1st Japan trip (3 weeks in oktober)

I would like some advice and opinions on my schedule for the trip, I don't think it's too packed and things might be subject to change.

COMPLETE JAPAN TRAVEL PLAN – FINAL SCHEDULE

TRAVEL DATES: October 12 – November 3, 2026

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DAY 1 – MON OCT 12: DEPARTURE FROM NETHERLANDS

· FLIGHT: CX270 Amsterdam → Hong Kong

· DEPARTURE: 12:15 (Schiphol)

· FLIGHT DURATION: 11h55

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DAY 2 – TUE OCT 13: ARRIVAL IN OSAKA

· ARRIVAL HONG KONG: 06:10

· FLIGHT: CX506 Hong Kong → Osaka (KIX)

· DEPARTURE: 10:25

· ARRIVAL OSAKA: 15:15

· TRANSFER: Train to Namba (Nankai Express, ~45 min)

· HOTEL: Keihan Namba Grande (check-in ~17:00)

· EVENING: Dotonbori (Glico Man, dinner)

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DAY 3 – WED OCT 14: OSAKA (Osaka Amazing Pass – Day 1)

· MORNING: Osaka Castle

· AFTERNOON: Kuromon Ichiba Market, Shinsekai, Tsutenkaku Tower

· EVENING: Tombori River Cruise, Dotonbori

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DAY 4 – THU OCT 15: OSAKA (Osaka Amazing Pass – Day 2)

· MORNING: Shitenno-ji Temple

· AFTERNOON: Umeda Sky Building, shopping in Umeda

· EVENING: Free time (Amerikamura optional)

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DAY 5 – FRI OCT 16: OSAKA (FLEX DAY)

· OPTION A (recommended): Day trip to Nara (Todai-ji Temple, Nara Park with deer)

· OPTION B: Nifrel Museum (must reserve!)

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DAY 6 – SAT OCT 17: DEPART OSAKA → HIROSHIMA

· MORNING: Check out. Metro to Shin-Osaka Station.

· SHINKANSEN: Depart 10:43 → Arrive 12:04

· HOTEL: Hotel Granvia Hiroshima (directly in station)

· AFTERNOON/EVENING: Peace Memorial Park, Atomic Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Museum

· DINNER: Okonomiyaki at Okonomi-mura

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DAY 7 – SUN OCT 18: HIROSHIMA (MIYAJIMA)

· FULL DAY: Day trip to Miyajima

· VISIT: Itsukushima Shrine, O-Torii Gate, Daisho-in Temple, Mount Misen (cable car)

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DAY 8 – MON OCT 19: DEPART HIROSHIMA → FUKUOKA

· MORNING: Check out.

· SHINKANSEN: Depart 10:43 → Arrive 11:45 (Hakata Station)

· HOTEL: ANA Crowne Plaza Fukuoka (next to station)

· AFTERNOON: Canal City Hakata

· EVENING: Yatai street food stalls (Nakasu/Tenjin)

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DAY 9 – TUE OCT 20: FUKUOKA

· MORNING: Ohori Park & Fukuoka Castle ruins

· AFTERNOON: Kushida Shrine, Shofukuji Temple

· EVENING: Shopping and dinner in Tenjin district

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DAY 10 – WED OCT 21: DEPART FUKUOKA → KYOTO

· MORNING: Check out.

· SHINKANSEN: Depart 10:36 → Arrive 13:19 (Kyoto Station)

· TRANSFER: Walk 10-15 min to hotel

· HOTEL: Hotel The M's Kyoto

· AFTERNOON: Explore Kyoto Station building or travel to Gion

· EVENING: Dinner near station or in Gion/Pontocho

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DAY 11 – THU OCT 22: KYOTO (EAST – HIGASHIYAMA)

· EARLY MORNING: Kiyomizu-dera Temple (before 08:00)

· AFTERNOON: Sannen-zaka & Ninen-zaka, Yasaka Shrine

· EVENING: Dinner in Gion/Pontocho

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DAY 12 – FRI OCT 23: KYOTO (SOUTH & CENTRAL)

· EARLY MORNING: Fushimi Inari Shrine (JR Nara Line, 5 min)

· AFTERNOON: Nishiki Market, Nijo-jo Castle

· EVENING: Free time

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DAY 13 – SAT OCT 24: DEPART KYOTO → HAKONE

· MORNING: Check out. Optional: Higashi Hongan-ji or To-ji Temple near station.

