My partner and I are travelling to Japan in a few weeks and have more or less finalised our itinerary. We are mid-thirties, in decent shape and are city people so we're not too worried about being overwhelmed. I'm vegetarian and he eats everything and is excited for the sushi situation. We'd love feedback on our itinerary – is there anything we're missing, or anything on here that's not worth our time?
Day 1: Arrive around 11:00. Hotel check-in in Shinjuku at 13:00. Reservation at Shinjuku Sky at 15:20, which we know is a bit tight but we were limited for the sunset slots. Cocktails at Bar Trench and dinner reservation at Tofu Cuisine Sorano Shibuya.
Day 2: Shinjuku/Harajuku. Godzilla statue, Omoide Yokocho, Shinjuku National Garden, Festa Design Gallery, Cat Street, Purikura, maybe some daytime karaoke. Return to hotel around 15:00 to freshen up and drop bags, then do Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Park before a baseball game at Meiji stadium. Golden Gai for dinner/bar-hopping. (Possible hit list: Open Book, Bar Benfidditch, Kiya).
Day 3: Toying with the possibility of a sumo experience which feels quite touristy but also something that can't be done anywhere else. Relatively free day but we have a reservation at The Bellwood in the evening. Might go to Yokohama?
Day 4: Forward luggage to Kyoto and pack light for two nights in Hiroshima. Shinkansen booked to arrive in Hiroshima around lunchtime. Do the park, see the Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Castle if there's time and the Memorial Museum.
Day 5: Miyajima island.
Day 6: Shinkansen booked for Kyoto. Arrive around lunchtime. We're meeting up with some friends in the afternoon/evening who are also on holiday at that time so we're planning to go bar-hopping/do some karaoke etc.
Day 7: Get up early and do Kiyomizu-dera temple. Sannenzaka Slope and Ninenzaka. In the afternoon visit the Silver Pavilion and walk the Philosopher's Path. Evening Gear Theatre.
Day 8: Nara day trip. I used an itinerary someone else posted for this which includes a nice walk around, Yoshikien Garden, Todaiji, Nandaimon, possible hike at Mt Wakakusa.
Day 9: Osaka day trip. See the castle (but I've heard don't bother going inside). Okonomiyaki for lunch (or maybe Toyo but is it a bit Instagrammy?). Dotonburi in the evening. Apparently there's a place called 'Do With Cafe' that does drag every night, so might check that out.
Day 10: Get up early and go to Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and then the monkey park. Okochi Sanso Garden. Lunch reservation at the Tenryuji Temple Shigetsu. Return to Kyoto. Maruyama Park/Yasaka Shrine.
Day 11: Either day trip to Kobe (Nunobiki Ropeway, Harborland and Meriken Park) or more time in Kyoto – will probably play by ear.
Day 12: Shinkansen to Tokyo. Lunch at T's TanTan at the station before checking in to hotel. Senso-ji and Akasura. Kappabashi Street for souvenirs. Dinner at Bon at 18:30.
Day 13: Relatively free today today – lunch at Saido.
Day 14: Fuji/Hakone tour via Klook.
Day 15: Fly home.
If you got to the bottom, thank you in advance!
by ItWasLoveAt1stSight