Hey folks! My wife and I are visiting Japan for the first time from 11/24-12/9 this year for our one year anniversary/honeymoon. I’m a planner so I put together an itinerary for each day to avoid any unnecessary anxiety. We’ll probably wing it a bit more once we’re there but I wanted to see if people here would be able to tell us if what I put together may be doable.
We love museums, gardens, history and food. Anything cultural that we can soak up, we are in.
We’ll be travelling by train and walking the whole time. I’m hoping it’s not too overpacked but I have a feeling it is. If you also have advice on what we may be able to skip or is not worth it please do let us know! Or, if you have suggestions on anything we missed that you would recommend we check out we are open to suggestion. Thanks a ton!
**Tokyo**
11/24
-Arrive at Haneda at 5pm, go to hotel and rest
11/25 (Shinjuku and Imperial Palace)
-Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
-Omoide Yokochō
-Shinjuku Golden Gai
Train to Tokyo Station
-Kokyo Gaien National Garden
-The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace
-Yasukuni Jinja
11/26 (Taito City and Ueno)
-Nakamise-dori Street
-Sensō-ji
-Kiyomizu Kannon-dō Temple
-Tokyo National Museum
-Kanda Shrine
11/27 (Nikko Day Trip)
-Nikkozan Rinnoji Temple
-Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Villa Memorial Park
-Ryuzu Falls
11/28 (teamLab, Chuo City, Minato City)
-teamLab Planets 9am
-Tsukiji Outer Market
-Ginza
-Hamarikyu Gardens
-Zōjō-ji Temple
-Tokyo Midtown
11/29 (Shibuya and Roppongi)
-Meiji Jingu
-Togo Shrine
-Mori Art Museum
-Daikanyamacho
-Shibuya Sky
**Hakone**
11/30 (Hakone)
-Travel from Tokyo to Hakone in the morning
-The Hakone Open-Air Museum
-Hakone Checkpoint
-Hakone Shrine
-Hakone Venetian Glass Museum
-Stay in Hakone Ryokan
**Kyoto**
12/1 (Southern Higashiyama, Downtown and Fushimi-Inari)
-Travel from Hakone to Kyoto in the morning
-Kiyomizu-dera
-Kōdai-ji Temple
-Maruyama Park
-Shoren-in Temple
-Nishiki Market
-Pontocho
12/2 (Arashiyama, Kinkaku-ji and Daitoku-ji)
-Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
-Giō-ji Temple
-Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama
-Saihō-ji (Koke-dera) Temple
-Kinkaku-ji
12/3 (Kurama, Kibune and Northern Higashiyama)
-Heian Shrine
-Nanzen-ji Temple
-Higashiyama Jisho-ji
-Enkō-ji Temple
-Kyoto Imperial Palace
-Nijō Castle
12/4 (Central Kyoto)
-Fushimi Inari Taisha
-Tōfuku-ji Temple
-Kyoto National Museum
-Kyoto Tower
-Daigo-ji Temple
-Travel to Osaka from Kyoto in the evening
**Osaka**
12/5 (Miyajima Day Trip)
-Travel from Osaka to Miyajima
-Miyajima Omotesandō Shopping Street
-Momijidani Park
-Mount Misen Observatory
-Daishoin
-Itsukushima Jinja
-Travel back to Osaka from Miyajima
12/6 (Downtown Osaka and Sumiyoshi Taisha)
-Sumiyoshi Taisha
-Shinsekai
-Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street
-Shinsaibashisuji
12/7 (Nara Day Trip)
-Kōfuku-ji Temple
-Nara National Museum
-Manyo Botanical Gardens
-Shin-Yakushiji Temple
-Motomiya Shrine
-Kasuga Taisha Shrine
-Todai-ji Nigatsudo (February Hall)
-Todai-ji Nandaimon (Grand South Gate)
-Tōdai-ji
-Horyuji Temple
12/8 (Osaka Castle, Umeda and Aquarium)
-Osaka Castle
-Osaka Aquarium
-Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Street
-Umeda Sky Building
-Travel back to Tokyo this evening
12/9 (Flight home)
-Flight departs at 6pm
-Tattoo appointment at 11am
-rest of the day will be shopping around Ueno
Phew, okay so that’s the plan. Seems like a lot to me but hoping the folks here with more experience could provide some insight. Feel free to reach out with questions. We sincerely appreciate any help or advice that anyone can provide.
Thank you!