Embarking on a first-time journey to Japan can be both thrilling and daunting, but fear not! ✈️
After months of meticulous research and planning, I've created this comprehensive itinerary to streamline your trip preparations. 🗺️🌸
What's inside this guide?
🗓️ Detailed daily itinerary, with top-notch places to explore
🏨 Accommodation recommendations spanning from budget-friendly to luxurious options
🚆 Transportation guidelines to ease your way around
📝 Essential pre-trip information for a seamless experience
🌟 Must-do experiences, culinary delights, and souvenir suggestions
🗣️ Personal insights and honest reviews from my own journey
Your adventure will take you through these captivating cities:
🏙️ Osaka
🦌 Nara
🌸 Hiroshima
🍖 (Optional) Kobe
🍁 Kyoto
🗼 Tokyo
🌋 Hakone (with a view of Mt. Fuji)
Curious to see my trip to Japan?
Check out my Instagram highlights "Tokyo," "Hiroshima," and "Osaka-Kyoto." 📷
Do you have questions or need help planning your trip?
Hire me through one of my services and let's make your Japan adventure unforgettable! 💛
Each day, I'll provide you with a concise overview of the day's plan, including transportation details and personal tips. Then, you can dive into the actual itinerary, which will feature specific places to visit and helpful guidelines. 🌟
Simply tap into each location to:
📍 Check its location on Google Maps or a similar service
⏰ Verify opening hours
🌐 Visit its official website for booking information
💡 Explore my personal tips and opinions
To make your trip seamless and organized, I've categorized accommodations, food recommendations, and pre-trip essentials as separate guides. This way, you won't need to endlessly scroll through a single document. 📝
Your journey to Japan is about to get a whole lot smoother and more enjoyable! 🗾
Below, you'll discover a day-to-day itinerary to guide you through your Japanese adventure. 🗺️🇯🇵
To make it easier, you can also use the interactive map or select specific categories to explore all the places within that category. Whether you're seeking dining options or other experiences, this user-friendly setup will help you make the most of your trip! 📆
If you have a late arrival as we did, I recommend spending the first night at the Capsule Hotel within the Airport and starting your journey fresh the next day.
Spending the first night there was the best decision I made.
You get a locker where to store your luggage and belongings and shoes (after the first point, only slippers are accepted).
They provide a kit containing a pyjama, slippers, towels, toothpaste and toothbrush.
Everything was so clean and tidy, coming from a European country made me feel "wow".
The capsule was big enough and had a charging port to use.
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Day 2 - Osaka 🏙️
Today you will go from Tokyo to Osaka and start to explore Namba area.
JR Pass activation and Transport 🚆
At Narita Airport look for the JR East Travel Service Center which is open from 6:30 to 21:45, activate your JR pass and also purchase an IC card.
They will help you book the seats for the Narita Express to Tokyo station (1.15h) and the one from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka station (3h) if you didn't already.
From Shin-Osaka you will need to use the IC card or JR pass depending on your accommodation. We stayed near Namba, which was perfect for exploring the nightlife and getting around during the day.
Exploring Osaka (Namba) 🏙️
After leaving the luggage in your accommodation, I recommend taking a look around Namba and exploring the different skincare shops, game centres and food places.
This was the first real restaurant we try and it was amazing. There were a lot of locals and no tourists a lot, which is a good sign for quality/price usually!
I love meat and loved this place.
The prices were affordable and there were a lot of locals, which felt more authentic.
You order from a tablet, with English options, so it is also very easy and you cook your own meat as you like.
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While you are in Namba, you must go to Rikuro and buy a whole fluffy cheesecake!
I found this place from TikTok videos and had high expectations, which were met!
There was a bit of queue, however, it was definitely worth it. We bought one cake and had it for breakfast for a few days.
It was delicious!
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Go for a stroll in Dotonbori during sunset time and check out the famous different big screens.
You can take a walk in the canal, eat some street food or just chill around.
It felt so good to watch the iconic screens I saw in many videos and it was nice to just discover the surroundings.
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If you'd like a nice drink in a more fancy place the one below is perfect for you.
I would have loved to go, but we didn't as my partner is not a big fan of alcohol.
One of my friends went and said the place was very sophisticated and the drinks were very tasty.
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Day 3 - Nara 🦌
Today you will enjoy a day trip to Nara, exploring Nara Park's temples, bowing with deers, relaxing in nature, and shopping for local souvenirs.
