Hi all, I will be visiting Japan with two friends in the first week of march and below is the itinerary we have planned for Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Would love any feedback, comments on how feasible it is, anything we may have missed / can cut out, and tips/advice in general:
Days 1-6: Tokyo (5 nights)
1st – Shinjuku
- Planes land ~5pm
- Freshen up
- Shinjuku
- Walk around kabukicho / omoide yokoche (memory lane)
- Golden gai for bar hopping
- Free view from tokyo metropolitan tower
2nd – Harajuku/Shibuya axis
- Morning (11 AM)
- meiji shrine (best earlier to avoid crowds)
- Harajuku / takeshita street (LUNCH TIME)
- Walk around omotesando
- Shibuya
- Shibuya crossing
- Shibuya Parco for both pokemon center and JUMP shop
- Shopping / exploring side streets
- Book: Shibuya Sky for views (could be worth to try doing on the 3rd as its a lunar eclipse); tickets drop 2 weeks before date
- Tokyo tower for lunar eclipse if not?
3rd Tuesday – Northeast Tokyo
- Morning
- Senso ji temple in Asakusa
- Nearby is ueno park or rikugien gardens
- Asahi beer hall near senso ji
- Ameyoko shopping street, nakamise-dori street, and nishi-sando street all nearby
- Akihabara for card shops, games, anime stuff
4th Wednesday – Central Tokyo
- Tsukiji outer market – tons of food stalls
- Walk through ginza for shopping, stores, cafes
- Imperial palace / east garden for quick history / green break
- Go to toyosu nearby for teamlab planets
- In toyosu is also relocated tsukiji inner market for fish auctions
- Can eat/drink in and around Roppongi
5th Thursday – Mt. Fuji Day (HINGES COMPLETELY ON VISIBILITY)
- Can either go to Kawaguchiko or Hakone
- Need to figure out train tickets there and back
- Oishi park and Chureito Pagoda near kawaguchiko
- Can bike around the town
- Onsens/hot springs are here too
- Come back to Tokyo in evening, easy night in Ikebukuro
- Ikebukuro has the biggest pokemon center (mega tokyo) and animate HQ
6th Friday – Tokyo -> Kyoto
- Shinjuku national garden gyoen
- Leave as early as possible
Days 6-9: Kyoto (3 nights)
6th
- Check in, freshen up, chill
- Walk around nishiki market for street food (closes 6pm)
- Evening: Gion and Pontocho Alley
7th – temples
- Rent kimonos
- Morning: fushimi inari Taisha (red torri gates)
- Train towards Higashiyama
- Famous lane streets
- Philosophers path
- Visit kiyomizu dera + otowa waterfall
- Yasaka shrine
- Maruyama park
- Eat dinner/drink in and around or go back
8th Sunday – Arashiyama area
- Morning:
- Arashiyama bamboo grove – best to go early
- Tenryu ji temple
- Togetsukyo bridge, chill by river
- Monkey park?
- Kinkaku ji (gold pavilion) is nearby
- Jojakko ji temple
- Otagi nenbutsu ji
- Evening:
- Head back to central kyoto
9th Monday – anything else -> Osaka
- Nijo castle
- Train to Osaka (~30-45 min)
Days 9-12: Osaka (3 nights)
9th
- Check in
- Amerikamura for vintage fashion/shops
- Utsubo park
- Dotonbori & shinsaibashi for nightlife and street food
10th
- Morning
- Osaka castle
- Kuruomon ichiba market for food
- Levi denim store for custom jackets
- Hozenji yokocho temple
- Evening
- Tennoji area
- Shinsekai
11th
- Can do anything
- Team lab botanical garden?
- Spa world
- Shopping in umeda or namba
- Tenma district izakayas
12th – Osaka -> Tokyo
- Train back to Tokyo
- evening flight out
Some broad questions I have:
Will Fuji be visible early March? the websites dont seem to have forecasts out that late yet but if we want to book tickets or a tour itll have to be soon.
One friend is a pretty strict vegetarian. We know itll be hard for him but any recent experiences from vegetarians and how they handled it would be great
Besides that, anything we missed or can cut out would love to hear. Thanks!
by charye0k