Hi, all. I’ll be in Japan for 10 days, April 14-23, and spending the majority of that time in Tokyo & Kyoto. I have an itinerary I am comfortable with, but was hoping to get some final feedback. Please share your thoughts and let me know if any of my days are unreasonable! I’m used to running around and having long days so I don’t mind that, but this will be my first time in Japan so I am admittedly not familiar with wait times/lines/etc.
I will have a JR Pass for Days 3-9.
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**Day 1 (April 14)**
\- Land in Tokyo and then take the monorail/train to hotel.
\- Walk to the Imperial Palace and then, from there, walk to the Golden Gai area for dinner/drinks.
**Day 2 (April 15)**
\- Wake up early and walk to Meiji Jingu.
\- From there, walk to Yoyogi Park and then Shinjuku Gyoen.
**Day 3 (April 16)**
\- Day trip to Arakurayama Sengen Park via train from Tokyo.
**Day 4 (April 17)**
\- Wake up early and head to Senso-ji.
\- Take the train to Yokohama in the evening for dinner and sight-seeing.
**Day 5 (April 18)**
\- Take an early train from Tokyo to Kyoto, check-in and drop bag off at hotel.
\- Walk to Kiyomizu-dera, Yasaka Koshindo, Hokan-ji, Yasaka Shrine, Nanzen-ji, and Heian Shrine.
**Day 6 (April 19)**
\- Wake up early, head to Fushimi Inari Taisha and hike to the top.
\- Have a late breakfast/early lunch, and then take a train to Nara for the rest of the day. Sights to visit: Kofuku-ji, Nara Park, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and Todai-ji.
**Day 7 (April 20)**
\- Take an early train from Kyoto to Saga-Arashiyama for the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest.
\- Take a train to Emmachi Station after and then walk to Kinkaku-ji. Heading back to the hotel (walk), stop at Shimogama-jinja Shrine and Nijo-jo.
**Day 8 (April 21)**
\- Take the train from Kyoto to Hiroshima for the day.
**Day 9 (April 22)**
\- Take a midday train from Kyoto back to Tokyo, check in to hotel and drop bag off.
\- Take the subway to Meiji Jingu Stadium for Tokyo Yakult Swallows game.
**Day 10 (April 23)**
\- If I’m still standing, walk around Tokyo once more and then get to the airport.
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**General Questions**
\- Are Day 2 and 4 too short (i.e, not enough going on)?
\- Are Day 5 and 7 too long?
\- I really wanted to fit Kifune-jinga in but didn’t see how I could. Is it best left out, or is there somewhere I can fit it in (possibly early morning on Day 9?) Or is there something to take out in its place?
\- I’d love to get a goshuincho. Is there enough time built into each day to account for time spent trying to get goshuins at each stop?
\- Did I miss anything?!
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Would appreciate any sort of help, comment, or feedback. Thank you so much.
1 comment
I have no comment other than I’m literally doing what you’re doing on the 19th on the 18th (my birthday), and I was also considering a Yakult Swallows game on the 22nd haha.
I used ChatGPT to plot out a route from Fushimi Inari Shrine to Nara and back, hitting as many shrines for goshuin as possible. I can gladly share that itinerary with you, if you’d like.