Good day,
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Just wanted to see what you guys thoughts are on my itinerary for my second trip to Japan.
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For context, I’ve already done most of the touristy things in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, all places im returning to on my itinerary. Apologies if its a bit wordy and time specific, I have a tendency to plan in a very detailed way.
Thank you,
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March 24th Sunday
16:15 Depart for Haneda Airport, Tokyo
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March 25th Monday
18:45 Arrive in Haneda Airport Terminal 2. (If accepted by Japan as a Trusted Traveler, go through the E-Gate instead of waiting in line for regular customs). Recharge Suica Card with 15,000 yen, Pick up JR Passes, activate eSIM, and Go to hotel via city line train.
21:00 Arrive at Hotel. Buy stuff at Family Mart for breakfast tomorrow.
22:00 Go to bed
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March 26th Tuesday
* Tokyo
07:00 Wake up
08:00 Go to Sumida Park Cherry blossoms. Grab a coffee.
08:15 Arrive
09:30 Go to Ueno Park for Cherry Blossom festival
09:45 Arrive. Also go to Tokyo National Museum (Buy tickets February 1st)
13:30 Have lunch anywhere
14:30 Go to Chidorigafuchi Park for Cherry Blossoms
15:00 Arrive
16:00 Go to Meguro River Cherry Blossoms Promenade
16:45 Arrive. Walk along the Meguro River, eat dinner somewhere, and then walk to Bar Trench
19:00 Arrive. (Walk in, no reso)
22:00 Head back to hotel
22:45 Arrive
23:30 Go to sleep
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March 27th Wednesday
* Tokyo – Yokohama
07:30 Wake up
08:30 Go to Nippon Maru Memorial Park (Use Suica, take local trains)
09:30 Arrive. Walk through park, then Go to Yokohama Landmark Tower – The Sky Garden (Book tickets via Klook on March 2nd) // Have lunch.
12:30 Walk past Yokohama Cosmo World Ferris Wheel via Kisha-michi Promenade, then browse in Red Brick Warehouse (Shopping center)
13:45 Go to Yamashita Park (Cherry Blossoms) // Check out NYK Hikawa Maru
15:30 Go to Gundam Factory Yokohama (Buy tickets Feb 15th)
16:30 Go to Yokohama Chinatown. Have dinner anywhere.
18:45 Catch train to Bar High Five (No Reso)
20:00 Arrive
23:00 Go to hotel
00:00 Go to bed
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March 28th Thursday
* Tokyo
08:00 Wake up
08:45 Go to Kichijoji Station to visit Inokashira Park
09:30 Arrive. Explore Inokashira Park (Cherry Blossoms) and then go to Ghibli museum.
11:00 Enter Ghibli Museum (Make reservation February 9th 2024)
13:00 Have lunch in Straw Hat Café (Ghibli)
14:00 Go to Shinjuku national garden for cherry blossoms
14:50 Arrive
16:30 Go to Harajuku
17:00 Arrive. Walk around Harajuku, then walk to Shibuya, the Scramble Crossing, Scramble Square, have dinner, then go to SG Club (Right by Crossing).
19:30 SG Club (Bar) (Book a 19:30 Reservation one month in advance on February 29th)
22:00 Go back to hotel
23:00 Arrive
00:00 Go to bed
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March 29th Friday
* Tokyo – Kamekura and Enoshima
08:00 Wake up
08:45 Go to Enoshima Island.
10:30 Arrive. Eat lunch at Enoshima Uomi-tei, Explore the Enoshima Iwaya Caves, then go up Sea Candle, explore Cocking Garden, enjoy island.
13:30 Go to Kamakura Hasedera
14:30 Arrive
15:30 Go to Kotoku-in
16:30 Go to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu. Walk by Kamakura Yuigahama Beach along way. Also explore Komachi-dori Street on the way. Check out “Dankazura” street for Cherry Blossoms. Dive into Toshimaya Honten for some sweets if time permits.
17:45 Arrive
19:15 Have dinner at Mother’s of Kamakura
20:30 Go back to hotel
22:00 Arrive
23:00 Go to bed
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March 30th Saturday
* Hakone
Activate Digital Hakone Freepass (Buy On March 1st via Odakyu)
07:00 Wake up
08:00 Check out of hotel. Head to Hakone Open Air Museum (Buy ticket March 1st via Asoview) via Romance Car and Hakonetozan line.
10:45 Arrive. Put bags in Coin Locker
13:00 Go to Hakone Venetian Glass Museum / Glass Forest (Book tickets Feb 1st)
13:30 Arrive.
