Hey everyone!
I’m heading to Japan this April for about two and a half weeks, splitting my time between Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo, with a few side trips in between. I tried to keep things balanced while still making it doable, though I know the pace is going to be pretty quick. For context, I’m used to walking 15 to 20k+ steps a day.
We’re a group of four (two couples), and our travel to and from Japan will take about 27 hours on average each way. I’d love to hear your thoughts on our itinerary and the free days I left open. Any recommendations, whether it’s restaurants, activities, or even full-day swaps, are more than welcome.
Also, I’d like your opinion on Day 04. I found two tours that look really interesting, but I’m not sure which one would be better.
I know I’m probably overplanned, but I’d rather have everything ready for this once in a lifetime trip than lose time deciding on the day or end up zigzagging around.
We’re also planning to bring around 1,000,000 yen per couple, but hotels, plane tickets, Shinkansen, and any advance-entry tickets will already be prepaid. Do you guys think this will be enough to cover food, tickets, and extras during the trip? I'm perfectly fine if I come back with a lot of it.
02/04 – Thursday – Hotel Area
- Arrive at Haneda at 15:00
- Check-in at hotel in Nihonbashi
- Stop at 7-Eleven for a quick snack
- Explore neighborhood
- HANDS Tokyo Store (goshuincho & stationery)
- Walk around Tokyo Station
- Dinner around Tokyo Station or hotel
03/04 – Friday – Asakusa & Odaiba
- Kaminarimon
- Nakamise Shopping Street:
- Yoroshi Cosmetics
- Kibidango Azuma
- Kagetsudō Kaminarimon
- Sakai Kokodo Ukiyoe Gallery
- Ginkado
- Asakusa Strawberry Daifuku
- Chacha Futatsume
- Senso-ji Hozomon Gate
- Senso-ji Temple
- Asakusa Shrine
- Hikan Inari-jinja Shrine
- Tokyo Cruise to Odaiba Marine Park
- Aqua City Odaiba for lunch (probably Tokyo Ramen Kokugikan Mai)
- Unicorn Gundam
- Walk towards Small Worlds Miniature Museum
- TeamLab Planets Tokyo DMM
- Tokyo Skytree for night view
- Dinner near Skytree (probably Yakitori Hideyoshi Oshiage)
04/04 – Saturday – Option A: Mount Fuji Area Tour (Kawaguchiko)
- Go to Stand T to meet group tour
- Lake Kawaguchiko
- Oishi Park
- Kawaguchiko Natural Loving Centre
- Lawson Fujikawaguchiko Town Hall
- Oshino Hakkai
- Arakurayama Sengen Park
- Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine
- Return to Stand T
- Dinner near hotel
04/04 – Saturday – Option B: Mount Fuji Area Tour (Hakone)
- Go to Shin-Marunouchi Building to meet group tour
- Hakone Shrine
- Hakone Pirate Ship Togendai Port
- Togendai Station General Information Center
- Owaku-dani Valley
- Lake Yamanaka
- Oshino Hakkai
- Return to Shin-Marunouchi Building
- Dinner near hotel
05/04 – Sunday – Ginza & Minato
- Art Aquarium Museum
- Age.3 Ginza (sandwiches)
- Ginza Loft
- Hamarikyu Gardens (rest of morning/early afternoon)
- Zojoji Temple
- Walk up Tokyo Tower
- TeamLab Borderless: Mori Building Digital ART Museum
- Tokyo City View or Sky Lounge Stellar Garden for drinks
06/04 – Monday – Kamakura & Yokohama
- Arrive at Kamakura Station
- Grab something to eat at the station
- Kamakura Shrine Gate
- Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū
- Myohon-ji Temple
- Lunch at Soba Bar Fukuya
- Walk towards Hasedera Temple while exploring Yuigahama-Odori Ave
- Kōtoku-in (Great Buddha)
- Hike towards Itsuki Garden
- Zeniarai Benzaiten Shrine
- Hike back down to Kamakura Station
- If time permits, go to Yokohama and have dinner at Chinatown
07/04 – Tuesday – Osaka
- Check-out of the hotel super early
- Travel to Osaka via Shinkansen (Eat bentos on the train for a very early breakfast)
- Check-in hotel in Shinsaibashi
- Go to Kuromon Market for brunch
- Osaka Castle
- Nishinomaru Garden
-
Go back to Dotonburi
- Rikuro’s Namba
- Takoyaki Juhachiban Dotonbori
- Creo-Ru Takoyaki & Okonomiyaki Dotonbori
-
Tombori River Cruise (Tazaemon Bridge Pier)
-
Eat Dinner at Okonomiyaki Mizuno
08/04 – Wednesday – Kyoto – Eastern
- Go to Kiyomizu-dera
- Go through Tainai Meguri
- Walk around Sannenzaka
