14 day Itinerary check -> Tokyo/Kinosaki/Kyoto/Osaka/Nara/Hiroshima

Hi everyone! I’m planning a honeymoon trip to Japan in Mid May, and while I have most of the schedule down, I’d like some feedback to make sure I’m being realistic with timelines, or if there’s something I may have missed. It’s both our first times in Japan, although I’ve been wanting to go there forever while my husband has recently warmed up to the idea (he thought it was a weird place before he met me heh). I’ve tried to balance highly planned busy days with lesser planned relaxing days. We did buy the 14 day JR Rail Pass (which I left the “worth it” calculation up to my husband).

About me:

* 30F, travel style is “sleep when I’m dead”, does the research, event/museum/restaurant booking and trip planning
* likes good food, anime, nature, architecture, history, kawaii, snacking on everything, shrines and temples (mainly to collect goshuin…..and for the spirituality)

About my husband:

* 34M, travel style is “rest frequently and take it easy”, takes care of all the practicalities like money exchange, train tickets, etc.
* likes model trains, technology, science, museums, stationery, shopping (esp high quality items), Sony, robotics

Itinerary:
Note that we will ship our big luggage from Tokyo to Kyoto (carry on for Kinosaki) and Kyoto to Tokyo (carry on for Hiroshima). **Bold** is where we’ll sleep, (brackets) is where we will go for the day.

Sat May 13 – Tokyo
Hotel is in Asakusa

* 2:30pm – Land at Haneda, get esim/JR pass/other necessities
* 5pm – Reach hotel, pick up food from Family Mart for breakfast
* 6:30pm – Walk around Asakusa
* DINNER: Asakusa Yokocho
* 8pm – sleep

Sun May 14 – **Tokyo** (Asakusa/Akiba/Tokyo Skytree)

* 8:30am – Senso-ji and Nakamise-dori, eat from street shops
* 11:30am – Asakusabashi Kohaku and Marronnier Matsuri, eat from stands
* 2pm – Akibahara, check out model train stores/anime merch stores, go to Bungubox, wander around Kanda Myojin.
* My husband will split up at this time to take a nap at the hotel, so I’ll go to Kanda Myojin without him and meet up again for the otaku stuff
* 6pm – Tokyo Skytree and Solamachi
* Not interested in going up the Skytree, instead we’ll be doing some shopping at all the character stores
* DINNER: undecided…..either somewhere within Solamachi or back in Asakusa

Mon May 15 – **Tokyo** (Kichijoji/Harajuku/Shibuya)

* 10am – Ghibli Museum (we got the tickets!!)
* 12:30pm – Lunch in Kichijoji, maybe wander around
* 2:30pm – Meiji Shrine
* 4pm – Harajuku/Shibuya, watch the people at scramble square, Purikura no mecca, walk down Takeshita street, Tokyu Hands
* I’m not interested in clothes shopping as most won’t fit me, so I’m ok with spending more time walking around the area instead of spending time in the stores.
* DINNER AND DRINKS: nothing specific in Shibuya however I’ve heard there are a lot of ramen places so we’ll try and spring for that. Also would like cocktail bar recommendations. I’ve seen the Sakurai Tea Experience but I feel neither of us are refined enough in our tea tastes to fully appreciate the experience.

Tues May 16 – **Tokyo** (Ikebukuro and Shinjuku)

* 10am – Ikebukuro, Sunshine City, shopping
* 1pm LUNCH: Shinjuku, Tsunahachi Rin tempura
* Suga Jinja (aka the “Your Name” pilgrimage -> [https://mipon.org/your-name-pilgrimage/](https://mipon.org/your-name-pilgrimage/))
* Gyoen Park
* Tokyo Metropolitan Govt Building for the views
* Golden Gai, Omoide Yokocho
* DINNER: Izakayas around Shinjuku, nothing specific yet

Weds May 17 – **Kinosaki Onsen**
Hotel: Morizuya Ryokan

* 8am – Shinkansen to Kyoto, then train to Kinosaki Onsen
* LUNCH: ekiben from Tokyo or Kyoto station
* 2pm – Arrive at Kinosaki, walk the streets and eat snacks
* 3pm – Check into ryokan and relax in onsen
* DINNER: Ryokan Kaiseki
* 8pm – more onsen

Thurs May 18 – **Kyoto**
Hotel is in Downtown Kyoto

* 8am – Ryokan breakfast
* 10am – Kinosaki ropeway (is 2 hours enough for this?)
* 12:30pm – Train to Kyoto
* 3:30pm – Check into hotel and relax
* I might head out to Nishiki market first before it closes and then come back to relax
* DINNER: Pontocho street

Fri May 19 – **Kyoto** (Nara)

* 6:30 am – hike up Fushimi Inari
* 9am – take train to Nara
* 11am – Todai-ji temple, Kasuga Taisha shrine, Necoco general store, Kofuku-ji
* 7pm – back to hotel, relaxed dinner (department store basement food?)