Transport 🚆
You can use your JR Pass with the Yamatoji line. Rapid trains run every hour between Osaka and Nara from JR Osaka Station.
If your accommodation is near Namba, I recommend you start your trip from JR Namba. The whole journey from Osaka to Nara is around 45 minutes.
If you don't have a JR Pass, you can take the Kintetsu-Nara LineRapid-ExpressKintetsu-Nara from Namba station.
Personal Tips 📝
I recommend being there early as it gets very crowded with school groups and tourists. We took the train from JR Namba around 9 am and by the time we left the Park to go shopping and grab something to eat, we notice many more people coming.
Wear comfortable shoes because you will walk a lot! And depending on the season you go, wear SPF and bring it with you to reapply it! Along with water, a hat and sunglasses. You will walk a lot and you will not notice it, but the sun will hit you pretty hard.
Be careful of deer, they bite and kick! I saw many people getting beaten when they didn't have any more food to give away, so keep that in mind.
We left after lunchtime as we wanted to explore more of the Namba area and play some video games in there, however, you may take the whole day if you like to do things at a slower pace, spending more time shopping around or just watching the dear from a bench.
Exploring Nara 🦌
These are the sites you will find in Nara Park. Enjoying getting around without thinking too much about where to go or watching the map. There are indications quite often and the deer are everywhere.
Nara Park is the main reason we all go to Nara.
You can find deer everywhere and there are facilities where you can buy food to feed them.
It's a big complex where you will find the rest of the places I listed in the guide.
Open 8 am-4 pm and you need to pay to enter.
There wasn't a big queue when we got there, but a lot of school groups (luckily they had their own queue).
Temples are the perfect spots to buy lucky charms (Omamori) per souvenir and to give to your loved ones.
Looking back, this one in Nara was one of the cheapest regarding prices.
You will need to climb a bit of steps, but you will get a really nice view.
At the bottom of the steps, there are some facilities where you can buy some snacks like Matcha Ice-cream.
Private museum and garden. The museum is nothing special, but the garden is so pretty.
You will need to pay a fee for entrance and it is open 9:30 am - 4:30 pm.
The perfect occasion to relax, enjoy some tea and take cool pictures in the Japanese garden style.
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Once you finish the tour in the park, I suggest taking some time to grab a bite and do some souvenir shopping in the following areas.
This is the main street you will walk between Nara Station and Nara Park. It's full of small local shops where you can souvenirs. Keep in mind that some of them are a bit pricy due to the touristic location.
This is a shopping area and you can access it from Sanjo Dori Street. Full of restaurants where you can have lunch and shops where you can buy souvenirs.
I had this place saved as many websites recommend it, however, we didn't go as we preferred to spend more time in Namba than shopping there.
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When you come back to Osaka, I suggest to have a light dinner and go to sleep early as tomorrow it will be a long day in Hiroshima.
Day 4 - Hiroshima 🌸
Today you will explore Hiroshima, its Peace Memorial Park, discovering everything about the Atomic Bomb and what effects had on the people, city and for how long. At the same time, you will discover how nature will always win and how beautiful the city is now.
For those who don't know, Hiroshima was largely destroyed by an atomic bomb during World War II and it took years and years for people to rebuild it.
Transport 🚆
Using your JR Pass, you can take the Sanyo Shinkansen Line (either Sakura or Hikari trains), from Shin-Osaka Station to Hiroshima Station, in about an hour and a half.
From Hiroshima Station, you could use a shuttle bus that will be included with the JR Pass, but we preferred to take a walk as we wanted to explore the reality of the city.
Personal Tips 📝
Hiroshima was a must for me and my partner and I recommend everyone to visit it.
To enjoy the most, I recommend being there early. We took the train from Shin- Osaka around 9 am and got to Hiroshima at 10:30.
As we would visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum, I felt like I didn't want to dress up to be more respectful and it's something I would recommend to others. As I am a very emotional person, I knew I would cry, so I didn't wear any make-up either. Will you cry as well? Maybe. My partner didn't but prepare yourself emotionally as it is very hard to see the truth of what happened at the time.
Wear comfortable shoes as you will walk a lot, not only in outdoor areas but even in the museum. the museum visit took us around 2h itself.
In the museum, there were volunteer people who were very kind to answer you and show you where you need to go. One of them even walked us to one of the sites, they were so nice.
