Feedback on Japan Itinerary

Hello Hello, We’re two couples of friends heading to this amazing country and need your help to validate our itinerary. First, I’ll share the overall plan for our trip. I can go into more detail for each day if everything looks good to you. Thanks Thanks

30/10 Arrival at HND 31/10 Tokyo: Chiyoda, Yurakucho & Shinjuku 01/11 Asakusa, Ueno, Akihabara & TeamLab Planets 02/11 Day trip to Mount Fuji (Kawaguchiko) 03/11 Yanaka, Ueno, Shibuya & Izakaya 04/11 Ghibli Museum & Kichijoji 05/11 Shopping and Odaiba at sunset 06/11 Departure for Kyoto & first discoveries 07/11 Arashiyama, bamboo grove & zen temples 08/11 Fushimi Inari, Gion 09/11 Kyoto → Himeji → Hiroshima 10/11 Hiroshima (morning) → Osaka (afternoon) 11 & 12/11 Exploring Osaka and return to France 🙂

Hi,

Personally, I think the last four days are too packed—you’ll be rushing around on transport and missing out on the Japanese vibe. How are you getting around? I’d do 08/11: Himeji in the early afternoon and finish the day arriving in Hiroshima. That gives you a bit of time in Kyoto in the morning. 09/11: a full day on Miyajima Island (a must-see). 10/11: morning at the Atomic Museum, then back to Osaka, stopping in Okayama to see Japan’s third-most beautiful garden, arriving in Osaka in the early evening. 11th and 12th: Osaka. If you’re taking the shinkansen, it’s doable; otherwise, it’s not really possible.

Thanks Patrick for your feedback! 🙂

We’re only traveling by train, subway, bus...

Since the hotels are already booked, it’s gonna be tough to change our whole schedule at this point. I was just thinking of a few tweaks... you’re scaring me when you say “not possible” 🙂

I’m not saying it’s impossible if you just don’t travel by Shinkansen, but otherwise you’ll spend a big chunk of your days in transit—I’m talking local trains or buses between the main cities. Kyoto/Himeji no, because they’re right next to each other. I often take these local train routes since I’ve got the time. Your hotels barely change.

Indeed, we’ll be traveling by Shinkansen... so I take it that should be doable, right?

Sure, no problem! 😊

Perfect! 🙂 Thanks for your quick response! ! ! I’ll go ahead and continue 😉

For now, I’m skipping our Tokyo stay—everything isn’t quite finalized yet 🙂

Nov 6: Arrival in Kyoto around midday (from Tokyo by Shinkansen) - Exploring the Higashiyama district and visiting Kiyomizu-dera temple. Then a stroll through Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka.

Nov 7 - Walk through the Arashiyama bamboo grove - Visit Tenryu-ji temple - Crossing the Togetsukyo Bridge & riverside stroll - Lunch in Arashiyama - Visit Gio-ji or Jojakko-ji temple

Nov 8 - Visit Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine - Stroll through Gion & Hanamikoji-dori - Traditional tea ceremony - Walk in the Higashiyama district

Nov 9 8:00 AM – Departure by Shinkansen for Himeji Visit Himeji Castle Then a relaxing evening stroll in Hiroshima...

Nov 10: 7:30 AM – Visit the Peace Memorial Museum (reservation made) - Walk in the Peace Memorial Park Noon: Departure for Osaka by Shinkansen What do you think?? 😉 Does this seem like a great and unforgettable trip so far???

For me, Miyajima Island in Hiroshima is missing—it’s simply magical, just a 30-minute ferry ride away. Skip Himeji and replace it with Miyajima, no contest! lol! Leaving Kyoto around 8 AM makes it totally doable. When you arrive at Hiroshima station, stash your bags in a locker, then take tram line 2 (if I remember right) to the terminus and hop on the ferry. There are plenty running all day, and once you’re there, it’s like stepping into another world. There’s so much to see on the island—you’re greeted by deer roaming everywhere and coming up to you, the stunning torii gate that’s impressive whether the tide is high or low, and all the walks around it. And I haven’t even mentioned the scenery. 😉

To be honest, we’ve been wondering about this for a while... so thanks for your reply—it’ll give us a chance to discuss the topic again with our friends 🙂😉 Otherwise, does the rest of it seem okay to you?

Yeah, it’s a bit packed for the number of days you’ll be there, but hey, if you’re up for it, go for it! !

Yeah, it’s a bit packed for the number of days there, but hey, if you’re up for it, go for it!

Not sure if we’re *that* fit 😅, but we’re motivated ;) so we’ll make it work 😏...

you know Tokyo too? Can I send you what I’ve already planned???

Based on your route, it seems pretty balanced. You never really see the end of Tokyo—every neighborhood has its own vibe. Personally, I love Asakusa. I feel like you really get a sense of tradition there, and that’s where I always stay when I’m in Tokyo.