· SHINKANSEN: Depart 11:10 → Arrive 14:09 (Odawara)

· PURCHASE: Hakone Free Pass (2 days)

· TRANSFER: Hakone Tozan train to hotel

· HOTEL: Hakone Hotel

· EVENING: Onsen (hot spring), kaiseki dinner

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DAY 14 – SUN OCT 25: HAKONE (LOOP COURSE)

· FULL DAY: Hakone Round Course with Free Pass

· Train/Cable car to Gora → Sounzan

· Ropeway over Owakudani (eat kuro-tamago)

· Pirate Ship across Lake Ashi

· Hakone Shrine (torii gate in the water)

· Bus back to hotel

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DAY 15 – MON OCT 26: DEPART HAKONE → TOKYO

· MORNING: Check out.

· SHINKANSEN: Depart 10:39 → Arrive 11:12 (Tokyo)

· TRANSFER: JR lines to Kinshicho Station

· HOTEL: Tobu Hotel Levant Tokyo (Sumida)

· AFTERNOON/EVENING: Tokyo Skytree, Tower Knives Tokyo

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DAY 16 – TUE OCT 27: TOKYO (SHIBUYA & HARAJUKU)

· MORNING: Shibuya Crossing, Musashi Knife Shop

· AFTERNOON: Liberty Walk Store, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Harajuku (Takeshita-dori)

· LATE AFTERNOON: Mega Pokémon Center Shibuya (Shibuya PARCO)

· EVENING: Mega Don Quijote Shibuya, dinner in Shibuya

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DAY 17 – WED OCT 28: TOKYO (ASAKUSA & UENO)

· MORNING: Senso-ji Temple & Nakamise-dori

· AFTERNOON: Tokyo National Museum (Ueno)

· LATE AFTERNOON: Ueno Park walk

· EVENING: Dinner in Asakusa or Ueno

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DAY 18 – THU OCT 29: TOKYO (OPEN SLOT)

· ▢ TO BE FILLED IN LATER

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DAY 19 – FRI OCT 30: TOKYO (IKEBUKURO)

· FULL DAY: Ikebukuro

· VISIT: Sunshine City (Pokémon Center Sunshine), Animate Ikebukuro (largest in the world), Mandarake Complex, Otome Road

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DAY 20 – SAT OCT 31: TOKYO (SHINJUKU)

· MORNING: Godzilla Head (Hotel Gracery), Samurai Museum (MUST RESERVE!)

· AFTERNOON: Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden (autumn colors)

· LATE AFTERNOON: Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (free observation deck)

· EVENING: Dinner in Omoide Yokocho ("Piss Alley")

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DAY 21 – SUN NOV 1: TOKYO (FREE DAY / SOUVENIRS)

· SUGGESTIONS: Tsukiji Outer Market, Ginza, Roppongi, or Akihabara

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DAY 22 – MON NOV 2: DEPART TOKYO → NETHERLANDS

· MORNING: Check out. Last minute activities.

· AIRPORT DEPARTURE: No later than 13:00 from hotel.

· TRANSFER: JR Sobu Rapid Line from Kinshicho Station directly to Narita Airport T1 (~1h20)

· FLIGHT CX521: Tokyo Narita → Hong Kong (16:45 – 21:10)

· FLIGHT CX271: Hong Kong → Amsterdam (23:20 – 06:30 on NOV 3)

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