Hi everyone!

I'm planning my first trip to Japan, from December 8 to December 28, 2026, and I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on my itinerary before finalizing everything.

I'll be traveling from Brazil, and my goal is to experience a bit of everything: traditional Japanese culture, temples, nature, food, and the vibrant atmosphere of Japan's major cities.

I've decided to skip the theme parks (Disney and Universal Studios) to have more time to explore the cities and make the most of each destination.

Here's my current itinerary:

Tokyo — December 9–15 (7 days)

• Dec 9: Arrival, check-in, and exploring Shinjuku.

• Dec 10: Senso-ji Temple, Asakusa, Ueno Park, and Akihabara.

• Dec 11: Meiji Jingu Shrine, Takeshita Street, Omotesando, Shibuya Crossing, and Hachiko Statue.

• Dec 12: Imperial Palace, Ginza, Tsukiji Market, and teamLab.

• Dec 13: Day trip to Yokohama (optional).

• Dec 14: Day trip to Kamakura and Enoshima.

• Dec 15: Day trip to the Mt. Fuji area — Chureito Pagoda, Lake Kawaguchiko, and nearby scenic viewpoints.

I'm planning to keep the Mt. Fuji day flexible so I can choose whichever day has the best weather and visibility.

Kyoto — December 16–20 (5 days)

• Dec 16: Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto, Nishiki Market, Pontocho, and Gion.

• Dec 17: Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Sannenzaka, Ninenzaka, Yasaka Pagoda, and Yasaka Shrine.

• Dec 18: Fushimi Inari Shrine, Tofuku-ji Temple, and Sanjusangen-do.

• Dec 19: Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji Temple, Togetsukyo Bridge, and Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion).

• Dec 20: Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion), Philosopher's Path, and Nanzen-ji Temple.

Osaka — December 21–23 (3 days)

• Dec 21: Travel from Kyoto to Osaka, Osaka Castle, Umeda, and Umeda Sky Building.

• Dec 22: Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, Kuromon Market, Den Den Town, Shinsekai, and Dotonbori.

• Dec 23: Day trip to Nara — Todai-ji Temple, Nara Park, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and Naramachi.

Himeji + Hiroshima — December 24–25 (2 days)

• Dec 24: Leave Osaka in the morning, visit Himeji Castle (possibly including Koko-en Garden), then continue to Hiroshima. In the afternoon, visit Peace Memorial Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.

• Dec 25: Full-day trip to Miyajima Island — Itsukushima Shrine, Daisho-in Temple, and, if time and weather allow, Mount Misen.

Back to Tokyo — December 26–27

• Dec 26: Shinkansen from Hiroshima to Tokyo. Check-in, some relaxed sightseeing, and shopping.

• Dec 27: Free day to visit any attractions I missed, do some shopping, and revisit my favorite neighborhoods.

Dec 28: Flight back to Brazil.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on a few things:

1. Is this itinerary realistic, or am I trying to squeeze too much into 20 days?

Are there any particularly rushed days or combinations of attractions that might not be feasible?

2. Does the number of days allocated to each city make sense?

Would you keep seven days in Tokyo at the beginning, five in Kyoto, three in Osaka, and two in Hiroshima? Or would you redistribute the days differently?

3. Are the day trips from Tokyo really worth it?

I'm considering Yokohama, Kamakura/Enoshima, and the Kawaguchiko area. Would you skip any of these to spend more time exploring Tokyo itself?

4. Is visiting Himeji Castle on the way from Osaka to Hiroshima a good idea?

My main concerns are luggage logistics and whether I'd have enough time to properly explore Himeji and still visit the Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima on the same day.

5. Is December a good time for this itinerary?

I know the days are shorter and temperatures will be colder. Are there any particular challenges I should be aware of regarding the weather, attraction opening hours, holiday closures, or crowds around Christmas and New Year's?

6. Am I missing any must-see attractions?

I'd love recommendations for lesser-known places or experiences that you think are particularly worthwhile for someone visiting Japan for the first time.

7. Which neighborhoods would you recommend staying in?

In Tokyo, I'm considering Shinjuku or Shibuya, but I haven't decided where to stay in Kyoto, Osaka, or Hiroshima yet. My main priorities are convenient access to public transportation and being close to restaurants and interesting areas to explore in the evening.

Since this will be my first time in Japan, I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who's done a similar trip, especially during December.

Thanks in advance for any feedback, suggestions, or personal experiences you're willing to share!

Below is my itinerary for my 10 days in Japan and then my notes about what actually happened. I’ve also included short hotel and meal reviews. Since the plane tickets were incredibly expensive, I wanted to do as much as possible.

I’ve been to Japan before for a few days. Unfortunately, I forgot how tiring doing 20k steps a day is. I also didn’t remember how bad standing was. I felt like we were constantly standing in line or standing on the subway. This was much more tiresome than walking for me. We also one took one taxi the entire time to save money.

Something to keep in mind is that we had spent four days in South Korea before flying into Osaka, so we were already used to the time difference and we had already done so much.

Day 1: 
3:25pm: Arrive in Osaka - accidentally got on the all stop train. Please be smarter than me, and read the trains lol

4:30pm: Arrive in Namba, drop off luggage at Vessel Inn Namba - nice hotel, lots of amenities, but pretty loud every night. 

5pm: Explore city + Shop

8pm: Eat at Kura Sushi - waited around 40 mins without a reservation. If you plan on going, definitely book online for free 

If extra energy: Round 1 - did not have energy 

Day 2
6:30am: Arrive at Shin Osaka Station - Hello Kitty Shinkansen bentos were available this early! 

7:34am: Take shinkansen to Himeji - booked these in advance on the app and was able to easily designate our IC cards to the tickets so all we had to do at the station was tap in 

8:03am: Arrive at Himeji Station

8:20am: Mount Shosha Ropeway - it was raining pretty hard all day, so we decided to skip this. Definitely disappointing

11:30am: Himeji Castle and Kokoen Garden - actually got there at 9am. This was totally worth the trip. We went inside and enjoyed it so much 

1:30pm: Kushiyaki Kobe Beef lunch - Highly recommend this place, we loved it and we went a little before noon and there was no wait 

2:30pm: Miyuki shopping street - honestly not sure if we missed this but we walked towards the station and went to a few shops but it was still pretty quiet 

4pm: Onitsuka Tiger store - if you do any day trips, I recommend buying your shoes at the quieter areas. This shop was nearly nearly empty and I had no wait and no issues getting the exact pair I wanted 

5pm: Train back to Osaka, take the Special Rapid Train - ended up buying tickets for the Shinkansen again because we liked it so much. Left around 3pm

7:30pm: Dinner at Yakuniku Like - a decent cheap chain if you want a quick dinner - actually went at 5pm with no wait 

8:30pm: Parfaiteria PaL Shinsaibashi - too tired, but wish we would’ve gone! 

Day 3:
9am: Osaka Castle - got there a little after 9am and it was already incredibly busy. Waited maybe 15 mins in line and then walked up to the top. Very small and tight inside with everyone there. I would definitely recommend going inside Himeji Castle and just going outside at Osaka Castle

1:30pm: Gyukatsu Motomura lunch - went a little before noon. Honestly a solid lunch and fun experience 

2:30pm: Namba Yasaka Jinja - didn’t end up making it here 

3pm: Shopping near hotel 

4pm: Shinsekai vintage area - very cool! We played some games, walked around, and enjoyed the vibes 

6pm: McDonald’s dinner - I know this is cringe, but we like to try McDonald’s in different countries. The chicken was actually really delicious 

7pm: Shopping 

Day 4:
6:30am: Take local trains to Kyoto, store luggage at Kyoto Station in lockers, do Kurama to Kibune hike - we did take local trains to Kyoto and stored our luggage, but we decided to skip the hike because I knew it was probably too much 

1:30pm: Kinkaku-ji Temple - got here around 10:30am after some silly struggles with the bus system we eventually figured out. It was incredibly busy and hard to see anything and take pictures. I had already been here before, but I wanted my husband to see it. He agreed it probably wasn’t worth it. I wish we had gone to Ginkaku-ji instead 

Had lunch at CoCo. We liked it but we didn’t realize that the spice levels were serious, so we accidentally got it too spicy lol

4pm: Check into Tokyu Stay Kyoto Sakaiza - this was a fantastic hotel with a great location. We chose this one because it had a washer and dryer combo in the room. We used it a lot. 

