Background on us: Couple in our mid-20s, honeymoon, first time in Japan. In and out of HND.
Dates: Early-to-mid November, 14 nights.
Pace/feel: Early mornings, loose afternoons. Most mornings are anchored, many days free after 4pm.
Interests: Photography, architecture, vintage/thrift, whisky, anime.
Budget: Mid-range. Mostly Hyatt points, one ryokan splurge, one nicer last night.
Constraint: Wife has a few small tattoos → ryokan needed a private in-room onsen.

Neither of us has ever been outside of North America, so advice on the schedule, as well as general etiquette would be appreciated! We already emailed all the hotels and let them know it would be our honeymoon (to try and get some free upgrades too haha).

We have global precheck (I think called global entry) and passports already, so we are good on that front.

TOKYO — 3 nights · Hyatt Regency Tokyo (Nishi-Shinjuku)
Day 1 — Arrival
Land mid-afternoon, Airport Limousine Bus to hotel

Suica + cash at airport

~19:00 Ichiran, early night

Day 2 — West side
06:30 Meiji Jingu at sunrise, buy goshuincho

08:30 Yoyogi Park

10:00 Omotesando architecture walk

12:00 Takeshita St + Brandy Melville

14:00 Shibuya vintage (Kinji, Nadia, Nuir)

16:00 Perfume blending at Yuen, Aoyama

19:00 teamLab Borderless (late slot)

Day 3 — East side
06:30 Toyosu Market, sushi breakfast

08:30 Sensoji before the crowds

10:30 Kakimori, Kuramae

13:00 Akihabara (Mandarake, Super Potato, Animate)

18:30 Omoide Yokocho

Ship suitcases ahead to Kyoto this morning — backpacks only for the mountains (takkyubin to Kyoto)

HAKONE — 2 nights (Gora) Night 1: Setsugetsuka Bettei Suiun · Night 2: Hyatt Regency Hakone
Day 4 — Into the mountains
~10:30 Romance Car from Shinjuku

12:00 Soba in Hakone-Yumoto

13:30 Tozan railway up to Gora

15:00 Ryokan check-in, private cypress onsen

19:00 Kaiseki

Day 5 — North Hakone
09:30 Hakone Museum of Art at opening (moss garden)

11:00 Sengokuhara pampas grass + Choan-ji (rakan statues)

13:00 Tofu-katsu at Tamura Ginkatsutei

15:00 Change hotels

Evening free

Day 6 — Weather Dependent → Kyoto
☀️ Clear: Izu Panorama Park via Mishima for Fuji, then Kyoto (~3hr detour)

🌧 Cloudy: Moto-Hakone torii → old Tokaido stone road on foot → Amazake-chaya (400-yr-old teahouse) → Hatajuku for yosegi marquetry → Kyoto

Either way: arrive ~18:00, Gion at lantern hour, Pontocho dinner

KYOTO — 5 nights · Hyatt Regency Kyoto (Higashiyama)
Day 7 — Inari + Nara
06:30 Fushimi Inari

09:30 JR to Nara: Todai-ji, deer, Kasuga Taisha

15:00 Back to Kyoto

Evening: ring-making workshop

Day 8 — Arashiyama + kimono hunt
07:00 Bamboo grove

08:30 Tenryu-ji at opening

10:00 Matsunoo Taisha

13:00 Gion side: vintage kimono hunt (she’ll wear it in Kanazawa), engraved chopsticks at Ichihara Heibei Shoten, hanko seals on Teramachi

16:00 Ippodo for sencha

Day 9 — Kurama → Kibune
07:30 Mochi at Demachi Masugata

08:30 Eizan line north through the maple tunnel

09:30 Kurama-dera, then the ridge trail

12:30 Lunch over the stream in Kibune

16:00 Back in the city

Evening: Eikan-do illumination if dates line up

Day 10 — Osaka day trip
09:00 Kaiyukan at opening

13:00 Amerikamura vintage

15:30 TALEX in Ikuno-ku (polarized lenses)

18:00 Dotonbori

Ship suitcases to Kanazawa this morning

KANAZAWA — 2 nights · Hyatt Centric Kanazawa
Day 11 — Transfer + weather dependent
☀️ Clear: 07:50 Thunderbird → drop bags → Shirakawa-go day trip, back ~17:00

🌧 Cloudy: slow Kyoto morning, midday train, Oyama Shrine at dusk

Crab izakaya either way

Day 12 — Kimono Photo Shoot! (We are taking our own photos)
06:45 Kenroku-en at the free early gate, before official opening

10:00 Kimono dressing + hair in Higashi Chaya

11:30 Self-shoot in the chaya lanes + Kazuemachi

14:00 Gold leaf workshop

15:30 Omicho Market

19:00 Snow crab kaiseki

TOKYO — 2 nights · The Strings by InterContinental (Shinagawa)
Day 13 — Back to Tokyo
08:00 Omicho breakfast

11:00 Shinkansen → check in ~14:30

15:30 Kichijoji: Temari no Ouchi cat cafe + Inokashira Park

17:30 Koenji for vintage

19:00 Nakano Broadway (used Seiko hunt), dinner nearby

Day 14 — Last full day
09:00 Flea market at opening

12:00 Ginza: Uniqlo sale, Itoya, Onitsuka Tiger, leather wallet

18:30 Omakase

21:00 Bar High Five → Zoetrope

Day 15 — Out
Slow morning, 16:00 late checkout

Hama-rikyu garden

Evening flight

Questions:
Day 5 — too much with a hotel change that afternoon?

Kurama → Kibune in November: is 2 hours realistic for the trail, or should I budget more?

We cut Takayama for two extra Kyoto nights. Good call? Probably too late to change it.

Swapped Shimokitazawa for Koenji + Nakano based on advice here, right move?

Been lurking for a while, so it’s nice to actually have a plan to post!

Hey all. First trip to Japan for our family (2 adults + young kid). Looking for a review of the locations and daily activities — does the flow make sense, and is there anything we'd regret missing given the pace?

Our style: one anchor activity per day, at big sites early (done by ~9:30am), afternoons deliberately unplanned. If the kid loves something we repeat it instead of moving on. Konbini meals are fine. We're following fall foliage west to east.

Kyoto — 6 nights, staying in Gion

• Nov 12: Land KIX morning, Haruka to Kyoto, check in, easy evening wander in Gion/Higashiyama, early night (jet lag)
• Nov 13: Fushimi Inari at sunrise before crowds, back mid-morning, afternoon open — maybe Nishiki Market
• Nov 14: Nara day trip — Todai-ji + deer park morning, back mid-afternoon
• Nov 15: Arashiyama early (bamboo grove + Tenryu-ji), afternoon rest, Eikando fall illumination in the evening
• Nov 16: Himeji Castle morning, Osaka on the way back — Dotonbori for dinner
• Nov 17: Kiyomizu-dera early, hands-on class in the afternoon (wagashi making or taiko), last Gion evening

Hiroshima — 1 night

• Nov 18: Shinkansen from Kyoto (~1h40). Peace Park in the afternoon, kept age-appropriate — Children's Peace Monument first, museum depends on how it's going. Okonomiyaki dinner

Miyajima — 1 night

• Nov 19: Morning ferry over, staying on the island (ryokan, kaiseki dinner). Itsukushima timed to tides, Momijidani Park maples, Mt Misen ropeway if clear, illuminated torii after the day-trippers leave

Takayama — 1 night

• Nov 20: Long scenic travel day — shinkansen to Nagoya then the Hida express through the gorge (~5h). Arrive mid-afternoon, old town at golden hour. Deliberate waypoint

Kanazawa — 2 nights

• Nov 21: Miyagawa morning market in Takayama, bus to Kanazawa with a ~3h Shirakawa-go stopover (reserved seats both legs)
• Nov 22: Kenrokuen at 8am (hoping for yukitsuri), samurai district, Omicho Market seafood lunch

Hakone — 2 nights, onsen ryokan in Gora

• Nov 23: Travel day — Hokuriku Shinkansen to Tokyo, transfer to Odawara, up to Gora. Onsen + kaiseki. It's the holiday Monday so keeping it simple
• Nov 24: The loop — Tozan cable car, ropeway over Owakudani, pirate ship on Lake Ashi, Open-Air Museum. Best Fuji season, fingers crossed

Tokyo — 6 nights, staying in Ueno

• Nov 25: Morning onsen, travel to Tokyo, check in, easy Ueno Park evening
• Nov 26: Nikko day trip — Toshogu, maybe Kanmangafuchi if energy allows (~2h each way, our one long day trip)
• Nov 27: teamLab Planets first morning slot, afternoon open
• Nov 28: Kamakura (Great Buddha + Hase-dera) — or if tired, a local Yanaka wander + sento day instead
• Nov 29: Ueno Park fall colors, kid museums (Science Museum or the zoo), possibly Ghibli if we win tickets
• Nov 30: Deliberately empty — repeat whatever the kid loved most, shopping
• Dec 1: Skyliner to Narita, fly home

Already considered and ruled out (please don't re-suggest): Koyasan, Kumano Kodo, USJ, Kyushu/Tohoku/Hokkaido, Osaka overnight (folded into the Himeji day), overnight in Shirakawa-go, JR Pass (one-way route, point-to-point is cheaper).

