Hello. I originally visited Japan in May 2017. It was absolutely incredible, and I’ve thought about it ever since. After nearly six years, I’ve decided that I finally want to go back this fall but need help finalizing my itinerary (for easier viewing Google Sheets version [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vR0pAN-n0Bg_OCI4NBiAmMopLa6CnS8PQBPtmk_uv6lHoD8S07Hwg1d6YHmDAsONkkO5QV7uWL1U-JK/pubhtml?gid=0&single=true)) before I begin booking flights and hotels.
**Day 1 – Tokyo**
*I have nothing planned here as I assume I’ll be tired and jet-lagged. To me this is a travel day; the trip really begins on Day 2.*
**Day 2 – Tokyo:** Gotokuji Temple, Shibuya Crossing, Shibuya Sky, Cross Shinjuku Vision, Suga Jinja.
*My plan is to wake up early and go to Gotokuji Temple, maybe go to Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory, then spend the rest of the day wandering around Shibuya and Shinjuku.*
**Day 3 – Tokyo:** Nezu Museum; The National Art Center; Harajuku: Takeshita Street, Tokyu Plaza, Yoyogi Park; Louis Vuitton Omotesando Store (to see the Yayoi Kusama robot).
*This is a jam-packed day, and I’m not sure whether I’ll get to see everything. There’s also two places I’d like to try: Asakusa Unana, which sells unagi onigiri, and Chacha Futatsume, which sells matcha mont blanc confection. Both are close to Sensō-ji so I’d probably try to swing by there as well.*
**Day 4 – Tokyo:** Sumida Hokusai Museum, Maison Hermès (Renzo Piano Building), Tokyo International Forum.
*I don’t have as much planned for this last full day in Tokyo but figured I could try and see anything I didn’t get to from the previous day (if I still have time left over).*
**Day 5 – Kawaguchiko:** Oishi Park, Momiji Tunnel, Maple Corridor, Kawaguchiko Tenjozan Park via Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway, LAWSON Kawaguchikoeki-mae, Chureito Pagoda, Arakurayama Sengen Park (Tenku no torii).
*This is a day I’m really excited about as I never visited the Mt. Fuji area on my first trip to Japan. There’s a ton of stuff I’d like to see and hopefully I’d be able to get to it all either on Day 5 or both Day 5 and part of Day 6.*
**Day 6 – Hakone:** Heiwa no Torii.
*Aside from hopefully seeing Mt. Fuji during sunrise and then Heiwa no Torii in Hakone, there’s really not much that I have planned for this day. I think this is good though because it would allow me to spend the majority of the day relaxing at my hotel/onsen in Hakone.*
**Day 7 – Kamakura:** Kamakurakōkōmae Station, Hokokuji Temple, Meigetsu-in Temple, Komachi-dori Street.
*This is another day I’m really excited about because I absolutely loved Kamakura from my first trip to Japan. I’ve never been to the temples above so that’s exciting too.*
**Day 8 – Kyoto**
*I have nothing planned here as I’d be spending a notable portion of the day traveling from Kamakura to Kyoto and then checking into my hotel/ryokan in Kyoto. It’d be nice to try and wander around the Kano river or catch the sunset from Kiyomizu‑dera but that’s about it.*
**Day 9 – Kyoto:** Enkō-ji Temple, Shisen-dō, Rurikō-in Temple, Shimogamo-jinja Shrine, Kennin-ji, Hanamikoji, Nineizaka, Kiyomizu‑dera.
*The amount of shrines and temples in Kyoto is truly staggering but these are the ones I’d most like to see (in addition to the other points of interest listed above). It may be a little aggressive to try and see everything in one day hence why I’m considering adding a day to Kyoto.*
**Day 10 – Kyoto:** Okazaki-jinja Shrine, Eikan-dō (Zenrin-ji) Temple, Tairyu Sanso, Fushimi Inari Taisha.
*There’s even more shrines and temples I’d like to see. It’d be cool to spend time in Uji as well. Again, this is why I’m tempted to add another day to Kyoto.*
**Day 11 – Nara:** Todai-ji Temple.
*I really don’t have much planned for Nara yet. There’s a few eateries that I’d like to try: Archaique (a pastry shop), Mizuya Chaya (a teahouse), and Nakatanidou (a mochi shop). Aside from that, I figure I would wander around the area or add things as I find them the closer I get to my trip.*
**Day 12 – Arashiyama:** Hozugawa River, Sagano Bamboo Grove, Somekobo Yumeyusai.
*I visited Arashiyama on my first trip but for this second trip I’d really love to get there right around sunrise to try to get some nice shots of the bamboo grove. Of course, I know I’m not the only one who will have this idea. Beyond this and Somekobo Yumeyusai, I really don’t have a lot planned.*
**Day 13 – Osaka:** Osaka Station, Amerikamura, Shinsekai, Dotonbori.
*I would leave Kyoto in the morning, arrive in Osaka, and then spend the rest of the day exploring some of the popular neighborhoods in Osaka.*
**Day 14 – Osaka:** Nintendo World.
*Nintendo World is the only thing I have on the agenda for this day. I plan on dedicating the majority of the day to this alone.*
**Day 15 – Tokyo:** Namba Yasaka Jinja (Osaka), Tokyo Tower and Andaz Tokyo (Tokyo).
*I’d like to wake up early and see Namba Yasaka Jinja, then take the Shinkansen back to Tokyo. I really don’t plan to do a lot in Tokyo that last day because I really want to stay at the Andaz and make the most of it by taking advantage of the spa, relaxing in my room, etc. Admittedly, I’m tempted to stay two nights: 1) to sleep in, rather than have to check out after that first day, and 2) to try and see anything in Tokyo I didn’t get to see during my first full three days there.*
**Day 16 – DC**
*Leave Tokyo and fly back to DC.* 😭
As of now, here are the things I’m trying to work through:
Does Tokyo -> Kawaguchiko -> Hakone -> Kamakura -> Kyoto make sense? My thought was rather than backtrack to Tokyo from Kawaguchiko it might be nice to head to Hakone instead. This would let me see a different place and spend most of the day relaxing at an onsen. Hakone isn’t something I absolutely have to do. Again, I just thought it’d be a nice way to break up Kawaguchiko and Kamakura.
Assuming I stick with the above, would it be wise to consider adding another day somewhere around here? My concern is that back-to-back one-night stays might be a little exhausting. If I do add a day somewhere, where would it be best to do so? Kawaguchiko, Hakone, or Kamakura?
Similarly, I’m thinking about adding a day to Kyoto. There’s a ton of shrines and temples that I’d like to see and two days doesn’t seem like a lot of time. While I’m in Kyoto for four full days, two of these days are dedicated to Nara and Arashiyama.
The first time I went to Japan I went to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima (with lots of day trips around those places). While it’d be amazing to see places like Miyajima again, I just don’t think my current itinerary allows for this. I had briefly considered going to Ureshino for some of the tea tourism stuff but, again, I think it’s probably too much for this trip. Finally, there’s a place in Nara called Rice Terraces Villa Sasayuri Ann that looks absolutely incredible but it’s kind of a hike from Nara city and, in turn, Kyoto. For this reason, this is neither included in my itinerary.
Is there anything I’m missing or overlooking? Is there anything that’s not on my itinerary that I’d be crazy not to try and see because it’s so close to where I’ll be? Any insight or advice is appreciated. Thanks.