Sat May 20 – **Kyoto** (Arashiyama)

* 8:30am – Tenryu-ji, Arashiyama Bamboo grove
* not interested in the Monkey park as husband is traumatized by his past encounters with monkeys
* 10:30am – Rilakkuma cafe
* (if the line is too long, we’ll skip this and go for lunch somewhere else later)
* 11:30am – walk around Saga toriimoto, see the temples
* LUNCH – something light around Arashiyama area
* 2pm – Sagano Romantic Train
* 3pm – Hozugawa Boat Tour
* 5pm – Fufu no Yu? (something to pass the time before dinner)
* DINNER: I would like to go somewhere more upscale (specifically traditional Kyoto cuisine), either in Arashiyama or Gion side

Sun May 21 – **Kyoto** (Osaka)

* I haven’t fully fleshed this day out yet….I just want to eat a lot
* Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi
* 7:30pm light show at Harukas 300 -> [https://en.japantravel.com/osaka/naked-city-light-fantasia/69489](https://en.japantravel.com/osaka/naked-city-light-fantasia/69489)
* The cup noodle museum in Osaka looks good but it’s quite out of the way
* I’m a Haruhi fan so would love to go to Nishinomiya…..but it’s even more out of the way…..

Mon May 22 – **Kyoto** (Higashiyama)

* Basically following the northern and southern Higashiyama itinerary: [https://www.insidekyoto.com/kyoto-off-the-beaten-track-itineraries](https://www.insidekyoto.com/kyoto-off-the-beaten-track-itineraries)
* Philosopher’s Path
* Keage Incline
* Not particularly interested in the more visited temples, would rather take it easy today and seek out hidden paths
* DINNER: If fancy dinner doesn’t work out on Saturday, I’d like to go somewhere today.

Tues May 23 – **Hiroshima** (Himeji)
Hotel: Miyajima Coral Hotel

* 7:45am – Shinkansen to Himeji, we’re following this itinerary -> [https://www.insidekyoto.com/himeji-day-trip-itinerary](https://www.insidekyoto.com/himeji-day-trip-itinerary)
* 10am – Mt Shosha ropeway and temples
* 12:30pm – LUNCH around Himeji station
* 1:30pm – Himeji castle
* We may do koko-en garden depending on our energy, if too tired we’ll head to Hiroshima earlier
* 7pm – Check into hotel and have dinner at hotel
* If we check in earlier, I want to try and visit Miyajima at night just to experience the stillness.

Weds May 24 – **Hiroshima** (Miyajima/Peace Memorial Park)

* 9am – Ferry to Miyajima
* 9:30am – Itsukushima Shrine
* 10:30am – shuttle bus to Mt Misen Ropeway, take it up the mountain
* 12:30pm – Daisho-in temple
* 1:30pm – LUNCH
* 2:30 – boat to Peace Memorial Park
* 3:30 – Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Peace Memorial Park
* 7pm – DINNER: Okonomimura

Thurs May 25 – **Tokyo** (Hiroshima/Ginza)
Hotel is in Hamamatsucho

* Check out of hotel
* If we didn’t spend enough time at the peace memorial park yesterday, we’ll do it now
* Otherwise we’ll take an earlier shinkansen to Tokyo
* Didn’t make many plans for this day as we might be tired
* Dinner in Ginza

Fri May 26 – **Tokyo** (Odaiba)

* 7:30am – line up for breakfast at Cafe Tsumugi at Tsukiji Hongwanji (18 course breakfast!)
* 10am – walk around Tsukiji Market and eat a second breakfast
* 12:30pm – head to Odaiba and check out the Gundam statue, the shopping malls, etc.
* 2pm – Miraikan museum
* 4:30pm – Teamlabs Planets (will buy tickets in advance)
* 6pm – enjoy Odaiba in the evening and then head back to the hotel to pack up

Sat May 27 – **Tokyo** (fly out)

* 10am – check out and head to airport
* 12:30pm – get to airport
* 3:30pm – fly out of Haneda

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Thank you in advance for your advice and comments!