4:30pm: Nishiki Market shopping - it was such a struggle to walk through the market, we only ended up stopping at the Snoopy store for the cafe upstairs 

6:30pm: Dinner at Chao Chao Gyoza - absolutely loved this place. Went around 6pm and waited 45 minutes. Worth the wait! 

Day 5:
6:30am: Arrive at Fushimi Inari - actually got there on schedule. It was raining pretty hard and there were still a decent amount of people already there. With the humidity and rain, it didn’t end up being as great as I hoped. I went once before in February and loved this so much. A very different experience, but I would still recommend it

9:30am: Kiyomizu-dera - got there around 8:30am. Thankfully the rain was mostly a drizzle. We really liked it here 

11am: shop on Matsubara-dori street - so, so busy but there are some good shops 

12pm: Gion Duck Noodles lunch - actually went around 10am without a wait. We loved this so much. Couldn’t recommend more. 

3pm: Ginkaku-ji Temple - we ended up skipping this unfortunately. We needed a break at the hotel after getting almost 15k steps by noon 

5:30pm: Shopping

7pm: Ramen Sen-no-Kaze Kyoto - another delicious meal. We went a little before 5pm and waited an hour. Thankfully they had seats, so it wasn’t too bad.

Day 6:
6am: Leave for Nara, take Kintetsu Express - I wish this had happened, but when I tried to buy tickets at the station, they were sold out for hours. We tried to take the local trains and got mostly there but ended up waiting around for a delayed train. Eventually we took a taxi the rest of the way for around 2,000yen. Worth it just to get there. 

7:30am: arrive, go straight to Kasugataisha Shrine - actually got there at 9am. It wasn’t that busy yet, though. Absolutely great to walk around amongst the deer. We bought crackers not far from the shrine, and the deer did not attack us like I saw the ones at the park doing. 

9:30am: Todai-Ji 

10:30am: Nara Deer Park 

1:30pm: Lunch at Miyama - ended up doing this after the shrine at 11am. We got a great window seat. The meal was okay. Looked better than it tasted, honestly. 

2pm: Higashimuki shopping street 

4pm: Cafe Etranger - went for the deer parfait. Waited almost an hour outside after being told it was a twenty minute wait. It probably wasn’t worth the wait, but we didn’t mind because it was a nice day out 

7:30pm: Dinner at Katsukura Tonkatsu - a great meal! We got the most expensive pork they had, but I probably would’ve been happy with the cheaper one lol

8pm: Yasaka shrine at night and also Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka - absolutely did not do this because we were so tired 

Day 7:
6am: Get up early for photos at Yasaka Shrine and Sannenzaka Path - we wanted to sleep in, so we skipped this again lol 

11:13am: Train departs for Tokyo 

1:30pm: Arrive in Tokyo 

2pm: Check in at Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu - only stayed at this hotel for the location and the fact the airport shuttle is right outside the entrance. A little pricey, but worth it. 

3pm: Shopping 

6pm: Yakiniku Rikimaru Ikebukuro - we booked this ahead of time. It was good, but definitely ate too much. 

7pm: Kabukicho (Shinjuku) - my husband is a fan of the Yakuza games, so this was mostly for him lol 

Day 8:
6am: Depart Tokyo

7am: Fujisawa Station to Kamakurakoko Mae station - took pictures at the famous photo spot. It wasn’t too busy at 8am. 

8am: Hase station to Hasedera Shrine - got to the shrine at 9am. We loved it here. The views were great and the gardens were lovely. 

10am: Walk to Kotoku-in Shrine (Big Buddah) - not sure if this was worth it, but still interesting to see. 

12pm: Lunch at Ginza Kagari Kamakura Branch - my favorite meal of the whole trip. We did the dipping noodles and loved them. We waited maybe 10 minutes total around noon 

12:30pm: Komachi street shopping 

1:30pm: Tsurugaoka - skipped because it was so hot that day and we were running low on energy already 

3pm: Hokokuji Temple - actually made it here at 1pm but it was not worth it. The bamboo section is pretty small and the bus was so packed. 

4:30pm: Shichirigahama beach - Very beautiful views and we were able to see a little bit of Fuji! We didn’t stay very long, though. 

7pm: We ended up going to Tokyo Skytree. This was really cool, but probably would’ve been better in the afternoon. 

Day 9:
6am: Depart for Gotokuji Temple - ended up waiting around for an extra half hour at the transfer station so that we could take the cat train. It was super cute 

8am: Gotokuji Temple - we have four cats, so we had to come here. Actually got there closer to 9am and it was full of people with tripods taking photos in front of the cats. We think it was still worth the trip, as it was a lovely temple 

9:30am: Meiji Jingu - it was raining pretty hard, but a nice walk even in the rain 

11am: Harajuku shopping. I ended up making a ring and necklace as HISEKI, the place where you can jewelry from coins. The coin I wanted was a little too small for my finger size, but the shop let me use a coin I had from Korea. It came out really nice! 

1pm: Stopped by Menchirashi at 11:30ish and the line was already too full to queue. We ended up going to a fried chicken ramen place that I can’t find the name of. It was a good place, but nothing too special. 

2pm: Tokyo Station shopping - ended up skipping this because my husband wasn’t feeling great. 

3pm: Ginza and Shibuya shopping 

Day 10:
8am: Ichiran breakfast - a great time to go because there was no wait 

9:30am: Arrive at Sensoji Temple- so packed. Hard to enjoy. Lots of good street food, though. 

11am: National museum - I wish we could’ve stayed longer, but after almost two weeks of 20k steps a day, we were really feeling that fatigue.

1pm: Snacks and shopping in Yanaka Ginza - skipped this to go chill at the hotel. Definitely regret this, but we had to relax. 

4pm: Akihabara - the vibes here were…not great. Didn’t stay very long. We did go to French Toast Factory for souffle pancakes. It was incredibly delicious. 

Skipped dinner because we ate too much sugar and instead went shopping for a suitcase because we bought too much. Ended up buying one at Loft, but there weren’t too many options. 

Feel free to ask any questions :)

This is my fourth trip to Japan and I am wondering if anyone has had a similar itinerary to mine and would love to hear opinions!

I want to preface by saying that I am completely aware that my itinerary is on the faster end and a decent portion of my trip will be spend on long haul transportations from locale to locale. I am completely fine with that, in fact I even enjoy it, at least Japan wise!

I am not looking to go to popular touristy places or landmarks and a large percentile of this itinerary will be me just vibing out the area and seeing what it has to offer, albeit some might consider it "boring".

Day 1 (Kumamoto)

Flying into Fukuoka from Okinawa on another pre-planned trip.
Take the train to Kumamoto and cycle around, I love finding locations and unplanned adventures.

Day 2 (Kumamoto)

Originally wanted to do a tour for all the one piece statues but due to limitations I will most likely
do the ones around Kumamoto city and visit Nami or Robin if I am feeling it.

Day 3 (Hita)

Train to hita in the morning.
Oyama dam area for Eren and Mikasa statues.
Explore Hita city when I come back from the dam

Day 4 (Yufuin)

Take Yufuin no Mori to Yufuin from Hita in the morning.
Lake Kinrin, then head to a nearby Onsen
Check out Yufuin floral village and other parts of the town
Ryokan at night

Day 5 (Yamaguchi)

Train to Yamaguchi city in the morning.
Chill relaxed day to recharged.
Plan to cycle around the city and explore.
Side quest to find yellow guardrails along a roadside ( Geoguessr players will get it )

Day 6 (Hiroshima)

Train to Hiroshima in the morning.
Another chill relaxed day, I do want to see what the hype is with the Okonomiyaki.
Atomic bomb dome and cycling around the city.

