JJapan Trips

[Itinerary Check] 11 Days in Japan (Dec 24 – Jan 3) – Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima. Need advice, especially on Dec 30th!

  • November 26, 2025

Hi everyone,

We are traveling to Japan from December 24th to January 3rd. We have most of our major activities booked, but I wanted to get a sanity check on the feasibility of the travel times and see if we are missing anything obvious.

Who we are: [Insert details here, e.g., 2 Adults and an 8-year-old child]

Status of Bookings: The following are confirmed and booked, so we cannot move these dates:

  • Pokémon Cafe (Dec 24)
  • DisneySea (Dec 25)
  • teamLab Borderless (Dec 26)
  • Universal Studios Japan (Dec 28)
  • Mt. Fuji/Hakone Private Tour (Jan 1)

The Itinerary:

Dec 24: Arrival in Tokyo

  • Morning: Land at Haneda (6:00 AM), clear customs, and transfer to Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay.
  • Mid-Day: Rest and freshen up. Late brunch at hotel/Ikspiari.
  • Afternoon: Head to Nihonbashi. Confirmed: Pokémon Cafe reservation (4:20 PM – 5:50 PM).
  • Evening: Light dinner at Ikspiari and relax.

Dec 25: DisneySea

  • All Day: DisneySea (8:30 AM – 9:00 PM).
  • Night: Return to hotel around 9:30 PM.

Dec 26: Tokyo & teamLab

  • Morning: Exploration of Ikspiari complex.
  • Afternoon: Mandatory work presentation at the hotel (1:00 PM – 2:30 PM).
  • Late Afternoon: Transit to Azabudai Hills. Confirmed: teamLab Borderless (5:00 PM entry).
  • Evening: Dinner in Azabudai Hills.

Dec 27: Travel to Osaka & Nara

  • Morning: Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka (8:00 AM train), drop bags at Hotel (ibis Osaka Umeda).
  • Mid-Day: Train to Nara. Explore Nara Park & Todaiji Temple (12:00 PM – 2:15 PM).
  • Evening: Return to Osaka. Explore Dotonbori district (3:30 PM – 8:00 PM).

Dec 28: Universal Studios Japan

  • All Day: USJ with Express Pass (8:30 AM – 8:00 PM).

Dec 29: Hiroshima Day Trip

  • Morning: Early Shinkansen to Hiroshima (6:30 AM departure).
  • AM: Hiroshima Peace Park & Museum.
  • Mid-Day: Ferry to Miyajima (10:10 AM). Explore Itsukushima Shrine and floating torii.
  • Afternoon: Return to Hiroshima, Shinkansen back to Osaka. Arrive hotel by 6:00 PM.

Dec 30: Osaka Leisure (Need Advice Here)

  • Current Plan: Kuromon Ichiba Market, Osaka Castle, Umeda Sky Building, Namba/Shinsaibashi shopping.
  • Note: This feels like a relatively "free" day compared to the others. Is this a good mix? Is there anything unique we should add here or swap out?

Dec 31: Travel to Tokyo & NYE

  • Morning: Shinkansen back to Tokyo (7:30 AM). Drop bags at Airbnb in Ota-ku.
  • Afternoon: Ginza shopping (Uniqlo, Itoya, etc.).
  • Evening: NYE festivities (Shibuya Scramble or Tokyo Tower/Asakusa).

Jan 1: Mt. Fuji

  • All Day: Confirmed: Private Tour to Owakudani, Lake Ashi, Hakone Open-Air Museum.
  • Evening: Return to Tokyo around 6:00 PM.

Jan 2: Tokyo Shopping & Sightseeing

  • Morning: Akihabara (Yodobashi Camera, Anime shops).
  • Mid-Day: Asakusa (Sensoji, Nakamise-dori).
  • Afternoon: Shibuya (Crossing, Hachiko, shopping).

Jan 3: Departure

  • Morning: Check out and transfer to Haneda by 7:00 AM.

Specific Questions:

  1. December 30th: We have listed Kuromon Ichiba and Osaka Castle, but we are open to suggestions. Since the previous days (USJ, Hiroshima) are heavy, should we keep this light, or is there a "must-do" in Osaka we are missing?
  2. December 27th: Is doing the travel to Osaka + Nara + Dotonbori in one day too ambitious?
  3. New Year's Eve/Day: We know transport can be tricky. Any specific tips for the Tokyo transfer on Dec 31st or dining on Jan 1st?

Thanks in advance for your help!

by satd33p