Exploring Hiroshima 🌸
Get to the Peace Memorial Park area and check all the sites here below at your own pace, but I suggest leaving the Museum last.
It was the exact location where the atomic bombing of Hiroshima took place on August 6, 1945. Shima Hospital is considered to be ground zero.
It's around the corner of the Peace Memorial Park.
Atomic Bomb Dome is part of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.
When we went, there was a womb survivor who was explaining the experience of surviving and his takes on politics. He said he is often there, to inform tourists about things they will not hear from the official museum. If you find him there, I strongly recommend having a chat with him.
The Children's Peace Monument is a monument for peace to commemorate Sadako Sasaki and the thousands of child victims of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. This monument is located in Hiroshima, Japan. Sadako Sasaki, a young girl, died of leukaemia from the radiation of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945.
The figures that surround the monument are angels, representing that Sadako is in heaven among the other fallen angels who died during the atomic bombing in Hiroshima.
Today, people from around the world donate cranes that they have folded in honour of Sadako and others.
The paper crane is a symbol of peace, which was her last dying wish.
From Wikipedia
The Peace Flame is another monument to the victims of the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima, but it has an additional symbolic purpose.
The flame has burned continuously since it was lit in 1964 and will remain lit until all nuclear bombs on the planet are destroyed and the planet is free from the threat of nuclear annihilation.
From Wikipedia
There are three Peace Bells in the Peace Park. The smaller one is used only for the Peace Memorial Ceremony.
Walking around we found one of them and rang it.
It's a symbolic gesture and it felt good.
This is the Museum where you will read, see, and learn everything about the Atomic Bomb, how it happened, how people felt, and what they went through immediately after and even years later. How it affected their health and their lives.
Even now, writing about it, tears come up.
I spent two hours completing the whole tour and the majority of the time I was silently crying. Don't be afraid to show your emotion, many people were sobbing like me and to be honest, it is only normal because there is a difference between knowing about the Atomic Bomb and seeing how it affected people's lives with pictures, remains of clothes and objects and people's testimonials.
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Once you finish the visit at the Museum and the different sites, I recommend taking a break and enjoy lunch and some souvenir shopping in the Okonomi Village.
After visiting the Museum and the Memorial Park you will be tired, emotionally and physically, so I recommend visiting this site where you can find restaurants and both local and international shops.
I always recommend buying in small shops as you can find unusual things. For example, I found a shop where they sold traditional painting brushes and bought some for my father who is an artist.
Regarding food, you must try Okonomiyaki, which is typical in Hiroshima. The Museum volunteer suggested a place just at the entrance of the village (from the park side), but the queue was too long for us.
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After that head to Hiroshima Castle Park, it's around 15/20 minutes by walk and you will have the opportunity to see the rebuilt Hiroshima.
Can't provide feedback about the inside of the palace as we decided to not spend the money on the entrance fee but just observe it from the outside.
The park around the palace is beautiful and worth taking a walk around or relaxing on some benches.
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You can then walk to this private garden where you can take many cool pic/videos and enjoy the peace of nature.
This is a beautiful garden, definitely worth visiting!
We spend over one hour strolling inside a small bamboo forest, feeding carp fish (you can buy their food at the entrance shop), and taking beautiful pictures everywhere.
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I suggest you leave Hiroshima around 7 pm so you can get home around 9 pm, have dinner and rest after such a long day.
Day 5 - Osaka and Kobe
Today you can choose between spending the whole day in Osaka or visiting Osaka Castle and then going ahead to Kobe.
Transport 🚆
To go to Kobe, you may take the Sanyo Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka Station to Shin-Kobe Station. This trip lasts approximately 15 minutes and it is included in the JR Pass.
Personal Tips 📝
Kobe:
Book the restaurant in advance as the good ones will all be fully booked. We did this mistake unfortunately, we just assumed there will be many good restaurants there and that we would find many options.
We still enjoy the restaurant we went to, but we could tell we were missing out on the best ones.
Osaka Castle;
Book the ticket online!! We are not big lovers of castles and historical places, so when we saw the infinite queue lining there, we decided to not go in. If you do want to see the inside, getting an online ticket is the best option.
The park around the Castle is just beautiful. You can find street food stands with the typical 100 yen cheese coin and other amenities.
