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u/Fiddessa

r/CatsUK r/nottingham r/BirminghamUK r/JapanTravel
▲ 10 r/JapanTravel

Itinerary check - first Japan trip (8-22 November 2026) (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto)

Hi all,

My fiancee and I will be going to Japan for the first time in November and we would really appreciate a sense check of our first draft itinerary.

Given that it is our first trip, we would like to do the key "touristy" bits. However, we hope to have incorporated some of the areas which are less popular with tourists. We would like to see the key attractions for first timers (to the extent they were of interest to us) but equally want to see places or explore neighbourhoods which are more for locals.

We like queint places and not necessarily want to go to the "go-to" restaurants and latest TikTok craze. We like exploring in general and we are into anime, video games but also general Japan history and culture.

We know that day 9 is jam packed but I would appreciate an overall sense check. Anything here seems unrealistic or too rushed? We want to see as much as we can but equally we don't want to run around like a bunch of headless chickens.

You will see there are a few TBCs around dinner/lunch so if you have any recommendations around the area we are in those days then your thoughts will be appreciated.

Many thanks

Day 1 (Tokyo - Asakusa)

  • Arrive at Haneda Airport around midday
  • Travel to Asakusa and check in
  • Senso-ji Temple
  • Nakamise Street
  • Sumida River Walk
  • Tokyo Skytree
  • Lunch: TBC
  • Dinner:
    • Asakusa Imahan (sukiyaki)
    • Tonkatsu Hajime
    • Monjayaki Moheji

Day 2 (Tokyo - Odaiba & Shinbashi)

  • Odaiba:
    • Small Worlds Miniature Museum
    • Unicorn Gundam
    • Odaiba Retro Museum / Showa Era Street
  • Lunch: TBC
  • Ride the Yurikamome Monorail
  • teamLab Borderless
  • Tokyo Tower
  • Dinner:
    • Shinbashi street food
    • Ginten (tempura, Ginza)

Day 3 (Tokyo - Shibuya & Harajuku)

  • Meiji Jingu Shrine
  • Meiji Jingu Gyoen
  • Takeshita Street
  • Lunch: Takeshita Street
  • Pokémon Centre
  • Nakano Sun Mall
  • Mandarake
  • Dinner: Conveyor belt sushi

Day 4 (Kamakura & Enoshima Day Trip)

  • Hokoku-ji Bamboo Grove
  • Giraffa Curry Pan
  • Lunch: TBC
  • Great Buddha of Kamakura
  • Hasedera Temple
  • Enoden Train to Enoshima
  • Nakamise Street
  • Giant Rice Cracker
  • Hetsunomiya Shrine
  • Enoshima Sea Candle
  • Dinner: TBC
  • Return to Tokyo

Day 5 (Tokyo → Osaka)

  • Travel from Tokyo to Osaka
  • Osaka Castle
  • Lunch: TBC
  • Shinsaibashi
  • Amerikamura
  • Pokémon Café (reservation required)
  • Dotonbori
  • Namba
  • Check in to The Lively Osaka Honmachi
  • Dinner: TBC

Day 6 (Osaka)

  • Kuromon Market
  • Namba Yasaka Shrine
  • Nakazakicho
  • Lunch: TBC
  • Shinsekai
  • Dinner: TBC

Day 7 (Osaka → Nara → Uji → Kyoto)

  • Travel via Kintetsu Line
  • Nara:
    • Yomogi Mochi
    • Todai-ji Temple
    • Nara Deer Park
  • Lunch: TBC
  • Uji:
    • Byodoin Temple
    • Taihoan Tea House
  • Travel to Kyoto
  • Check in to Kiyomizu Elite Terrace
  • Dinner: TBC

Day 8 (Kyoto - Central & East Kyoto)

  • Kyoto Station
  • Kyoto Tower
  • Kiyomizu-dera
  • Lunch: TBC
  • Explore Kiyomizu-dera and Higashiyama
  • Gion District
  • Yasaka Pagoda
  • Dinner:
    • Gion
    • Nishiki area

Day 9 (Kyoto - Southern & Central Kyoto)

  • Fushimi Inari Shrine
  • Tofuku-ji Temple
  • Lunch: TBC
  • Daigo-ji Temple
  • Kyoto Gyoen Garden
  • Imperial Palace
  • Dinner: TBC

Day 10 (Kyoto - Western & Northern Kyoto)

  • Togetsukyo Bridge
  • Tenryu-ji Temple
  • Sagano Bamboo Grove
  • Lunch: TBC
  • Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
  • Return to hotel
  • Dinner:
    • Pontocho Alley
    • Ohmi Beef

Day 11 (Kyoto → Kawagoe → Tokyo)

