I’ll be going from December 26th to Jan 8th to Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo. I’ve never been to Japan before. I’m going with my Dad and stepmom, and the trip is for my birthday and therefore I am responsible for choosing a lot of what we do. My stepmom emailed me a huge list of recommendations that she compiled, a lot of it is recommendations from her friends that have been there before. I’m having a really hard time choosing stuff from this list and was hoping for some help. I’ll copy and paste the email here. If anyone can help me narrow this down and make some decisions, or if you have any other recommendations that aren’t on this list I’d really appreciate it.
Osaka 12/26/25 – 12/29/25 Mitsui garden -hotel
Dotonbori, Osaka Castle Park, Shinsekai, and Kuromon Market. Dinners than museum hopping.
Kyoto 12/30/25 – 1/1/26 Park Hyatt
Fushimi Inari, Kinkaku-ji, and Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Gion tea houses or Nishiki Market. Use one day for a Nara or Uji day trip
Kyoto Trip
1st day
● Sanjusangendo Temple
● Kiyomizu dera
● Ninenzaka
● Yasaka Shrine
● (Option) Heian Jingu Shrine
● (Option) Ginkakuji
2nd day
● Kyoto Imperial Palace
● Kinkakuji
● (Option) Ryoanji
● Nijo Castle
● (Option) Nishi Honganji
● Higashi Honganji
3rd day
● Fushimi Inari Taisha
● (Option) Byodo in Hoodo
Extra
● Arashiyama Trolley Train
● Toei Kyoto Studio park
● Kyoto Tower
● Kyoto Station
Tokyo 1/3/26 1/8/26- Hyatt centric in Ginza hotel(Airport limousine)
Shibuya, Asakusa, Shinjuku, and Odaiba. Take a day trip to Mt. Fuji or Hakone for nature and hot springs. Visit the local Gotokuji Temple (“lucky cat” shrine) or Ueno Ameyoko Market for old Tokyo charm and there is also Disneyland. All the recommendations say visit temples in the morning because it's not as busy.
1st day
● Sensouji Kaminarimon
● Sensouji
● (Option) Kappa bashi dougugai Kitchen town (Japanese Knife and kitchen item)
● Sky Tree (eat)
● Ueno Ameyoko shopping street (eat & drink)
2nd day
● Toyosu market (eat)
● Team Lab Planets (you need to buy ticket ahead)
● Odaiba Marine park
● Unicorn Gundam and around (eat)
● (Option) Fuji Television network
3rd day
● Yasukuni Shrine and Syuyukan
● Imperial Palace
● (Option) Kabukiza (if you want to watch Kabuki and able to get ticket)
● (Option) Tsukiji outer market (eat)
● (Option) Tsukiji Honganji
● (Option) Ginza
● Tokyo Tower
● (Option) Roppongi (eat & drink)
4th day
● Meiji Jingu
● Takeshita Street and Omotesando (eat)
● Shibuya Scramble Crossing
● Shibuya
● Sinjyuku Kabukicho (night life eat & drink)
5th day or 1st day (you can look at first and see the plan you like)
● Hato bus Tour Hatobus.com
5th day
● Nikko Tosyogu
● (Option) Kagon Water fall
● (Option) Kinugawa Onsen (need to book hotel)
by 9inchbigtoe