Hi everyone,
I'm heading solo to Japan for the first time in mid October and looking for advice or feedback on my itinerary, as there's quite a bit of travel involved. If anyone's done a similar route, please share your experience. Activities recommendations are also very welcome (not into shrines/temples/gondolas or amusement parks).
Day 1:
Land at Narita 3pm
Get Suica card and load with yen (Android phone so no app for me)
Skyliner/Yamanote line to Tokyo station-area hotel
Dinner/early bedtime to fight jetlag
Day 2:
Early Shinkansen to Nagoya Station (1.5 hours)
Shinano Express to Nakatsugawa Station (50 min)
Bus to Magome-juku (25 min), lunch, explore a few hours (try gohei mochi, kurikinton (chestnut) treats, soba), northern viewpoint lookout, groceries for next day's Narai-juku rental
Bus to Tsumago-juku (35 min, the hike between them has been reported as anywhere from 1.5-4 hours, so I'm not risking it) and explore until 4pm when everything shuts down
Walk to Ryokan ~20 minutes out of town
Day 3:
Breakfast at Ryokan
Bus and Chou train line to Narai-juku
Lunch and shopping (Laquerware, combs, silk pouches, etc)
Stay overnight in Narai-juku
Day 4:
Train(s) to Odawara Station ~3.5 hours
Shuttle from station to hotel in Hakone (prebooked)
Lunch
Explore Lake Ashinoko north end trails
Dinner at hotel
Day 5:
Breakfast at hotel
Pirateship cruise and Hakone Checkpoint (museum)
3:30pm shuttle from hotel to Odawara station, train to Tokyo from there
Arrive in Asakusa, check into hotel
Dinner
Nighttime Senso-ji visit
Day 6:
Breakfast and combini sampling
Nakamise Dori and Kon'nan Dori, lunch
Shopping at upcycled kimono shops in Asakusa
Train to Ueno
Tokyo National Museum
Dinner
Train back to Asakusa
Day 7:
Train to Shinjuku, shop vintage watch stores
Lunch
Train to Harajuku/Omotesando for vintage luxury shopping
Train to Ginza hotel
Day 8:
Nezu Museum
Azabudai Hills Mall
Shopping/cafe-hopping in Ginza
Day 9:
Tsukiji Market
Train to Narita
Flight home
Thank you!
by MsAnnThroppe