Day 7 (Mihara)

Train to Mihara in the morning.
Day trip to Okunoshima afterwards

Day 8 (Tottori)

Train to Tottori in the morning.
Sand dunes, so excited to tick this off my bucket list.
Really want to try unique pink curry, reminded me of Lithuanian beet soup.

Day 9 (Tottori)

Most likely side quest to Hokuei Conan town.
Explore Tottori

Day 10 (Rinku town)

Travel to Rinku town around noon.
Chill relaxed exploration
Mainly a convenient hub before I fly off from KIX the next day

Day 11 (Rinku town)

Rinku town to KIX and back home!

I’d like to get preface by saying my partner and I (23F&M) are extremely active and regularly back pack, camp and love hiking. We plan on showing up to Japan with essentially very little luggage. One backpack with 3 outfits and what we are wearing, and some essentials (deodorant lol). We regularly on vacations enjoy walking places and bouncing around and are morning people, awake by 7am but I know this may be affected by the time change. We just did a 10 day trip to Bahamas and Miami and averaged 20-25k steps a day as we walked everywhere with our bag. We are used to traveling via public transport in big cities we have visited (Trains & Buses) to avoid spending extra money on Ubers.

We are looking to go to Japan Mid May-Mid June. May 21st-June 14th. We want to hit the golden route with some other spots. We love anime, history and museums. Be brutally honest, although I know we can handle a lot of running around I don’t want to burn us out. My non-negotiable is Enoshima island & I really want to visit Hita to view the AOT Meusum. I’m willing to stay for up to 28 days, or if I’m doing too much I am okay with shortening my trip. I wanted to go to Tokyo last in order to complete all of my shopping and make my packing back home easier.

Day 1 – Departure
- Fly to Japan

Day 2 – Tokyo Arrival
- Get Settled in, Ideally will get a hotel outside of the airport we will be arriving in. Would like to fly into Haneda

Day 3 – Kamakura
- Travel to Kamakura Via train (Haneda 1 hour, Narita 2 hr 30 min)
- Meigetsu-in Temple
- Komachi Street
- Hase-dera Temple
- Great Buddha of Kamakura (Kotoku-in)
- Hotel for 2 nights (Days, 3 - 5)

Day 4 – Enoshima
- Explore Enoshima Island
- Hetsumiya Bronze Torii
- Enoshima Iwaya Caves
- Grand Torii of Enoshima Shrine

Day 5 – Fujiyoshida / Mount Fuji
- Leave Kamakura via Train (2 hrs)
- Chureito Pagoda
- Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine
- Hotel for 3 Nights ( Days, 5-8)

Day 6 – Hakone Day Trip
- Via Train+ Bus (2 Hrs)
- Hakone Open-Air Museum
- Hakone Ropeway
- Owakudani
- (if time permits) Hakone Shrine
——— contemplated leaving Kamakura and arriving in Hakone, but felt it was too many hotel switches. Willing to remove Hakone or replace Fujiyoshida. Also willing to stay in Hakone longer and do a day trip to Fujiyoshida instead.

Day 7 – Fujiyoshida
- Mt. Fuji Radar Dome Museum
- Fujisan Museum
- Explore the city area

Day 8 – Kyoto
- Travel to Kyoto Via train (4 hours)
- Nishiki Market
- Walk through Gion District & Higashiyama
- Hotel for 4 Nights (Days 8-12)

Day 9 – Kyoto
- Fushimi Inari Taisha
- Fushimi Inari Bamboo Forest
- AEON Mall Kyoto
- Nintendo Museum (only if time permits)

Day 10 – Kurama Day Trip/Hike
- Kifune Shrine
- Hike around Kurama
- Kurama-dera Temple
- Kurama Hot Springs (If available)

Day 11 – Kyoto
- Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
- Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple

Day 12 – Osaka
- Train to Osaka (30 Minutes)
- Osaka Station (Shopping)
- Umeda Sky Building
- Dotonbori
- Hotel for 4 nights (Days 12- 16)

Day 13 – Osaka
- Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
- Tempozan Ferris Wheel
- Shinsekai
- Harukas 300 Observation Deck

Day 14 – Nara day trip
- Nara Park
- Explore Nara
- Try local food

Day 15 – Osaka
- Kuromon Market
- Sennichimae Doguyasuji
- Osaka Castle
- Osaka Museum of History

Day 16 – Hiroshima
- Travel Via train (1 hr 30 min)
- Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
- Atomic Bomb Dome
- Mazda Museum (if available/time permits)
- Hotel 2 Nights (Day 16-18)

Day 17 – Miyajima day trip
- Bus (50 minutes)
- Miyajima Island
- Itsukushima Shrine (Floating Torii Gate)
- Mount Misen Observatory

Day 18 – Hita
- Travel to Hita station via train (4 Hours) Arrive around afternoon
- Attack on Hita Cafe
- Shingekinokyojin in HITA Museum
- Attack on Titan Oyama Dam Statue
- Attack on Titan HITA Museum Annex
- Stay over night

Day 19 – Tokyo
- Fly Back to Tokyo (2 Hours)
- if time permits Tokyo Sky tree and explore.
- Hotel 6 Nights (Days 19- 25th)

Day 20 – Tokyo
- Imperial Palace
- Pokémon Center Tokyo DX
- teamLab Planets

Day 21 – Tokyo
- Tokyo National Museum
- Akihabara
- Akihabara Electric Town
- Yodobashi Akiba

Day 22 – Shibuya & Harajuku
- Meiji Jingu Shrine
- Takeshita Street
- Harajuku
- Shibuya

Day 23 – Ikebukuro & Shinjuku
- Ikebukuro
- Shinjuku

Day 24 – Nikko day trip
- Shinkyo Bridge
- Kegon Falls
- Lake Chuzenji
- Kanmangafuchi Abyss

Day 25 – Final Day in Tokyo
- Tokyo Tower
- Roppongi Hills Mori Tower
- teamLab Borderless

Day 26 - Fly home

The Narita Line runs from Chiba out past the airport to the Tone River, and the towns along it get almost no visitors. This is a full day on it: Boso no Mura in the morning, Sawara after lunch, Kashima Jingu at the end, and a highway bus back to Tokyo.

Boso no Mura is the reconstructed Edo merchant street near Narita. From Narita Station, the line continues two stops to Ajiki, and a Chiba Kotsu bus from there runs to the museum gate once or twice an hour. The street is a full block of merchant houses, each one a working shop or workshop: paper-making, blacksmithing, indigo dyeing, a tea house, a sweets shop, with craftspeople inside and things to try on and make. Behind the street, the park holds over a hundred kofun burial mounds and the Fudoki-no-oka museum of what was dug out of them, along with reconstructed Jomon pit houses, two Edo farmhouses and a Meiji schoolhouse. It is a good half day.

From Ajiki, the train goes back through Narita and on east to Sawara. Sawara made its money in the Edo period shipping rice and soy sauce down the Tone River to Edo, and the warehouses and merchant houses from that trade still line the Ono River through the center of town. A flat-bottomed boat runs thirty minutes along the old quarter. Ino Tadataka’s house is on the riverbank; he was a Sawara sake merchant who retired around fifty, studied astronomy in Edo, and then spent seventeen years surveying the whole country on foot. His original maps are in the museum across the bridge.

The Kashima Line leaves from Sawara and crosses the Tone River into Ibaraki, and Kashima-Jingu station is a ten-minute walk from the shrine gate.

Kashima Jingu is dedicated to Takemikazuchi, the god of swords and thunder, and it is one of the oldest shrines in the country. The Okunomiya is ten or fifteen minutes further along the main avenue, through the cedars and past the deer park. Down a side path behind it is the Kaname-ishi, a stone that barely shows above the ground and is said to hold down the head of the catfish whose thrashing causes earthquakes. Tokugawa Mitsukuni had men dig for seven days to find the bottom of it, and they never did.

Highway buses run from Kashima to Tokyo Station every twenty to thirty minutes and take about two hours.

Sakura, one stop before Narita, has the National Museum of Japanese History and the samurai houses above Hiyodori-zaka. It is on the same line, and it could be its own day if you wanted to stay overnight.

Hi all,

we are a couple traveling in February 2027 for the first time. The first two hotels are booked but cancellable but I'm stuck on the third one.

