Hi everyone. Please help. My wife and I are leaving this weekend and would appreciate any input. This will be our first trip to Japan.
We specifically need advice about Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka. For the Hakone Day trip we really want to experience an onsen.
I've rewritten this at least a dozen times. Finally I scrapped everything and asked ai for help as im quickly beginning to overthink everything. (Hotels are already booked)
Thank you.
8–19 February 2026
Sun 8 Feb – Tokyo | Arrival & Shinjuku
Arrive in Tokyo (Haneda Airport) in the afternoon
Transfer to hotel in Shinjuku
Evening walk through Omoide Yokocho
Continue to Kabukicho
Casual dinner in Shinjuku
Mon 9 Feb – Asakusa, Sumida & Akihabara
Morning visit to Senso-ji Temple, Tokyo’s oldest temple
Walk down Nakamise Street
Stroll along Sumida River Park with views of Tokyo Skytree
Optional Skytree observation deck if weather is clear
Afternoon in Akihabara
Return to Shinjuku in the evening
Tue 10 Feb – Meiji Shrine, Harajuku & Shibuya
Walk through forest paths to Meiji Jingu Shrine
Explore Harajuku’s Takeshita Street
Walk along Omotesando
Evening in Shibuya:
Shibuya Crossing
Shopping & food
Dinner in Shibuya
Wed 11 Feb – Tokyo → Kyoto
Morning Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto
Check in / drop luggage near Kyoto Station
Light afternoon exploring the station area
Relaxed evening, early night
Thu 12 Feb – Kyoto Temples & Traditional Streets
Visit Fushimi Inari Taisha and walk through red torii gates
Continue to Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Walk around Higashiyama streets
Evening walk through Gion
Fri 13 Feb – Kyoto → Osaka → Nara
Travel to Osaka, drop luggage at hotel
Continue to Nara for a day trip
Walk through Nara Park
Visit Todai-ji Temple
Kasuga Taisha Shrine
Evening return to Osaka
Dinner in Dotonbori
Sat 14 Feb – Osaka City
Visit Osaka Castle and surrounding park
Lunch in the city
Afternoon exploring Umeda
Evening in Namba
Sun 15 Feb – Osaka → Tokyo
Free morning in Osaka
Afternoon Shinkansen back to Tokyo
Check in to hotel in Ginza
Dinner in Ginza
Mon 16 Feb – Hakone Day Trip
Day trip to Hakone
Onsen (please help with this)
Optional : Cable car, ropeway & volcanic valley (Owakudani)
Lake Ashi cruise with Mt Fuji views
Return to Tokyo in the evening
Tue 17 Feb – Imperial Gardens & Tokyo Tower
Visit Imperial Palace East Gardens
Explore Ginza
Evening visit to Tokyo Tower
Dinner
Wed 18 Feb – Free Tokyo Day
Flexible day
Shopping
Thu 19 Feb – Departure
Check out from hotel
Travel to Haneda Airport
Fly home
by BinneboutZA