JJapan Trips

14 day Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka itinerary, anything key missing?

  • August 24, 2025

Day 1 – Land at Narita get to hotel
Day 2- Shibuya crossing, senso-Ji temple, shopping
Day 3- Disneyland
Day 4- Teamlabs borderless and planets and Tokyo sky tree
Day 5 – day trip to Mount Fuji
Day 6- free day in Tokyo for walking around/shopping, imperial palace, maybe hop on hop off bus
Day 7- Train to Kyoto
Day 8 – arashiyama bamboo grove, fushimi inari shrine, maybe kiyomizu dera
Day 9- day trip to nara, todai Ji and nara park
Day 10- train to Osaka, Osaka castle
Day 11- world expo and shopping
Day 12 – universal studios
Day 13 – umeda sky building/free time
Day 14- fly out of Osaka (late flight so time to do things during the day)

What is this itinerary missing in your opinion? Is there anything not worth doing? My partner is also pregnant or we’d probably have a more intensive itinerary to cover a lot more

Thank you in advance for any suggestions or opinions

by cjbri4

5 comments

  1. I always suggest doing your shopping LAST, just so you don’t blow your budget before doing all you want to do, and less worry of luggage logistics. And honestly, you can find almost everything you want in Osaka rather than Tokio, so that’s one advice.

    * Day 1: no comments.
    * Day 2: If you’re doing Shibuya + Kaminarimon (Senso-ji), you might as well move SkyTree to this day; you’re already going to Asakusa for Senso-ji, take advantage of that. Id’ throw in Yoyogi Park/Meiji Shrine, do a full circle around Tokio on the Yamanote Line, or you’ll just waste a lot of time going to opposite ends of Tokio.
    * Day 3: No comments.
    * Day 4: You could add the Unicorn Gundam in the Tokyo bay and Zojo-ji and Tokio Tower, you’re already on the area and have time.
    * Day 5: What are you exactly planning? Hiking? I hope not, at least not with a pregnant woman. Also, the hiking season is only on summer, and you’ll need to rent a car. I suggest you reconsider and change it for a day trip to Kawaguchi Lake, where you can see mount Fuji (It’s one of the Fuji 5 Lakes).
    * Day 6: The imperial palace is skippable, tbh, and I see little benefit on the hop-on bus, It’ll basically take you where you’ve already been to. I’d suggest dedicate this day to only shopping.
    * Day 7: The bullet train to Kyoto is less than 4h, you have half a day to still add stuff.
    * Day 8: Reconsider. Fushimi Inari with a pregnant woman is more than too much, unless you are just gonna go to the main entrance and not go up. If that’s your plan, then better skip it alltogether. Also, Arashiyama, Fushimi Inari and Kiyomizu are on extreme opposites of the city, you’ll waste at least 1h moving to each one, and given that shrines and temples close at 5pm, it’s a waste of your morning. Take your Day 13 free day and add another one to Kyoto. If you don’t, then skip arashiyama and fushimi inari, and just focus on the Higashiyama side of Kioto (Kiyomizudera, Kennin-ji, Sanjusangendo, Kodai-ji, Ryozen Kannon). Less extenuating, more to see.
    * Day 9: No comments.
    * Day 10: Too little in Osaka. Add the Osaka Castle, and Namba/Shinsekai for the evening, at the very least. Abeno Harukas has a free observatory that I’d suggest over Umeda Sky.
    * Day 11: No comments except the suggestion that you move the shopping to Day 13.
    * Day 12: No comments.
    * Day 13: I’d suggest using this free day and putting as a buffer between day 11 and 12, give yourselves a rest. Go to an onsen. Specially with a pregnant woman. This schedule is already packed as is for a person in good physical condition.

    As a whole, I’d shave off activities where possible, adding more break days or at least only morning activities and evening breaks. Depending how advanced the pregnancy, she’ll be able to do at most half of this, because it’s TOO MUCH WALKING.

  2. Don’t be hesitant to use uber/taxis when possible. People say it’s expensive, but i did not find it that bad. Especially considering your wife is prego.Not sure how far a long the pregnancy is but the itin involves walking A LOT,and lots of stairs. When using public transportation avoid the rush hours

    Senso-ji temple is not that far from sky tree, would group those together. Add some chill/relaxing days your going to need it

  5. If you like “old” Japan (temples, shrines, castles, palaces, gardens, performing arts, maiko-san, etc.), spend as much time in Kyoto as possible. You could spend weeks sightseeing in Kyoto without getting bored. You can cut out other plans to make more time for Kyoto. If you ask me, I’ll give you a list of must-see sights in Kyoto.

    Tokyo Disneyland is almost the same as Disneyland in Anaheim, so it seems like a waste of time to me. The lines can be long, and miserable in summer heat. Asakusa Shrine and Senso-ji Temple is a fun area with souvenir stands and restaurants. The other commenter is right that the Imperial Palace in Tokyo isn’t much to see.

    Kamakura near Tokyo is also interesting for “old” Japan, but it might be redundant with Kyoto and Nara.

    I thought Osaka Castle was disappointing–Himeji Castle is much better.

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