10 Day Itinerary – First International Trip for this Couple!

Tentative Schedule for first/second week of March

This will be our first trip to Japan and out of the country in general so we are super excited and nervous! All the ! are higher priority, * are extra activities if time allows. We are big Disney people so really think we want to prioritize those two days to the parks, but willing to adjust other day trips if they seem unrealistic.

 

1.    Monday – HNL-NRT – depart 2pm & land ~7pm

Get through customs etc, activate eSIM, Check in to hotel and go to bed

·       Haneda Airport Bus to hotel ~1300Y/person ($10)

·       Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel 120,000Y 3 nights (~$800 total)

2.    Tuesday – Disney Day

·       DisneySea ALL DAY (9-9p)

3.    Wednesday – Disney Day

·       Disneyland Tokyo ALL DAY (9-9p) – Send luggage before park?

4.    Thursday – Tokyo – Kyoto

·       Shinkansen Hikari 3hr (6-9am)

o   JR Rail Pass ~ $350/person 7day

·       Kimono Rentals early appointment when arrive

o   6300Y (~40/person)

o   (Should only have overnight bag to store)

o   Return at end of day and pick up bags etc

·       Fushimi Inari / Senbon Torii 24hr

·       Kiyomizu-dera 6-6pm

·       *Yasaka Shrine!

·       *Kennin-ji – zen garden

·       *Okazaki Shrine – Bunny – fertility spot

·       Check in to Hotel

o   Prince Inn 65,000Y 3 nights (~$450 total)

Dinner in Gion district

5.    Friday – Arashiyama Day

Morning

·       Fushimi Inari / Senbon Torii 24hr

·       Keihan Main line Sanjo Staion to Fushimi Inari Station ~30min

·       Arashiyama Bamboo Forest (24hr)

o   next door Okochi Sanso Garden (9-4:30p)

·       Ranbura Bike Rental at station

o   1100-1600Y ~$12/person for full day

o   Can lock bike in designated areas?

·       Otagi Nenbutsu-ji 400Y

o   ~15min bike ride up from Arashimaya

·       Adashino Nenbutsu-ji *(9-4:30p) – temple cemetery and bamboo path

o   On the ride back down

·       Monkey Park (9-4:30p) 600Y + 20min hike up stairs

o   10min bike ride down

·       Rakusai Bamboo grove (9-5p)

Afternoon

·       Nishiki Market for Lunch/Dinner

·       Kinkaku-ji (9-5p) – 500Y

o   Golden Pavilion – good for photos before sun goes down (sunset 6pm)

o   Teahouse

o   Souvenir Shop

·       *Odori – Geisha dance

6.    Saturday – Nara Day – Send luggage before leaving?

·       Sanjo Station to Tambabashi Station then Kintetsu Kyoto line to Kintetsu Nara Station 1000-1500Y

·       Higashimuki Street

·       Todai-ji 800Y-1200Y

·       Kasuga Taisha* 700Y

o   Deer Fortune – 600Y

·       Nara Park

·       Nigatsuro & Sangatsuro?

7.    Sunday – Kyoto- Tokyo

Akihabara – Amine, Gaming, Otaku

·       Shinkansen Kyoto-Tokyo Hikari 3hr

·       Sundays – close the streets for pedestrians during day

·       Radio Kaikan

·       Kotobukya – Licensed Zelda & Studio Ghibli merch

·       Arcades – Gigo, Saito, HEY

·       Themed Café – fun décor and food items

·       Gachapon – capsule toys

·       Don Quijote

·       Jimbocho – book town

·       Tokyo Character Street- more like popular brands merch stores

·       Itoya stationary

·       *Koishikawa Korakuen – Garden/Park

·       *Hie Shrine – Fox temple with Tori gates

Asakusa

·       *Kaminaru-mon – Thunder gate w lantern

·       *Nakamise Street – (10-5p) shops on the way to temple

·       *Senso-Ji – (6:30-5p) most iconic temple here

·                   And night?

·       *Omikuji – draw fortune

·       Kappabashi – Kitchen focused shopping

·       Tokyo Skytree – (10-10p) view of Tokyo

·       *Rikugien Garden – (9-5p) outdoor garden/park

·       *Ueno Park – (5-11p) its giving Forrest Park in STL, museums and zoo as well as garden

1. Monday – Fuji Day

·       Take bus from Shinjuku Station to Kawaguchiko Station 2200Y/person

·       Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine

·       Chureito Pagoda

·       Lawson Photo

·       Boat ride

·       Bus back to city after sundown? 2200Y/person

1. Tuesday – Tokyo

Morning

Out of Town

·       Showa Memorial (Kinen) Park – (9:30-7pm)  450Y – Flower festival with tram ride 400Y around the park (50min)

·       Ghibli Museum – https://l-tike.com/st1/ghibli-en/sitetop

·                   Tickets on sale on the 10th of the month prior

·       Capybara café – https://capyneko.cafe/ reservations 30days prior

Afternoon/Evening

Shijuku

·       *Shinjuku Garden – Big and pretty and unique

·       *Hanazono Shrine – 24hr Tori Gates

·       *Shinjuku Gyoen – Park with beautiful gardens – need tickets

·       Nakano Broadway – Anime and manga focused shopping

·       *Daikanyama T-site – beautiful bookstore and cafes

·       Kabukicho – bars, clubs, nightlife, and entertainment

·       3D Cat

·       Omoide Yokocho – small spots – cash

·       Kabukicho Tower – food hall, arcade,

·       Golden Gai – microbars – more intimate

·       *Park Hyatt – from Lost in Translation

·       *Shin-Okubo – Koreatown

·       Metropolitan Government Office – free observation decks – Southern Tower better?

1. Wednesday – Flight home L NRT-HNL – 9PM Land ~9AM

Send Luggage to airport? Or Lockers at hotel/Station?

Shibuya

·       Shibuya Crossing

·                   Shibuya Mark City, Shibuya Scramble Square, Magnet By Shibuya 109

·       Shibuya Sky for beautiful view of Tokyo – Sunset?

·       Hachiko Statue for photo

·       Miyashita Park (Shopping/dining)

·       GBL – Ghibli merch

·       Cat Street – Obv cat tings

·       Shibuya Parco

o   Famous character brands merch

·       *Tower Records

o   Music and Vinyls

·       *Yoyogi Park

o   Meji Shrine

Harajuku – open ~ 11am

·       Takeshita Street – Shopping and street food

·       Kiddyland – plushies

·       Purikura – photobooth

·       Pet Cafes

Flight at 9pm, arrive at airport by 6pm 🙁