My partner and I are heading to Japan in November and I’m so excited! I am looking for feedback on the amount of things we have planned (too much or too little?), and suggestions for how to optimize our time in each neighborhood / city to be efficient and enjoyable. We don’t like to rush around too much which is why we are only staying in a few hotels as opposed to packing up and moving every day.
We love eating and shopping for vintage and streetwear but also love nature and hiking and want to strike a good balance between both.
**Thurs, November 9 – TOKYO**
Land at Narita airport at 6pm
Take train to Shinjuku Station
Check into The Knot Tokyo Shinjuku
Walk to Udon Shin for dinner
**Fri, November 10 – TOKYO**
Shimokitazawa for vintage shopping, coffee and lunch
Ginkgo Avenue to see autumn leaves
Night and dinner in Shinjuku / Golden Gai
**Sat, November 11 – TOKYO**
Yoyogi Park
Harajuku shopping
Maguro-to-shari for lunch
Shibuya Scramble
Udagawachō
Shopping in Shibuya
Kaiten Sushi
**Sun, November 12 – NIKKO**
Head to Nikko from Shinjuku (Express train from Shinjuku or train from Asakusa?)
Nikko Toshogu
Shinkyo Bridge
Nikkozan Rinnoji temple
Nikko Futarasan Jinja
Kanmangafuchi Abyss
Head back to Shinjuku
**Mon, November 13 – TOKYO**
Tsukiji Outer Market
Hamarikyu Gardens
Shopping in Ginza (BEAMS, Dover St. Market, Kapital)
Shopping in Roppongi
Butagumi Shokudo
**Tues, November 14 – KYOTO**
Check out of Tokyo hotel and take train to Kyoto
Get picked up in shuttle at Hanazono Station at 4pm
Check into Momiji-ya Annex Kawa-no-lori (ryokan in mountains outside of city)
Check out river, temples and pathways near ryokan
Dinner at hotel at 6pm
**Weds, November 15 – KYOTO**
Kiyomizu-dera
Higashiyama Ward
Gion Corner
Hanamikoji Street
Pontocho
Nishiki Market
Philosopher’s Path
Back to hotel for dinner by 6pm
**Thurs, November 16 16 – KYOTO**
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Togetsukyo Bridge
Sagano Romance Train
Arashiyama Monkey Park
Back to hotel for dinner by 6pm
**Fri, November 17 – OSAKA**
Check out of Kyoto hotel and take train to Osaka
Check into Osaka Airbnb
America-mura vintage shopping
Shinsaibashi-Suji shopping
Dotonburi
**Sat, November 18 – OSAKA – My boyfriends bday!**
Osaka Castle Park
Nakazaki for vintage shopping
Namba Yasaka Jinja
Nipponbashi Denden Town
Shinsekai
teamLab Botanical Garden Osaka
**Sun, November 19 – NARA**
Train from Osaka to Nara
Higashimuki Shopping Street
Nakatanidou – mochi making
Kofuku-ji Temple
Nara Park
Kasuga Taisha Shrine
Head back to Osaka
**Mon, November 20 – OSAKA**
Minoh Park
Minoh Falls
Gyukatsu Motomura
Kuromon Ichiba Market
**Tues, November 21 – OSAKA**
Universal Studios Osaka
**Weds, November 22 – TOKYO**
Check out of Osaka hotel and train to Tokyo
Check into hotel in Asakusa
Senso-ji temple
Nakamise-dori Street
Tokyo Skytree
**Thurs, November 23 – TOKYO**
Akihabara
Ameyoko shopping street
Ueno Park
**Fri, November 24 – HEAD HOME**
Do anything we didn’t have time for/anything we saw that interested us throughout the trip
Flight home at 6pm
12 comments
Akihabara opens really late between 11 am and noon. You’re probably better off starting the day at Ueno park and leaving Akihabara for last.
If you’d like something else to do in Arashiyama I really recommend checking out the northern end. We started by taxiing from the station up the hill to Otagi Nenbutsu-ji (the taxi trip is short and only costs 1000-2000 yen if I remember) and walked down through the Saga Toriimoto preserved street (a beautiful little traditional street with a few shops), eventually ending at the popular bamboo area/bridge. Otagi Nenbutsu-ji ended up being one of my favourite temple visits. On the way down you will pass by another temple, Adashino Nenbutsu-ji, which contains a lovely little bamboo area that we enjoyed much more than the popular bamboo grove due to how empty it was.
