Japan in June itinerary check

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1. 2- What are your plans to fill a whole day in Shinjuku?

   3- Yoyogi is just a normal park similar to a random park anywhere. Visit Aoyama cemetery (the grave of Professor Ueno, the owner of Hachiko, is there) or Meiji Jingu Gaien instead.

   5- Tsukiji is a waste of time. You can find the same food anywhere else, without going out of your way, likely cheaper and without the crowds. Ginza is for high end shopping and most stores you’ll come by in the rest of the shopping districts you’ll visit. If you don’t need a unique store there, it’s also kinda unnecessary since it doesn’t stand out as a neighborhood.

   6- You’re going to Nagoya but not visiting Nagoya? It’s got lots of stuff to see and do in and around but without the insane crowds of Osaka. I’d drop Osaka and spend two nights in Nagoya. Instead of Osaka castle you can visit Inuyama castle, one of the 12 originals remaining, one of the 5 declared national treasures and the oldest in Japan. In the Nagoya station area, Sakae (Oasis 21, Mirai Tower, etc.) and Osu (a mix between Shimokitazawa and Akihabara) districts, which are all at walking distance from each other (there’s also public transport) you have all the shopping and food options you could possibly need. There’s even a Book Off Super Bazaar. Plus the Shike-michi Townscape Preservation District, Endo-ji Shotengai, Noritake Sqaure, Atsuta Jinja, Nabana No Sato and the Mitsui Outlet Park Jazz Dream, and countless more things.

   7- Osaka castle is just a random looking museum on the inside.

   9- Arashiyama is in Kyoto. Is there a specific reason for staying in Osaka and doing two day trips to Kyoto instead of staying in Kyoto and doing a day trip to Osaka?

   15- Be aware that it takes a long time and three different transports to get from Kiri-no-Sato to KIX.

2. Honestly? This is one of the better itineraries I’ve seen on here. Most “itinerary check” posts are basically speed-running the entire country, but this one actually has breathing room. A few thoughts though:

   **Tokyo section looks great.** Shinjuku – Harajuku/Yoyogi – Shimokitazawa – Ueno/Akihabara is a really logical flow geographically. Also Shimokitazawa with an 18-year-old is a great call. That neighborhood is basically vintage shops, cafés, music stores and cool weird little streets.

   **Day 5 might be slightly tight.** Tsukiji + Ginza + a shinkansen isn’t impossible, but Tsukiji is easy to lose track of time in because you’ll end up eating your way through the entire market. I’d just plan to head to Nagoya mid-afternoon and not overpack the morning.

   **Osaka as a base for Kyoto works**, but IMO if there’s one tweak worth considering it’s spending one night in Kyoto instead of day-tripping twice. Kyoto evenings are fantastic once the day-trip crowds disappear. Walking around Gion or Higashiyama at night feels like a completely different city.

   Otherwise this is a really balanced trip!

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