I've oversaturated myself with travel blogs and planning guides and I need a sanity check on our itinerary please! I'm (30s) taking my mom (60s) to Japan in mid-April, a first time trip to the country for the both of us, and probably her only, so I want to hit the highlights without overloading us. Plan is the classic golden route, and we're mostly focused on cultural things: gardens, shrines/temples, kimono, art, food, sake.
I've planned 4 days in Tokyo, 3 in Kyoto and 3 day trips from Kyoto: Himeji, Osaka, Uji/Nara. Flights are booked, but not hotels or other tickets yet. I have honed in on Dormy Inn hotels because of the breakfast buffet and the baths, since I don't have an onsen ryokan stay on the books. Meals aren't scheduled, I figure we'll eat breakfast at the hotel and see what resturants are around at lunch and dinner. If a neighborhood doesn't have any specific plans we'll just wander about. Mid-range budget, we can treat ourselves if we want but we're not going to Michelin starred resturants every night.
I need a sanity check that I'm not overloading us, and maybe suggestions on where to fit in a tea ceremony and Gotokuji temple.
- 10APR – Tokyo
- Arrive HND 15:25
- Check in at hotel (Dormy Inn, Kanda/Ginza?)
- Dinner
- 11APR – Tokyo
- Meji Jinju
- Harajuku
- Takashita St
- Shibuya
- Hachiko Statue
- Shibuya Scramble
- Japan Folk Craft Museum
- Yoyagi Park
- 12APR – Tokyo
- Asakusa
- Kimono Rental
- Asakusa Tourist Center(?)
- Nakamise-dori
- Senso-ji
- Kappabashi
- Asakusa
- 13APR – Tokyo
- Imperial Palace Gardens
- Ginza
- Hamarikyu (free english guided tour at 1100 on 2nd Mondays)
- Ueno
- Nezu shrine
- Ueno Park
- Ameyoko St
- 14APR – Tokyo
- Nakano Broadway (second hand kimono shopping)
- Ikebukero
- Shinjuku
- Hanazono Shrine
- Shinjuku Goyen National Garden
- Golden Gai
- 15APR – Tokyo -> Kyoto
- Akihabara?
- Shinkansen: Tokyo station -> Kyoto station, noon-ish
- Check in at hotel (Kyoto Eki Dormy Inn)
- 16APR – Kyoto
- Arashiyama bamboo forest
- Gioji temple
- Kinkaku-ji
- Nishijin textile center
- Tondaya -Nishijin Japanese Cultural Experience Museum
- Kyoto Imperial Palace
- 17APR – Kyoto
- Kiyomizu-dera
- Kimono rental
- Ninenzaka
- Gion
- Yasaka Shrine
- Nishiki market
- 18APR – Kyoto
- Fushimi Inari
- Gokonomiya shrine
- Kyoto Insider Sake tour and tasting (1300)
- 19APR – Osaka Day trip
- Osaka castle gardens
- Shitennoji temple
- Nipponbashi
- Namba yasaka shrine
- Tsuyuno Tenjinsya
- Isshin-ji temple
- Sumiyoshi taisha
- Kuromon market
- Americamura
- Dotonduri
- 20APR – Himeiji Day Trip
- Himeji Castle and grounds
- Kokoen gardens
- Miyuki shopping St.
- 21APR – Uji/Nara Day trip
- Uji
- Byuodin Temple
- Ujigami shrine
- Uji Shrine
- Byuodin shopping St
- Nara
- Todaiji temple
- Deer Park
- Kasuga shrine
- Uji
- 22APR – Kyoto-> Tokyo
- Unplanned Kyoto exploration
- Shinkansen: Kyoto to HND (Late afternoon)
- Check into hotel (Villa Fontaine Grand at T3 HND)
- 23APR – Leave
- 10:55am flight back to USA
by eclectic_slytherin72