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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/BrujitaBrujita on 2024-12-05 11:56:11+00:00.
Hi everyone, posting this itinerary in case anybody has any advice for me, just wants a chat or if anyone wants to take notes from my highly intricate planning lol:
[Background: Two 25 year olds, first time outside of Europe (we love anime, games, fun activities, drinking, food, exploring. Definitely not allergic to walking and are totally cool on running on 6 hours of sleep most days. Also I speak - some - Japanese and feel perfectly comfortable ordering food and having small talk)]
For travels, my strategy usually is to have a very general structure and then plenty of points of interest per area, because nothing is worse than paying hard-earned money to be in a place and then being so overwhelmed, tired, or indecisive that you waste time on not knowing what to do. The planning may look OD but keep in mind I don't feel the need to follow everything to the T, at all.
Day 1: 18-hour journey to Haneda Airport & Shinjuku
We arrive at Haneda Airport at 14:25 P.M: Get Suica card, get cash, activate e-sim and have QR ready.
Taking the monorail or limo bus will arrive at hotel in Shinjuku (Kabukicho area) at around 17:00 P.M.
Relax a bit and then go to Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (if we feel like it, or leave for other day) and explore around the Godzilla plaza, kabukicho, arcades, and have an easy dinner at Torikizoku (Why torikizoku? because we'll be tired, you order through tablet, and it's cheap, looks tasty, and like nothing we have in my hometown).
Day 2: Asakusa & Akihabara
Wake up around 8:00 A.M for Shinjuku -> Asakusa around 9:00 A.M.
Go to Culture Information Center for views and from there go to Nakamise Dori, Kaminarimon, Senso-ji and then Denboin Street and Asakusa Underground.
From Asakusa -> Ueno (if we feel like it, if not directly go to Akihabara)
Points of interest in Akihabara: Radio Kaikan, Mandarake, Animate, Taito HEY, Super Potato, Gigo Arcades, M’s Department Store., Akihabara Horror Vending Machine Corner.
Akihabara -> Shinjuku.
In the evening, probably go to Sake Market to try a bunch of different sake in a casual setting. Also jotted down the Batting Center, Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai.
Day 3: Tokyo -> Hakone
Wake up around 8:00 A.M, buy some food and have a little picnic in Gyoen National Park (opens at 9:00 A.M) and chill. Want to have a cheap gyudon lunch before taking train.
Around 13:30 take train to Hakone Yumoto Station (Are you supposed to reserve the direct Romancecar?)
Ryokan check-in at 15:00 P.M. Unsure if we're spending the day at the ryokan or if we should splurge and take a taxi to explore Lake Ashi? Partially I think it's a wasted day if we stay at the ryokan, but we could also arrive a bit later to enjoy Tokyo and then relax in the onsen.
Day 4: Hakone -> Osaka (Friday)
Check-out at 11.00 A.M and go to Hakone Yumoto -> Odawara -> Shin Osaka (3H approximately)
Arrive in Osaka around 15:00 P.M. Unsure if we can leave luggage in lockers in Osaka, or if we should spend a bit more time in Hakone to arrive at check-in time.
Visit Dotonbori, Amerikamura and just do whatever we want till whatever time we want.
Points of interest for all 3 days in Osaka: Dotonbori, Amerikamura, Round 1 Arcade, Taito Arcade, Namco Arcade, Karaoke, Shinsekai, Teamlabs Botanical, Hozen-Ji, Namba Yasaka, Kuromon Market, Osaka Castle Illumination, Harukas Observatory.
Day 5: Osaka
Wake up whenever we want and go to: Hozen-ji Temple -> Namba Yasaka -> Kuromon Market.
(Undecided) Go to Harukas Observatory through Nipponbashi OR go to TeamLabs Botanical.
In the evening, go to Shinsekai.
Day 6: Nara and Uji
Wake up whenever we want or try and wake up around 7:00 A.M to be in Nara around 9:00 A. to go to Toda-ji, Kofu-ji Temples, Kasuga Taisha and stroll Nara Park.
Around 14:00 P.M go to Uji and arrive around 15:00 P.M to go to Byodoin and Byodoin Omotesando.
In the evening, do what we didn't do in past evening (Shinsekai or Harukas Observatory or just whatever we want lol)
Day 7: Osaka -> Kyoto
Check-out is at 10:00 A.M
Arrive in Kyoto around 11:00 A.M
Osaka-Umeda -> Sanjo Station (I noted this station as - apparently - it has plenty of coin lockers so we can explore Kyoto before the god-awful 16:00 P.M check-in time)
Walk around Nishiki Food Market and maybe go to the basement supermarket and eat around Kamo River, then visit Yasaka Shrine and maybe Yamaneko craft beer before check-in.
Check-in is at 16:00 P.M in a Machiya in Gion.
Leave luggage and explore ninnenzaka, Sannenzaka, etc.
Early evening as I hope to wake up super early to see Kyoto in its prime the next morning.
Day 8: Kyoto
Wake up around 5:30 A.M to go to Kiyomizu-dera which is 20 minutes away from our machiya.
Around 8:00 A.M, aim to be in fushimi-inari.
Relax a bit in the hotel in the afternoon because the machiya has a lovely bathub and then explore around and about.
Day 9: Shibuya and Shinjuku
Machiya check-out is at 11:00 A.M. (will definitely wake up earlier to explore)
Kyoto Station -> Shinjuku Station around 15:00 P.M for check-in in Shinjuku again and head off to Shibuya.
Points of interest in Shibuya: Shibuya Sky, Shibuya Nintendo Store, Pokemon Center, Tower Records, Mega Don Quijote, Shibuya 109, Love Hotel Hill, Dogenzaka,center gai, muji vanguard, Niku Yokocho.
Go to Shibuya Sky in the evening because I give up on seeing the sundown lol
End evening in Shinjuku doing whatever we want, probably go to Koreatown.
Day 10, 11 and 13: Still unsure, am thinking of just leaving it blank and do whatever we feel like when we're there. (Harajuku, Ueno, Teamlabs Borderless + the surrounding area)
Thanks in advance, would love to hear from you guys :)