As meat lovers, we chose to get to Kobe after Osaka Castle. The ones below are all activities and places I wished to visit if I had more time in Osaka.
You could walk there for the whole day.
The park is pretty big and a lot of locals go there to exercise or just enjoy a walk.
You could also rent a bike and I saw people going around with one of those small trains for tourists, it's not really my thing. but go for it if you like!
If we had more time, we would have dedicated one day to having fun there.
As many videos and blogs online mention, don't expect to be able to go there and purchase a ticket, that's unlikely to happen.
you must buy before hands and it will be very crowded and busy (like Disneyland if you have been there).
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Exploring Kobe 🍖
Get out of Shin-Kobe Station, you will find a mall and the way to this Ropeway where you can observe a beautiful view from uphill.
We really wanted to go there, but it was raining and everything was covered by the clouds so we didn't go.
From pictures and videos, it seems worth it and I wish it was sunny when I went so I could enjoy the view!
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After that, walk towards the city center where you can find China-Town and a less busy Shrine.
Visiting this small temple was so nice. As it is not as popular as the ones in Kyoto and Tokyo, there were really few people and it felt more spiritual.
When I went it was drizzling, so it gave it a mystical energy all around. Very peaceful.
Another spot we didn't visit due to the rainy weather.
On a sunny day, I think it would be a very nice spot to spend a few hours around.
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These below are the restaurant I recommend based on researches. We ate at the WASSIA one as we didn't book any before hands, it was nice, but I'm pretty sure you can get much better if you will book in advance.
As we didn't book anything before our visit, we ended up at this restaurant. It was a Korean/Japanese Yakiniku (a restaurant where you grill your own meat), which I usually prefer so I can cook the meat as I like it.
We chose the selection and we had fun trying to understand which meat we were eating before reading the cut.
It was not a 5* restaurant, but for me was good enough.
This was our first choice, but when we got there they were fully booked and didn't take any walk-in.
Don't do my mistake, book in advance!
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Day 6 - Kyoto 🍁
Today you will move to Kyoto which is a beautiful city, with a lot of historical places (it was the capital at the time of Samurais), a lot of good food and a more traditional look.
Today specifically, you will walk through some old-style streets, visit the Kiyomizu-Dera temple, then eat something in the Shinkyogoku Shopping Street area, enjoy a Tea Ceremony wearing a Kimono, learn all about Samurai and Ninja and then end your day with some good food at Pontocho street.
Transport 🚆
Leave Osaka around 9 am so you can enjoy the full day in Kyoto. Using your JR pass, take the Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka station to Kyoto station, the journey will take around 15 minutes.
From Kyoto station, you must use your IC to use the metro and arrive at your accommodation.
Personal Tips 📝
I loved Kyoto so much, I wished I would be there for longer times and I know people who have done day trips from Osaka instead of spending the nights there. It is really up to you and to your taste.
Kyoto was more tourist and tattoo-friendly, we got fewer stares and we even enjoyed the local experience of going to a bath house. My partner's body is covered by tattoos and we were worried about it, but he didn't have any issues.
The usual tip of wearing comfortable shoes is valid even more here in Kyoto. Those two days were the ones where we walked the most during the whole trip!
Exploring Kyoto pt. 1 🍁
I recommend you the same path we did, we enjoy walking and for us the journey to get to famous spots are themselves very interesting.
When we mentioned that we wanted to walk to the Kiyomizu-Dera - temple, our host suggested we should take the off-the-beat path and not the main street as it would be more scenographic. Of course, it was!
While getting to the Kiyomizu-Dera temple, we visited some famous typical streets and discovered more temples, which I listed here below in order of our path, but of course, feel free to follow your own.
We found this temple randomly but we noticed that many tourists were getting there by organised buses and taxis.
It was drizzling when we went and the stairs were slippery, and weirdly enough I loved that vibe even more.
We had to walk through this beautiful park it was stunning and can't imagine it with the cherry blossoms. We took our time to relax a bit and take some cool pictures and I suggest you do the same.
This is one of the typical streets, full of souvenir shops but as you can expect it's overcrowded! That day was raining and I thought it would put people off, well if it did, I'm shocked. It was so crowded that I didn't go to any shops. If you want to shit one of those IG videos and take cool pics, you should go at 5 am.
Like Nineizaka, here is the same story. It's a typical street but it's overcrowded, to take a cool pic you need to come at 5 am and it is a good spot for souvenirs if the crowd doesn't put you off.