Questions:

1. Main one: at this relaxed pace, is there anything you'd genuinely regret not building a free afternoon around?
2. 6 nights in Kyoto — right call, or is temple fatigue real even at one anchor a day?
3. 21st Century Museum in Kanazawa — worth squeezing in with a young kid, or skip?
4. Nikko in late Nov — worth 2h each way, or keep that day local?
5. Anything on the Kanazawa→Hakone run worth breaking up the ride for?
6. One thing in Kyoto that's magic for a young kid that non-parents wouldn't think to mention?

Thanks — especially keen to hear from families who've done a similar route.

It's our first trip in Tokyo from the Philippines and we are looking forward to it. The following are our descriptions:

> Family of 3, no senior citizen but a bit of oldies haha

> trying our best to get this experience cheaply

> doesnt know Japanese at all though fluent in English

This is just DIY: searching online, watching videos, and getting assisted by AI. I've had the following:

So,

Nov 2-->

Arrive at 2pm at Narita Airport

2-5pm Settle everything

*Shibuya Exploring (Crossing, Hachiko, Shopping)

*Night Club

Nov 3-->

Morning: Mount Takao

Afternoon: Kimono Rental in Asakusa, Senso-ji (sunset)

Evening: See Tokyo Skytree area

Nov 4-->

All Day: Tokyo Disneyland

Nov 5-->

Morning: Snow Town Yeti (Mt. Fuji area)

Afternoon-Evening: Akihabara, Shinjuku, Golden Gai

Nov 6-->

Morning: Odaiba (Madame Tussauds, Rainbow Bridge, Diver City, Gundam)

Afternoon: Shibuya Sky

Nov 7-->

Departure

I'm also looking for recommendations for places to stay that are cheap. This is just scratch work, so I am open to any modifications and advises. Thank you so much!

Hi everyone! I’d love some feedback on our ~14-day Japan itinerary, especially anything that looks too rushed, anything we should cut, or anything we’re missing (especially restaurants!)

I intentionally include more options than we can realistically do in a day so we can choose based on energy, weather, crowds, etc. I’m also trying to include alternatives near shopping areas for the people who don't want to shop.

We’re a group of 4 traveling in late November/early December. We’re interested in fall foliage, traditional neighborhoods/architecture, shopping, museums, gardens, and generally seeing a mix of major sights and smaller towns. One person in the group enjoys hiking, while the others prefer easier walks. None of us drink alcohol so no sake breweries, bars, or other alcohol-focused activities are included.

I got a lot of my ideas from this sub so hoping I can get some more help! Thanks in advance!

Fri 20th — Day 1: Arrive Tokyo

• Arrive around noon
• Immigration/customs + travel into Tokyo
• Check in and settle in
• Tokyo Skytree / Solamachi
• Christmas Market
• Shopping
• Skytree for anyone interested
• Dinner
• Ideally stay awake until ~9–10pm to adjust to the time change

Sat 21st — Day 2: Omiya / Railway Museum

• Omiya Bonsai Art Museum
• Explore the surrounding bonsai village and nurseries:
  • Fuyo-en
  • Shoto-en
  • Kyuka-en
  • Seiko-en
  • Toju-en
  • Mansei-en
• Lunch at Train Restaurant Japan Diner?
• The Railway Museum

Sun 22nd — Day 3: Shinjuku + Ikebukuro + Illuminations

• Shinjuku area
  • Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
  • Shinjuku Marui Annex
  • Suruga-ya
  • Beams Japan
• Ikebukuro
  • Sunshine City
  • Pokémon stores
  • Large gashapon store
  • Ghibli Store
  • Miffy Store
  • Sylvanian Families Store
  • Kiddy Land
  • Sunshine 60 Observatory Tenbou Park as an alternative
  • Lunch in the mall
  • K-BOOKS Ikebukuro Otome Pavilion
  • Suruga-ya Ikebukuro
  • Animate flagship store (possible cut)
  • 2nd Street (possible cut)
  • Hysteric Glamour (possible cut)
• Rikugien Gardens night illumination
• Mejiro Garden as a backup

Mon 23rd — Day 4: Edo-Tokyo + Kichijoji

• Avoid leaving too early to miss the worst of rush hour
• Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum
• Kichijoji
• L.L.Bean
• Explore the neighborhood
• Inokashira Park

Tues 24th — Day 5: Harajuku + Shibuya

• Harajuku
  • Shopping
  • Possible alternatives:
  • Meiji Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue
  • Nezu Museum
  • Yoyogi Park
  • Meiji Jingu
  • Togo Shrine
• Lunch at Harajuku Gyozarou?
• Walk toward Shibuya
  • Hysteric Glamour
  • Iyoshi Cola
• Shibuya
  • Beams
  • Shibuya Crossing
  • MUJI
  • Onitsuka Tiger
  • Shibuya PARCO
  • MIYASHITA PARK as an alternative
• Dinner

Weds 25th — Day 6: Kawaguchiko / Mt. Fuji Day Trip

• Following this 1-day guide from Truly Tokyo

Thurs 26th — Day 7: Tokyo → Takayama

• Check out
• Send large luggage ahead / use luggage forwarding
• Travel Tokyo → Nagoya
• Stop in Nagoya
• Nagoya Castle
• Meijo Park
• Continue Nagoya → Takayama
• Check in
• Relax / rooftop bath

Fri 27th — Day 8: Takayama

• Higashiyama Walking Course
• Start around Takayama Museum of History and Art
• Lunch
• Sanmachi Suji / Old Town
• New and Old Arts Town
• Kuratsubo Antiques
• Hida Takayama Retro Museum (optional)
• Dinner

Sat 28th — Day 9: Takayama

• Miyagawa Morning Market
• Yoshijima Heritage House
• Kusakabe Traditional House
• Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine
• Takayama Festival Floats Exhibition Hall
• Sakurayama Nikkokan Museum
• Takayama Showa-kan Museum
• Lunch
• Afternoon at Hida Folk Village
• Hida Takayama Crafts Experience Center

Sun 29th — Day 10: Takayama → Hida-Furukawa

• Check out
• Train to Hida-Furukawa (~15 minutes)
  • Setogawa and Shirakabe Dozou Street
  • Glass Museum Koma Furukawa
  • Browse local shops and antique stores
• Lunch
• Check in to a ryokan
• Dinner at the ryokan / relax

Mon 30th — Day 11: Hida-Furukawa → Shirakawa-go → Kanazawa

• Check out
• Travel to Shirakawa-go
  • Explore
  • Lunch
• Continue to Kanazawa
• Check in
• Dinner
• Relax

Tues 1st — Day 12: Kanazawa

• Breakfast at Curio Espresso and Vintage Design Café
• Kanazawa Castle
• Kenroku-en Garden
• Lunch
• Nagamachi Samurai District
• Nomura-ke Samurai Heritage Residence
• Higashi Chaya District around sunset
• Kutani/Kanazawa ceramics shopping

Weds 2nd — Day 13: Kanazawa → Tokyo

• Breakfast / Omicho Market?
• Check out
• Travel back to Tokyo (~3.5 hours)
• Check in
• Last-minute shopping
• Shopping around Asakusa
• Kappabashi Kitchen Town
• Possible luggage shopping
• Explore Senso-ji at night
• Pack

Thurs 3rd — Day 14: Departure

I have been researching them for months. I think I want a smaller more private one but what are the pros and cons of going to a smaller vs one of the hotel ones??? I dont care about a bar but I would like to have a few drinks with my husband.

We are only doing 1 night so I have a great budget for it. $1000 a night for the two of us. It is our 10 year anniversary as well as his 40th. (If anyone has any other suggestions on what we can do to celebrate I’d be happy to hear them)

I’m hoping for dinner and breakfast to be included

And a private onsen is an absolute must. Big enough for two.

Open to suggestions for the ryokan - we are hoping to hop off the bullet train somewhere and stay the night. In between Tokyo and Kyoto.

But the point of this post is the pros and cons of a larger hotel ryokan vs a smaller location.