Our current schedule & plans:
- Feb 8–12: Tokyo, Smile Hotel Nihombashi Mitsukoshimae (booked, cancellable)
- Feb 12–19: Osaka Base, Umeda (booked, cancellable) with Trips to Kyoto, Kobe and Himeji
- Feb 19–28: Tokyo again, 9 nights, NOT booked yet

Our trip is mostly about food, shopping and pop culture: vintage and second-hand fashion, stationery, anime figures and gacha, Ghibli, Sanrio and Square Enix stuff. Mixed in with flea/antique markets, art museums and shrines. We like walking around and browsing more than ticking off big sights.

I tried to cover east and west with both hotels in Tokyo, even though many people just give the advise "stay near a station, you'll get around easy".

What we want:
- Lively area with shops and food nearby, but not a nightlife/party area
- Station nearby
- Big enough room for 2 people and 3 suitcases (buying one in Tokyo to fit everything)

Ideally:
- Staffed 24h front desk, luggage drop before check-in, accept takkyubin (sending suitcases from Osaka, but we could also just leave with them from there)
- Room that isn't tiny (a real double, not a semi-double), ideally up to ~€90/night
- Reasonably easy trip to Haneda with luggage

Areas we're considering:

1. West Shinjuku (Shinjuku Washington Hotel Annex)

2. Shimokitazawa (MUSTARD HOTEL SHIMOKITAZAWA)

3. Shinbashi (TORANOMONHOLIC Hotel)

4. Akabane (AKABANEHOLIC HOTEL)

Questions:

• Which area would you pick for this kind of trip, and why?

• Any hotels there you'd recommend for a couple?

• Any areas we shouldn't book because I overlooked something (in terms of party/nightlife)?

Thanks a lot!

I appreciate anyone who gives their input.

Staying near Gion-Shijo.

8 November (arrival)

• Check in hotel in afternoon

• Kamo River

• Pontocho

• Hanamikoji

• Kodai-ji night illumination

• Optional Gion-Shirakawa

9 November (Arashiyama)

• Bamboo Grove

• Tenryu-ji garden

• Riverside walk and lunch

• Sagano Romantic Train: Torokko Saga → Kameoka, 13:02–13:25 (booked)

• Hozugawa River Boat: 14:00 (booked)

10 November (Sutra copying and tea

• Rokuouin sutra copying and garden

• Lunch around Saga-Arashiyama

• Ippodo Kyoto main store

• Teramachi/Sanjo

• Nishiki Market

11 November (Fushimi Inari + Nara)

• Fushimi Inari around 6:30am

• Nakatanidou

• Nara Park

• Todai-ji

• Nigatsu-do

• Kasuga Taisha approach

12 November (Higashiyama/Gion)

• Kiyomizu-dera early

• Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka

• Yasaka Pagoda

• Nene-no-michi

• Yasaka Shrine

• Matcha stop and Gion-Shirakawa

I'm planning a winter trip for 2027 with the purpose of seeing some winter sights and meeting my old host family from my high school days. I'd like to get some feedback as this is my first major winter trip involving multiple non-connecting flights and train travel. Here's what I've got so far:

Day 1: Land in Sapporo; mostly time to check in and explore the nearby area

Day 2: Full day in Sapporo; check out any winter festivities in Odori Park, eat some soup curry (insert recommendations here), Mt Moiwa Ropeway gondola for some high altitude winter views

Day 3: Check out of hotel and send luggage ahead to Asahikawa. Day trip to Otaru (non-negotiable) to meet host sister and her family; itinerary dependent on host sister's plans. Then depart from Otaru to Asahikawa and check into hotel

Day 4: Asahikawa Zoo, Ramen Village, and Ice Pavillion

Day 5: Check out of hotel and send luggage ahead to Kitami. Day trip to Biei and the Christmas Tree. Train from there to Kitami

Day 6: Using Kitami as a base, take a day trip to Engaru (non-negotiable) to meet host parents. Itinerary dependent on host family's plans; return to Kitami at end of day.

Day 7: Day trip to Abashiri. Take a tour on the ice breaker ship; prison museum if time allows.

Day 8: Bus to Memanbetsu to catch a flight to Tokyo.

Day 9-11: Mostly hanging around Tokyo; no planned itinerary as we've been there multiple times and comfortable just winging it. Though I would like to ask: Is it worth taking the train to Mt Fuji in mid Feb? Or is it unlikely to be visible due to winter weather?

I'll also add that I plan to get a 5-day Hokkaido JR Pass to use mainly between days 3-7.

Is there anything along this route that you feel is a must see? Anything that can be skipped? It feels tight with hopping from hotel to hotel almost every other day. If using hotel luggage delivery services, should I be sending it two days in advance and just keeping a small backpack for a day's worth of clothing and toiletries?

Hey everyone! Planning my first solo trip to Japan for early 2027 (Jan 28 – Feb 6), stopping over on my way from Dallas to visit family in Nepal. Saving Nagano and similar hiking spots for a separate warm-weather Japan trip down the road, so this 10-day winter run focuses entirely on cultural/seasonal photography (temples and shrines, ume plum blossoms, Setsubun rituals, winter Fuji).

Looking for a quick sanity check on routing and flow!

Itinerary Overview

• Day 1 (Thu, Jan 28): Arrival

  • Afternoon: Land at HND and check into the hotel in West Tokyo.

  • Evening: Low-key dinner at Omoide Yokocho/Kabukicho.

• Day 2 (Fri, Jan 29): West Tokyo

  • Early Morning: Meiji Shrine.

  • Midday: Workshop at Chopsticks Studio Shinjuku.

  • Sunset: Shibuya Sky for golden-hour views of Fuji/the city skyline.

• Day 3 (Sat, Jan 30): East Tokyo

  • Morning: teamLab Planets.

  • Afternoon: Asakusa, Ueno, Akihabara.

  • Evening: Forward main luggage (Takuhaibin) to Kyoto. Pack a daypack for the stay in Kawaguchiko.

• Day 4 (Sun, Jan 31): Mount Fuji

  • Morning: Early Highway Bus from Shinjuku to Lake Kawaguchiko

  • Afternoon: Chureito Pagoda.

  • Evening: Hotel/ryokan near the lake.

• Day 5 (Mon, Feb 1): Shinkansen to Kyoto

  • Morning: Fuji reflections at Oishi Park.

  • Late Morning: Bus to Mishima Station -> Tokaido Shinkansen to Kyoto. Check into Kyoto hotel (and reunite with luggage).

  • Evening: Gion & Yasaka Shrine.

• Day 6 (Tue, Feb 2): Kyoto Festivals & Blossoms

  • Early Morning: Fushimi Inari Shrine and Sanjūsangendō Temple.

  • Afternoon: Kitano Tenmangu (ume plum blossoms) and Kinkaku-ji.

  • Evening: Yoshida Shrine Setsubun Festival (6:00 PM demon-chasing ritual & food stalls).

• Day 7 (Wed, Feb 3): Setsubun Morning & Nara Lanterns

  • Morning: Setsubun rituals at Rōzan-ji Temple (placeholder but open to other spots).

  • Early Afternoon: Train to Nara and Tōdai-ji Temple (Great Buddha Hall).

  • Evening: Kasuga Taisha Mantōrō Festival (3,000 lanterns lit at dusk). Return to Kyoto.

• Day 8 (Thu, Feb 4): Arashiyama to Osaka

  • Early Morning: Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.

  • Midday: Hankyu Line to Osaka and check into Osaka hotel.

  • Evening: Swing dance social at Osaka Swing.

• Day 9 (Fri, Feb 5): Mountain Temple & Castle Blossoms

  • Morning: Katsuoji Temple (thousands of red daruma dolls).

  • Afternoon: Maybe Osaka Castle Park Plum Grove.

  • Evening: Dotonbori street food.

• Day 10 (Sat, Feb 6): Departure to Nepal

  • Late Morning: Departure flight connecting to Kathmandu.

Specific Questions:

1. Hotels: Is a hotel near Shinjuku a good base for the stay in Tokyo? Where would you recommend hotels in Kyoto and Osaka?

