Hello everyone! I am trying to plan my trip to Japan in early April and would love to hear your thoughts on my itinerary. I'm worried I've either overpacked or underpacked some of my days, and would love any suggestions you might have to help optimize my itinerary. They are listed loosely in the order I'd like to do them. I also have a few days where I am not sure what else to do in the area, so if you have any suggestions I would love to hear them.
Also, I was wondering if with this itinerary, would it be better if I stayed in Kyoto instead of Osaka?
This is my first overseas trip with my significant other. Thank you!
Landing in HND at 4:15pm: plan to just explore the surrounding area
First full day: Harajuku, Shibuya
Hamarikyu gardens (hotel close by)
Meji jingu shrine
Yoyogi park
Harajuku shopping
Shibuya: shopping + pokemon center
Shibuya sky – sunset time?
Day 2: Shinjuku, Ikebukuro
Tsukiji fish market in the morning
Shinjuku gyeon park
Shinjuku shopping
Ikebukuro (sunshine city, exploring card stores near by)
Day 3: Asakusa, Ueno, Ginza
Asakusa: Sensoji temple, nakamise, appabashi
Ueno: ueno park, Ameyoko shopping
Tokyo sky tree + Pokemon center
Ginza: flagship stores
Day 4: Fujikawaguchiko (Hotel near Ropeway)
Planning to take earliest bus or train out to arrive around 10am.
Chureito pagoda
Bike around Lake – oshii park would be the turn around point
Panoramic Ropeway
(I have to be back for kaiseki dinner at 6pm, is this doable?)
Day 5: Osaka (hotel hear Dotonburi)
Shopping: Ebisu bashi-suji, Shinsaibashi suji
End with Dotonbori and ebisu ferris wheel
Day 6: Osaka
Osaka castle
Kuromon market
Nipponbashi shopping street
Namba parks
Sennichimae doguysuji shopping street
Umeda shopping
Umeda sky building
Day 7: Kyoto – Uji
Byodo-in temple + surrounding areas
Nintendo museum – reservation at 3pm
Daikichiyama Observation Deck?
\***Suggestions?
Day 8: Kyoto – Higashiyama, Gion, downtown Kyoto
Fushimi inari + sennyu ji temple
Higashiyama + gion area
Nishiki market
Downtown Kyoto shopping + Glanta rings
End at night back at yasaka shrine + maruyama park
Day 9: Kyoto (Arashiyama) + Osaka day
Kyoto imperial palace + gardens
Nijo castle
Arashiyama explore
\***Suggestions: back to Osaka or stay in Kyoto?
Day 10: Tokyo – Odaiba, Akihabara (hotel near akasaka)
Divercity plaza + unicorn gundam
Tokyo station
Explore Akihabara
***Suggestions?
Day 11: Tokyo: Free day
Tokyo tower?
**Suggestions?
Day 12: final day, leaving from HND at 3:15pm
Chill and relax
by 97baobuns