These are the ones I’m looking at as of now

https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/gyokutei-hakone.html?aid=304142&label=gen173nr-10CAEoggI46AdIM1gEaI4CiAECmAEzuAEHyAEN2AED6AEB-AEBiAIBqAIBuAL67sTRBsACAdICJGQyOTQxYjM4LWU3NzAtNDkzYi05Y2ViLWM1NTZjMWYxNmI0Y9gCAeACAQ&sid=43211e9403a47d92d69069622c8c5da5&all\_sr\_blocks=139134801\_353150685\_2\_17\_0\_329&checkin=2026-10-14&checkout=2026-10-15&dest\_id=-228233&dest\_type=city&dist=0&group\_adults=2&group\_children=0&hapos=5&highlighted\_blocks=139134801\_353150685\_2\_17\_0\_329&hpos=5&matching\_block\_id=139134801\_353150685\_2\_17\_0\_329&no\_rooms=1&req\_adults=2&req\_children=0&room1=A%2CA&sb\_price\_type=total&sr\_order=popularity&sr\_pri\_blocks=139134801\_353150685\_2\_17\_0\_329\_7722000&srepoch=1781610406&srpvid=594552d0e44200e4&type=total&ucfs=1&

https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/shan-nocha-wu.html?aid=304142&label=gen173nr-10CAEoggI46AdIM1gEaI4CiAECmAEzuAEHyAEN2AED6AEB-AEBiAIBqAIBuAL67sTRBsACAdICJGQyOTQxYjM4LWU3NzAtNDkzYi05Y2ViLWM1NTZjMWYxNmI0Y9gCAeACAQ&sid=43211e9403a47d92d69069622c8c5da5&all\_sr\_blocks=1492785813\_421518715\_2\_33\_0&checkin=2026-10-14&checkout=2026-10-15&dest\_id=-228233&dest\_type=city&dist=0&group\_adults=2&group\_children=0&hapos=11&highlighted\_blocks=1492785813\_421518715\_2\_33\_0&hpos=11&matching\_block\_id=1492785813\_421518715\_2\_33\_0&no\_rooms=1&req\_adults=2&req\_children=0&room1=A%2CA&sb\_price\_type=total&sr\_order=popularity&sr\_pri\_blocks=1492785813\_421518715\_2\_33\_0\_\_13251364&srepoch=1781610786&srpvid=60e3538fba8301ff&type=total&ucfs=1&

https://www.hakoneginyu.co.jp/?utm\_source=chatgpt.com

My wife and I (mid-30s) are planning our first trip to Hokkaido in early October (tentatively Oct 3–12, 9 nights total). We love great food (especially fresh seafood, sushi, and local seasonal specialties) and would like to enjoy the local sights / nature. It'll be both of our first times in Hokkaido (but we've done a good amount of Japan travel elsewhere). We’re doing an open-jaw flight into Sapporo (CTS) and out of Hakodate (HKD) - flying from Taipei so no jetlag concerns.

We're planning to rely on public transit for Sapporo/Otaru, then rent a compact car for the central/southern leg (picking up in Sapporo and dropping off in Hakodate), or possibly just renting a car for Biei/Furano and taking the train down to Hakodate.

I’d love some feedback on our day distribution and any lodging recommendations.

The Proposed Outline:

• Oct 3 (Day 1): Land at New Chitose (CTS) late afternoon. Train to Sapporo. Check in, evening dining near hotel.
• Oct 4 (Day 2): Sapporo city exploration (parks/fall foliage, Odori, Tanukikoji shopping, sushi).
• Oct 5 (Day 3): Day trip to Otaru via JR train (canal, Sakaimachi street, sweets/glassware)
• Oct 6 (Day 4): Flexible Sapporo day (Mt. Moiwa / Maruyama Park / shopping / potential quick Jozankei Onsen bus trip).
• Oct 7 (Day 5): Pick up rental car in Sapporo -> Drive to Biei/Furano (~2 hrs). Explore Patchwork Road / rural viewpoints.
• Oct 8 (Day 6): Shirogane Blue Pond, Shirahige Waterfall, Daisetsuzan foothills/Tokachidake, Furano winery.
• Oct 9 (Day 7): Drive south (~2.5–3 hrs) past Mt. Yotei to Lake Toya. Check into onsen ryokan, lakeside walk, evening fireworks.
• Oct 10 (Day 8): Morning at Lake Toya / Mt. Usu -> Drive south stopping by Onuma. Arrive Hakodate, drop off rental car.
• Oct 11 (Day 9): Hakodate (Morning Market seafood bowls, Motomachi historic district, Mt. Hakodate ropeway for night view).
• Oct 12 (Day 10): Depart for Taipei in the afternoon.

Specific Questions:

1. Pacing / Days Allocation: Does 4N Sapporo / 2N Furano / 1N Toya / 2N Hakodate feel balanced? We originally considered 3 nights in Hakodate, but felt 2 nights (1.5 full days) is plenty for the city sights.
2. Where to base in Biei/Furano? For a 2-night stay with a car, is it better to stay in a cozy countryside pension/inn in Biei, a mountain onsen lodge up in Tokachidake/Shirogane, or a modern boutique hotel in Furano town for easier dinner options?
3. Lake Toya Lodging: We aren't big buffet people and prefer a great onsen/lake view over mass resort dining halls. Any recommendations for solid mid-tier ryokans or clean room-only inns where we can easily walk out to dinner in town?
4. Car Rental Logistics: Any issues with a one-way rental from Sapporo to Hakodate in early October? Roads and mountain passes should still be completely clear of snow/ice, right?

Thanks in advance!

My spouse and I are visiting Japan for the first time this October. Mostly vegetarian couple (we eat eggs and chicken, willing to try some seafood), interested in culture, nature, art, food, and some shopping. We've spent months planning this — would love brutal honest feedback before we lock everything in.

Days 1–3 — Tokyo (staying in Nihonbashi)

Day 1: Starting with Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa, walking Nakamise-dori, then heading to Ueno Park and Tokyo National Museum in the afternoon. Evening stroll around Nihonbashi.

Day 2: Full day trip to Kamakura and Enoshima. Plan is Kotoku-in (Great Buddha) in the morning, Hase-dera Temple, then walking the Daibutsu Hiking Trail back toward Kita-Kamakura.

Day 3: TeamLab Planets in Toyosu — booked the first morning slot. Afternoon in Ginza for shopping.

Days 4–6 — Sapporo, Hokkaido

Day 4: Travel day to Sapporo. Arriving afternoon, checking in, exploring Odori Park and Susukino in the evening. Dinner at Ramen Alley — trying miso ramen which Sapporo is famous for.

Day 5: Day trip to Otaru. Plan is the canal area, the old merchant warehouses, Sankaku Market for fresh seafood, and the glass and music box workshops on Sakaimachi Street. About 30 min each way by train.

Day 6: Day trip to Lake Toya — caldera lake with island in the middle, volcano views, and onsen town. Considering a boat ride on the lake and a short hike on Showa Shinzan. About 2 hours each way by train/bus.

Days 7–8 — Osaka (staying in Umeda)

Day 7: Arriving in Osaka. Checking in to hotel in Umeda, then heading straight to Dotonbori for the evening. Planning to explore Hozenji Yokocho alley for dinner.

Day 8: Himeji Castle in the morning — gardens and the castle museum. Evening at Shinsaibashi shopping arcade.

Days 9–11 — Kyoto (staying in Kawaramachi)

Day 9: Arriving by train from Osaka. Afternoon at Fushimi Inari — planning to go late afternoon into early evening to catch the torii gates in softer light. Evening walk through Gion — Hanamikoji Street around 6–8 PM for a chance of spotting a geisha.

Day 10: Undecided — this is where I need the most help. Originally wanted to do Ine no Funaya (the fishing village with boat houses) but it's 2.5 hours each way which feels like too much for a day trip. Considering staying in Kyoto for Philosopher's Path and Nanzen-ji. Open to suggestions.

Day 11: Arashiyama — bamboo grove very early morning (before 8 AM) to beat crowds, then Tenryu-ji garden, Togetsukyo Bridge. Considering adding Adashino Nenbutsuji in the afternoon — the moss-covered stone Buddha figures are supposed to be atmospheric. Is this worth the detour?

Days 12–13 — Mt. Fuji area (1 night ryokan)

Day 12: Travelling from Kyoto to either Hakone or Kawaguchiko — this is my biggest undecided point (more in questions below). Plan is to arrive by early afternoon, check in to ryokan, onsen, and soak in the Fuji views (weather permitting).

Day 13: Morning in the Fuji area — Chureito Pagoda if in Kawaguchiko, Hakone Open Air Museum or Lake Ashi if in Hakone. Then travelling back to Tokyo by afternoon.

Days 13–16 — Tokyo (stay mostly in Shibuya area)

Day 14: Recovering from travel. Shibuya in the afternoon — Shibuya Sky observation deck at sunset, then Shinjuku in the evening. Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane) for dinner.

Day 15: Nakano Broadway for vintage finds and pop culture. Shimokitazawa for secondhand clothing and indie cafes. These two areas are quite different but both within reach — is this a good combination for one day?

