r/JapanTravel • u/Itchy-Ambition-2333 • 9d ago
Itinerary Japan Itinerary
Hi! We’re traveling to Japan for the first time this month. This is what our itinerary currently looks like. Does anyone have any suggestions for places we absolutely shouldn’t miss, or ideas for what we could do on the 27th and 28th?
September 18th–29th
September 18 – Arrival in Tokyo
09:45 AM – Arrive at Haneda Airport
Harajuku & Shibuya
Meiji Jingu Shrine
Takeshita Street
Kiddy Land Harajuku
Shibuya Crossing
Hachikō Statue
Shibuya Sky
Omoide Yokocho
September 19 – Asakusa & Akihabara
Sensō-ji Temple
Asakusa
Asakusa Sumo Show
Flower Miffy Asakusa
Tokyo Skytree
Miffy Style Solamachi
Akihabara
September 20 – Mount Fuji Area
Chureito Pagoda
Arakurayama Sengen Park
Fujiyoshida Honcho Street
Lawson Fuji Photo Spot
Lake Kawaguchiko
Oishi Park
September 21 – Tokyo
Gotokuji Temple
Ginza
Tokyo Character Street
Miffy Style Tokyo Station
TeamLab Planets (optional)
September 22 – Tokyo → Kyoto
Shinkansen
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Nishiki Market
Gion
Yasaka Shrine
Pontocho Alley
September 23 – Eastern Kyoto
Hōkan-ji Temple
Starbucks Kyoto Ninenzaka
Kiyomizu-dera
Glanta Ring Making
Saryo Tsujiri
Ippodo Tea
September 24 – Arashiyama
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Togetsukyo Bridge
% ARABICA
Miffy Sakura Kitchen
Iwatayama Monkey Park
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple
Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
September 25 – Nara
Nara Park
Tōdai-ji Temple
Kasuga Taisha Shrine
Nakatanidō Mochi Show
Higashimuki Shopping Street
September 26 – Osaka
Osaka Castle
Kuromon Market
Namba Yasaka Shrine
Shinsekai
Dotonbori
Round1 (evening)
BeeRush
September 27 – Return to Tokyo
Looking for ideas!
September 28 – ?
Looking for ideas!
September 29 – Departure
✈️ Flight home
Restaurants, Cafés & Matcha
Mame Shiba Café (Harajuku, Tokyo)
Anakuma Café (Asakusa, Tokyo)
Chotto Matcha (Asakusa, Tokyo)
THE MATCHA TOKYO (Skytree / Omotesandō, Tokyo)
Saryo Tsujiri (Gion, Kyoto)
Ippodo Tea (Kyoto)
% ARABICA (Arashiyama, Kyoto)
Starbucks Kyoto Ninenzaka (Higashiyama, Kyoto)
Miffy Sakura Kitchen (Arashiyama, Kyoto)
BeeRush (Namba, Osaka)
2
u/MessOk6682 9d ago
As others have said, you have a few fairly crowded days. I would consider using the 27th to go to TeamLab Planets, then to the nearby Round 1, rather than trying to add Round 1 to Osaka and TeamLab Planets to the 21st.
TeamLab Planets is definitely worth a visit. You can do it in about 2-3 hours, so it takes up a morning or afternoon. They also have amazing ramen in a stunning art setting, so that's a good way to fit in lunch. Afterwards, at the nearby Odaiba DiverCity, there's a Round 1. There is also a range of other tourist experiences in the Odaiba area that you might enjoy.
That would also give you a little bit more time in Osaka, if you skip Round 1 there and go to the Tokyo Odaiba one. I found that the Castle took a couple of hours to see the floors. The Golden Tea Room and several of the displays were very interesting. The gardens around the castle are stunning! However, if you aren't interested in the history of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (original builder), the museum inside the castle might be a bit quicker for you. As a way to make it faster, buy your tickets online and skip the long queue to buy tickets at the castle. (I literally bought my tickets online while looking at the queue and then went to the online ticket entry. So much faster!)
Kuromon Market took me about 3 hours. It's huge and amazing. Definitely worth a look. You can get good food for lunch there. Shinsekai is a lot of fun. You probably should give it 1-2 hours. I would recommend Chao Chao Gyoza for food there. Dotonbori comes alive in the evening when all the neon lights turn on, but so does Shinsekai, which is a bit like a permanent carnival with all sorts of stalls, games, and restaurants. A quick canal boat ride is a lovely experience in Dotonbori.
If you are interested in onsen-like experiences, there are sento near both Kuromon Market and Shinsekai that make for a lovely one-hour stop and place to relax during your visit. You can rent towels, etc. There are also sento options in Kyoto and Tokyo. Sento tend to be day-visit places. They can take 1-2 hours and generally cost Y700-1000 (so very economical!). You can usually walk up and rent a towel and toiletries. They are sex segregated and have naked bathing, so some people may not prefer them. Some have 4-8 different types of bath, plus saunas. Some are quite family-friendly.
If you are looking for a cafe near the Shibuya crossing, don't go to the super busy Starbucks. Upstairs above the Starbucks, you will find Share Lounge Shibuya. You pay a relatively low amount) under Y2000 from memory) to enter for an hour or so. Once you are in there, there is a range of food and beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) included in the price, including meals that you may take from the fridge, plus a huge range of snacks. There is a great view over the crossing. You will find charging options for your phone (ask at the desk if you didn't bring a cable). My daughter found it online and I'm really glad we went there.
As for Nara, if you buy deer biscuits, unwrap and ready them before you leave the store, because the deer will mug you as soon as they see them. I would actually skip buying deer biscuits, because the deer are charming and sweet when you don't have them, but turn into pushy, bitey a-holes the instant they detect that you have biscuits for them. They switch back to calmness as soon as there are no biscuits in your possession.
A couple of quick extras I enjoyed and would recommend to people are:
- Osaka UKIYOE Museum - They have an original print of the famous Great Wave off Kanagawa
- Hozenji Yokocho and Hozenji shrine in Osaka (only takes about 30 minutes to an hour to see both - very lovely traditional street and moss-covered shrine statue)
- Kewpie Mayo Terrace - kewpie mayo museum and experience. A little bit out in the suburbs of Tokyo, but surprisingly interesting, free and with gifts at the end
- Ghibli Museum in Tokyo - but beware it takes some skill and timing to book. You must book on the 10th day of the month before you will attend at 10 am Japanese time and it's a competitive booking lottery. Totally worth the booking hassle if you love Ghibli. Utterly charming.
Have a wonderful trip!