**Edit: Forgot to add in my title that there is also a day trip to Himeji after Osaka**
Hi all,
I’ve been fairly active on here in the last few weeks building & editing my own itinerary. I am now just over a week away from my trip and ready for any last pieces of advice or last minute suggestions for things to switch out or change up.
I’m 33, male, solo travelling, from the UK, first time in Japan and don’t speak Japanese. I will be doing a 1.5 bagging trip (i.e. just a carry on backpack and a small sling backpack for the days). Trying to travel as minimalist as I find comfortable so moving around will be easier.
There is a switch up of hotel in Tokyo which although not ideal, I’ve already come to terms with as being the best option price-wise and considering that I want to experience the hotel I’ve picked.
I will be getting the following transport passes:
* 7 day JR Pass to activate on day 7
* Hakone Free Pass (which will also be used as the base fare to go with my already reserved observation seat on the Romancecar
* Inner city transport will be using a SUICA card which I will buy when I land
* Narita Express ticket for my Narita Airport – Shibuya journey and the Keisei Skyliner ticket for my Ueno – Narita Airport journey
I also already have a 16 day Mobal SIM card for Japan ready to put in my phone
Ready for any last pieces of advice or help.Can people help with the order of anything that seems illogical? I’m not too proud to majorly change anything – I’d rather use my time effectively. As I say I’m travelling light and solo so able to move at pace.
**Things in** **bold are reserved/prebooked activities:**
​
Day 1:
* Land at 14:30
* N’ex to Shibuya
* Check-in
* Find a restaurant close by and generally wander unless I am too tired
Day 2:
* Meiji Jingu
* Takeshita Street
* Togo Shrine
* Shibuya Parco
* Miyashita Park
* **Shibuya Bar Hopping Tour (18:30)**
Day 3:
* Hachiko statue
* View Shibuya Scramble
* Shinjuku Gyoen Park
* **Sushi Making Class in Shinjuku (13:30)**
* Kabukicho (Godzilla Head and Kabukicho Tower)
* Omoide Yokocho and/or Golden Gai
Day 4:
* Switch to Ueno hotel
* Ueno Park – visit a museum
* Tokyo Dome – visit club shop and/or hall of fame
* **Baseball game (18:00)**
Day 5:
* Tsukiji Outer Market
* **Teamlabs Planets (10:30)**
* Akihabara
* Somewhere to view Kanda Matsuri
* Ameya Yokocho
Day 6:
* Early subway to Shinjuku
* **Romancecar to Hakone (08:00) – Hotel in Gora**
* Hakone Loop + Amazake Tea House visit
Day 7: **(DAY 1 OF JR RAIL PASS)**
* Hakone Open Air Museum
* Gora Park
* Train to Kyoto (around 14:00) – Hotel near Karasuma station
* Maruyama Park
* Yasaka Shrine
Day 8:
* Kiyomizudera
* Sannenzaka & Ninnenzaka
* Starbucks Coffee Kyoto Ninenzaka Yasaka Chaya
* Kodaji
* Hokanji
* Kenninji
* Samurai and Ninja Museum
* Walk around Gion (17:30)
Day 9:
* Fushimi Inari
* Train to Nara (around 10:40)
* Noboriojicho
* Todaiji
* Todaiji Nigatsudo
* Wakakusayama
* Kasuga-taisha
* Kofuku-ji
* Harushika Sake Tasting
* Train to Kyoto
* Higashi Hoganji (if before 17:30)
* Explore Kyoto Train Station
Day 10:
* Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
* Iwatayama Monkey Park OR Gio-ji
* Tenryuji
* Jojakkoji
* Togtsukyo Bridge
* Ninnaji
* Ryoanji
* Kinkakuji
Day 11:
* Nishiki Market
* Train to Uji
* Mitsuboshien Kanbayashi Sannyu
* Byodoin
* Ujibashi Bridge
* Tsuen Tea Shop
* Train to Kyoto
* Train to Osaka (staying near Dotonbori)
* Tsutsenkaku
* Shinsekai
Day 12:
* Osaka Castle
* Shittenoji
* Namba Yasaka
* Kuromon Ichiba Market
* Dotonbori
Day 13: **(FINAL DAY OF JR RAIL PASS)**
* Train to Himeji
* Himeji castle
* Engyoji
* Train to Osaka (if time to fit in something near Shin Osaka station)
* Otherwise stay in Himeji for more exploring
* Shinkansen to Tokyo – staying in Ueno
Day 14:
* Nakamise shopping street
* Sensoji
* Tokyo Skytree
* Water cruise to Odaiba
* Gundam statue
Day 15
* Tokyo Imperial Palace
* **Sumo tournament (around 13:30)**
Day 16:
* Keisei Skyliner to Narita airport
* Flight Home
3 comments
If you have an iPhone, you can buy the suica card from your wallet app.
Hi! Can I ask where you found the info for the bar hopping tour and baseball game? I’m going in June and would be interested in both. Thanks!
When you go to Hakone, are you going to your hotel in Gora first, and then doing the loop? How are you getting from the romance train to the hotel?
I’m taking a Shinkansen from Tokyo to Hakone, so I’ll be dropped off in Odawara, but was thinking of taking the Hakone -Tozan train to the hotel in Gora to drop off my bags, then, doing the ropeway to Togendai, then the pirate ship cruise on Lake Aishi , Then, looking at the torii gate and shrine, then, back on the pirate ship to Togendai, then the ropeway back to Gora to get back to the hotel.
Is that similar to what you’re doing?