JJapan Trips

First-time Japan itinerary check – 21 days in October

My husband and I are planning our first Japan trip (Oct 6-26, moderate pace) and would love feedback on our itinerary and whether the 21-day JR Pass is worth it.

TOKYO – 9 nights (Oct 6-15) – staying Shinjuku

  • Day 1 (Oct 6): Arrive Haneda evening → Shinjuku, dinner at Ichiran Ramen, optional Kabukicho stroll
  • Day 2 (Oct 7): Akihabara (Radio Kaikan, Super Potato, arcades) → Odaiba (Gundam, DiverCity), conveyor sushi dinner
  • Day 3 (Oct 8): TeamLab Planets morning → hotel rest → Shibuya Crossing + Sky at sunset, izakaya dinner
  • Day 4 (Oct 9): Full Asakusa day (Senso-ji, Nakamise Street, Skytree area), traditional tempura lunch
  • Day 5 (Oct 10): Mount Fuji/Hakone day trip (Fuji 5th Station + Lake Kawaguchi OR Hakone loop)
  • Day 6 (Oct 11): Shinjuku Gyoen → Meiji Shrine → Harajuku (Takeshita Street, Omotesando)
  • Day 7 (Oct 12): Yanaka Ginza old town → Ikebukuro (Pokémon Center, Gundam shop, Sunshine City)
  • Day 8 (Oct 13): Tokyo National Museum + Hamarikyu Gardens
  • Day 9 (Oct 14): Imperial Palace East Gardens → Ginza shopping (Ginza Six, Itoya) → final shopping, kaiseki dinner

KYOTO – 5 nights (Oct 15-20) – staying near Kyoto Station

  • Day 10 (Oct 15): Shinkansen to Kyoto, hotel check-in, Gion evening stroll
  • Day 11 (Oct 16): Full Arashiyama day (Bamboo Forest, Tenryu-ji Temple, Togetsukyo Bridge, optional monkey park)
  • Day 12 (Oct 17): Eastern Kyoto walking route (Kiyomizu-dera, tea ceremony, Higashiyama streets, Yasaka Shrine, Gion)
  • Day 13 (Oct 18): Nara day trip (Nara Park deer, Todai-ji Temple, Great Buddha), kakinoha sushi lunch
  • Day 14 (Oct 19): Early morning Fushimi Inari climb → Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion, optional Ryoan-ji

OSAKA – 5 nights (Oct 20-25) – staying Namba/Umeda

  • Day 15 (Oct 20): Train to Osaka, hotel check-in, Dotonbori street food crawl (takoyaki, okonomiyaki)
  • Day 16 (Oct 21): Osaka Castle + park → Umeda Sky Building → Shinsekai kushikatsu dinner
  • Day 17 (Oct 22): Osaka Aquarium → Tempozan Ferris Wheel → Shinsaibashi shopping → Dotonbori food crawl
  • Day 18 (Oct 23): Full day Universal Studios Japan (arrive 1hr early)
  • Day 19 (Oct 24): Day trip to Himeji Castle (1hr) OR Kobe beef lunch + harbor (30min)

DEPARTURE

  • Day 20 (Oct 25): Shinkansen back to Tokyo, final shopping or rest near airport
  • Day 21 (Oct 26): Departure from Narita

Questions:

  1. Does this pace seem reasonable for first-timers wanting moderate speed?
  2. Is 21-day JR Pass worth it for this specific itinerary?
  3. Any attractions we should skip/add?
  4. Hotel recommendations near JR stations?
  5. Restaurant recommendations?
  6. Best day for Mount Fuji weather-wise?

Thanks for any advice!

by Correct-Opinion-4857

8 comments

  2. For Tokyo, I don’t see any ‘moderate pace’ days unless you’re going to forbid yourselves to look at anything you might happen across on your ways. Yesterday, my family took trains to go to two shops we have been to before in two locations. We left home at about 8:15 AM and got back at 2:30 PM. We did not stop for lunch. Getting places takes time in Tokyo, and you’ll find fascinating things nearly every step of the way. You’re going to have busy days in Tokyo.

    Also, you might want to double check opening times for all of the places you’re planning to go. Shops open late and close early in Tokyo, and many gardens and the like with controlled entrance (*e.g.,* Shinjuku Gyouen or Meiji Shrine) close surprisingly early, usually about 30 minutes before Tokyo’s early sunsets.

    The JR pass will not be worth it.

  3. TeamLabs Planets is in Toyosu, basically right next to Odaiba. I’d swap things around on Days 2+3 so those are on the same day.

  4. 7 full days in Tokyo is a lot. I don’t think you will have full days for all of those based on what you have planned here. I would consider doing an overnight trip and staying in either Hakone or Lake Kawaguchi so you have more time to explore there. Also, Fushimi Inari and Kinkaku-ji are in opposite directions, so maybe swap something else for one of those. I think overall you have enough time to see everything here and could even consider some more side trips outside the main attractions.

  5. 21 day is ¥100,000. Google will tell you it’s about ¥15,000 one way, Tokyo to Kyoto. Make it make sense.

    Almost every hotel is near a station. Why jr specifically? If you’re talking Shinkansen then Shinagawa and Tokyo Station. Kyoto station.

  6. >and would love feedback on our itinerary and whether the 21-day JR Pass is worth it.

    Speaking bluntly, did you do *any* research on this at all?

    You have…2 Shinkansen trips on this itinerary? Those two trips cost about $180 USD. The 21-Day JR Pass costs about $675. Where is the uncertainty coming from?

    On that note:

    >Hotel recommendations near JR stations?

    Stay near **A** train station? Yes. Staying near a JR-specific station is not necessary at all.

  7. Day 19 you can do both if your time is limited and all you want to do in Himeji is just to see the castle.

     Morning Himeji Castle then Kobe Nunobiki herb garden with very nice Harbour and inland sea view and in the evening a nice wagyu dinner. If you are strapped for time, you can go up on the ropeway and descend on foot since it’s easier.

     Both are pretty much near the Himeji and Kobe train stations so you are not spending too much on the way to locations.

  8. 1. Yes, for the most part. I wouldn’t do a day trip to hakone without staying over
    2. No, never makes sense to me
    3. Skip Takeshita street, it’s stupid and is nothing special. The rest of Harajuku is a great shopping district for good designer clothes. Not sure what your interests are so I can’t recommend anything to add.
    4. Too many, just pick one that fits your budget
    5. Too many, just pick one that seems busy
    6. Wednesday

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