Hello everyone! As a treat to myself (20s male) for recently getting into medical school, I just booked tickets to take my brother (high schooler) and I on a 14 day trip during cherry blossom season for one last hurrah before I am stuck in school indefinitely \*sigh\*.
I did my best over the last several days to use this sub to craft an itinerary that would make sense distance-wise between locations as this will be our first time in Japan. That being said, I have a sinking suspicion I may have packed too much into each day/underestimated things which is why I am humbly requesting any and all advice/criticism from y’all on my plan and if it makes sense/is doable.
Some other final notes about us/questions:
1. Although I’ve added a bunch of stuff to the itinerary – we are willing to stray from plans depending on how the day goes. However, I would still love feedback for days that look way to jam packed to be feasible.
2. Not a whole lot of nightlife was planned due to my brother being underaged.
3. Hotels (besides the ryokan) have not been booked yet since I wanted to make sure my plan was sound beforehand.
4. We have a free day in Tokyo built into the schedule in case we don’t get through everything.
5. I do look pretty young for my age and was wondering if you think we would get stopped a lot by police/restaurants/etc. I will be bringing a notarized travel consent form for my brother in case (USA).
6. Any other roadblocks you think I should worry about in regards to taking my brother outside of the country (USA)?
Thank you all in advance!!!
​
**3/29 Haneda Airport Arrival**
1. Arrive at Haneda Airport at 3:00 PM
2. Grab essentials at the airport
1. Purchase 2x suica cards + load money into it
2. Pickup pocket wifi (reserve in advance)
3. Transfer some USD to Yen
4. Pickup checked luggage
3. Take the Tokyo Monorail from Haneda Airport Station to Hamamatsucho Station
4. Take the Keihin-Tōhoku Line from Hamamatsucho Station to Ueno Station
5. Check into hotel close to Ueno Station
6. Grab dinner/walk around the area
7. Sleep/fight jet lag at the hotel
**3/30 Tokyo Day 1 (Asakusa and Ueno Park)**
1. Grab small breakfast/coffee around Ueno Station
2. Take the subway from Ueno Station to Asakusa Station in the morning
3. Walk to Kaminarimon Gate
4. Walk/Explore through Nakamise Dori Street, Sensoji Temple, and Hoppy Street
5. Eat lunch in the area
6. Take the subway from Asakusa Station to Ueno Station
7. Take jet-lag induced nap at hotel if needed
8. Explore Ueno Park and surrounding area
1. Might enter zoo/museums if we fancy
9. Eat dinner in the area
10. Head back to hotel and sleep
**3/31 Tokyo Day 2 (Shinjuku and Shibuya)**
1. Grab small breakfast/coffee around Ueno Station
2. Take the train from Ueno Station to Shinjuku Station
3. Walk around the Shinjuku Skyscraper District
4. Head back to Shinjuku Station and pick up some picnic food at the Takashimaya Shinjuku Department Store
5. Walk around Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden + picnic lunch
6. Walk through Omoide Yokocho
7. Take the train from Shinjuku Station to Shibuya Station
8. Walk around Shibuya city/Shibuya crossing
9. Eat dinner in the area
10. Go up Shibuya Sky
11. Take the train from Shibuya Station to Ueno Station
12. Sleep
**4/1 Tokyo Day 3 (Tsukiji, Team Labs, and Akihabara)**
1. Take the subway from Ueno Station to Tsukiji Station in the morning
2. Walk/Explore the Tsukiji Outer Market
1. Grab breakfast in the market
3. Take the bus from Tsukiji Market to Shin-Toyosu Station
4. Walk to Team Labs Planet
5. Explore Team Labs Planet Exhibit
1. I plan to buy these tickets ASAP
6. Walk to Toyosu Station and take subway to Yurakucho Station
7. Take the train from Yurakucho Station to Akihabara Station
8. Explore Akihabara
9. Eat dinner in the area or head back to Ueno
10. Take the train from Akihabara Station to Ueno Station
11. Sleep
**4/2 Kyoto Day 1 (Day Trip to Nara):**
1. Activate 7 Day JR Pass (buy in advance) at Ueno station and head to Tokyo Station early in the morning
2. Take the shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Kyoto Station (Arrive around 10:15 AM if possible)
1. Sleep on train/enjoy views
3. Drop off luggage at Kyoto Station
1. [https://www.kyotostation.com/kyoto-station-lockers-luggage-storage/](https://www.kyotostation.com/kyoto-station-lockers-luggage-storage/)