15:15 Head to Mount View Hakone. Check in, and Try to reserve private Onsen.
15:30 Check in, get settled in room, enjoy private Onsen, maybe public onsen, have dinner, then go for a moonlit stroll in the neighborhood.
22:00 Go to bed
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March 31st Sunday
* Hakone
Takayama-Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass Begins for 5 days (Buy via JR West on March 1st)
06:00 Wake up
07:00 Have Breakfast
08:00 Check out of hotel. Do Hakone Loop. Go to Gora Station
08:45 Arrive. Go to Gora Park
10:15 Eat at COFFEE CAMP and have Latte
11:30 Take ropeway to Togendai. Stop at Owakudani for the view and buy some Black Eggs
12:30 Arrive. Take pirate ship to Hakone-machi
13:15 Walk through Hakone Checkpoint to Onshi-Hakone Park, then head up Old Tokaido Road.
14:30 Head to Hakone Shrine
15:00 Arrive.
15:45 Go to Odawara station
17:00 Arrive. At Odawara Station, use a JR Central station ticket machine or ticket office marked with ‘5489’ to receive tickets for Shinkansen to Nagoya. Buy dinner before getting on Shinkansen. (Make sure to book a Shinkansen ticket Odawara – Nagoya March 1st. via Smart Ex or JR West)
18:00 Head to Nagoya
19:15 Arrive.
20:15 Catch Hida line (Reserve seats March 1st) to Takayama.
23:00 Arrive. Check in at Spa Hotel Alpina Hida Takayama (Enjoy the top floor bath)
00:00 Go to bed
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April 1st Monday
* Takayama
08:00 Wake up
09:00 Have Breakfast
10:00 Go to Miyagama morning markets
10:15 Arrive
11:00 Walk down Takayama Old Town (Sanmachi Historical Houses Preserved Area) to Takayama Jinya.
12:30 Arrive. Remember to take off shoes.
14:00 Head to Hida Folk Village
15:00 Arrive
17:00 Head back to Takayama Old Town and have dinner at Kyōya for Hida Beef (Make reservation March 1st)
(If you have plenty of time left over, consider Higashiyama Walking Course to the Takayama Castle)
22:00 Go to bed
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April 2nd Tuesday
* Takayama / Kanezawa
06:00 Wake up
07:00 Have Breakfast
07:45 Check out of hotel. Go to Shirakawa-go (For reserving seats on bus to Shirakawa-go, free with Takayama-Hokuriku Area pass: (JPN/ENG: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM) – Nohi Bus: (+81) 577-32-1688 – Hokutetsu Bus: (+81) 76-234-0123. Reserve on March 3rd)
09:16 Arrive. Have lunch somewhere. Check out town, observation deck, open air museum.
12:15 Catch bus to Daiwa Roynet Hotel KANAZAWA-MIYABI hotel in Kanezawa. (For reserving seats on bus to Kanazawa, free with Takayama-Hokuriku Area pass: (JPN/ENG: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM) – Nohi Bus: (+81) 577-32-1688 – Hokutetsu Bus: (+81) 76-234-0123. Reserve on March 3rd)
14:00 Arrive. Check out Tsuzumi-mon Gate by station. Try to check in to hotel, otherwise Drop off bag.
14:15 Go to Gyokuseninmaru Garden in Kanazawa Castle Park (Cherry Blossoms here), see Hashizume-mon Gate and Gyokusen-inmaru Park within castle park, Go to Oyama Shrine
17:00 Go to Jiyuken for dinner. Walk through Kazuemachi Chaya District and Higashi Chaya District on way
20:30 Head back to hotel
22:00 Go to bed
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April 3rd Wednesday
* Kanezawa / Kyoto
06:00 Wake up
07:00 Have Breakfast
08:00 Check out of hotel. Then put bag in coin locker in Kanazawa station. Don’t forget it. Then go to Kenroku-en Garden (Cherry Blossoms here).
08:45 Arrive. Pay for entry on arrival.
11:15 Walk down Edomachi-dori Street, then Walk by D.T Suzuki Museum
11:45 Go to 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art (Don’t purchase entrance, just enjoy the outside art pieces)
12:15 Go to Nomura-ke Samurai Residence (Pay when you arrive) and Walk through Naga-Machi District. Have lunch at a Lawson or somewhere else.
