Hello,
I will be going to Japan for the first time with my 62-year-old mother and my sister. I have tried to compile the things we want to do by area, but I am open to tips or suggestions. My mother has some health issues that may impact walking super long distances. Does my current itinerary seem doable? I am also worried about whether we have too much/too little scheduled on some days. Any suggestions on what to do in some of the places? We already have our flights and hotels booked, but certain places could be changed. And any additional first-time tips would be greatly appreciated. All of us love anime and Japanese food/culture, and I personally like stationery too, so any great places would be wholeheartedly appreciated
Day 1: 12/16
Arrive at Narita around 6 PM
Go to our hotel near Tokyo Station
Day 2: 12/17
Travel to Kyoto
Check into accommodations in Kuzeoyabucho, Kyoto (unsure of location relative to things)
Go to the Gion District/walk about
Rent a kimono and visit Kiyomizu Temple
Eat dinner in Pontocho Alley ( is this recommended?)
Evening Stroll around the Kamogawa River
Day 3: 12/18
See Kyoto's traditional Starbucks ( is it worth it? We would like the signature mugs, but are unsure of the crowds)
visit kinkakuji
do a mai-ko tea ceremon
Visit the international manga museum (kinda on the fence, idk if it's worth it)
Day 4: 12/19
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest (I saw a post mention that you have to use a rickshaw to see the whole area? My family is on the larger size, would this work?)
See the togetukyo bride
monkey park
Eat at Rilakkuma Sabo Cafe (has anyone gone? Does this need bookings?)
ninja experience
Day 5: 12/20
Day trip to Nara (any recommendations of other things to do, idk how long the stuff we have planned would take)
Visit Nara Park
See todai-ji temple and kasuga taisha shrine
Day 6: 12/21
Visit Fushimi Inari Shrine
Kyoto Imperial Palace
Ginkaku-ji garden (are the gardens still green/worth visiting this time of the year?)
Kyoto handicraft center
Pokémon center
Nintendo Kyoto
Stop by the Aeon Mall for souvenirs (unless other places are recommended for buying in Kyoto)
Funaoka onsen
Day 7: 12/22
Travel to Osaka and check in at Suminoe Ward accommodations
cup noodles museum
Visit osak castle
Pokemon Center Osaka/Pokemon cafe (if we can get a booking)
amerika-mura (is this worth going to?)
dontonbori
Day 8: 12/23
Full day at Universal Studios
Day 9: 12/24
day trip to Nagoya for Ghibli Park (if anyone has gone, is this doable in one day?)
Also, any other suggestions for Nagoya, since we will be there most of the day, I'm unsure what else to do?
Day 10: 12/25
Kaiyukan aquarium (unsure since it might be busy, but my mother loves aquariums…)
Tempozan marketplace and Ferris wheel (I saw conflicting info if the Ferris wheel is still there/working?)
Santa Maria sightseeing cruise
Umeda Sky Building
Grand Front Osaka Souvenirs (again, unsure if this is the best place for souvenir shopping?)
Day 11: 12/26
go to fujiyoshida ryokan
oishi park
Mt. Fuji panoramic ropeway
Day 12: 12/27
Fuji Q Highland (unsure how long this will take, my mom LOVES Naruto, but due to age might not be able to ride many of the rides)
chureito pagoda
day 13: 12/28 (this day I'm unsure of/would love recommendations)
travel to hakone
Yunessun spa resort (my family is kinda shy, and if we don't have the courage for an onsen before this, we would like to go because you can wear swimsuits)
stop by hakone shrine at lake ashi
Go to Tokyo and check into accommodations in Iidabashi (we don't know if we should just go to Tokyo first or keep the day trip to Hakone?)
day 14: 12/29
go to ikebukuro sunshine city
pokemon center mega tokyo
namja town
Travel to Mitaka for Ghibli Museum (if able to get tickets) (also, is going in the afternoon okay? I heard some say some food, etc, sells out by then)
inokashira park
Day 15: 12/30
imperial palace
akasaka palace
go to shinjuku
Take a picture of Godzilla's head (we honestly don't have anything exclusive here, but my mom is the biggest Godzilla fan, if anyone has any other suggestions/places to see Godzilla would appreciated it)
mandarake
Day 16: 12/31
Super unsure of this day since New Year's is a big holiday? I've seen posts that many places in Tokyo are open on the eve, but unsure
Go to Takeshita Street and Kiddyland (any other day, I should swap with this?)
Visit Haute couture cafe (I've seen mixed reviews, is this worth it? I like Qpot, but unsure if it's closer?)
Koishikawa Korakuen Garden
Day 17: 1/1
I want to go fukubukuro shopping, but unsure if it's okay for tourists to go? Also any anything else to do on New Year's Day? We don't want to go to the hatsumod,e but many places seem to be closed?
Day 18: 1/2
See the Shibuya Crossing
pokemon center shibuya
go to ueno zoo and park
go to ameyoko market
teamlab borderless
Day 19: 1/3
skytree and solamachi mall
Kirby cafe (if possible to get reservations)
go to odaiba
gundam base and diver city
immersive fort toyko
teamlabs planets
night views of Rainbow Bridge
Day 20: 1/4
unsure of what to do in the morning
In the evening, head to Yomiurland for winter illuminations
Day 21: 1/5
Head to Narita and spend time at the airport/nearby area until the flights
by InformalPick8066
2 comments
Is relative mobility also an issue in addition to the distance? Just asking because getting to Kiyomizudera isn’t the most stable walk. Either a pretty good sized incline or the streets of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka aren’t the smoothest (rocks, it’s rocks).
The Starbucks you’re referring to on day 3 is in Ninenzaka which is in front of Kiyomizudera.
Day 6 is probably too much. Fushimi Inari is a hike.
Day 7 is also probably too much because of how far things are. The cup noodle museum is pretty far from central Osaka and you have to travel from Kyoto first and you have to drop your luggage first.
Day 13, no way would I try to travel to Hakone, do Hakone then move onto Tokyo in one day. You also need slower days sprinkled in here somewhere.
Day 16, Takeshita Dori is fantastic place to get claustrophobia.
I think you’re vastly underestimating the time it takes to get from place to place. Like fujiyoshida to Hakone is already 3+ hours.
Also underestimating how much go go go you or especially your mother can handle. A few days is probably fine but 20 straight is going to get rough, fast. I would need a few more slower days in between all of the amusement parks, day trips, long train rides and I’m not 62.
You’ve listed quite a few places same days that are not directly close by, it’s worth focusing on 1-2 activities per day to be safe and keep the rest as suggestions. Give yourself the option to chill out all afternoon when you’re tired or sit in a cute cafe for 2 hours.
For instance your hotel in Kyoto is 1h+ from most of the places you want to visit (Arashiyama, Fushimi Inari, Nara…) then Fushimi Inari is 35min from Imperial Palace and Ginkakujicho is another 35min from there by bus, then you need to return to your hotel 1h30 away. I wouldn’t want to do them all same day, in fact I did Fushimi at sunrise, walked around Gion, had lunch, and collapsed at 2pm for the day mid-trip lol
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