Hello, have just finished putting together the itinerary for my honeymoon trip to Japan. We’ve always enjoyed Japanese video games (FF, MGS), but in recent years we’ve been getting into other aspects of Japan pop culture like anime (Jojo, Gundam, Evangelion, Kenshin) and Gunpla. That was going to be a focus of the trip, along with the usual shrines and tourist spots to visit. We also are very excited about the onsens and incorporated a good day and a half in ~~Tokyo 3~~ Hakone. My wife also loves animals, so the animal cafes were a must. I realize I may have been too ambitious with some days, so looking for feedback on what isn’t realistic. Thank you for in advance for any feedback!
**Monday September 10th**
* Arrive in Tokyo @ 3:10pm
* Narita Express to Tokyo Station, check into nearby hotel
* Dinner at Ramen Street in Tokyo Station
* Walk through Kokyo Gaien National Garden to Ginza. Walk around, do some shopping
**Tuesday September 11th**
* Checkout of hotel, store bags in Tokyo Station
* Explore Imperial Palace East gardens (get there when it opens @ 9am)
* Take Shinkansen to Kyoto Station (depart @ 11:30am). Drop bags off at Ryokan
* Walk Philosopher’s Path and explore temples along the way
* Check into Ryokan for dinner and spend evening in the baths
**Wednesday September 12th**
* Breakfast and checkout of Ryokan. Drop off bags at next hotel
* Explore Higashiyama (Kiyomizu-dera temple, Sannen-zaka, Ninenn-zaka, Hōkan-ji Temple)
* Lunch at Nishiki Market
/Downtown Kyoto.
* Travel to Fushimi in early afternoon (Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum then Fushimi Inari Temple)
* Back to Gion for dinner/exploring (Hanami-koji, Maruyama Park/Yasaka-jinja Shrine)
**Thursday September 13th**
* Wake up early (7am) and go to Arashiyma Station
* Rent bike and explore (Tenryu-Ji temple, Bamboo Grove, Monkey Park Iwatayama).
* There’s some other spots that looked interesting like some temples in the North and Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street. Possible by bike to explore all these areas in a morning?
* Return bikes and lunch in Arashiyma
* Subway to Toei Kyoto Studio Park (mostly for the EVA exhibit)
* Travel to Kinkaku-ji temple.
* Maybe a taxi would be easier and save time?
* Return to hotel. Dinner and explore in Pontocho Alley
**Friday September 14th**
* Checkout of hotel, drop bags off at Kyoto station
* Travel to Kurama Station. Explore Kurama/Kibune
* Return to Downtown Kyoto early afternoon. Explore either: Nijo Castle/Imperial Palace/Kyoto Manga Museum
* Take train to Osaka Station, check into hotel around 6:30pm
* Dinner and explore Dotonbori
**Saturday September 15th**
* Train to Nara around 9:30am
* Explore Nara Park (Todai-ji, Kasuga Taisha Shrine). Wife will probably want to spend all day feeding the deers tbh
* Lunch in Nara, check out Nakatanidou (mochi). More Nara Park and Isuien Garden
* Dinner and explore Naramachi
* Train back to Osaka Station in the evening. Check out Umeda Sky building for night city views
**Sunday September 16th**
* Explore Osaka Castle, shopping in Shinsaibashi, America-mura
* Visit Namba Yasaka Jinja
* Dinner and nightlife in Dotonbori (Hozenji Yokocho?)
**Monday September 17th**
* Checkout early, take Shinkansen to Odawara Station (depart @ 8:20am)
* Pick up Hakone Free pass, take Tozan Railway to Hakone Yumoto. Drop bags off at Ryokan
* Take bus to Hakone Open Air Museum. Spend a few hours at Hakone Kowakien Yunessun (waterpark/onsen)
* Return to Ryokan for dinner and spend time in onsen
**Tuesday September 18th**
* Breakfast at Ryokan, bus to Hakone Yumoto and drop off bags. Bus to Amazake Chaya
* Walk along Old Tokadio road to the lake, visit Hakone Shrine. Continue walk to Moto Hakone for lunch
* Take the Hakone Sightseeing cruise
and Hakone Ropeway (Owakudani). Return to Hakone Yumoto area for 4:30pm for a private onsen + dinner
* Take Romancecar to Shinjuku, depart @ 7:50pm
* Check into hotel, Izakaya for late night
**Wednesday September 19th**
* Early morning explore Shinjuku (Gyoen park, shopping (Takashimaya), cafes)
* Train to Yokohama, meeting with friend for a day who is also doing a Japan trip
* Gundam Factory visit @ 11am
* Train back to Tokyo, explore Akihabara in the afternoon and Ikebukuro in the evening
* Back to Shinjuku (Kabukicho Tower or Omoide Yokochō)
**Thursday September 20th**
* Explore Asakusa (Senso-ji, Nakamise Dori). Go to Akihabara for Square Enix cafe @ 11am
* Sumo Wrestling (Meet at Ryogoku View Hotel @ 1:30pm ends at 6pm)
* Back to Akihabara – shopping, arcades, karaoke, dinner
* Nightlife in Akihabara or Shinjuku
**Friday September 21st**
* Explore Harajuku
(Meiji Jingu shrine/Yoyogi Park, Takeshita-dori, animal cafes)
* Nezu Museum (garden) looked nice, but maybe a bit too out of the way
* Explore Shibuya (Hachiko Statue, Shibuya crossing/Sky observation deck, Parco department store)
* Explore Roppongi (Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Midtown) and late night bar hopping (or go back to Shibuya)
**Saturday September 22nd**
* Grab early breakfast and train to Odaiba
* Visit teamLab Planets (opens at 9am), Diver City, and Gundam Base
* Afternoon in Ikebukuro for cafes and shopping
* only if we feel there was stuff we missed when we visited with my friend
* Travel to Nakano Broadway for shopping
* heard there’s lots of good old school anime merch here, even though it is a bit out of the way
* Back to Shinjuku, check out Tokyo Metro Government building and Golden Gai for late night
**Sunday September 23rd**
* Checkout of hotel and do last minute shopping in Shinjuku
* Narita Express from Shinjuku station, depart around 1pm. Return flight at 5pm