This is my partner and I’d first trip to Japan and there’s a lot we want to see. Looking for feedback on the amount of things we have planned (too much?), when we should use takkyubin services, and suggestions for how to optimize our travels to be efficient and enjoyable.
Very open to hearing any suggestions for hotels, a ryokan, and onsens as well.
I also enjoy disc golf and would love to play a few holes at a course with discs I bought at the DD Jam store, if our path takes us nearby a course. Thanks!
|Location|Morning|Afternoon|Evening|Lodging|
:–|:–|:–|:–|:–|
|Tokyo|Arrival at NRT Airport|Check-in at Keio Plaza Hotel|Explore Shinjuku|Keio Plaza Hotel|
|Tokyo|Visit Sensō-ji, Explore Asakusa|Lunch at Kaminarimon Sansada, Visit Akihabara, Shinjuku Goyen National Garden|Dinner at Yoroniku Ebisu, Explore Golden Gai and Kabukicho Tower|Keio Plaza Hotel|
|Tokyo|Visit Shibuya Crossing, Shibuya Sky|Lunch at Izorasumeraruda, Visit Harajuku, Meiji Jingu|Dinner at Yakiniku Blackhole, Visit Imperial Palace|Keio Plaza Hotel|
|Tokyo|Visit Yayoi Kusama Museum, D.D.Jam store, and Gashapon Ikebukuro Main Store|Lunch at Kanda Matsuay (Soba noodles), Visit Onsen that allows tattoos|Dinner at Hitachino Brewing Lab Tokyo, Explore Omoide Yokochō|Keio Plaza Hotel|
|Kyoto|Check-out, Travel to Kyoto, Visit Kinkaku-ji|Lunch at Inoda Coffee, Visit Kyoto Trail nearby Station 5 in Higashiyama|Check-in at Ryokan, Dinner at Ryokan|Ryokan|
|Kyoto|Visit Kiyomizu, Tōfuku-ji Temple|Lunch at local market, Explore Gion, Samurai & Ninja Museume with Experience|Check-in at Hyatt Regency Kyoto, Dinner at Hafuu or L’Escamoteur|Hyatt Regency Kyoto|
|Osaka|Day trip to Osaka, Visit Osaka Castle Park, Sumiyoshi Taisha|Lunch at Hirokazuya, Visit Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel|Explore Hozenji Yokocho, Dotonbori, Return to Kyoto|Hyatt Regency Kyoto|
|Kyoto|Day trip to Nagiso, Magome, Tsumago-juku|Explore towns and hike between Nagiso, Magome, Tsumago-juku|Relax, Dinner somewhere in Kyoto|Hyatt Regency Kyoto|
|Tokyo|Check-out, Travel to Tokyo|Ghibli Museum and Check-in at Airbnb in Tokyo|Visit Onsen that allows tattoos, Dinner in Tokyo|Airbnb|
|Tokyo|Visit remaining sites|Visit remaining sites|Last dinner at Mark’s Tokyo|Airbnb|
|Tokyo|Pack, Check-out|-|Departure from NRT Airport at 5:00 PM|-|
11 comments
Where could these guys fit in a beach day? asking for a friend.
Just my two cents: Depending where you’re from, it would maybe be more interesting/enjoyable to flip the time to spend the amount of days you have designated for Tokyo in Kyoto. You can take the Shinkansen to Osaka, so no need to stay there overnight. Or take four days in one other area, like Kanazawa or Kurashiki or Onomichi. Shimanami Kaido could be done in 3 days.
I am a great believer in using luggage forwarding whenever you travel between cities so that you can fit in a daytrip in-between destinations. That will be tough to do as you’ll be staying in only two cities, and you may want to double-check with your Ryokan first (out of politeness more than anything else) if they would be happy to receive your luggage in advance of your stay.
When I stayed at Keio Plaza, they had a free shuttle to go to Disney. Also listen for the potato man and grab a potato from him. They’re delicious. I thought it was a drunk singing at first.
Osaka ❤️❤️❤️
I did the same day trip to Osaka and found that for the time it took / effort involved, it definitely wasn’t worth it and we visited most of the common must-do items there.
I’d much rather do Nara or Fushimi Inari. Or Arashiyama for the Money Park (the bamboo grove is super lame and mega crowded for no reason other than Instagram).
Someone on here mentioned saving Tokyo for last so you can do all your shopping at the end. I just got back from Japan last week and Tokyo was our first shop, did a lot of shopping and I wish I had saved it for last after reading that…
No matter*
I spent 12 days doing the destinations above earlier this month.
I think you’re doing slightly too much Tokyo, too little Kyoto.
I did 5/6 days in Tokyo, 3 in Osaka(cheap & easy to get to Nara/Himeji/Kobe), 3 in Kyoto.
In hindsight I would have liked to visit Hiroshima and Yokohama.
I lived mostly in business hotels, would recommend. An Instagrammer recommended getting a vpn now and booking hotels as if you’re doing it from Japan, I didn’t do that but did cancel my bookings when I was already there and it did seem quite a bit cheaper.
Ryokans are cute, but if you’re above 5’10”, it just starts to feel a bit cramped after the first night. You will share toilets, showers, most of them have curfews (at least in Kyoto), I felt watched as the Ryokan owner greeted us every time we entered and left. My gf didn’t like sleeping on the tatami mats, I didn’t mind. Overall didn’t regret it, but wouldn’t do it again. Don’t book one for over 3 nights imo.
Consider adding in Disney Tokyo sea while in tokyo. It’s unique, fun and easy to plan. It’s touristy (in a way) but locals love it too. Its like seeing a slice of life of modern Japanese young people.
I’m in Tokyo right now and would recommend you flip day 3 around.
Go to the Imperial Palace in the morning, they have a free tour that you can sign up for at 9am, starts at 10:30.
Afternoon plan looks good. I got takeaway lunch and ate it at Yoyogi Park before heading to Meiji Jingu and that was a wonderful afternoon.
Tackle Shibuya in the evening, Shibuya Sky during the sunset so you see the evening, sunset and the sparkling city at night.