Day 16: Catching a Nippon Professional Baseball game — October is the tail end of the regular season, so hoping to catch one at Meiji Jingu Stadium or Tokyo Dome. Any tips on getting tickets as a foreigner would be great.

Specific questions I'd love input on:

1. Hakone vs Kawaguchiko for a 1-night Fuji ryokan stay — which gives better direct Fuji views and the more memorable onsen experience for a couple? Is there a third option I'm missing entirely?
2. Is 2 nights in Osaka enough? Worried it's not doing the city justice. Should I cut it and redistribute to Kyoto or Tokyo, or is 2 nights sufficient to get the real Osaka experience?
3. Day 10 in Kyoto — what's the best day trip or in-city experience for early-to-mid October specifically? Nara is the obvious answer but is it the best option for that time of year? Anywhere with early autumn colour?
4. Sapporo day trips — are Otaru and Lake Toya the right picks for early October, or should I swap one for Noboribetsu or Jozankei Onsen? Which combination would you choose?
5. Anything obviously wrong or missing? Especially for a first-timer in October — are we timing the foliage correctly?

TL;DR: First-time Japan, 16 days, Tokyo → Sapporo → Osaka → Kyoto → Fuji → Tokyo. Main open questions are Hakone vs Kawaguchiko for the Fuji overnight, whether 2 nights in Osaka is worth it, and what to do on the free day in Kyoto. Full day-by-day above. Please help me refine it 🙏

This will be the first major trip my friend group and I will be taking so we want to see a lot as most of us will probably not go out the country again.

Day 1: Tokyo- Arrival and just rest

Day 2: Tokyo- Shopping in Harajuku and Shibuya (Jins, Kumachan Onsen, The Harry Potter Store, and White Atelier)

Day 3: Tokyo- DisneySea (maybe the Pokemon Cent at Tokyo Bay even tho I know it’s a far train ride)

Day 4: Tokyo- The making of Harry Potter and Sunshine City Shopping

Day 5: Tokyo- Yokohama and Chinatown

Day 6: Tokyo- Dawn Avatar Cafe and Akihabara Shopping

Day 7: Tokyo- Puroland and more shopping (we all agreed we didn’t want to do a full day at Puroland)

Day 8: Tokyo- Senso-ji Temple, Zen Craft Studio, Asakusa Milk Cafe, and Maruyoshi Furin

Day 9: Travel to Kyoto for the day (Fushimi Inari Tasha and Araki Shrine) and the Miffy Cafe (my friend does want to go to the Bamboo Forest but idk if we’ll be able to fit it) than travel to Osaka before the train stops

Day 10: Osaka- Universal Studios and Gap Factory

Day 11: Osaka/Kagawa- Katsuoji early in the morning and then go to Kagawa (if we have time maybe see the Umeda Sky Building) (we’ll probably stay the night in Kagawa but we’re going to see the Pokemon center and the udon)

Day 12: Travel to Karatsu (this is a 4-5 hour train ride I believe)

Day 13: Karatsu- Karatsu Castle, Exhibition Hall, and Kagamiyama Onsen

Day 14: Travel back to Tokyo (around 7 hours)

Day 15: Tokyo- Gotokuji Temple

Day 16: Departure Day

I do have a question.

1. Do you think I should remove Karatsu (I wanna go because Yuri on Ice is my favorite anime but at the same time the travel feels like a lot even tho all my friends say they’ll be okay with the train ride).
   - If you do say to remove it, should we keep it as 16 days or 14 would be better or do a full day in Kyoto?

2. Is the Kyoto day even possible? I do wanna go to this Kimono store I saw that has second hand kimonos for sell.

3. Are we missing anything if we choose to do a half day at Puroland? We don’t care for the meet and greets or the show. I mostly just want the merch and my other female friend just wants to do the boat ride

4. Osaka to Kagawa. I really wanna go to the Slowpoke Pokemon Center (because it’s my favorite Pokemon to the point I have a tattoo of him on my arm) but will it be a long shot?

We are okay spending money and have been saving for a few years (that’s why I say most of us will probably not go out the country again because this is almost 3 years in the making)

My wife and I are planning a Japan trip for late January - February 2027. We have a basic structure and some refundable hotels booked but looking to get some thoughts from the community on any tweaks to the plan that could improve it. This will be our first time in Japan, we will be meeting up with some friends for the Niseko portion but the rest we be just us. 23 nights, 12 in Hokkaido with a focus on snowboarding and rest largely split between Kyoto and Tokyo.

Wed 1/27 - Travel
Fly out of SFO at 10:30AM -> Sapporo

Thu 1/28 - Arrive Sapporo
Land ~2:30 PM -> train to Sapporo -> check into Washington Hotel -> easy dinner maybe at Sapporo Beer Garden/ early night 

Fri 1/29 - Furano
Early morning 7/11 run -> Pick up rental Subaru ~7 AM at Nippon Eki Mae branch -> drive to Furano -> snowboard from arrival until close -> check into Furano Hotel -> dinner

Sat 1/30 - Furano
Full snowboard day -> Ningle Terrace after dark -> dinner in Furano

Sun 1/31 - Furano -> Niseko
If great snow then 1/2 day snowboard otherwise easy morning -> drive to Niseko -> groceries / explore along the way -> check into Niseko cottage -> Dinner in Hirafu

Mon 2/1 - Sat 2/6 - Niseko Area
Meet up with friends, flexible days based on snow/weather:
~4 snowboarding days at Niseko
~1 snowboarding day at Rusutsu
~1 non-ski/exploration day: Lake Toya + Noboribetsu Jigokudani + nice onsen like Dai-ichi Takimotokan or Noboribetsu Sekisuitei
Feb 3rd is Setsubun festival in Japan - look into local events, Noboribetsu day maybe good for this

Sun 2/7 - Otaru -> Sapporo
Ta-Q-Bin Snowboard gear to Tokyo hotel -> Drive Niseko to Otaru -> potentially Mt. Tengu/Tenguyama ropeway if clear -> Otaru sightseeing + sushi/seafood -> Snow Light Path after dark -> drive to Sapporo -> return rental car -> check into Susukino Airbnb

Mon 2/8 - Sapporo
Sapporo Snow Festival -> Odori Park -> Susukino ice sculptures -> ramen / soup curry / jingisukan

Tue 2/9 - Sapporo -> Kyoto
Fly to Kyoto/Osaka area -> check into Cross Hotel Kyoto -> explore Kawaramachi / Pontocho / Gion -> dinner

Wed 2/10 - Fushimi Inari + Uji
Fushimi Inari very early -> Uji ~9:30 -> matcha/tea ceremony experience -> possibly Nintendo Museum if we get tickets -> relaxed Kyoto evening

Thu 2/11 - Nara + Osaka
Day trip to Nara -> Nara Park / Tōdai-ji / explore -> continue to Osaka -> Namba/Dotonbori + dinner + late night drinks -> back to Kyoto

Fri 2/12 - Higashiyama + Gion
Kiyomizu-dera -> Sannenzaka/Ninenzaka -> Higashiyama -> Gion -> tea/food/shopping -> Pontocho evening

Sat 2/13 - Arashiyama + Central Kyoto
Early Arashiyama -> temples/river/bamboo area -> back toward central Kyoto -> Nishiki Market / shopping / flexible afternoon & evening

Sun 2/14 - Kyoto -> Tokyo
Flexible short Kyoto morning -> Late morning Shinkansen to Tokyo -> Drop bags at Gate Hotel in Asakusa -> Explore Sensō-ji / Asakusa rest of the day

Mon 2/15 - Shibuya / Harajuku
Meiji Jingu -> Harajuku -> Shibuya -> shopping / food / possibly Daikanyama or Shimokitazawa

Tue 2/16 - Tsukiji + Ginza + Shinjuku
Tsukiji Outer Market for breakfast -> Ginza -> Seiko Museum -> Ginza shopping/wandering or rest at hotel -> Shinjuku around 4–5 PM -> Omoide Yokocho/Kabukicho -> dinner ->  Golden Gai/drinks

Wed 2/17 - DisneySea
Full day at Tokyo DisneySea

Thu 2/18 - Tokyo Flexible Day
Ueno/ Tokyo National Museum/Yanaka + Akihabara or Nakano Broadway + Shimokitazawa or teamLab/Odaiba (TBD)-> Send main bag and snowboards to airport -> final Tokyo night

Fri 2/19 - Tokyo -> Hakone
Check out of hotel -> travel to Hakone -> sightseeing before check-in (Owakudani / Lake Ashi) -> check into ryokan -> private bath/sauna -> kaiseki dinner

Sat 2/20 - Hakone -> Home
Japanese breakfast -> relaxed morning -> other sights on Hakone loop as time allows (open air museum) -> travel to Narita -> fly out 9PM

