Hi all! 👋 (I used AI to plan so far but I want real advice)
I’ll be in Japan this December with my dad (his first time, my second — I only did Tokyo last time). I already have my flights booked in/out of Narita, but I’m very flexible with the order of things. The only fixed plan is Hiroshima on Dec 8 because I’m going to an NJPW show at Sun Plaza Hall.
I’m looking for advice/tips on:
Whether my order of cities makes sense (avoiding too much backtracking if possible).
If the JR Pass is worth it in my case — last time I just had a Tokyo Subway Pass and it was enough, but I’ve heard JR isn’t always a good deal anymore.
Alternative Hiroshima ideas that aren’t just the heavy WWII history (I respect it, but not as interested this trip).
Ways to make it more “experience-heavy” (temples, old Japan, maybe a samurai-related thing, some kind of traditional music/theater) instead of just shopping.
Any tips for avoiding crowds on the Golden Route.
Budget-friendly tweaks.
Here’s my rough itinerary (trying to balance the Golden Route highlights with efficiency):
🇯🇵 Day 1: Friday, Dec 5 – Arrival in Tokyo
Land at Narita, Skyliner to Ueno/Shibuya area.
Evening: quick explore + ramen/izakaya dinner.
Overnight: Tokyo
🗼 Day 2: Saturday, Dec 6 – Tokyo (Tradition + City Life)
Morning: Senso-ji & Nakamise-dori.
Afternoon: Ueno or Akihabara.
Evening: Shibuya Crossing + Hachiko + izakaya.
Overnight: Tokyo
🏯 Day 3: Sunday, Dec 7 – Kyoto (Temples, Golden Pavilion & Gion)
Shinkansen to Kyoto.
Fushimi Inari, Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), Kiyomizu-dera, Gion District.
Evening: traditional dinner in Kyoto.
Overnight: Kyoto
🕊️ Day 4: Monday, Dec 8 – Hiroshima (Show Night)
Morning: Train to Hiroshima.
Daytime: Peace Park + Okonomiyaki.
Evening: NJPW show at Sun Plaza Hall.
Overnight: Hiroshima
🦌 Day 5: Tuesday, Dec 9 – Nara & Osaka
Morning: Train to Nara → Nara Park deer, Todai-ji (Great Buddha).
Afternoon: Osaka Castle.
Evening: Dotonbori street food crawl.
Overnight: Osaka
🥩 Day 6: Wednesday, Dec 10 – Kobe + Return to Tokyo
Morning: Osaka → Kobe. Harborland + Kobe beef lunch.
Afternoon: Shinkansen to Tokyo.
Evening: Odaiba / teamLab Borderless.
Overnight: Tokyo
🎭 Day 7: Thursday, Dec 11 – Tokyo (Culture + Tech)
Morning: maybe side trip (Kamakura?) or more Tokyo temples.
Afternoon: Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (free observatory).
Evening: Traditional show (Kabuki, martial arts, Noh).
Overnight: Tokyo
🛫 Day 8: Friday, Dec 12 – Departure
If time: Naritasan Temple near the airport.
Flight home.
💡 Extra context:
I value experiences over shopping but wouldn’t mind a tiny bit of shopping sprinkled in.
This trip is a “make up for last time” (since I only did Tokyo before).
Budget-friendly is good — but I want to prioritize memorable things over pure savings.
Open to interesting alternatives if there are less touristy but still cool options along the route.
Thanks in advance! 🙏 Any tweaks, efficiency tips, or experience suggestions would be amazing.
by mintplantdaddy