15:45 Head to Kanazawa Station
16:15 Arrive at Kanazawa Station. Buy Bento or something for Dinner on the Thunderbird Train. (Reserve tickets for Thunderbird Train via JR West for free with rail pass on March 6th)
16:45 Go to Toyoko Inn Kyoto Nijojo Minami in Kyoto. Have dinner on train.
20:00 Arrive
21:00 Go to bed
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April 4th Thursday
* Kyoto / Osaka
05:00 Wake up
06:30 Have breakfast
07:00 Go to Universal Studios in Osaka (Super Nintendo Land, Wizarding world) (Book ticket on Feb 4th. Consider getting fast pass to see more rides!). Also reserve train seat to Osaka for free via JR West on March 4th.
08:00 Arrive
09:00 Doors open. (Closes at 21:00)
19:00 – 21:00 Go to Mustang, Cherry Bomb, Zerro, or Bar Nyuta, explore Osaka nightlife areas.
23:15 Go back to Kyoto. (Reserve a train seat for free with rail pass on March 4th)
00:00 Arrive
01:00 Go to bed
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April 5th Friday
* Kyoto
08:00 Wake up (Only if able. Consider sleeping in)
08:30 Have Breakfast. Then go back to room
09:00 Breakfast ends. Get ready for day.
09:30 Go to Nishiki Market. Have lunch while there
09:45 Arrive
11:15 Go to Kyoto Art Theater for Kyo Odori.
12:15 Arrive (Performance starts at 12:30. Book tickets February 6 2024)
13:15 Go to \_\_\_\_\_ for lunch
14:45 Head to Kamishichiken Kabukai for Kitano Odori
15:50 Arrive. (16:00 Kitano Odori Performance starts. Book tickets January 10 2024)
17:30 Go to Maruyama Park, then walk to Yasaka-jinja, then Gion (Shimbashi-dori), then walk along Kamogawa River until getting to L’Escamoteur (Consider arriving earlier). Have dinner on the way.
20:00 L’Escamoteur
??? Head back to hotel and head to bed. Maybe go to other bars like rock ing bar
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April 6th Saturday
* Kyoto
09:00 Wake up (Have Breakfast if wake up early)
10:00 Go to Higashiyama Jisho-ji. Consider entering, if not, continuing with hiking left and behind the temple. Then walk south, passing other temples, then walk along the Philosophers path by the canal, Nanzen-ji Temple and the surrounding hiking area, then proceed to walk along the Keage Incline (Cherry Blossoms) then end up in the Gion District eventually. Avoid walking through Maruyama Park this time, instead walking adjacent to the Kyoto City Zoo, and walking through the Gion area from the north. Have lunch somewhere along the way. Consider grabbing a beer and relaxing by Kamogawa River before Gion.
16:20 Enter Gion Corner for Miyako Odori. (Book tickets between January and march 2024. Performance starts at 16:40)
18:00 Go back to hotel. Buy food at LAWSON and have dinner in room. Get ready for flight tomorrow, and check in for flight if able.
19:00 Arrive back at hotel
20:45 Go to bed
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April 7th Sunday
* Sapporo
04:45 Wake up
05:30 Check out of Hotel. Then head to ITM Airport. Do online check in for flight on the way using the ANA App
07:30 Arrive. Ensure Online check in is complete, as E – Ticket will be used to get through security and to board the plane. Be in boarding area no later than 08:20
08:30 Catch Flight to Sapporo (Ticket booked, on phone. Boarding pass displayed after check in via ANA App.)
10:15 Arrive. Go to Hotel in Sapporo via Airport Limousine bus (Use Suica to pay onboard)
11:30 Arrive. Check in bag. Go to Shiroi Koibito Park
12:30 Arrive. Explore park and factory, have lunch at Café.
14:30 Go to Maruyama Park and Hokkaido Jinju Shrine
15:00 Arrive
16:45 Head to Mt. Moiwa Ropeway
17:30 Arrive. Go up Ropeway to Mt. Moiwa (Buy round trip ticket on arrival)
18:30 Eat dinner at top at Jewels Restaurant at the top, make reservation February 1st
20:00 Head to Susukino to explore night life. Walk along Odori Park and the inner city along the way (Clock Tower, TV Tower, and Underground Mall etc.)
21:00 Grab drinks at: ミッチーズ（Ｍｉｃｃｉ’ｓ）for a drink, then maybe RAD BROTHERS, Bearfoot, Beer Inn Mugishutei
23:30 Head back to hotel. Buy breakfast for tomorrow from Lawson or Familymart near hotel
00:15 Go to bed.