Hello everyone,

My partner and I are heading to Japan this September (10th–28th) for our first big trip to Japan. We’ve put together an itinerary and would love to get your thoughts on whether this schedule is feasible.

we are from belgium and travel allot. we did hikes in norway and we went to a survival trip to sweden + allot of countries in europe to do city trips. so we are not afraid to walk allot of km's per day

we are 26 and 24 years old

Here is our plan:

Day 01

• land in japan at 17:15
• do the check in in hotel and get to hotel from train and stuff
• just an evening walk because we will be tired from the flight

Day 02 (Osaka)

• Universal Studios Japan

Day 03 (Osaka)

• osaka castle
• kurumon market
• den den town
• dotonbori

Day 04 (osaka -> Hiroshima)

• take the train to hiroshima
• visit Miyajima Island

Day 05 (hiroshima -> Kyoto)

• peace memorial park
• hiroshima castle
• take the train to kyoto
• visit kyoto tower

Day 06 (Kyoto)

• kiyomizu-dera
• hokan ji
• spend some time in gion
• if there is time kinkaku ji

Day 07 (Kyoto)

• bamboo forest (or adashino nenbusu ji)
• (if we feel the vibe maybe visit the monkey park but we don't think so)
• visit nintendo musseum
• fushimi inari taisha

Day 08 (Kyoto)

• nijo castle
• kyoto imperial palace
• nishiki market

Day 09 (kyoto -> Kanazawa)

• early train to kanazawa
• kanazawa castle
• kenroku-en garden
• higashi chaya district
• in the evening take a walk arround the shore

**Day 10 (**kanazawa -> Takayama)

• early train to takayama
• higashiyama walking course
• if we have time hida minzoka mura fold village
• in the evening to sanmachi suji

Day 11 (takayama -> gifu ->Hakone) (we know this is a wild idea but we are down to try this)

• take an early train to nakastugawa
• do a little hike of 7KM to see the ryujin falls Gifu
• take the train to hakone and check in to the hotel

Day 12 (Hakone)

• Hakone Loop
• if we want we do the glass museum

Day 13 (hakone -> Tokyo)

• early train to tokyo
• shinjuku gyoen park
• meji shrine
• (if we feel the vibe, go to the tokyo metropolitan goverment building)
• omoide yokochi
• check out shinjuku

Day 14 (Tokyo)

• we have a cooking class planned in shibuya at 9 in the morning
• strolling arround shibuya

Day 15 (Tokyo)

• ueno park
• ameya yokocho market
• nezu shrine
• yanaka ginza shopping street
• rikugien garden

Day 16 (Tokyo)

• hamarikyu gardens
• tokyo tower
• imperial palace (kokyo)
• if we really feel the vibe we visit odaiba island

Day 17 (Tokyo)

• nakamise street
• senso ji
• tokyo skytree
• talking a walk arround sumida river
• akihabara

Day 18 (Tokyo)

• Free day

Day 19

• our flight back is at 22h in the evening

Our questions:

1. Is this route logical, or are some days too packed?
2. Do you have any tips for our "free day" (Day 18)?
3. Are we missing any absolute "must-sees" along this route?

Thanks in advance for the help!

My husband and I are going to Japan in December!! My first time and his second but he was in middle school the first.

Below is our itinerary for review. We LOVE food and that is a huge priority.

We’re staying at hotel the Celestine Ginza and Nazuna Kyoto Gosho. Most evenings in Tokyo are wide open as we’ll be meeting up friends who have been there and they’re planning those nights. Would love any and all feedback.

Thursday — Arrival + Ginza
Take public transportation to Hotel the Celestine Ginza (use Google Maps)
Check into Hotel the Celestine Ginza
Explore Ginza/Shimbashi
Dinner: TBD

Friday — Tsukiji + Ginza
Morning: Tsukiji Fish Market
Matcha: Cloud Club
Late Morning: Explore Ginza
Lunch: Kaitenzushi Nemuro Hanamaru Ginza
Other lunch option: Tonkatsu Aoki
Afternoon:
Ginza Six
Cafe de L’Ambre
Shopping/wander Ginza
Evening:

Saturday — Harajuku + Shibuya
Morning: Harajuku
Meiji Shrine
I’m donut?
Walk through Omotesando → Cat Street → Shibuya
Lunch: Menchirashi (arrive at 11 am)
Another lunch spot: Salmon Bowl Kumada
Afternoon: Shibuya
Shibuya Crossing
Shopping
Shimokitawaza (Vintage shopping)
Evening:

Sunday — Asakusa
Morning: Asakusa
Senso-ji
Nakamise Shopping
Lunch: Ramen Yoroiya
Afternoon:
Kappabashi Kitchen Street
Coffee
Wander
Dinner: TBD

Monday— Shinjuku
Morning: Shinjuku
Coffee Swamp
Omoide Yokocho
Shopping
*LEAVE LUGGAGE WITH FRONT DESK IF WANTING TO FORWARD BY 2 PM*
Afternoon: Head Spa (Headspa speciality store Wayanpuri Tokyo shinjuku)
Evening: Sushi Ya (make reservation in October, check if open on Monday) OR Sushi Sho Masa OR Sushi Akira !!!!
After: High Five bar

⛩️** KYOT**O
Tuesday— Tokyo → Kyoto
Checkout: 11 AM
Breakfast
Train to Kyoto
Lunch: Honke Daiichi-Asahi
(Ramen right outside Kyoto Station)
Check into Nazuna Kyoto Gosho
Dinner: Nazuna Dinner — 5:30 or 7:30 PM seating

Wednesday — Higashiyama + Gion
Breakfast: Hotel breakfast
Late Morning: Higashiyama
Walk through:
Kiyomizu-dera
Sannenzaka
Ninenzaka
Yasaka area
Gion
Lunch: TBD
Afternoon: Wander Gion
Dinner: private sake tasting and dinner

Thursday — Fushimi Inari + Nishiki
Breakfast: Hotel
7:00 AM: Fushimi Inari
Breakfast: Panel Cafe (book in October)
Afternoon:
Nishiki Market (Sushi Shin)
Teramachi/Shinkyogoku
Shopping/wandering
Coffee/sweets
Lunch: Hikinuku to come (reserve November 1)
Late Afternoon:
Return to Nazuna
Private bath
Relax/get ready for dinner
Dinner: TBD

Friday — Arashiyama
Breakfast: Hotel
Morning: Arashiyama
Bamboo Grove
Tenryu-ji area
Wander Arashiyama
Lunch: Arashiyama Daizen (TBD)
Afternoon/Evening: Kaiseki dinner (TBD)

Saturday- head home

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

I'm finalizing my 3 day Kyoto itinerary and would love to get your thoughts. I tried to group things by area to avoid spending too much time on transit.

Day 1

• Kiyomizu-dera -> Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka -> Kodai-ji -> Gion & Maruyama Park -> Yasaka Shrine

Day 2

• Arashiyama Bamboo Forest -> Tenryu-ji & Togetsukyo Bridge -> Kinkaku-ji -> Ryoan-ji -> Nijo Castle

Day 3

• Fushimi Inari Shrine -> Nishiki Market -> Philosopher's Path -> Kyoto Imperial Palace -> Gion Corner

A few questions:

1. Is Arashiyama really worth it? I've heard the bamboo forest gets insanely crowded. Do you think it's an absolute must-do, or is it okay to skip it to free up some time?
2. Does this look doable, or am I rushing it?

Thanks! 🙏

Hey everyone! My hubby and I are planning a ~4-week spring trip to Japan focusing on ukiyo-e art, historic post towns, traditional architecture, and day trips. We will be travelling by public transport, trains where we can and buses for some of the day trips.

We’re intentionally skipping the Takayama Spring Festival dates to avoid massive crowds (experienced the madness of Gion Matsuri in 2018 and want a calmer vibe this time!).

Here is our current day-by-day draft. Would love any feedback on pacing, transit flow, or recommendations along the route!

Tokyo Transit & Osaka (March 26–31)
Mar 26 (Day 1): Arrive in Tokyo (overnight depending on flight arrival, or head straight west).

Mar 27 (Day 2): Transit to Osaka. Check in and explore the neighborhood.

Mar 28 (Day 3): Universal Studios Japan (Full day).

Mar 29 (Day 4): Day trip to Mount Koya (Koyasan) – Okuno-in cemetery and mountain temples.

Mar 30 (Day 5): Osaka Art & City Walk – Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum in the morning, wandering Namba/Shinsaibashi, dinner & street food in Dotonbori.

Mar 31 (Day 6): Relaxed morning in Osaka; train ride to Kyoto.

Kyoto (March 31 – April 4)
Apr 1 (Day 7): Day trip to Kibune & Kurama – Kifune Shrine, mountain hike over to Kurama-dera.