Thanks for your really reassuring messages! ! ! Alright, I'm taking the plunge for Tokyo 😉

30/10 Arrival at HND: head to the hotel and rest after a long trip

31/10: - Visit the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace - Stroll toward Yurakucho - Walk around Harajuku & Omotesando - Tea ceremony at Camellia Garden

01/11: - Visit Senso-ji Temple & Nakamise-dori - Stroll in Ueno Park - Explore Akihabara - Visit TeamLab Planets - Dinner at Toyosu

02/11: Visit to Mount Fuji (Kawaguchiko)

03/11: - Yanaka Ginza - Daikanyama - Shibuya

04/11: 2 options with or without the Ghibli Museum With the museum: - Visit the Ghibli Museum - Stroll in Inokashira Park - Shopping & wandering in Kichijoji Without the museum: - Wander around Shimokitazawa - Nakameguro - Stroll along the Meguro River

05/11: We want to catch the sunset at Odaiba but no other ideas for the day! ! !

Sounds good! Just make sure you’ve booked the Ghibli Museum and TeamLab Planet in Harajuku. Also, take a stroll through Yoyogi Park—if the autumn colors have arrived, it’s absolutely gorgeous. Same goes for Ueno Park, though it might be a little early depending on the year.

For Ghibli, the museum will be closed from November 4 to 18 and is closed every Tuesday, so you’ll need to choose between November 1–3. Tickets go on sale on the 10th of each month at 10 AM local time for the following month. For you, that means buying them on October 10 at 3 AM (lol) if possible, since they sell out super fast on this site:

Tickets - Ghibli Museum, Mitaka

For TeamLab, tickets for November will be released at the end of August on this site: teamLab Planets TOKYO, Toyosu

Skip Himeji and swap in Miyajima—no contest!

That’s exactly what I did. I gave up Himeji for Miyajima, where I stayed in a ryokan. The sunset over the Great Torii is magical! Happy planning and safe travels

I totally get you! 😉

Thanks for all this info—I’ll definitely keep it in mind! 😉 I’ll shuffle a few days in Tokyo to fit in the Museum on its open days.

My main concerns are about the other days in Tokyo—does it sound okay if I’ve understood correctly?

Any ideas to fill out this day: " 05/11: We want to catch the sunset at Odaiba but don’t have other plans for the day! ! ! "

Hi, Odaiba is a great idea—it lets you see Tokyo from a different angle. It's a new and modern district with tons of shopping malls and leisure centers, and the view from the beach at night is cool. Another option is the Skytree for sunset; it’s impressive despite the pretty steep price. Another viewpoint is Tokyo City Hall—it’s free to go up, but it gets crowded, so arrive early. After that, you’ll want to get out of the city center a bit.

Hello,

02/11: Visit to Mount Fuji (Kawaguchiko)

Are you going for the day? Meaning you’ll be sleeping in Tokyo that night? Are you going with an organized tour or on your own?

Hello,

02/11: Visit to Mount Fuji (Kawaguchiko)

Are you going for the day? Meaning you'll be sleeping in Tokyo that night? Are you going through an organized tour or by your own means?

Hello 😉

Yes, we’ve planned to go for the day from Tokyo.

Here’s the day’s itinerary we’ve organized:

07:15 – Departure by bus to Kawaguchiko

Location: Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (south exit of Shinjuku Station, 5-minute walk from your hotel). Tip: Arrive 20 minutes early. Tickets can be booked on highway-buses.jp. Duration: 1h45.

09:00 – Arrival at Kawaguchiko Station

Buy a day pass for the Omni Bus Red Line (1,500 ¥). Tip: This pass lets you make all the scenic stops around the lake.

09:30 – Oishi Park

Panoramic view of Mount Fuji + Lake Kawaguchi. Photo spot: Fuji with flowers in the foreground. Duration: 45 min.

10:30 – Chureito Pagoda (Arakurayama Sengen Park)

Route: Bus to Shimoyoshida Station (30 min), then 20-minute walk (400 steps). Iconic view: Red pagoda + Mount Fuji. Duration: 1h.

12:30 – Lunch

Houtou Fudou (local specialty: thick noodles in miso broth). Address: 707 Funatsu, Fujikawaguchiko.

14:00 – Walk along Lake Kawaguchi

Option: Bike or pedal boat rental. Coffee break: Café & Dining MONTE ROSA (view of the lake and Fuji).

16:45 – Return to Tokyo

Bus: Kawaguchiko Station → Shinjuku (recommended departure at 17:00 or 17:30). Arrival: 18:45 – 19:15.

Hope this seems doable 😉

Thanks so much! :) Well, in the end, we hesitated a lot but we’ll go for two days—we’ll sleep there, but I can take inspiration from your itinerary! :P Happy planning!