- Take pictures of Hōkan-ji Temple
- Yasaka Kōshin-dõ Temple
- Ninenzaka
- Kodaiji Temple
- Yasaka Shrine
- Heian Jingu Shrine
- Keage Incline
- Nanzen-ji
- Eat Lunch in the Philosopher’s Path
- Ginkakuicho
- Eat dinner near the hotel
09/04 – Thursday – Kyoto – Arashiyama
- Go super early to Arashiyama Station
- Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
- Tenryu-ji
- Togetsukyō Bridge
- Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama
- Jojakkoji Temple
- Giõji Temple
- Eat lunch at Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street
- Otagi nenbutsuji Temple
- Daikaku-ji Temple
- Go back to Osaka and eat dinner near the hotel
10/04 – Friday – Kyoto – Fushimi Inari
- Go super early to avoid crowds to Fushimi Inari Taisha, we want to climb to the top of it, eat snacks on the trail
- Eat lunch at Chao Chao Gyoza – Sanjo Kiyamachi
- Visit Nijō Castle
- Watch a dance presented by a Maiko/Geiko
- Shop Around at Fuyacho-dori
- Tea Ceremony with komonos
- Night Tour through Gion
11/04 – Saturday – Osaka – Universal Studios
- Wake up early and spend the day at Universal Studios, looking forward to the Harry Potter and Nintendo World areas
12/04 – Sunday – Himeji & Kobe
- Go to Himeji via Shinkansen
- Visit Himeji Castle
- Walk through the Koko-en Garden
- Eat Lunch at Menme
- Get a train to Kobe
- Nunobiki Herb Gardens & Ropeway
- Eat dinner at Chinatown Nankin-machi
- Walk around Harborland or Times Meriken Park
- Go back to the hotel
13/04 – Monday – Nara
- Eat breakfast near Kintetsu-Nara Station
- Eat at Kakinohazushi Hiraso Todaiji
- Watch the mochi being made at Nakatanidou
- Kōfuku-ji
- Walk around Nara Park and feed the deer
- Kasugataisha Shrine
- Eat a late lunch at Mizuya Chaya
- Tōdai-ji
- Explore Higashimuki and Sanjo-dori Shopping Streets
14/04 – Tuesday – Osaka or Kyoto – Free Day
- A free day to enjoy anything we miss and explore any areas that we wish we did before
15/04 – Wednesday – Shinjuku
- Check-out of the hotel super early
- Travel to Tokyo via Shinkansen (Once again eat bentos on the train for a very early breakfast)
- Check-in hotel in Ikebukuro
- Explore Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
- Go to TOKYU (Kabukicho Tower) for lunch
- Visit Godzilla head and 3D CAT while exploring the area
- Go to Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation deck
- Go to Don Quijote Shinjuku Kabukicho
- Go back to the hotel and explore the area if there is time or just grab a quick dinner
16/04 – Thursday – Shibuya & Harajuku
- Travel to Harajuku
- Visit Meiji Shrine
- Walk around Yoyogi Park
- Go to mipig Café Harajuku (My wife always wanted to pet a pig)
- Walk along Takeshita Street
- Grab a crêpe at Marion Crêpes Takeshita Street
- Try big chips at Gamaro Gang Jung
- Have lunch at Henry’s Burger Harajuku
- Walk to Shibuya Scramble Crossing and Hachiko Square
- Buy souvenirs at Shibuya Souvenir Store
- Try 10 yen cheese coin bread (I know its more for the experience)
- Visit Pokemon Center Shibuya, Nintendo Tokyo, Jump Shop Shibuya Parco, and Capcom Store Tokyo for goodies
- Walk down Spain-zaka Slope
- Go up Shibuya Sky for sunset view
- Have dinner at Kura Sushi Shibuya Ekimae
- Return to hotel
17/04 – Friday – Free day & Buffer
- Like Osaka a free day to enjoy anything we missed and explore any areas that we wish we did before
18/04 – Saturday – Free day & Buffer
- Free day as well
19/04 – Sunday – Ueno & Akihabara
- Start the day at Ueno Park for a morning stroll
- Buy a jacket at Ōkuma Shōkai
- Eat lunch at Ichiran Ramen Ueno
- Go to Akihabara
- Akihabara Gachapon Hall
- Don Quijote Akihabara
- Animate Akihabara
- Mandarake Complex
- Super Potato Akihabara Branch
- AmiAmi
- Akihabara Radio Kaikan
- Times Yodobashi Akiba
- Eat dinner at Sushiro Akihabara
- Return to hotel
20/04 – Monday – Sunshine City & Airport
- Finish Packing
- Buy any last minute gachopons or items in the area
- Go to airport, eat lunch and walk around until time to board
- Plane leaves at 17:30
Once again, I really appreciate all the help, and I know its a long post.
by ItchyEvidence5553