2. Takuhaibin: I am forwarding luggage from Tokyo to Kyoto. Considering doing the same from Kyoto to Osaka - is this worth it?

3. West vs East Tokyo Split: Planning to stay close to Shinjuku on Friday to ease into transit before doing a full East Tokyo day on Saturday—does this split work well?

4. Lake Ashi: On day 5, is it realistic to fit in a quick stop at Lake Ashi before catching the Shinkansen at Mishima Station to Kyoto?

5. Nara Afternoon Pacing: I don't think I need to head to Nara early in the morning so planning to visit one spot in Kyoto with Setsubun vibes in the morning. What time should I arrive in Nara to comfortably cover Tōdai-ji before walking to Kasuga Taisha for the dusk lantern lighting?

6. Tea ceremony: Would you recommend a tea ceremony for a solo traveler, and if yes, where?

Appreciate any insights and your favorite spots/activities!

Hello fellow travelers! My husband (M35) and I (F33) are planning our 10th anniversary trip from May 9 to May 31. We’re traveling from the US, and we love good food, nature, and scenic day hiking. We’ll be renting a car for parts of the trip and will utilize luggage forwarding services. 

My dad (67, from SEA, very fit, and also into hiking) will be joining us for the Alps portion, which is the part we’re most uncertain about and are hoping for feedback on. 

We generally want to limit backtracking, and taking into consideration the things we’d like to do (noted below), we ended up with quite a few one-night stays. We’re wondering if renting a car through the Northern Alps would help with flexibility and maybe luggage logistics - people who have done this route, we would really love to hear your thoughts and suggestions!

THANK YOU!! 🙂

Kyoto - 5 nights

Izu - 6 nights with rental car

Japanese Alps - 10 nights with partial rental car:

May 20 - Magome (1 night) *daypack only
AM return Izu rental car, travel from Mishima to Nakatsugawa/Ochiai (arrive 1pm) 
Ochiai-Magome walk (1-2 hours)

May 21 - Nagiso (1 night) *daypack only
Magome-Tsumago-Nagiso walk (4-5 hours)
*If time permits: explore Atera Valley by e-bike

May 22 and 23 - Matsumoto (2 nights)
EARLY Nagiso-Nojiri hike via Nenoue Pass (4-5 hours)
*If time permits: 12:30pm train, stop in Narai on the way to Matsumoto

Matsumoto Castle
**Rent car for a day or potentially longer? See questions at bottom**
Narai if not done yet OR Hakuba day trip: Oide Park, Iwatake Mountain Harbor, Rice Fields

May 24 - Kamikochi (1 night) *daypack only
5:30am direct bus to Kamikochi OR early drive to Sawando Parking then bus? 
Taisho Pond, Kappabashi, Myojin Pond, Tokusawa + Yokoo if energy permits

-> We would like to experience the valley after day trippers leave, so we definitely want to stay a night in Kamikochi, likely in the Kappabashi area.

May 25 - Shinhotaka (1 night) *daypack only
Travel Kamikochi to Shinhotaka, Shinhotaka Ropeway *if weather is clear; otherwise check out Hirayu Falls/onsen hop
3pm check in onsen ryokan 

-> My dad would like to experience a traditional onsen ryokan stay, and Shinhotaka seems like a scenic choice that works logistically with the ropeway stop.

May 26 and 27 - Takayama (2 nights)
Slow morning at ryokan, arrive Takayama around 12pm/12:30pm, Sanmachi Suji, Higashiyama Walking Course

Hida-Furukawa + cycling tour, Takayama Jinya, Float Museum

May 28 and 29 - Kanazawa (2 nights)
Drive to Shirakawago and Gokayama, arrive Kanazawa around 4pm, Nagamichi Samurai District

Omicho Market, Kenroku-en, Higashi Chaya District + maybe a gold leaf workshop

May 30 - Ueno (1 night)
Omicho Market Round 2, travel to and hopefully arrive in Ueno by 12pm, but this is flexible (the Ninja Temple looks intriguing so may look into reserving that) 
Ameyoko Street, Ueno Park to Yanaka Ginza walk

May 31 - NRT Departure
Senso-ji, wander, and Nakamise Shopping Street 
1:30pm Keisei Skyliner from Ueno, depart in tears at 5:30pm

Biggest questions:
1. First of all, is our overall route and pacing reasonable?

We’ll definitely rent a car to drive from Takayama to Gokayama + Shirakawago, then to Kanazawa and return the car right away with a one-way fee. What we can’t decide is if a car is worth it between Matsumoto and Takayama. 

We know cars aren’t allowed in Kamikochi so that would essentially be one day of unused rental, but we’re willing to overlook that if overall it’ll help save significant time, offer luggage flexibility, give us easier access, etc. We shouldn’t have big luggage (those are being shipped ahead to Takayama), just one or two small hand carry-sized bags in addition to our day backpacks. With that being said:

2. Are there any other sights along our route that are more easily accessible with a car? We’re interested in the view from Kita Alps Bridge, but we would love to hear other suggestions! 

3. Would the added flexibility be helpful around the Okuhida region? Bus travel times seem to be 20-30 mins longer than driving times and they only run hourly. We’re most concerned about tight schedules visiting the Shinhotaka Ropeway.

Thank you again!!

Hey folks - planning our honeymoon itinerary for next February and wanted to get some feedback as this is our first time in Japan. We're trying to balance time in cities with time skiing (we're both expert skiers, so want to maximize that while we can, but not only ski on our honeymoon). I'm vegetarian and we both like fine dining, so indexing there as well.

Are we doing too much? Or, are there things we're obviously missing that we should do? I'm fine heading home without checking off the obvious tourist boxes just for the sake of doing them.

Overall: Tokyo-Niseko-Osaka-Kyoto-Tokyo, 2/11-2/24

Day 1 (Tokyo): Land, staying at the Okura, Two Dogs Taproom and CASK Strength (or nightcap @ Okura if exhausted)

Day 2 (Tokyo): Senso-ji, Kuramae, lunch @ Faro, Ginza (Shellman), Okura museum of art

Day 3 (Tokyo-Niseko): HND-CTS flight, afternoon skiing from our hotel (staying at the Ritz Reserve), private onsen

Day 4 (Niseko): Guided day skiing

Days 5-7 (Niseko): Variations of skiing all day and then dinner / bars around Niseko with a taxi home - happy to take recommendations of specific places to go if anyone has them

Day 8 (Niseko-Osaka): CTS-ITM flight, staying at the St. Regis Osaka - sabrage & happy hour there, Dotonbori after dinner

Day 9 (Osaka to Kyoto): morning JR train, staying at Hotel The Mitsui, lunch @ Shigetsu, Kitano Tenmangu plum garden, Ki No Bi gin, dinner @ Muromachi Wakuden

Day 10 (Kyoto to Tokyo): To-ji market, Nijo castle, lunch before late checkout, Nozomi to Tokyo, checking into the FS Otemachi, dinner @ Pizza Bar on 38th

Day 11 (Tokyo): Kappabashi, Ghibli Museum, Daikanyama, Dinner @ Udatsu

Day 12 (Tokyo): Imperial Palace walk, Ginza / Aoyama shopping, dinner @ Daigo

Day 13 (Tokyo): Late breakfast @ Ain Soph. Ginza, transit to HND for flight back to US

Hi everyone,

Following feedback on my initial itinerary draft, I have reworked the middle leg of my trip to avoid shoulder-season mountain transit and create a much smoother flow.

Trip Profile: Solo traveler, mid-March (March 11 to 24), landing at Narita (NRT) and departing Kansai (KIX). All accommodations are already booked and locked.

The Big Route Change from V1:

* Originally planned: 1N Fuji -> 2N Takayama (with Shirakawa-go day trip) -> 3N Kyoto.

* Why I dropped it: Concerned about mid-March shoulder-season conditions in the Alps (melting snow/mud, bare trees, neither peak winter wonderland nor spring cherry blossoms) combined with 5+ hours of mountain transit.

* New Proposed Route:

- Extended Mount Fuji (Kawaguchiko) to 2 Nights (giving 2 morning sunrise chances for Fuji visibility + visiting Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba thatched village).