The particularity of this temple is its view and the pure water from Otowa Spring.
Of course, being a very famous temple, it also means is very crowded, but I feel it is worth it.
There is a spot where you can "wash" your hand with the pure water, but there will be a bit of a queue.
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From the Temple, I recommend walking around with the final destination being the shopping area listed here below. In this area are located both the Kimono and Tea ceremony and Samurai and Ninja Museum experiences.
I recommend it for shopping for all sorts of things: pottery, clothes, souvenir, Anime stuff, and anything really. We enjoyed shopping both before and after the experiences we booked.
The area is full of restaurants as well, from cheap to more expensive, you can find the right option for you. We had some Mc Donald's as we like to explore its different menus around the world.
Going to a Tea Ceremony and wearing a Kimono was my top priority for Japan. After reviewing many places, I decided to go for this one and I am so happy I did.
I booked in advance from the link you find here in Thatch and I recommend booking beforehand as some days were not available even months in advance.
Allow 3h for the whole experience as it will take some time to get dressed, do the tea ceremony, and then take pictures at the end.
It was one of the best memories I have of the trip.
In this experience, you will make your own Matcha Tea in the traditional way. The host and the assistant were explaining all about the Tea Ceremony, and how to make the Matcha, and answered the questions we had.
Before the Ceremony start, you will get dressed by some of the ladies and they will even make your hair! You can choose the Kimono and hair accessories you like, but as a girl, be ready to suffer because that thing is really tight and for me was impossible to keep the posture they wanted a girl to keep, so I sat as a man instead (don't be ashamed).
After the Tea Ceremony, you will have all the time you want to take pictures and videos. There is a cute garden where they leave more traditional umbrellas and fans that you can use as props, and you can also go around in the neighborhood as much as you want.
They will let you store all your stuff in a bag that you will leave in there, and give you a small purse where you can store your valuable ones.
Overall, I really loved it, and felt so authentic, that I highly recommend it to anyone going to Kyoto.
My partner is a big fan of Samurai and Ninja, so I had to find an experience for him as well.
We were in a big group of people, and the guide was explaining the history of the Samurai and made it very interactive by asking the group questions and making jokes.
It was quite interesting learning about this part of Japanese history and seeing their armor and Katanas.
At the end of the tour, we had some time to throw the Ninja star throw and even had a competition.
After that, we had to go to a different site (just a few minutes walk away), where we could wear Samurai armor and take cool pictures and videos.
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Once you finished the experiences, you can walk to Pontocho Park where you will find plenty of options to make your belly happy.
This is the perfect street to get dinner.
During the day is pretty empty and most of the restaurants will not be open, but during the night it is very popular and crowdy.
You can find all sorts of restaurants there, from budget-friendly to the very expensive ones.
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Day 7 - Kyoto 🍁
On this day you will explore Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Arashiyama monkey park, you can choose to explore either the Nijō Castle and Kyoto Imperial Palace or Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion) and then hike the Fushimi Inari Taisha during sunset time.
Transport 🚆
Getting to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove:
Depending on your accommodation you will need to get to the JR Sagano/San-in Main Line and get off at Saga-Arashiyama Station.
You can take this line from Kyoto Station or the interchange at Nijo. It will take 15/20 minutes from these stations and this line is covered by the JR Pass.
Getting to Nijō Castle and Kyoto Imperial Palace:
From Saga-Arashiyama Station take the JR San-in Line to the Nijō Station and walk to the Castle. Later on, you can walk 10-15 minutes from Nijō Castle to Imperial Palace.
Getting to Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion):
From Saga-Arashiyama Station take the JR San-in Line to the EMMACHI STATION and then take bus 205 (check google maps for the bus stop) to the Kinkakujimichi bus stop.
Getting to Fushimi Inari Taisha:
You can take the Keihan Main Line (metro) or the JR Nara Line to Inari Station which is located just in front of the temple. (This option is covered by the JR Pass.)
Personal Tips 📝
Get ready to walk a lot! It is not ideal to visit the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and the Fushimi Inari Taisha as you will be very tired. We didn't complete the Shrine path as it was just too much and we did the mistake of not wearing the best comfortable shoes on that day due to the light rain, but I still enjoyed the time there. If you decide to change the itinerary and spend more days in Kyoto, I definitely recommend splitting those two into two different days.
