s a sumo tournament in Tokyo during those dates. We’re going on Monday the 15th!
Enjoy and good luck!