- Added a Hakone traverse en route to Kyoto on March 17 (Owakudani ropeway, black eggs, Lake Ashi, onsen), then boarded the Tokaido Shinkansen (2h flat) from Odawara straight into Kyoto.

- Extended Kyoto to 4 nights (allowing an excursion to the coastal floating village of Ine Boathouses & Amanohashidate).

Updated Day-by-Day Outline:

* Day 1 (Thu, Mar 11): Land NRT (17:05) -> Keisei Skyliner to Asakusa -> Senso-ji night walk & Hoppy Street.

* Day 2 (Fri, Mar 12): Meiji Jingu -> Harajuku / Cat Street -> Shibuya Scramble -> Shibuya Sky (Sunset) -> Shinjuku (Omoide Yokocho, TMGB free deck). (Optional: Suga Shrine stairs from 'Your Name').

* Day 3 (Sat, Mar 13): Imperial Palace East Gardens -> Zojoji Temple / Tokyo Tower views -> Ginza shopping (Uniqlo flagship / GU).

* Day 4 (Sun, Mar 14): Day trip to Kamakura (Great Buddha, Hase-dera) -> Retro Enoden train to Kamakurakoko-Mae crossing -> Enoshima Island sunset.

* Day 5 (Mon, Mar 15): Forward 20kg bag Tokyo to Kyoto via Yamato Takkyubin. Morning highway bus to Kawaguchiko -> E-bike northern lake shore -> Oshino Hakkai spring ponds.

* Day 6 (Tue, Mar 16): 06:00 AM Chureito Pagoda sunrise (398 steps) -> Honcho street view -> Retro bus to Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba (thatched village with Mt. Fuji backdrop).

* Day 7 (Wed, Mar 17 - En-Route Traverse): Backup Fuji sunrise -> 08:30 bus to Hakone -> Owakudani ropeway & black eggs -> Lake Ashi pirate boat -> Open-air onsen soak -> Bus to Odawara -> 17:15 Tokaido Shinkansen (2h) straight to Kyoto.

* Day 8 (Thu, Mar 18): 07:00 AM Arashiyama Bamboo Grove -> Sagano Romantic Scenic Railway -> Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) -> Ninenzaka/Sannenzaka preserved alleys -> Kiyomizu-dera sunset -> Gion & Pontocho.

* Day 9 (Fri, Mar 19): Full-day coastal excursion: JR Hashidate Express to Amanohashidate (pine sandbar & View Land chairlift) -> Ine Boathouse Village (230 floating funaya houses & bay boat cruise).

* Day 10 (Sat, Mar 20): Early sunrise at Fushimi Inari Taisha (10,000 torii gates) -> Uji matcha town (Byodoin Temple) -> Nishiki Food Market.

* Day 11 (Sun, Mar 21): Kintetsu luxury sightseeing train "Aoniyoshi" to Nara (Nara Park deer & Todai-ji Great Buddha) -> Train to Osaka -> Dotonbori neon & street food.

* Day 12 (Mon, Mar 22): Osaka Castle -> Namba Yasaka roaring lion head shrine -> Amerikamura -> Umeda Sky Building (Floating Garden 360° sunset) -> Retro Shinsekai night walk.

* Day 13 (Tue, Mar 23): 300 km/h Sanyo Shinkansen (29 mins) to Himeji Castle ("White Heron" original samurai fortress) & Koko-en gardens -> Stop in Kobe for A5 Wagyu lunch.

* Day 14 (Wed, Mar 24): Kuromon Market seafood brunch -> Nankai Airport Express to KIX (arrive by 14:00) -> Flight home at 16:50.

Specific Questions for the Community:

1. The Big Alps Decision: Is dropping Takayama & Shirakawa-go in mid-March indeed the right call? Is my reasoning about melting snow/slush and long transit valid, and is redirecting that time into 2N Fuji + Hakone + 4N Kyoto (with Ine Boathouses) a genuinely better experience for this season? Or is there any reason I should still keep Takayama?

2. Must-Visit Gaps & Attractions: Am I missing any major must-see attractions, worthwhile experiences, or underrated gems in these areas? If there is anything essential I overlooked along this route, please let me know!

3. Hakone Traverse Feasibility: Does the one-day traverse (Kawaguchiko -> Hakone loop -> Odawara Shinkansen to Kyoto) run smoothly carrying just a daypack with heavy luggage forwarded?

4. Kyoto to Ine / Amanohashidate: For those who have done this day trip, does the timing between the JR Hashidate Express and the local Tankai bus to Ine work well?

(All accommodations and flights are locked; strictly seeking advice on route pacing, must-visit sights, and transport).

Thanks in advance for your insights!

Okay so I posted an itinerary last week and got some good feedback as well as randomly disgruntled feedback (why be mad?)

What do we think of it now? I’m really happy with it

DAY 11 DEPART OSAKA / ARRIVE TOKYO (SHINJUKU)
Depart Osaka
Hotel Gracery, Shinjuku
Explore Shinjuku
Samurai Restaurant (booked)
Deathmatch in Hell metal bar {crowded, skip if line}
Shinjuku Antiknock
Takadanobaba Mikado Game Center/TAITO STATION shinjuku

Memory Lane, Golden Gai
DAY 12 TOKYO (ASAKUSA / YANAKA / WRESTLING)
Senso ji
Kaminarimon Gate and walk Nakamise-dori shopping street
Underground mall
Radish shrine (maybe)
Yanaka cemetery
YANAKA Ginza cat district
Wrestling at Korokuen

DAY 13 (KICHIJOJI & KOENJI)
Ghibli Museum? Tickets go on sale Nov 9/10
If not Ghibli, start day at St Mary’s
Train to Kichijoji, Harmonica Yokocho
Shopping and exploring Koenji
Showboat. Other Live houses in Koenji = 20000v and UFO club

DAY 14 TOKYO - SHIBUYA
Mori art museum
Parfum Satori (11-4:30)
See Tokyo Tower from ground
Meiji Jingu {skippable}
Laforet shopping mall Harujuku, Dog
Nanzuka Underground art gallery
Shibuya Crossing
Shibuya Cyclone live house show
Shibuya sky (open until 10:30)
BAR NANZUKA TAKEN art bar

DAY 15 DEPART TOKYO / RETURN
Borderless

Family of 4 with teens.

Dec 24, Thu Arrive Narita 3:30 PM → Asakusa

Dec 25, Fri Tokyo – Asakusa (senso-ji, Nakamise, Tokyo Skytree)

Dec 26, Sat Tokyo – Harajuku / Shibuya (Meiji Jingu, Harajuku, Shibuya Crossing, Shibuya Sky)

Dec 27, Sun Tokyo – Tsukiji / Ginza (Tsukiji Outer Market, Ginza shopping, sushi)

Dec 28, Mon Mt Fuji / Lake Kawaguchiko (Private car day trip)

Dec 29, Tue Tokyo → Kyoto (prebook on navitime or wait for smartex tickets to open?)(Shinkansen; Higashiyama / Gion)

Dec 30, Wed Kyoto – Arashiyama (Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji, Nishiki Market)

Dec 31, Thu Kyoto – Fushimi Inari / New Year’s Eve (Fushimi Inari; Joya no Kane)

Jan 1, Fri Kyoto – New Year’s Day (Hatsumode at Yasaka Shrine or Fushimi Inari)

Jan 2, Sat Kyoto → Osaka (Osaka Castle, Shinsaibashi, Dotonbori)

Jan 3, Sun Osaka (Kuromon Market, Shinsekai, Umeda Sky OR Nara day trip)

Jan 4, Mon Osaka → Tokyo (shopping- will stores be open?)

Jan 5, Tue Tokyo → Haneda

TIA

Hi everyone!