4. Take the JR line from Kyoto Station to Nara Station (Arrive around noon if possible)
1. Ekiben maybe?
5. Take the JR local bus from Nara Station to Nara Park
6. Visit Nara Park (Naramichi, deer, grab snacks, etc.)
7. Visit Todai-Ji Buddhist Temple
8. Take the JR line from Nara Station to Kyoto Station
9. Pickup luggage at Kyoto Station and check in at hotel (near Kyoto Station)
10. Eat dinner in the area
11. Sleep
**4/3 Kyoto Day 2 (Local Day in Kyoto):**
1. Grab small breakfast
2. Take the JR line from Kyoto Station to Inari Station
3. Visit Fushimi Inari Shrine
4. Take the Keihan line from Inari Station to Kiyomizu Gojo Station
5. Walk through Kiyomizu-Dera and Kiyomizu-Zaka Street
6. Eat lunch in the area/rest
7. Walk downhill to Yasaka shrine **(skip 7-8 if feeling tired and return for step 9)**
8. Visit Gion street
9. Continue walk to Pontocho and Kamogawa Riverside
10. Eat dinner in the area
11. Sleep
1. **Ask Hotel to hold large bag since we are going to a ryokan tomorrow**
**4/4 Kyoto Day 3 (Rest Day):**
1. Take train from Kyoto station to Shijo station
2. Explore Nishiki Market and eat breakfast
3. Take bus + walk from Nishiki Market to Keage Incline (Sakura Lined Railway)
4. Take Tozai line from Keage Station to Nijo Station
5. Eat light lunch in area if needed, otherwise skip
6. Take the JR line from Nijo Station to Kameoka Station
7. Take the ryokan’s included shuttle bus from Kameoka Station to the ryokan
8. Ryokan check-in between 3:00 – 4:00PM
9. Relax and enjoy the ryokan!
**4/5 Kyoto Day 4 (Day Trip to Arashiyama):**
1. Eat breakfast at the ryokan
2. Take the included shuttle bus from the ryokan to Kameoka Station
3. Take the JR line from Kameoka Station to Saga-Arashiyama Station
4. Drop off overnight bag in coin locker at Saga-Arashiyama Station
5. Visit Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
6. Walk through Togetsukyo Bridge/Katsura River
7. Lunch/Snack in surrounding area
8. Visit Iwatayama Monkey Park
9. Take the Sagano Romantic Train (Round Trip)
1. [https://www.sagano-kanko.co.jp/en/kuseki.php#selectday](https://www.sagano-kanko.co.jp/en/kuseki.php#selectday)
10. Pick up day bags from coin locker at Saga-Arashiyama Station
11. Take the JR line from Saga-Arashiyama Station to Kyoto Station
12. Check back into same hotel
13. Eat dinner in the area
14. Sleep
**4/6 Osaka Day 1 (Local Day in Osaka):**
1. Take the JR line from Kyoto Station to Osaka Station
2. Bring luggage to hotel (near Osaka Station)
3. Take the JR line from Osaka Station to Namba Station
4. Visit Dotonbori for Lunch + light shopping
5. Take local lines to Osaka Castle
6. Visit Osaka Castle
7. Walk to Osakajokoen Station and take Osaka Loop to Osaka Station
8. Eat dinner in the area
9. Sleep
**4/7 Osaka Day 2 (Day Trip to Mt. Yoshino):**
1. Use luggage service to ship luggage to a Tokyo hotel near (maybe) Akihabara
2. Take the Blue Symphony Train from Osaka Station to Yoshino Station
1. [https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/foreign/english/blue\_symphony/](https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/foreign/english/blue_symphony/)
3. Walk around Mt. Yoshino and enjoy the cherry blossoms
4. Lunch at Mt. Yoshino
5. Take the Blue Symphony Train from Yoshino Station to Osaka Station
6. Rest at hotel as needed
7. Take the JR line from Osaka Station to Namba Station
8. Dinner at Dotonbori area + Walkthrough Shinsekai
9. Walk to Shin-Imamiya Station and take the Osaka loop line to Osaka Station
10. Sleep
**4/8 Osaka Day 3 (Universal Studios):**
1. Take the trains from Osaka Station to Universal Studios Japan
2. Visit Universal Studios Japan (book tickets in advance)
1. [https://www.usjticketing.com/](https://www.usjticketing.com/)
2. Purchase express pass?
3. Drop off a small overnight bag at a coin locker around Universal Studios?
3. Lunch at park
4. Explore the rest of Universal Studios Japan
5. Take the train from Universal Studios Japan to Osaka Station
6. Take the JR line from Osaka Station to Okayama Station
1. Can explore around Okayama if time/grab dinner
7. Board the Sunrise Izumo Sleeper Train from Okayama to Tokyo
1. This is done in order to utilize the JR Pass before our 7 day window ends (which it would if we started in Osaka I think)
2. Book tickets a month in advance at
1. [https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/route\_search/](https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/route_search/)
**4/9 Tokyo Day 5 (Harajuku and Shibuya)**
1. Take the train from Tokyo Station to Harajuku Station
1. Rest if needed at manga cafe or capsule hotel short stay
2. Visit Meiji Shrine/Yoyogi Park
3. Thrift shop around Harajuku
4. Lunch around the area
5. Complete any remaining souvenir/gift shopping in Shibuya
6. Take the train from Shibuya Station to Akihabara Station
7. Check in to hotel in Akihabara (shop more if time)
8. Dinner
9. Sleep
**4/10 Tokyo Day 6 (Free day to fill in the gaps or Disney Sea Day)**
1. No plans yet – free day
**4/11 Tokyo Day 7 (Tokyo Station Area) + Flight Home:**
1. Last minute shopping in Akihabara
2. Take the Keihin-Tōhoku Line from Akihabara Station to Hamamatsucho Station by 1:30
3. Take Tokyo Monorail from Hamamatsucho Station to Haneda Airport Station
1. Flight leaves at 5:30PM
1 comment
Congratulations on getting into medical school!
You need to book hotels ASAP as it’s getting late in the booking cycle.
> Ekiben maybe
You’re only supposed to eat on long distance (Shinkansen / Limited Express) type trains, not on local trains such as Kyoto-Nara.
> Sunrise Izumo
Correct, you have to backtrack to Okayama (or Himeji, the exterior of the castle is nice during cherry blossoms season). If there is night viewing of cherry blossoms at the garden it could be a nice evening activity. From Osaka to Okayama you should plan on using Shinkansen (from Shin-Osaka).
> Kyoto days
I would swap Nishiki Market and Kiyomizudera if possible, so that you can do Kiyomizudera first thing in the morning. Kiyomizudera is much more pleasant before the crowds descend (it opens at 6:30am), and Nishiki Market doesn’t start up that early assuming a North America jetlag.