JJapan Trips

Tokyo & Kyoto next week! Itinerary check

  • August 25, 2025

I'm arriving in Tokyo on 09/03 at 3:30 pm; my partner arrives early morning on 09/06 and this is what we've planned so far:

  • DAY 1- Arrive in Tokyo @ 3:30 pm
    • Staying in the Toranomon area near Tokyo Tower for one night.
    • Not much planned this day besides a walk to Hie Shrine and Akasaka neighborhood and early dinner.
  • DAY 2:
    • Tokyo Tower early in the morning since it's within walking distance
    • Mori Art Museum
    • Travel to Asakusa for Hotel #2; enjoy dinner nearby and explore the area
  • DAY 3:
    • Senso-ji Temple and Nakamise-dori
    • Reservation at Kirby Cafe
    • Explore Yanaka neighborhood
    • Travel to Shinjuku for Hotel #3
  • DAY 4:
    • Early morning: partner arrives at Shinjuku station
    • Explore area (Godzilla head, 3D Cat cross)
    • Walk over to Gyoen National Park to help partner to adapt to jetlag
    • Samurai Restaurant show at 4:30PM
    • Metropolitan Government Building observatory
  • DAY 5:
    • Tsujiki Fish Market in the morning (should we get a guided tour here?)
    • Hamarikyu Gardens for tea
    • From there take Sumida River Cruise to Asakusa
    • Partner gets to see Asakusa; dinner there or head back to Shinjuku for a night out (Golden Gai or similar)
  • DAY 6:
    • Harajuku & Cat Street
    • Explore Shibuja
    • Hatchiko Gate, Miyashita Park, Shibuja Crossing
    • Shibuja Sky reservation at 8:20 PM
  • DAY 7:
    • Travel to Kyoto
    • Kamigamo Temple
    • Explore Gion area (hotel is in Gion)
    • Nishiki Market
  • DAY 8:
    • Morning TBD
    • Nintendo Museum at 2:30P
    • Fushimi Inari + Tori Gates
  • DAY 9:
    • Early morning to visit Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Tenryu-ji Temple.
    • Golden Pavilion + Kiyomizu-dera Temple
    • Higashiyama District
  • DAY 10:
    • Travel to Kinosai Onsen
    • Spend all day in the onsen
  • DAY 11:
    • Travel back to Tokyo
    • Accommodation #6 in Ginza
    • Akihabara
  • DAY 11:
    • Back to Haneda (11 am flight)

I think there is plenty of room for improvement, specially the Kyoto part. I'd like to include some more experiences (tea ceremony, cooking class, sumo training). I think some days seems too light in activities while others pretty packed. Anything you would drop from this itinerary?

Thanks!

by gbladr

3 comments

  2. Wait.. three hotels in three days in the same city? That’s a first.

    Day 9 is ambitious, all of that is far from each other. Travel time eats into it.

  3. Wow that is a lot. I like to book hotels with onsens or with at least a soaking tub in the room, it helps after a long day of walking all over the place. And for your day 11, assuming there is a day 12 for departure from HND, you can take some things from earlier in the itinerary and do them on day 11. Also, if you have Priority Pass, get to HND early to explore the airport, they also have a 24/7 rooftop onsen.

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