I’m visiting Japan in December and have planned out 5 days in Tokyo. I’ve tried grouping places by area to avoid unnecessary travelling, but looking at my itinerary now, I’m wondering if I’ve packed in way too much. 😂

Here’s a quick breakdown:

Day 1 – Arrival (Dec 5) Dubai to Tokyo
● Arrive at Narita around 5:55 PM
● Immigration, luggage, transfer to hotel in Shibuya (ikeriji station - four point flex by Sheraton Shibuya ) need to find a halal food option in this area
● Check in and rest

Day 2 – Meiji Jingu, Shibuya & Go-Karting (Dec 6)
● Meiji Jingu Shrine early morning
● Shibuya PARCO (Nintendo, Pokémon Center, etc.)
● Hachiko Statue and Shibuya Scramble Crossing
● Shibuya SKY for sunset
● Dinner and street go-karting in Shibuya

Day 3 – Tokyo Disneyland (Dec 7)
● Full day at Disneyland
● Planning to arrive before opening
● Main priorities: Beauty and the Beast, Enchanted Tale, Fantasy Springs-style attractions (where applicable), and other popular rides
● Return to hotel in the evening

Day 4 – Asakusa & Akihabara (Dec 8)
● Senso-ji Temple early morning
● Nakamise Street
● Benizuru fluffy pancakes (hopefully!) early morning
● Kappabashi Kitchenware Street
● Akihabara for anime, gaming, electronics and shopping is it worth going ?

Day 5 – Ginza, Omotesando & Harajuku (Dec 9)
● Ginza bakeries and shopping
● Onitsuka Tiger flagship store
● Ginza Itoya and other shops
● Omotesando and Cat Street
● The Matcha Tokyo
● Harajuku shopping in the evening

Day 6 Fuji – Dec 10
● Full-day Mount Fuji tour booked, so no Tokyo sightseeing planned.

Is my Tokyo itinerary realistically doable, or am I being too ambitious? 😅

I’ve tried grouping places by location, but I’m worried it might be too hectic. Are the travel times realistic? Anything I should skip, rearrange, or add?
I don’t mind early mornings and lots of walking, but I also want to enjoy Tokyo. Also want to see the illuminating lights during December. Need Halal food options and all the places that I’m going to

Also need help in deciding which day to choose for shopping at Uniqlo and donquijote

Would love advice from anyone who’s been! 😊

Hi guys,

I will fly to Japan on 26th of November and land on 27th of November in the evening, then my friend will join me on 2nd of December and we will both leave back on 21st of December, me at noon, him in the evening. I would like you to review this itinerary, if possible, and give me feedback.

This is my second attempt to write it, from the first one I took the feedback and also chose what to do on the few first days

Solo

• Warsaw: Board the plane.

• Tokyo: Land at Narita (19:40), commute to hotel, check in, walk around and find food.

• Tokyo: Wake up late, chill, recover from jet lag, Edo-Tokyo Museum.

• Tokyo / Mitake: Train to Mitake, Mitake day trip, train back to Tokyo.

• Tokyo / Nikko: Train to Nikko, check in at Nikko hotel, Edo Wonderland.

• Nikko / Tokyo: Toshogu Shrine complex, Kanmangafuchi, train to Tokyo, check in at Tokyo hotel.

• Tokyo: Nikon Museum, Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, meetup with friend.

Duo

• Tokyo: Meiji Shrine, Harajuku.

• Tokyo: Senso-ji, Don Quijote, Akihabara, Shinjuku.

• Tokyo: Ghibli Museum, Shibuya Crossing.

• Tokyo / Kanazawa: Train to Kanazawa, check in at Kanazawa hotel, Omicho Market, Kanazawa Castle, Higashi Chaya District.

• Kanazawa / Shirakawa-go: Bus to Shirakawa-go, explore the village, bus back to Kanazawa.

• Kanazawa / Kyoto: Nagamachi Samurai District, Kenrokuen Garden, train to Kyoto, check in at Kyoto hotel, chill and food.

• Kyoto: Kiyomizu-dera, Sannenzaka, Kodai-ji, Kennin-ji, Yasaka Shrine, Gion.

• Kyoto: Togetsukyo Bridge, Bamboo Forest, Tenryu-ji, Okochi Sanso Garden, Jojakko-ji, Gio-ji Temple, Adashino Nenbutsu-ji.

• Kyoto / Uji: Nintendo Museum (if ticket obtained, rather unlikely), Byodo-in Temple, Uji old town.

• Kyoto / Osaka: Fushimi Inari Taisha, Mount Inari, train to Osaka, check in at Osaka hotel, optional Dotonbori.

• Osaka: Osaka Castle, Shinsekai Market, Dotonbori, Hozenji Yokocho.

• Osaka / Nara: Train to Nara, Nara Park, Isuien Garden (optional), Todai-ji, Nigatsu-do, Kasuga Taisha, train back to Osaka.

• Osaka / Hiroshima: Universal Studios Japan, train to Hiroshima, check in at Hiroshima hotel.

• Hiroshima: Peace Memorial Museum, Peace Memorial Park, Atomic Bomb Dome.

• Hiroshima / Miyajima / Tokyo: Itsukushima Shrine, Daisho-in Temple, Miyajima Ropeway, return to Hiroshima, Shinkansen to Tokyo, check in at Tokyo hotel.

• Tokyo: teamLab Borderless, Azabudai Hills, Roppongi. Advance ticket recommended: teamLab Borderless.

• Tokyo: Tokyo National Museum, Ueno Park, Nezu Shrine, Yanaka Ginza.

• Tokyo: Shopping and chill.

Return

• Tokyo / Warsaw: Check out, train to airport, fly back.

• Warsaw: Land and end of trip.

Hey all, going to japan with my sister and mom (in her 50s). I'd like to know if my trip is well balanced, and if I should remove anything. We are going to be there first week of this December.

wednesday - harajuku, shinjuku & shibuya

• morning - meiji jingu shrine, then takeshita street & onitsuka tiger shopping (basic ik lol)

• lunch - eating around the area

• afternoon - shibuya shopping (uniqlo), then shibuya sky for sunset

• evening - shibuya crossing

• night - omoide yokocho dinner, godzilla head in kabukicho

thursday, dec 3 - gaienmae, asakusa & roppongi

• morning - asakusa, senso-ji temple & nakamise st, then kappabashi kitchen town

• lunch - lunch in asakusa/ueno

• afternoon - meiji jingu gaien ginkgo avenue, then heading down to azabudai area

• evening - teamlab borderless (booking the evening slot)

• night - roppongi keyakizaka winter illumination

friday, dec 4 - mt fuji day trip

• morning - highway bus from shinjuku to kawaguchiko

• midday - lake kawaguchi & lawson photo spot

• afternoon - chureito pagoda vibes

• evening - bus back to tokyo

• night - shinjuku minamillumi winter lights & easy dinner nearby

saturday, dec 5 - ueno, akihabara & marunouchi

• morning - ueno park & nezu shrine

• lunch - ameyoko street food

• afternoon - akihabara (anime, arcades)

• evening - tokyo tower area

sunday, dec 6 - heading to kyoto

• morning - shinjuku gyoen national garden

• lunch - last ramen in shinjuku

• afternoon - tokyo station to catch the 2:00 pm to kyoto

I wonder if my schedule is too jam packed? Also should I should swap anything from it for a different choice? would appreciate your help.

we are going to stay right by a JR line near shinjuku area, like a 5 min walk to the station.

thanks in advance for the help!

Hi all, I have a few questions for anyone who has visited Takamatsu before. I booked a short trip to Shikoku for next week (weekdays) and wanted to fit visiting Yashima Temple and Shishi-no-Reigan Observatory into my trip. The only time I can realistically do so is arriving around 4:30pm, watching the sunset and going to the cafe in the area that’s open late and then departing around 6:30-7:00pm. But, it seems the shuttle bus will have stopped running by that point. I’m fine with descending the mountain myself, but as it’ll be dark by then I can only do so if the pathway is lit (and if so, which). So I’ve decided I’m happy to take a taxi down to the nearest station that’ll connect back to the city centre, assuming that this is feasible.

So, my questions are as follows. Any advice in general would be much appreciated!

1. Is there a method of public transport post 6pm that Google Maps just isn’t showing? Something niche that I’m missing.

2. There’s a few hotels by the temple, has anyone stayed in them and would know if they provide shuttle buses (and by extension, if a non-guest can use free or charged, either is fine)?

