Hi y’all, after perusing a lot of the posts in here, I understand one of the most common advice I’ve seen is to not pack too much into the days. I’ve tried to come up with a reasonable 4.5 day itinerary for me and my parents (in their 50s). I’ll be buying the JR Pass since that seems to be the best value for this itinerary. Please let me know your thoughts! Also, I haven’t booked any hotels yet so please feel free to recommend any hotels (nothing fancy necessary) that may be good proximity to my points of interest. Thanks!
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July 11
* Los Angeles to Haneda – land 2PM
* Check into Tokyo hotel
* Dinner and relax from jetlag
July 12
* Check out of Tokyo hotel and take Shinkansen to Osaka
* Check into Osaka hotel
* Osaka Castle
* Kuromon Ichiba Market
* Zauo Fishing Restaurant – novelty I know but I think my parents will enjoy it
* Dotombori Shopping
July 13
* Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens with Cable Car Ride
* Chinatown (Nankinmachi) (if there’s time)
* Kobe Harborland
* Looking for kobe beef lunch and dinner recommendations! Doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Taste and flavor are most important.
July 14
* Check out of Osaka hotel and take Shinkansen back to Tokyo
* Check into Tokyo hotel
* Meiji Jingu
* Harajuku
* Musée du Chocolat Théobroma (someone on here recommended)
* Shibuya Crossing / Hachiko
* Starbucks Reserve Roastery (if there’s time)
July 15
* Check out of Tokyo hotel
* Tsukiji market (\~9AM)
* Tokyo Tower (\~12PM)
* Depart from Narita (10:15PM)
3 comments
Since you have the JR pass, you might as well Shinkansen to Shin Kobe to get to Nunobike Herb Garden. It is like 5 – 10 minutes walk from the station to the cable car when you arrive xDD
Sorry I’m going to say it, but you’ve packed in too much! Re July 12 – I just did Osaka Castle yesterday and there’s a lot to walk through. I think we were there in the park for four hours?
Also on July 14 – it will take you at least two and a half hours to get from Osaka to Tokyo (not including time for you to get from the hotel to the station and vice versa.)
I would also recommend you get a Suica or pasmo card, you have a lot on and the JR doesn’t always service as well locally.
Are you only in Asia for 4 days? I find the residual tiredness/jetlag from an 11 hour flight lasts 4 days in itself.
I don’t see why you’d travel around so much if you’re only there for 4 days. I’d stick to just one city for that length of trip.