Apr 2 (Day 8): Fushimi Inari & Southern Kyoto – Early morning at Fushimi Inari Taisha, followed by southern/eastern temple exploration.

Apr 3 (Day 9): Philosopher’s Path & Art/Distillery – Morning walk along Philosopher’s Path. Afternoon at Yamazaki Distillery (if we snag tickets) OR Arashiyama Yusai-tei art gallery & grounds.

Apr 4 (Day 10): Final morning in Kyoto; train to Kanazawa.

Kanazawa (April 4–7)
Apr 5 (Day 11): Kanazawa Atmosphere – Exploring Higashi Chaya teahouse district and Nagamachi Samurai district.

Apr 6 (Day 12): Day trip to Shirakawa-go – Self-guided bus trip to check out the gassho-zukuri farmhouses.

Apr 7 (Day 13): Kenroku-en & Castle Park – Kenroku-en Garden in the morning, Kanazawa Castle Park, and catching up on missed spots.

Apr 8 (Day 14): Morning transfer to Takayama.

Takayama (April 7–11)
Apr 8 (Day 14): Old Town & Blossoms – Sanmachi Suji historic district and cherry blossom walk (hopefully they’ll be out!) along the Miyagawa River.

Apr 9 (Day 15): Day trip to Hida Furukawa – Exploring the town, canals, and surrounding area.

Apr 10 (Day 16): Hida Folk Village – Hida no Sato open-air museum, central town exploration probably stopping at some sake breweries to see if we can find some we enjoy.

**Apr 11 (Day 17):**train to Matsumoto.

Matsumoto (April 11–15)
Apr 12 (Day 18): Ukiyo-e & Castle – Japan Ukiyo-e Museum in the morning, wandering town, visiting Matsumoto Castle.

Apr 13 (Day 19): Day trip to Narai-juku – Exploring the Nakasendo post town.

Apr 14 (Day 20): Daio Wasabi Farm & Miso – Morning trip to Azumino/wasabi farm; local miso factory visit in the afternoon.

Apr 15 (Day 21): Train to Nagano.

Nagano & Obuse (April 15–17)
Apr 15 (Day 21): En route to Nagano, stop in Obuse to visit the Hokusai Museum, leave luggage at station in coin lockers. Check into Nagano.

Apr 16 (Day 22): Nagano City & (Optional) Snow Monkeys – Zenko-ji Temple area. Undecided on Jigokudani Monkey Park due to mixed reviews on park conditions/animal welfare.

Apr 17 (Day 23): Hokuriku Shinkansen back to Tokyo.

Tokyo & Departure (April 17–20/21)
Apr 18 (Day 24): Day trip to Kamakura & Enoshima - exploring the island as much as we can in the time we have and also checking out Kamakura.

Apr 19 (Day 25): Tokyo Ukiyo-e Day – Sumida Hokusai Museum & Ōta Memorial Museum of Art (Harajuku).

Apr 20 (Day 26): Digital Art & Food – teamLab Planets DMM and Kewpie Mayo Terrace (Kewpie Museum).

Apr 21 (Day 27): Final shopping/sightseeing & departure flight home.

Specific Questions for things I have concerns about :
Pacing check: Does the transit flow between Kanazawa → Takayama → Matsumoto → Nagano feel manageable by bus/train with luggage?

Jigokudani Monkey Park: Has anyone visited recently in mid-April? Interested in feedback on whether it's worth the trip given welfare/seasonal conditions.

Alternative recommendations: Any hidden gem ukiyo-e spots or historic craft workshops along this route that we missed?

Thanks in advance for any tips or advice!

Hello everyone!

I planned my first trip to Japan from April 27, 2027, to May 12, 2027. I’ve already booked my hotels and was about to book the plane tickets when I found out about Golden Week, which takes place during this period.

Based on my itinerary, do you think I might run into any problems during Golden Week, such as overcrowded places or difficulties getting around?

This is my itinerary:

Thursday, April 29, 2027 - Tokyo

• Akihabara
• Arcades (Taito Hey, Tokyo Leisure Land)
• Super Potato

Friday, April 30, 2027 - Tokyo

• Shinjuku Gyoen
• Godzilla Store
• Kabukicho
• Godzilla’s head
• Omoide Yokocho
• Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

Saturday, May 1, 2027- Tokyo

• Meiji Sanctuary
• Harajuku
• Shibuya Crossing
• Tokyo Tower

Sunday, May 2, 2027- Tokyo

• teamLab Planets
• Diver City Tokyo Plaza

Monday, May 3, 2027- Osaka

• Train to get to Osaka
• To-ji Temple
• Tofuku-ji Temple
• Nishiki Market

Tuesday, May 4, 2027- Osaka

• Fushimi Inari-taisha
• Yasaka Jinja
• Hanamikoji
• Pontocho

Wednesday, May 5, 2027 – Osaka

• Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
• Togetsukyo, Sagatenryūji Tsukurimichichō
• Iwatayama Monkey Park

Thank you very much for your advice and opinions!

We are heading to Japan in October for 21 days. Our trip includes some plans based on if my husband will be with us or not as this is combining a work and family trip for my husband. This is not the first international trip for my kids; they are wonderful travel companions and love train travel.

Can we fit more in our should we cut some stuff out? Would using luggage forwarding be a good idea, or not necessary since we only have 3 hotel changes?

We love anime and Pokemon (obviously). I figure for food we will just find stuff to eat mostly where we are at the time with the exception of Pokemon Cafe and Flippers. We have ND kids and one also has an eating disorder, so we typically do food as we go and maybe we aren't all eating at the same time in the restaurant.

I tried to keep things as close as possible for our day exploration of Tokyo, but also had to consider what my husband also wants to see and when he is available.

TIA

October 5-25 (we are staying in AirBnB in Shinjuku during our time in Tokyo)

Arrive 3pm October 5 NRT

• Oct 6
  • Pokepark
• Oct 7
  • Breakfast at Flippers
  • Explore Shibuya
  • Rest/Tokyo Night Light show
• Oct 8
  • TeamLab Borderless
  • Pokemon Cafe
• Oct 9
  • Disney Tokyo
• Oct 10
  • Tama Zoological Park (researched zoos as much as I could to find an ethical place. My son loves to visit a zoo every place we visit)
• Oct 11
  • Gotemba Premium Outlets
• Oct 12
  • Fukui Prefecture Dinosaur Museum (dinosaur obsessed kids. we can't miss Fukui... even with the long travel)
• Oct 13
  • Akihabara
  • Pokemon Centers (Tokyo Station and DX)
• Oct 14
  • Tsukiji Fish Market
  • Kidzania (afternoon session)
  • Small Worlds?
• Oct 15
  • DisneySea
• Oct 16
  • Temple Zojo-ji
  • Maple Waterfall/Tokyo Tower
  • Akasaka area exploration
• Oct 17
  • Sky Tree
  • Pokemon Center (Sky Tree)
  • Imperial Palace
  • Senso-ji
  • Asakusa
• Oct 18 (Patina Osaka Hotel)
  • Travel day to Osaka
• Oct 19
  • Nintendo and Pokemon Store
  • Possibly Kirby Cafe
  • Neco Republic Cat Spa
• Oct 20
  • Kaiyukan Aquarium
  • Pokemon Center Osaka and DX
• Oct 21 (Travel to Mimaru Hotel in Kyoto)
  • Osaka Castle Grounds (am)
  • Nintendo Museum (pm)
• Oct 22
  • Hiroshima Day Trip
  • Peace museum
  • Maybe Miyjima Island
  • Pokemon Center Hiroshima Station
• Oct 23
  • Open explore day (temples)
  • Pokemon Center
  • Nintendo Store
• Oct 24
  • Samurai/Ninja Museum and experience
  • Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
• Oct 25 (Fly out KIX at 6pm)
  • Explore Osaka for day - husband missed all of Osaka earlier

Hello, I'd love some feedback on our itinerary for a first time visit, 2 adults & 2 kids (5 & 7), coming from Sydney Australia. How does the grouping of days seem? Any changes or suggestions? I've put names of the hotels we are staying at in the plan. Does anyoe have any feedback on these? I still have time to cancel and rebook if there are better options.

Thanks very much!

Day 1 - Monday 26^(th) October. Flight arrives 8:00pm Haneda Airport. Staying at Villa Fontaine Airport Hotel.

Day 2 - Tuesday 27^(th) October. Breakfast at hotel, Pick up child Suica cards & withdraw some cash from airport ATM. Limo bus to Tokyo Bay. Check out Ikspiari and stock up on some snacks for a couple days at Disney. * Staying at Grand Nikko Hotel.

Day 3 - Wednesday 28^(th) October. Disneyland

Day 4 - Thursday 29^(th) October. Disneysea

Day 5 - Friday 30^(th) October. Check out & travel to Ueno area. Slow day - options - Ueno park, museum, ameyoko market. * Staying at Tosei Hotel Cocone Ueno OkachiMachi

Day 6 - Saturday 31^(st) October. 9:30am - Sumo show in Shibuya (Booked on Klook).