We did the northern area quite early in the day and it was a very quiet walk with only a few others in the area. As we came down to the bamboo grove and bridge area we were met with big crowds and did not enjoy this area quite as much because of that.
Oh shoot I’ll be in Kyoto/Osaka the same days you will be basically? AND going to a bunch of temples/shrines.. who knows… we may pass each other like ships in the night haha.
My birthday is the 16th so we’re going up to a little ryokan outside of Osaka so high five to your BF almost birthday twins!
By the way, I’ve been to the Shinjuku location for Gyukatsu Motomura back in 2019 and it was SO GOOD I am so excited to eat it again in Kansai!!
You may be a little early for maximum fall foliage. We’re going end of November and it looks a little more promising for us.
https://n-kishou.com/corp/news-contents/autumn/?lang=en
Love all the shopping!! I’m going later this month and I have a lot of the same spots planned! I’m so excited for the thrifting/vintage shopping and also the nicer streetwear/luxury stores 🙂
It looks like you’re staying at the Kyoto ryokan for 3 nights, and having dinner there every night. It looks gorgeous, but 3 nights can be too much. Minor part is the food may get repetitive. I’d be more worried about travel time though. It looks like the ryokan is about ~1hr away from Nishiki Market or ~1.5hrs away from Philosopher’s Path (Ginkaku-ji end), assuming you’re taking public transit. Your Nov 15 would be pretty tight. I know switching hotels is a hassle, but maybe consider something like:
– **Nov 14** get to Kyoto, head to ryokan, explore around ryokan
– **Nov 15** Arashiyama area, stay at ryokan
– **Nov 16** move to hotel close to Kyoto station, explore Kiyomizu/Higashiyama/Gion/etc
– **Nov 17** Explore Fushimi Inari (or Higashi Hongan-ji if you don’t want to go far out) before check out, have breakfast, then head to Osaka
Without having to hustle 1hr to Kyoto Station on the morning of the 17th, you could see a bit more of Kyoto. Just a suggestion though – totally understand if switching hotels is a huge pita for you.
Ginkgo Avenue will be closer to peak colors late Nov/Dec (11/27-12/8). I’d consider switching it to one of your later Tokyo days.
I would hit up Nara before osaka so as to not backtrack.
You are in for a treat with the Momijiya ryokan! One of the highlights of my last trip. I do think staying there all three nights might be a little restrictive in terms of travel time, but there is a bus station next to the temple you can walk to. Speaking of which, I highly recommend that temple! You can throw plates off the side of the mountain for good luck, and the fall colors were beautiful. You should also take advantage of the proximity to Kinkakuji to get there early before all the tourists arrive.
Because of the above, Nov 15th probably isn’t doable unless you’re willing to forgo dinner. It will take about an hour to get to Higashiyama by bus. Not sure about taxi, but a taxi will be expensive. Cost might not be an object though if you’re doing three nights at Momijiya!
Only other recommendation is to move your Nikko day up as much as possible. The fall colors fade faster there, and peak more in late October.
Your itinerary sounds so lovely!
Were going to be in Japan the same time as you (but for 5 weeks for maximum autumn foliage viewing 😅)!
A lot of temples and shrines in Kyoto do night time illuminations during peak momiji season and they are so incredibly beautiful and have such a different feel at night than during the day. I recommend sneaking one or two into your Kyoto stay (were doing Kibune, Kiyomizu and Eikando this trip). Also make sure you add Eikando to your Philosophers Path trek – the autumn foliage there is spectacular!
Hope you have the best time! 😊🩷
Nov 16: I recommend going to umahori in the morning and taking the romantic train back to arashiyama, then you have the rest of the day to do the arashiyama stuffs
Wow, I’m also visiting during some of your dates. From my research, there are nighttime illuminations in Nara and quite a few around Kyoto. Some I saved there are Eikando, Shoren-in, Kodaiji, and Kiyomizu-dera temples. The first night for Kiyomizu-dera is the 18th through. We will also be in Arashiyama on the 16th. Have you booked the Romance train yet? It was one that is recommended to reserve in advance. Bon voyage!