First Trip to Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo) 20 Day Itinerary

As a longtime lurker of this subreddit I appreciate all of the inspiration and discussion shared by this community. I hope this post may lead to some inspiration, and that any guidance shared in the comments of this post may help other too.
I am planning a trip for roughly 3 weeks from mid-march to early April 2024. This trip will mainly be solo, though I do have a few friends there who I may join join some days.
**About me**:
I am a semi-active male in my late twenties. I know some very basic Japanese words. I am really excited about seeing the historic architecture like temples and castles, natural areas like gardens, and the city views from skyscrapers or streets lined with colorful storefronts. I can also geek out over techie experiences, like immersive rides or virtual reality experiences. I am really looking forward to trying a lot of foods that are not readily available at home. I would enjoy opportunities to socialize. I would usually prefer to stay sober; Though, I could be comfortable with one drink if it is required to be somewhere.
**Flight**:
I intend to fly in and out of Narita airport.
**Trains**:
I do not plan to get the JR Pass. I will take this train from Tokyo to Osaka, and from Kyoto to Tokyo. I do not believe this, and the other shorter train and bus rides covered, would outweigh the cost.
**Flexibility**:
I am comfortable moving days around for anything that doesn’t require prior reservation. I have also tried to keep at least one low priority day per area in case of bad weather or if something else were to come up.
**Hotels**:
In Tokyo, I plan to stay at a hotel in Akihabara.
In Osaka, I plan to stay in a hotel close to Dotonbori St.
In Kyoto, I plan to stay in a hotel in the Nakagyo ward.

**Questions**:

* For bars that have a minimum drink limit, is there a common non-alcoholic drink that can be ordered to satisfy this requirement?
* Are there any bars or social spots you would recommend visiting?
* Do you have any recommendations for safe and welcoming environments for dancing?
* Are Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto good cities to just walk in a direction and adventure in? This would be for both safety, and points of interest.
* Do you have any good food recommendations for the areas I will be visiting?

**Trip****:**

**Day 1**: Travel to Tokyo

* Fly into Narita
* Setup e-SIM
* Ship luggage to hotel
* Travel to hotel
* Have a meal

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**Day 2:** Akihabara – Arcades

* Recover from jet-lag
* Myojin Otoko-zaka shrine
* GiGo Arcades
* Food: Gyukatsu Ichi Ni San, Sushiro, Roast Beef Ono
* Window shopping: Mandarake, Super Potato
* Social/Night life: Monster hunter bar, Tokyo Video Gamers, Cheerz

​

**Day 3**: Ginza

* Imperial Palace
* Teamlab Borderless
* Food: Sushi no mudori, Hakata Ramen Akanoren
* Cotton Club Jazz bar

​

**Day 4**: Ghibli and Shibuya

* Ghibli Museum
* Shibuya window shopping
* Food: Please let me know any of your must tries!
* Sunset Shibuya Sky

​

**Day 5**: Shinjuku – Kabukicho

* Yoyogi Park and Meiji Jingu
* VRZone arcade
* Robot Restaurant
* Walk through golden Gai and piss alley
* Dessert at new york bar

​

**Day 6**: Travel to Osaka

* Take the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka
* Food: Ichiran ramen, Dotonbori street food
* Teamlab botanical gardens

**Day 7**: Dotonbori

* Free day. Food, Walking Exploration
* Please feel free to share some of your favorite street foods I should try!
* Pablo Cheese tart, Fukutaro okinomiyake, street food
* Space station bar

**Day 8**: Himeji and Umeda

* Travel to see Himeji Castle
* Explore Himeji and Umeda.
* If you have any good food or local experiences to suggest in this area please share!
* Umeda Sky for sunset

​

**Day 9**: Universal Studios Japan (USJ)

* Mainly here for Nintendo World. Harry Potter world would be interesting to see if there is time.

**Day 10**: Den Den Town and Shinsekai

* Osaka Castle
* Den Den Town
* Abeno Harukas Sunset
* Travel to Shinsekai
* Kushikatsu dinner

**Day 11**: Travel to Kyoto

* Take the train to Kyoto
* Gyoen National Garden

​

**Day 12**: Maruyama, Kiyomizudera

* Nanzen-ji, Shoren-in, Chion-in, Daishoro
* Maruyama park, Yasaka Jinja Shrine
* Kiyomizudera sunset
* Dinner in Gion

**Day 13**: Kyoto – Nature

* Tenru-ji
* Bamboo Grove, Sagano Train,
* Hazugawa River Cruise
* Watahan Oyesters, Nishiki Market
* Kiyomochidori
* Dinner at Pontocho alley
* Blue Note Jazz

**Day 14**: Ghibli + Kabuki

* Ghibli Park – The Grand Warehouse and maybe a brief walk through another exhibit.
* Kabuki theatre Minazami

**Day 15**: Fushimi-Inari and Free Explore

* Fushimi Inari. I intend to go all the way up and possibly stop at any points of interest on the way.
* Free exploration. Please share any worthwhile foods and activities local to Kyoto that you enjoy!

​

**Day 16**: Nara

* Todai-ji temple
* Deer Park
* Take a trail to Uguisu waterfall
* Follow trails to other shrines

​

**Day 17**: Travel to Tokyo

* Take the Shinkansen back to Tokyo
* Check in to hotel in Akihabara.

​

**Day 18**: Asakusa / Sumida

* Senso-ji temple
* Pokemon Center Skytree
* Sunset in Skytree

​

**Day 19**: Odaiba

* Odaiba,
* Diver city mall,
* Teamlab Planets
* National Art Museum

​

**Day 20**: Travel Home

* Head to Narita Airport

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Thank you for reading! If you have any sites of interest, activities, or suggestions I am eager to hear them!

1 comment
  1. What you’ve got scheduled for Tokyo and environs looks fine and feasible on the face of it, but be aware that the school year ends on about 20 March and begins anew in the first week of April. Expect places like amusement parks and other things that appeal to younger people to be jammed. (Our family never schedules any trips to such places in that period because we know it’s going to be too crowded to enjoy.)

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