The best itinerary ever posted

Kidding with the title of course. Hello! I have referenced many posts & spent many hours on this itinerary so please try to be nice/constructive with your feedback. First time in Japan(and abroad!)

Excited as you can tell from itinerary for autumn leaf viewing!

Specifically looking for: logistical errors- travel times don’t add up, places not near each other,  etc. anything fun I may have overlooked while in a particular area that might fit well into the itinerary. Also, any pro tips about anything you might feel is relevant.

14 days in the country- 12 days with no flights. Nov 24th-dec 7th 2025. Staying in Akasaka.

In no particular order, leaving it fairly open to pick where we go each day in Tokyo depending on how we feel.

DAY 1: 

• Land Haneda 4pm, monorail, get food, stay up as late as possible lol

YANSEN/Nippori fabric town: (this day is still getting figured out)

• Chidoya line straight shot from hotel to Nezu Shrine -open early
• Nezu Taiyaki
• Explore Nezu area snake st, walk north thru sendagi
• Yanaka Ginza(open 10am)
• Now will be close to Nippori fabric town, but perhaps have time first for:
• Jizodori st SUGAMO / Rikugien Gardens tea house (want to see during daytime!) EZ via yamanote line
• Yamanote back to Nippori fabric town, partner sews a lot and wants a few hours to buy fabric
• Back to Rikugien Gardens via yamanote for night illuminations, last entry 7:30pm

SHINJUKU:

• Still figuring this one out, will probably just do all the classic touristy stuff. Feel free to recommend things!

IKEBUKURO:

• Shirotae bakery near hotel, open 10:30am
• Mejiro garden after (or skip and only see night illumination?)
• Pizza Borsa walk from garden (I like to pick food in advance on big shopping days)
• Walk to Sunshine 60 street
• Sunshine city
• Maybe bar libre before we go:
• Back to mejiro garden for garden illumination at night(dates/times not released yet)

KAMAKURA/ENOSHIMA:

• Early to Kamakura via yakasuka line? No transfers midway this route
• Hokokuji temple (bamboo, tea open 9am)
• Other temples near kamakura?
• sasuke inari shrine? far from bamboo one
• Komachi dori -main street
• Depart towards ENOSHIMA- takes 1 hour via the cute train
• Stop for Kamakura daibutsu -giant buddah
• Preferably arrive in Enoshima by like noonish
• All the things in Enoshima, don’t feel the need to list them all. Same as everyone
• Tōkaidō Line to Shinbashi station? Best way back?

HAKONE:

• Depart early to Hakone via romancecar? Staying in Akasaka, seems best… buy loop pass online
• leave luggage at tokyo hotel?(staying at Hakone halfway thru trip, same hotel in tokyo before & after)
• Hakone loop
• Unsure if bus from GORA will take me to hotel with the loop pass. Pass is expensive, hopefully It does. Sites arent super clear..
• Staying at “mount view Hakone” ryokan
• Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands next to ryokan before dinner

HAKONE DAY 2:

• Absolutely nothing. Chill in onsens! (My birthday!)

HAKONE day 3:

• Depart back to tokyo, check back into same hotel. Eat at restaurants near hotel & chill. Allowing another “nothing” day in the middle of the trip!

EBISU,DAIKANYAMA/MEGURO:

• Early lunch reservation Matsue Honten sushi
• Yamanote train 1 stop south to Meguro station
• Institute for Nature Study, National Museum of Nature and Science(just seeing garden)
• Teien museum next door, garden only ticket
• Hotel Gajoen Tokyo(free walkthrough)
• Shopping NORTH along meguro river
• Travelers factory nakameguro
• Walk to muji labo, daikanyama T site
• Daikanyama Log road next to spring valley brewery

SHIBUYA/HARAJUKU:

• Early to YOYOGI/meji jingu open sunrise
• Tamawarai soba near cat street(arrive early for line)
• Cat st walk north
• Studio D’artisan jeans
• Double back towards Shibuya at end of cat st
• Togo shrine? on the way? water bridge? Skip?
• Mizuko Shrine Torii is what i think above is? The pond thing with a walkway?
• Audemars Piguet experience @ AP lab, reservation in advance (prob 5pm or 6pm)
• Partner shops @ Lafloret nearby during AP experience
• Dinner, Dogenzaka area at night

ASAKUSA/AKIBA: a bit of a weird one, but I think it could work!

• Asakusa Imahan Kokusaidori Honten sukiyaki open 11:30am, prepare to wait/arrive early
• Side streets of Asakusa, skip sense-ji for now
• Mokuhankan Woodblock Print Shop
• Underground area with cute sign of mole
• Buy kimono cheap somewhere?
• Sumida park, station is near here
• TO AKIBA: via Ginza line(small sightseeing, not interested in anime lol)
• Stroll thru area from Suehirochō Sta. South
• Yodobashi: Jins glasses, daiso 7th floor
• Golf range/shop/foot massage lol 9th floor
• Floor 2: travel stuff, umbrellas, booze
• Floor 3: watches, cosmetics, nail clippers
• Food 8th floor
• BACK TO ASAKUSA:
• Senso-ji at night
• Hoppy st if not too tired

GINZA:

• Arrive Tokyo station 9AM
• Lots of shopping in tokyo station
• travelers factory -tokyo station-10AM open
• Gogo curry in front of tokyo station- 11am open (easy on long day, maybe tablet)
• In order: Montbell, then Uniqlo, GU, Itoya, Muji, PLST (will skip some if needed)
• Sushiro(have app for reservation) (easy on long day, has tablet)
• Uomaru Honten is nextdoor, cool looking at night, its next to:
• Hibiya station- walk to shinbashi at night seems cool from reddit recommendation
• Izekaya in Shinbashi

SHIMOKITAZAWA:

• Katsuo Shokudo breakfast in Shibuya
• gotokuji temple
• Train to Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory
• walk to from shiro-hige/bonus track area to shimokitazawa
• Shops, cafes, maybe early night

LAST DAY:

• Depart Haneda 5:30pm, Cab from hotel in Akasaka to shinbashi & then monorail? Will have suitcases of souvenirs by now & want to be courteous. I read you can take luggage on monorail.

Thanks for reading!