Walk to Meiji Shrine and explore area, Takeshita Street towards Shibuya Scramble. (Pokemon Centre, Hachiko Statue, Kiddy Land etc)

Day 7 - Sunday 1^(ST) November. Asakusa area. Early morning Senso-ji, Nakamise Street for lunch.

11:00am Samurai Ninja Museum (Booked)

4:00pm sushi making class (Booked)

Day 8 - Monday 2nd November. Check out - travel to Hakone. Hakone free pass / Romance car

Explore Hakone Area. Open Air Museum, Onsen. * Staying at WPU Hotel Hakone.

Day 9 - Tuesday 3^(rd) November. Explore Hakone Area. Open Air Museum, Onsen.

*****Public holiday**** Daimyō Gyoretsu (Feudal Lord's Procession) Parade?

Day 10 - Wednesday 4^(th) November. Shinkansen from Odawara to Kyoto.

Explore around Kyoto station - Umekōji Park Playground, grab some food (isetan dept store basement), kyoto tower, skyway walk (10th floor of station), Higashi Honganj. Get some groceries / snacks after check in, do washing and rest afternoon. * Staying at Mimaru Hotel Kawaramachi Gojo.

Day 11 - Thursday 5^(th) November. Fushimi Inari early morning walk. 8:30am Kimono rental & 60min photo shoot (Booked location near Fushimi Inari). Train to Uji for afternoon.

Day 12 - Friday 6th November. 9:00am Teamlabs Biovortex. Afternoon activity? Maybe Gion walking tour, Washi paper making?

Day 13 - Saturday 7th November. Early morning - Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Monkey park, Scienic train ride and River boat ride.

Day 14 - Sunday 8th November. Explore Higashiyama area. Kiyomizu-dera, Ninenzaka & Sannen Zaka Districts, Yasaka Pagoda etc.

Day 15 - Monday 9th November. Travel to Osaka. Visit Namba Yasaka Shrine, Dotonbori, Osaka Castle. *Staying at The Rise Osaka Universal Bayside.

Day 16 - Tuesday 10th November. Universal Studios.

Day 17 - Wednesday 11th November. Kids Plaza Osaka in morning, Shinkansen to Tokyo in afternoon. Rest afternoon. *Staying at Tokyo Bay Shiomi Prince Hotel.

Day 18 - Thursday 12th November. Morning KidZania Tokyo (English Program) then afternoon shopping for souvenirs.

Day 19 - Friday 13th November. Disney Bonus Day. Decide on which park we enjoyed most.

Day 20 - Saturday 14th November. 6:55am Flight to Sydney.

Thanks!

My wife(28f) and I(30m) will be travelling from Germany around Japan for about three weeks from 22 October to 13 November for the first time, and I’d love some feedback on our itinerary.

One bit of context for recommendations: I'm South East Asian, and neither my German wife nor I are particularly interested in tourist-oriented “Japanese culture sampler” activities like chopstick-making workshops or yen ring making or Uji matcha hunting. If we're doing a workshop, we'd much rather it be connected to a specific Japanese craft or tradition — hence things like traditional wax-dyeing already being on our itinerary.

Likewise, big modern attractions aren't really our thing. teamLab, Tokyo Skytree, observation decks, or making Shibuya Crossing an attraction in itself aren't things we're looking to add. We'll obviously pass through places like Shibuya, but we'd much rather spend our time on an interesting neighbourhood, old shopping street, specialist shop, market, workshop, shrine, good meal, etc.

We’ve done quite a bit of planning already, but before we lock everything down I mainly want to check whether the overall pace and travel days make sense and whether there’s anything obvious we should change. #swarmintelligence

We enjoy walking and exploring and are happy to start early when it makes sense, but we also don’t want the entire trip to feel like a race.

Day 1 – 22 Oct | Tokyo

• Arrive Narita around 1:40pm

• Immigration + train into Tokyo

• Staying around Kanda

• Easy dinner and explore Kanda in the evening

Day 2 – 23 Oct | Tokyo – Shibuya / Harajuku / Shinjuku

• Early Shibuya about 7am to see morning empty crowds

• Meiji Jingu + Yoyogi Park

• Omakase sushi lunch

• Betty Smith jeans workshop in Ebisu for wife's jeans

• Explore Shibuya and Shinjuku

• Dinner somewhere around Shibuya

Day 3 – 24 Oct | Tokyo – Tsukiji / flea market / Ginza

• Tsukiji Outer Market

• Oi Racecourse / Tokyo City Flea Market

• Ginza shopping and wandering

• Unagi lunch

• Izakaya dinner around Kanda

Day 4 – 25 Oct | Machida + Tokyo

• Morning trip to Machida

• Visit a traditional Japanese sword dealer to buy nihonto to ship back to Germany

• Possibly see the Machida Jidai Matsuri 2026

• Return to central Tokyo

• Akihabara in the afternoon/evening

Day 5 – 26 Oct | Tokyo + Machida

• Morning disaster-prevention experience in Sumida

• Return to Machida for more time at the sword shop if necessary

• Lunch/thrifting around Machida

• Optional Ikebukuro afterwards

This day may become lighter if everything at the sword shop can be done on Day 4.

Day 6 – 27 Oct | Tokyo – Asakusa / Kappabashi / Ueno

• Breakfast around Asakusa

• Senso-ji

• Explore the traditional shops around Asakusa

• Kappabashi kitchenware street (not planning on buying knives here but later in Sakai on Day 8)

• Ueno shopping afterwards

• luggage forwarding to Kyoto for Day 11

Day 7 – 28 Oct | Tokyo → Osaka

• Shinkansen to Osaka

• Arrive around lunchtime

• Custom pillow appointment

• Some shopping around central Osaka

• Staying around Namba / Kuromon

• Dotonbori in the evening

Day 8 – 29 Oct | Sakai + Osaka

• Morning trip to Sakai for traditional knife/craft shops

• Lunch in Sakai

• Return to Osaka

• Osaka Aquarium in the afternoon/evening

• Depending on energy: Amerikamura / Kuromon / Tenjinbashisuji / kitchenware streets

We definitely don't expect to do every optional Osaka area listed above if we're tired.

Day 9 – 30 Oct | Nara day trip

• Early train from Osaka

• Breakfast in Nara

• Nara Park / temples / wandering

• Lunch + snacks

• Return to Osaka around late afternoon

• Free evening

Day 10 – 31 Oct | Osaka → Koyasan

• Breakfast in Osaka

• Travel to Koyasan

• Arrive around lunchtime

• Explore Koyasan

• Overnight temple stay

• Temple dinner

Day 11 – 1 Nov | Koyasan → Kyoto

• Temple breakfast

• Slow morning in Koyasan

• Travel to Kyoto around late morning

• Staying around Shijo-Karasuma

• Nishiki Market / casual wandering after check-in

Day 12 – 2 Nov | Kyoto – Higashiyama / Gion

• Very early start for Kiyomizu-dera around sunrise with our own bought 2nd hand kimono from Day 7 or 8, so not renting kimono

• Breakfast around Gion

• Explore Higashiyama/Gion

• Private tea ceremony

• Possibly Shojuin Temple depending on logistics

• Back to the hotel in the afternoon for a nap/rest

• Easy evening

Day 13 – 3 Nov | Kyoto

• Intentionally slower day

• Picnic together along river

• Kyoto Botanical Gardens

• Wandering / anything we missed

Day 14 – 4 Nov | Kyoto – Fushimi Inari

• Early start

• Full Fushimi Inari hike rather than just the lower section

• Finish around lunchtime

• Nishiki / shopping / flexible afternoon

Day 15 – 5 Nov | Arashiyama

• Early trip towards Kameoka

• Hozugawa River boat ride into Arashiyama

• Lunch in Arashiyama

• Explore the area

• Traditional wax-dyeing workshop in the afternoon

• Dinner around Arashiyama

• Back to central Kyoto

Day 16 – 6 Nov | Kyoto

• Mostly flexible / buffer day

• Rest, shopping, food, or anything we missed earlier

Day 17 – 7 Nov | Kurama / Kibune

• Travel north from Kyoto

• Kifune Shrine

• Ohitaki Fire Festival around 11am

• Kurama/Kibune area and temples

• Return to Kyoto later in the day

Day 18 – 8 Nov | Kyoto → Kinosaki Onsen

• Morning in Kyoto

• Considering the Hitaki Fire Festival at Fushimi Inari or Arashiyama Momiji Festival

• Travel to Kinosaki Onsen afterwards

• Overnight in Kinosaki

This is probably the day we're least certain about — we may skip the festival and head straight to Kinosaki instead.

