We’ve gotten a TON of great advice from this sub so I’m hoping this itinerary can be finalized soon. TIA for any and all suggestions!
Goal: See the major sights since this is our first time in Japan. We’re mid-30s couple from the US interested in architecture, culture, history, nature, people watching, local eats.
Budget: Mid-range. We will have JR Pass.
ITINERARY:
Day 1: Tokyo
NRT>Sunroute Plaza Hotel Shinjuku
Walk around, eat near Hotel
Rest
Day 2: Tokyo
Meiji shrine in early am
Walk down Takeshita, Cat street(?), Omotesando
Explore Shibuya Scramble area (+ lunch)
Rest at hotel
Tokyo Gov’t Buidling Observation Deck
Shinjuku Goyen Nat’l Garden(?)
Walk around Omoide Yokocho
Walk around Golden Gai
Explore Kabuchiko (+ Tokyu Kabuchiko Tower)
Day 3: Tokyo
Senso-ji Shrine in early am
Asakusa Shrine
Nakamise-dori street
Tokyo National Museum(?)
Tokyo Ramen Street (lunch)
Tokyo Imperial Palace(?)
Ameyoko shopping district
Akihabara in afternoon/early evening
Day 4: Day trip out of Tokyo
Tsukiji or Toyosu market in early am
Day trip to Yokohama -or- Kamakura(?)
Akasaka Palace(…?)
Day 5: Hakone
Train to Hakone early am
Half Hakone Round Course
Check into Hotel Mizunoto Ryokan
Day 6: Hakone
Complete Hakone Round Course
Check out, train to Kyoto
Check in RHIGA Royal Hotel Kyoto
Day 7: Kyoto
Kiyomizu-dera
Ninnenzaka, Sannenzaka
Walk Ishibei-koji
Kodai-ji
Walk through Maruyama Park to get to Yasaka Jinja
Gion
Nishiki Market
Pontocho in evening
Day 8: Nara, Osaka
Half-day in Nara: Todai-ji, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Mochi from Nakatanidou and/or food at Higashimuki mall
Head to Osaka in afternoon: Dotonbori, Americamura mall, Shinsekai market, Tenjinbashi or TBD Okonomiyaki dinner
Head back to Kyoto hotel
Day 9: Kyoto
[Rent a bike at some point for the day]
The Imperial Palace
Demachi Masugata Shopping Arcade
Nanzen-ji
Eikan-do
Hinode Udon (lunch)(?)
The Philospher’s Path
Honen-in
Ginkaku-ji in afternoon
Rest at hotel
Fushimi Inari around sundown
Day 10: Kyoto
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Iwatayama Monkey Park
Tenryu-ji
Adashino Nenbutsu-ji (temple hike of sorts)
Walk around Sagatoriimoto Sennocho
Sagano Scenic Railway(?)
Rest at hotel, walk around, dinner
Day 11: Tokyo
Train back to Tokyo
Flex Day (Shopping, explore Ueno area, etc.)
Check in APA Hotel Ueno Ekimase
Last dinner TBD
Day 12: Departure (NRT)
Check out and train to NRT
8 comments
Yea this seems perfectly doable, my itinerary is very similar! But mine is for 9 days
I did a similar iternary in February for 13 days. The second day jet lag will kill the day early for us. We needed extra sleep to recovered.
Day 8 is pretty packed
Kajitsuen Libre Shinjuku is near your first hotel, I recommend it if you like fruit parfait.
Biggest thing I would be thinking about is jet lag. If you’re from the US, you’re looking at 8 to 11 hours of Jet lag.
I’d really strategize hard on ways to overcome that, mainly centred around trying to adapt to Japan-time BEFORE getting on your flight, otherwise the jet lag could severely impact your trip. That’s the tough part with short trips – with logner ones (3+ weeks) you have time to get over it, but for 11 days you gotta get over it ASAP or it will ruin your trip.
literally just did a very similar itinerary for 10 days, should be doable and fun! like some have said, jet lag might change your plans just a bit 🙂
A question to OP: Have you purchased your JR pass yet?
Based on your itinerary, your total JR fare would be in the neighborhood of 30K yen. With the exchange order valid for 90 days, and if you are arriving in Japan within this year, you should definitely get it before October 1st to avoid the upcoming price hike. By October 1st, a 7-day pass would cost 50k yen instead of the current 29650 yen, making a similar plan more expensive than riding full fare.
Are you me? 30s couple going in early October for our first visit, and I came poking around for some final ideas. This is pretty close to what I came up with.
Seems like I’ve got maybe half a day less than you.
Instead of the Tokyo day trip and two days in Hakone, I’m thinking maybe one day in Hakone on the way down to Kyoto, and then stopping at Lake Kawaguchi for a day on the way back.
I really wanted to go somewhere deeper in the mountains, but it takes so long to get in and out. I haven’t seen one that feels like it demands more than a day, which makes the travel time seem not worth it.