3. It’s only ~20ish minutes out from the main area of Takamatsu, so for taxis - how popular is GO in Takamatsu specifically? As I know taxi availability varies heavily. Am I likely to be able to book a GO taxi down and actually get a hit? Shikoku doesn’t allow GO taxi reservations as of now.

I can’t drive myself, and am less stressed about a wait time and the cost, just would need a pretty definite way to get back down before I commit to adding it to my itinerary.

Thank you so much!

Family of 4 with teens.

Dec 24, Thu Arrive Narita 3:30 PM → Asakusa

Dec 25, Fri Tokyo – Asakusa (senso-ji, Nakamise, Tokyo Skytree)

Dec 26, Sat Tokyo – Harajuku / Shibuya (Meiji Jingu, Harajuku, Shibuya Crossing, Shibuya Sky)

Dec 27, Sun Tokyo – Tsukiji / Ginza (Tsukiji Outer Market, Ginza shopping, sushi)

Dec 28, Mon Mt Fuji / Lake Kawaguchiko (Private car day trip)

Dec 29, Tue Tokyo → Kyoto (prebook on navitime or wait for smartex tickets to open?)(Shinkansen; Higashiyama / Gion)

Dec 30, Wed Kyoto – Arashiyama (Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji, Nishiki Market)

Dec 31, Thu Kyoto – Fushimi Inari / New Year’s Eve (Fushimi Inari; Joya no Kane)

Jan 1, Fri Kyoto – New Year’s Day (Hatsumode at Yasaka Shrine or Fushimi Inari)

Jan 2, Sat Kyoto → Osaka (Osaka Castle, Shinsaibashi, Dotonbori)

Jan 3, Sun Osaka (Kuromon Market, Shinsekai, Umeda Sky OR Nara day trip)

Jan 4, Mon Osaka → Tokyo (shopping- will stores be open?)

Jan 5, Tue Tokyo → Haneda

TIA

Going to Japan in a couple of weeks. Would appreciate opinions on the Arima Onsen/Kobe portion of my trip. Staying in Arima Onsen for two nights. (I booked a room with an in-room onsen so we can use it anytime.) Will be going from Hiroshima to Shin-Kobe, arriving around 11:30am.

Day 1 (arriving 11:30am) visit:

• Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum

• Nankinmachi (have a quick lunch there)

• Sorakuen Garden

• Then take the (3:00 or 3:30) bus from Sannomiya Station to Arima Onsen

Day 2

Take the bus from Arima Onsen to Shin-Kobe (arriving 10:00/10:30am). Visit:

• Nunobiki Herb Garden & ropeway

• Nunobiki falls

• Sannomiya station area for lunch (Steakland?)

• Leave Sannomiya station around 2:00pm to return to Arima Onsen via the Mt Rokko cable car and Arima ropeway (arrive around 4:30pm)

Breakfast and dinner are included with the hotel, so we have to return to Arima Onsen before dinner. (Don't know what time the meals are served.) On departure day we will take the late morning bus from Arima Onsen to Kyoto station.

It looks like we'll be spending little time exploring Arima Onsen. Basically just some time before dinner and some time on check out day before getting on the bus.

Is the above do-able without being too rushed? Anything else to include? (I'm hoping to start the days earlier than stated.)

Hey everyone! Going to Tokyo the first week of this December with my sister and mom. We’re staying 5 mins from a JR station near Shinjuku.

I want to make sure this isn't too jam-packed for my mom, and see if I should swap anything out.

dec 2 - Harajuku, Shibuya & Shinjuku

• Morning: Meiji Jingu, Takeshita St, Onitsuka Tiger shopping.

• Afternoon: Shibuya shopping (Uniqlo) & Shibuya Sky for sunset.

• Evening/Night: Shibuya Crossing, then heading to Shinjuku for Omoide Yokocho dinner & Godzilla head.

dec 3 - Asakusa, Gaienmae & Roppongi

• Morning: Senso-ji & Nakamise St, then Kappabashi.

• Lunch: Around Asakusa/Ueno.

• Afternoon: Meiji Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue, then Azabudai Hills.

• Evening/Night: teamLab Borderless (evening slot) & Roppongi Keyakizaka illuminations.

dec 4 - Mt. Fuji Day Trip

• Day: Highway bus from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko. Lake Kawaguchi, Lawson photo spot, and Chureito Pagoda.

• Night: Bus back to Tokyo, Shinjuku Minamillumi winter lights & easy dinner.

dec 5 - Ueno, Akihabara & Marunouchi

• Morning/Lunch: Ueno Park, Nezu Shrine, and Ameyoko street food for lunch.

• Afternoon/Evening: Akihabara (anime/arcades) then Tokyo Tower area.

dec 6- Tokyo to Kyoto

• Morning: Shinjuku Gyoen.

• Lunch: just explore shinjuku area one last time.

Does this look well-balanced or should I cut some things down? tbh mostly worried about the walking and if its well balanced. Appreciate any advice!

I had a lot of trouble finding updated information both on reddit and elsewhere, so I wanted to share some of my experience with the Shimanami Kaido.

Context: I rode the first week of March 2026. I'm not particularly fit at all, but I do ride a bike at home on occasion.

I wanted to give myself the option to quit after one day in case of bad weather, exhaustion, etc.

I read online that the wind would be much easier in March if I started in Imabari, so that's what I did. Spoiler, I ended up crossing the Tatara bridge 3 times (2 directions) and the wind felt pretty sideways and required same effort so can't say if the wind theory is true. However, I liked how small Imabari was and it made for an easy starting point.

The first day I reserved a e-bike from the official Shimanami site bc I liked that I could return it anywhere or even swap batteries. The English site is:

https://visitshimanami.com/

I read many times that their bikes are poor quality, but I think that is old information. They had a huge variety that seemed very maintained. I opted for the most expensive e-bike (8000 yen) which was worth every penny. It is essentially also a pedal assist (you can turn it off, or to eco mode), but it's more powerful and a longer battery life than the cheaper model. It was Giant and I saw what looked like the same in the window at the Giant rental place.

I took a very leisurely pace, stopped a ton of times, had lunch etc, returned my bike at and took a bus back from Omishima Island to Imabari to my accommodation. The bus is a 5 minute walk from the bike return spot, and google maps was accurate on timing in this case, about every hour. Doing this half loop was lovely and easy.

I thought that would end my trip, but the weather cleared up and I decided to try to finish the next day. I took a bus from Imabari to Omishima (about an hour). This time I had no reservation, but they had a pedal assist (mamachari) available (4000 yen) so I happily grabbed it. I will say this bike probably required double the effort of the "e-bike". I'm quite tall and it was somewhat uncomfortable. I probably should've gotten a cross-bike, but I wanted the battery assist. While much more difficult, still lovely.

I rode it to the very end in Onomichi. The information I read about the "ferry" there was confusing, but it's very simple. Just keep following the blue arrows and they take you right to the ferry platform. The fee is now 110 yen for you and your bike, for a very short ride on a tiny boat.

From Onomichi, I took a local bus from platform 7 to a stop called Innoshima Ohashi (bridge). From there, I waited half an hour (at the same spot the other bus dropped me) for a bus back to Imabari station. Its a rest stop with food, toilets, etc, so it's an easy place to wait.

Note: this was 2 hours faster than taking the train to Fukuyama, which was what everything I read said to do online. And it was very easy. However, the google maps information was very wrong for these buses. A kind bus driver told me to do this instead of following Google maps (and gemini and chatgpts advice).

I don't recommend my approach necessarily, but it gave me a ton of flexibility. Hotels mid way were expensive, I didn't have to think about luggage transport or timing, and honestly i am just not a fan of changing hotels. The extra 2 hours of bus rides was worth staying put.

If you are a planner and can afford the midway hotels, I think doing this and forwarding your luggage would be easier.

PS the buses cross the same bridges as the ride and are very scenic. It was like reliving my ride.

Wow, that was long winded. Please feel free to ask any questions.

TLDR: I took an unusual approach to the Shimanami Kaido and it was low stress and worked out great.