Day 19 – 9 Nov | Kinosaki Onsen

• Full day in Kinosaki

• Onsen, walking around town, food and generally taking it slowly

• Staying in the town centre

Day 20 – 10 Nov | Kinosaki → Osaka

• Slow morning in Kinosaki

• Onsen / breakfast / final wandering

• Travel back to Osaka

• Staying around Namba

• Easy evening / glasses shopping

Day 21 – 11 Nov | Osaka

• Flexible Osaka day

• Shopping

• Japanese denim

• Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street

• Food and wandering

Day 22 – 12 Nov | Osaka

• Final full day

• Intentionally flexible

• Shopping, food, anything we missed, packing

Day 23 – 13 Nov | Departure

• Early morning from Namba to Kansai Airport

• Flight around 10am

Our travel style

We're quite interested in traditional Japanese culture, crafts, food and shopping, so some of the itinerary probably looks a little different from the standard first-time Japan route.

We're especially interested in:

• Local/regional food and smaller family-run restaurants rather than chains

• Traditional crafts and workshops

• Japanese knives and swords

• Vintage/antique markets and flea markets

• Denim and locally made clothing

• Older shopping streets and neighbourhoods

• Temples, shrines and seasonal festivals

• Finding places by wandering rather than only visiting famous attractions

We’ve purposely kept this trip fairly close to the classic Golden Triangle/Golden Route rather than trying to cover more of Japan. We’re already planning a separate three-week road trip through Shikoku, Chugoku and Kyushu in March/April 2027, so we don't feel the need to squeeze places like Hiroshima into this itinerary just because they're nearby.

For this trip, we'd rather spend more time properly exploring Tokyo, Kansai and the places in between than keep adding cities.

We've also built in a few intentionally lighter/flexible days, particularly during Kyoto and our final few days in Osaka.

Accommodation areas

For rough geographic context, we're staying around:

• Tokyo: Kanda

• Osaka: Namba / Kuromon

• Koyasan: temple lodging

• Kyoto: Shijo-Karasuma

• Kinosaki: central Kinosaki Onsen

• Final Osaka stay: Namba

Things that are relatively fixed

A few experiences already have reservations or are tied to specific dates:

• Japanese sword shop visit in Machida

• Disaster-prevention experience in Tokyo

• Custom pillow appointment in Osaka

• Koyasan temple stay

• Private tea ceremony in Kyoto

• Hozugawa River boat + craft workshop in Arashiyama

• Festival dates

• Kinosaki accommodation

So we're mainly looking to adjust everything around those anchors.

Would love some feedback

Does the overall pace and route look reasonable, or are there any days that immediately look too packed or inefficient?

We're also very open to recommendations for small neighbourhoods, old shopping streets, markets, traditional crafts, local food or other places along our existing route that seem like they'd fit our interests.

And if you've travelled these areas in late October / early November, we'd love to hear if there's anything seasonal you'd particularly recommend — or anything on our itinerary you'd personally skip.

Thanks in advance!

My partner and I are travelling to Japan for the first time from late August – early September 2026 (14 nights), and I'd love some feedback on our itinerary- especially whether we're trying to fit too much in, anything we should skip/add, and any transport or booking advice.

We're Australian passport holders and are mainly interested in Japanese culture, food, shopping, cafés, bars, scenic places and unique experiences. We're not particularly interested in anime.

Overall route

Tokyo → Hakone → Kyoto → Osaka → Tokyo

TOKYO

Day 1 Arrival at night- so not much planned

• Sleep!

Day 2 Ginza / Roppongi

• Slow morning
• Ginza shopping
• Cafés
• Dinner- Gonpachi Nishi-Azabu
• Drinks/bars around Roppongi/Nishi-Azabu

Day 3 Asakusa / teamLab

• Senso-ji / Asakusa
• Nakamise shopping street
• Explore/cafés
• Toyosu
• teamLab Planets
• Ichiran for dinner

Day 4 Go-kart / Harajuku / Shibuya

• Shibuya go-kart
• Harajuku / Takeshita Street
• Omotesando
• Cafés + shopping
• Shibuya
• Shibuya Sky around sunset + night city tour
• Zen Okonomiyaki
• Bon Dance if timing works

Tokyo → Hakone

• Our large luggage is being transferred directly from Tokyo to our Kyoto hotel
• Hakone sightseeing using our 2-day Hakone Freepass
• Planning the Hakone loop: Owakudani → Ropeway → Lake Ashi → Hakone Shrine → Gora
• Onsen + dinner at hotel

KYOTO

Day 1 Arashiyama

• Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
• Tenryu-ji
• Togetsukyo Bridge
• Lunch
• Cafés / shops
• Pontocho in the evening

Day 2 Higashiyama

• Kiyomizu-dera
• Ninenzaka / Sannenzaka
• Yasaka Pagoda
• Gion
• Nice/fine-dining dinner

Day 3 Fushimi + shopping

• Fushimi Inari
• Fushimi sake district
• Nishiki Market
• Teramachi / Shinkyogoku shopping
• Pontocho/Kawaramachi bars

We're considering doing one proper tea ceremony somewhere in Kyoto as our main cultural experience.

OSAKA

Day 1 Namba / Dotonbori

• Kyoto → Osaka by JR Special Rapid
• Leave luggage at hotel
• Kuromon Market
• Namba
• Dotonbori
• Hozenji Yokocho
• Ura-Namba
• Bars/food

Day 2 Osaka

• Osaka Castle
• Umeda
• Umeda Sky Building around sunset

Day 3 Hiroshima + Miyajima

We've booked a group day tour from Osaka covering Hiroshima + Miyajima.

Day 4 Osaka → Tokyo

🇯🇵 FINAL TOKYO DAY

Keeping this completely flexible for:

• Shopping
• Anything we missed
• Cafés
• Japanese skincare/beauty shopping
• Quirky Japanese stores
• Bars
• Final nice dinner

Questions for everyone:

1. Does this look too packed, particularly Kyoto?
2. Is Arashiyama + Fushimi Inari + Kiyomizu/Gion a good split?
3. Would you change anything about our Osaka days?
4. Anything we're missing that you think is a must-do for first-time visitors?
5. Any recommendations for reasonably priced but really good vegetarian-friendly (my partner is vegetarian) restaurants, particularly in Kyoto and Osaka?
6. Any transport tips we should know?

My boyfriend and I will be stopping in Tokyo for 4 days at the beginning of our 2 week trip in Malaysia September 19-October 3. We will also be traveling with another couple and their 3 y.o., but they might not be following this exact itinerary.

Is this too packed? My priorities are nice walks/casual exploring, visiting cafes/coffee shops, good food, shopping (especially skincare/makeup), and hitting a couple “must see” tourist spots. 😅

Day 1:
- 3pm: train from NRT to Ginza via Keisei
Skyliner OR Narita Express (we prefer trains over taxi)
- 5pm check in to Hyatt Centric Ginza
- Early dinner & explore Ginza main streets
- 7-eleven/konbini for snacks
- Don Quijote/Matsumoto Kiyoshi for makeup/skincare

Day 2:

- 7am coffee + quick breakfast @ konbini or hotel
- 7:30am: train to Meiji Jingu
- Exit thru Yoyogi/Tomigaya (west)
- 9:30 Beasty Coffee or Fuglen Tokyo/explore Tomigaya
- 11am Lunch ideas: Kaisendon @Mukai or Bistro Nonki
- 12:30pm back to Ginza for nap/shopping
- 7pm Dinner in Ginza or Shinjuku
- 9pm Night out in Golden Gai
- bar ideas: albatross, art bar, bar darling

Day 3:
- 8am: Roar Coffee or X coffee (open @0800) & train to Asakusa
- 9-10am Senso-ji
- 10-11am Street food in Asakusa (outside temple)
- 12-2 Kappabashi Street shopping
Take train or Tokyo Cruise back to hotel
- cruise optional/most likely skipping this
- cruise goes from asakusa —> Hamariyku Gardens and then 15 min walk back to hotel
- 7pm Omakase (TBD)
- 9:30pm Cocktails in Ginza
- ideas: The Roof, High Five, Star Bar

Day 4:

- 8am Tsukiji Uogashi
- Turn left before visitor center for less busy alley (Ichiba-dori)?
- Walk back to hotel for last min packing/checkout
- Coffee at Bongen (opens @10am)
- 10:30-11:45am Imperial Palace East Gardens (I might skip/go shopping while group goes here)
- 12-1pm Mitsukoshi bento picnic
- Go to B2/B3 basement for bento box
- If nice weather, 5 min walk to Sukiyabashi Park & eat outside by the Taro Okamoto clock tower
- 1-5pm Ginza shopping
- Uniqlo, Muji open at 1100
- 5:30 Early dinner, grab luggage from Hotel
- 8pm leave for HND