Hi all ,
I am planning a trip this year for 16 full days in November and wanted to do an itinerary check.
I am going with my partner and friends (7 others) but my friends will also have their own plans. So, for most of it, it’s just me and my partner.
We are going:
Tokyo> Kanazawa> fukui(day trip) >shirakwago(day trip) > Kyoto > Osaka>Tokyo
For background:
This will be my 2nd time going and my partner’s first time.
We want to see some autumn foliage (partner is a photographer), eat (we love seafood but would like to try a variety of things) and see some temples (want to collect goshuin)
As we are coming from Australia, jetlag won’t be too much of an issue so our days might seem a bit packed but I think it’s manageable. We also bought 14-day JR passes (activate on 8th-21st)– the calculator showed it to breakeven but then we have some discounts, so it worked out more economical.
Some things I’ve put a time on it but other things I did not. Would like some recommendations on things we can skip or add. And, if anyone has recommendations for group dining or dining experiences in each city, that would be greatly appreciated.
5th Day 0
Arrive in Haneda airport, transfer to the hotel. rest day
————-
Day 1 (8 of us)
Yokohama, Harajuku, Shinjuku
9am – Hoshikawa Sugiyama Shrine – mainly want to come here for the goshuincho. If we sleep in, then skip this and find a LOFT elsewhere.
10am – Yokohama Cup noodle museum
Sort out JR pass after and buy tickets for Fuji excursion for the 8th/9th
Consider visiting animal touch (for capybara)
Harajuku – mainly for Meiji Shrine and walking around.
Shinjuku or Shibuya for a group dinner.
—————
Day 2 (8 of us)
Tsukiji market, ginza, Asakusa, Tokyo dome
> sumo stable (730-930 , optional)
>asakusa : street food , sensoji temple, nakamise dori street
— maybe can consider kura sushi at around 4pm for some conveyor belt sushi or hoppy street (a strip near sensoji temple for food)
6pm Tokyo dome (cold play concert)
————
Day 3
Travel to kawaguchiko for an overnight stay near Fujisan station. (3 of us overnight, 5 day trip)
For some of my friends this is a 1 day trip – any suggestions on what they should do ?
Ropeway, oshino hakkai, lake kawaguchiko to see the Momiji corridor/tunnel.
———
Day 4
Kawaguchiko >Tokyo (Ikebukuro) (3 of us in fuji, 8 of us in Tokyo)
Wake up at sunrise for chureito pagoda (is this a must see for my friends going on a day trip or will it be too cloudy?)
Check out and head back to Tokyo
Shinjuku gyeon (closes at 5)
Ikebukuro for dinner
—-Dinner
—— Happy pancake (needs booking)
——Muscle girls (needs booking)
——-
Day 5
Tokyo>kanazawa (3 of us)
At Kanazawa – buy the bus tickets for shirakawago
kenrokuen garden
omochoi market
? Kaitenzushi Okura – sushi train/lunch special for 500yen
? DAIMYOJAYA – for nodoguro and crab. need to make a booking
>>Kanazawa winter lights (all around the place)
BAR: kohaku bar
———-
Day 6
Day trip to fukui from Kanazawa (3 of us)
Echizen daibutsu
Eiheji temple
Asakusa clan ruins
———
Day 7
Shirakawago
Evening – team labs Kanazawa castle
———-
Day 8
Kanazawa>tsuruga>Kyoto ryokan
Make a pitstop to tsuruga to walk around before heading to Kyoto ryokan
————
Day 9
Check out Kyoto ryokan into group living in Kyoto
4pm ; tea ceremony (nishiki) (already booked)
Nijo castle and nishiki market
Night time gion?
———-
Day 10
Kyoto
Fushimi inari , kinkakuji, book binding (4pm) , kiyomizudera , Kichi Kichi (?)
———-
Day 11
Kyoto
moss temple : could be any time between 10-1230
lunch arashiyama (booked a restaurant)
Kichi Kichi (?)
there is a night viewing for Choin-in temple. open until 9pm.
Day 12
Kyoto>Osaka
Osaka aquarium and walking around
————
Day 13
USJ
———-
Day 14
Check out and do a half day trip to Mino park
Osaka>Tokyo and have a walk around
———-
Day 15
Tokyo
Ghibli museum
Shimokitazawa
starbucks reserve/meguro river
———-
Day 16
Tokyo
Free day and head back to Australia
———-
Questions:
Any suggestions on must visit temples or shrines in the area to get goshuin?
Anyone have any ideas on where to go to eat for groups (day 1 shinjuku or Shibuya area for 8, day 2 in Asakusa area for 8 , day 4 ikebukuro day 7 in Kanazawa for 7,day 9 Gion for 8 , day 16 lunch for 8 )
Any restaurants in general recommended?
My Kyoto days seems a bit all over the place, anyone have any ideas on how to group things together or other things not to miss?
I understand Kichi Kichi is not recommended by a lot of people as it is heavily marketed for tourists but I have friends that want to go for the experience. If this is not available, any suggestions for omurice in general?
Anyone knows where to buy good ceramic cups (friends here in Aus want some)
For day 15, its just me and my partner, any suggestions for a nice restaurant near Meguro River for us to go to?
Day 1:
Is animal touch worthwhile? Mainly want to see capybara and capybara PUIPUI is closed on Mondays.
Day 3:
Does anyone have any suggestions on what else we can do in fuji? I also understand that transport at night ends quite early – anyone have suggestions on how to get back to Fujisan station from lake kawaguchiko at night? How do we call a taxi?
Kawaguchi Asama Shrine – not sure if this should be in day 3 or 4
Day 7
How long do people usually stay at shirakawago? I was thinking of taking the 810am bus ( ETA 930) and then taking the 310pm bus back (ETA 435pm) or would I need the full day so stay until the last bus at 530?
Thank you in advance for all input!