  • Travel from Kyoto to Kawagoe
  • Lunch:
    • Ogakiku Unagi Restaurant
  • Kurazukuri Street
  • Bell Tower
  • Kashiya Yokocho
  • Sweet potato pudding
  • Hikawa Shrine
  • Travel to Tokyo
  • Check in to Hotel Metropolitan Edmont
  • Kagurazaka (possibly)
  • Dinner:
    • Menya Nishikawa

Day 12 (Tokyo - Shinjuku & Shimokitazawa)

  • Gotokuji Temple
  • Walk to Bonus Track
  • Matcha Passport
  • Village Vanguard
  • 3COINS
  • Lunch: TBC
  • B-Side Label
  • Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
  • Golden Gai
  • Dinner:
    • Omoide Yokocho

Day 13 (Tokyo - Daikanyama & Shibuya)

  • Hie Shrine
  • Tsutaya T-Site
  • Muji Lab
  • Lunch:
    • Henry's Burger
  • Don Quijote Nakameguro
  • Shibuya Crossing
  • Loft
  • Taito Station Arcade
  • Dinner: TBC
  • Lost Bar

Day 14 (Tokyo - Akihabara)

  • Tsukiji Market
  • Seiko Clock Tower
  • AmiAmi
  • Animate
  • Lunch: TBC
  • Yodobashi Camera
  • Super Potato
  • Kotobukiya
  • Dinner: TBC
  • Finish early for packing

Day 15

  • Travel to Haneda Airport
  • Fly back to the UK
reddit.com
u/Fiddessa — 4 days ago
▲ 123 r/nottingham

Kitty Cafe

I am sure everyone will be as appalled as I was when I saw this original post. 

Link to original post: https://www.reddit.com/r/CatsUK/comments/1vlu1e7/kitty\_cafe\_birmingham/

I know a lot of people have reported this to the Birmingham Council. I have also reported this to the Birmingham Ladywood MP and Tamworth MP too. 

I have been asked to post this on the Nottingham group as there is a Kitty Cafe there too which may also be mismanaged in the same manner.

There is also a petition from a few years back which someone has started following a concern around cats' wellbeing at Kitty Cafe. I am trying to get in touch with the petition maker to broaden the scope.

Please consider this if you have a chance. Thank you!

https://c.org/6CkhwyfC2m 

u/Fiddessa — 5 days ago
▲ 374 r/CatsUK+1 crossposts

Kitty cafe Birmingham

I thought I was lucky to get this job but over the years the stress is unbearable. Managers in the past used to train majority of people in most areas of the cafe therefore got me doing multiple jobs at once when I was meant to be looking after the cats in the clinical cattery. Trust me it’s nothing clinical about it. A number of times on occasion I would walk back into the cattery after an hour plus to find a cat had injured itself.
Birmingham also had cats relocated to them from another location where half of them was extremely ill. One passed in another employees arms at home (we didn’t get any benefits for fostering cats at home) and 2 others had to be put to sleep which I then had to return to the cafe and do my job as if nothing ever happened.
The owners do not care who you are but will put a fake act on when face to face with you as if they really like you. Hours drop drastically as soon as they get younger staff in even though many older staff have moved out of parents house. No matter how much you email them asking for more hours this won’t improve.
Kitty cafe used to be a good group but the owners have pushed out all the hard, reliable workers out as they got the least hours because of age. Manager and supervisors are also only paid an extra 50p for their job.
I never had any health issues before working at the cafe but they popped up out of no where.
Majority of the older cats also have gum issues which when we say don’t get recognised as the owner completely ignores these messages. One cat is that bad it can’t eat properly, dribbles because of it and sticks its tongue out for any comfort.
Many customers that come in complain about the smell and that’s because the cats are fed the cheapest food possible (whiskas) and there litter trays are foul.
Also when a cat passed away we was told to say it was “rehomed” and had to put a smile on our face while knowing we just got back from the vets with an empty cat carrier.
Majority of the staff and managers made the job bearable but the owners and admin side of things made it awful. You go into the job thinking you’re going to make a difference for the cats to cringing when customers say “I bet you love this job”.
£3-£5 a month on payslip as “tips”
Would get sent early so wouldn’t have to give staff a break

Other points-
- A cats tail was half amputated due to a pod door falling on it
- over 6 cats died due to stress while I worked there
- they would only take in kittens and if they took in an adult cat on the off chance it would be rehomed within months (adult cats aren’t used to the environment therefore get stressed as hell)
- when fostering cats you wouldn’t get any benefits
- I basically diagnosed cats and they wouldn’t end up going to the vets

A cat was put into the cafes care and I immediately said the cat had cat flu and probably other issues. This cat clearly didn’t want to be touched and would hiss and fight other cats. The cat was rehomed without going to the vets for treatment and shortly died after the new owners spent thousands at the vets.

There’s so many other stories I could tell I could write a book 🤦🏼‍♀️

u/Artistic_Risk_5598 — 10 days ago