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April 8th Monday
* Sapporo / Otaru
JR East South Hokkaido Pass for 6 days begins today (Purchase via JR East website on March 8th. Reserve seats on all trains needed between today and end of validity)
08:15 Wake up
09:15 Head to Sapporo Station.
09:45 Catch JR lines direct to Yoichi and visit Nikka Whiskey Distillery. (Reserve tour on March 8th NIKKA ) (Also reserve train seats on March 8th via JR East)
11:20 Arrive
12:00 Tour Begins
13:10 Enjoy some Whiskey tasting. Have lunch at RITA‘S KITCHEN at the distillery
15:00 Head to Otaru. (Either catch a bus or the Hakodate Line, depending on what time you leave. Reserve seats for the train)
16:12 Arrive. Walk through town, checking out The Bank of Japan Otaru Museum (Free, closes at 5PM), then the Otaru Music Box Museum (Closes at 6PM).
18:00 Eat and drink at Otaru Beer Otaru Warehouse No.1
19:30 Catch a cruise through the canals (Reserve ticket on February 8th night cruise)
20:10 After cruise, wander about, and enjoy the town. If bored, grab train back early and drink in Sapporo.
21:45 Catch Train back from Otaru Station (Reserve seat if able March 8th)
23:00 Arrive
00:00 Go to bed
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April 9th Tuesday
* Hakodate
08:00 Wake up
08:45 Check out of hotel, Travel to Hotel in Hakodate. Buy Lunch before boarding Shinkansen. (Reserve seat on Shinkansen via JR East on March 9th)
13:45 Arrive. Drop off bag. Begin walking down the Bay area towards Mt. Hakodate, then explore Motomachi area, walking up Hachiman-Zaka Slope.
16:30 Go to Mt Hakodate up Ropeway
16:45 Arrive. Explore mountain area
18:15 Watch the sunset from the Observatory
18:45 Head to Hotel. Grab supper at a Lawson on the way (One right by hotel). Once at hotel, relax.
23:00 Go to bed
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April 10th Wednesday
* Hakodate
07:00 Wake up
08:00 Have Breakfast
09:30 Check out of hotel. Leave bag in coin locker in Hakodate Station.
10:00 Go to The Morning Markets
11:30 Go to Goryōkaku Ruins (Yanagino Castle Ruins) and also go up Goryōkaku Tower (Buy admission once there). Have lunch while there. Make sure to leave for Hakodate Station by 15:30
Consider Onuma Quasi-National Park if enough time.
15:30 Depart for Hakodate Station
16:15 Arrive. Get bag from Coin locker, buy dinner for Shinkansen ride, then catch train to Shin-Hakodate Station, then catch Shinkansen to Sendai. (Reserve seats via JR East on March 10th)
20:00 Arrive. Check in at Hotel.
21:30 Go to bed
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April 11th Thursday
* Sendai
06:00 Wake up
06:45 Have Breakfast
07:30 Go to Shiogama to ride Ferry to Matsushima Bay
08:30 Arrive. Catch cruise from Shiogama to Matsushima at 09:00 (Reservation made online)
10:00 Walk around Matsushima Bay, check out Fukuurajima island. Have lunch somewhere
13:30 Head to Zuihōden Temple
15:00 Arrive. Stop and Make reservation for Ben Fidditch tomorrow (Try for time between 7 and 8 PM)
16:30 Walk over to Sendai Castle Ruins
18:00 Head to Kuranosho for dinner. Book reservation for 19:00 online on March 11th.
19:00 Arrive
20:45 Head back to hotel
21:00 Arrive at hotel
22:00 Go to bed
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April 12th Friday
* Yamadera / Tokyo
06:00 Wake up
07:00 Have breakfast.
08:00 Check out of hotel. Go to Yamadera Station
09:30 Arrive. Go up 1,015 stone steps of Yamadera, Rissyakuji Temple, enjoy area.
14:00 Go back to Tokyo. Check in at hotel
17:45 Arrive
18:45 Go to Ben Fidditch for drinks.
19:00 – 20:00 Ben Fidditch (Book one day prior reservation for 19:30)
23:30 Go back to hotel
00:10 Arrive
01:00 Go to bed
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April 13th Saturday
* Tokyo
08:30 Wake up. Check in to flight on ANA App
09:30 Head to Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter (Book tickets via official website on November 1st)
10:15 Arrive.
18:00 Go to Haneda Airport Terminal 2 (Use Suica, take city liners. Make sure to confirm that it is Terminal 2)
21:55 Catch Flight back to Vancouver