You will need to walk about 10-15 minutes from Saga-Arashiyama station to the Bamboo Groove. This is the fastest route, recommended by a Japanese lady we met on our way.
Exploring Kyoto pt. 2 🍁
Start your day with an early visit to Bamboo Grove and then walk to Monkey Park. After that, on the way to the station, you will find many souvenir shops and some street food stands. I recommend enjoying some rest near the river in between.
Get there by 8 am and you will enjoy a very peaceful experience. Around 9.30/10 am it started to be crowded and full of tourists and school groups.
The temperature will be a bit more chilled than outside the bamboo groove, so I recommend taking an extra layer with you.
You will need to pay in cash and there is a bit of a hike (I think we walked for around 30 minutes), but there are some benches where you can take a break at some points.
The hike was beautiful and a true immersion into nature. I couldn't hear any other sound than nature, the air smelled fresh and clean and the sound of a little river really made me disconnected from our worlds for a moment.
At the end of the hike, you will find where all the monkeys stay freely and a facility with bathrooms, benches and where you can purchase some monkey food and feed them from the inside safely.
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After the Arashiyama areas, depending on your taste, you can either visit the Nijō Castle and Kyoto Imperial Palace or Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion).
This is a proper hike!! It will take you around 2-3 hours (at least this is what people on the internet say). I am not really into hikes so I just did around half an hour and came back down when I felt like it.
The further you go, the fewer people you will find!
The shrine is located on the sacred Mount Inari, and walking through that path made me feel so much peace. I could envision monks walking that same path, going to meditate and pray; the tall trees with birds and cats, the sound of nature, it all felt deep, spiritual and kind of magical.
This Chopstick store is known for engraving your chopsticks, however, they will do just a certain number per day, so go there in the morning if you want to get it!
As we went in the evening, they finished the engraving for that day and offered us the option to purchase it and pick them up engraved the next morning. (Unfortunately, we couldn't as we were leaving early the next day, but it could be an option for you).
As the shop wasn't busy when we went, I asked them to guide us to understand what could be the best option for us. The worker explained the differences between woods, style and the kind of food you eat with each.
They are not cheap, but they are worth it, both as a souvenir for yourself or for your loved ones.
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After such a long day, you deserve a bit of relaxation. Here below is a local bathhouse placed near the recommended accommodation. It was cheap (£2), very typical and nothing fancy, but perfect for those who want to experience the real Japanese culture.
This is a typical Japanese bath house.
It's nothing fancy, nothing like those videos where you have a hot bath all for yourself in an outdoor location, this is a real Japanese experience.
It is a shared space, you need to be fully naked and ready to just be yourself while relaxing.
The price is so low that is crazy and there is no limit on how long you can stay there.
You will find a sauna and three types of bath: cold plunge, medicine bath, and electric shock bath. (I didn't try this one as I was scared, but my partner did and enjoyed it quite a lot.)
They are tattoo-friendly (my partner is covered from head to toe) and foreign-friendly.
Our Airbnb host provided us with soap and towels, but you can rent/purchase them there as well.
He also explained to us how everything would work and what to expect and recommend we purchase a bottle of milk there after we finish as this is what they do. He literally said "Fresh milk from a glass bottle after the bath is the best feeling ever", so I did and it was true, so refreshing and just felt good.
Bring cash as they don't accept card payments. They don't really speak English but will try to understand. Also, some old lady helped me understand how everything worked as she saw I felt a bit uncomfortable on my first time.
I definitely recommend experiencing something like this and seeing this part of their culture.
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Day 8 - Tokyo 🗼
This is the last day when you can use the JR Pass, therefore you will use it to come back to Tokyo from Kyoto.
Once in Tokyo, you will explore Shibuya area, cross the famous Cramble Crossing, shop in one of the biggest Don Quijote and observe the city view from the Shibuya Sky.
Transport 🚆
Head to Kyoto Station and take the Shinkansen to Tokyo Station. It should take around 2h40m. From Tokyo Station, you will need to use the metro or JR lines to get to your accommodation.
If your accommodation doesn't provide early check-in, I recommend you leave your luggage in one of the coin lockers located at Shibuya Station. Here is a website that suggests some information about it:
Tokyo is busy like crazy! I come from London which is a big busy city and I was shocked, so be prepared. Walking between places is almost impossible and restaurants are always full of queues, especially during lunch and dinner time.
You will see many girls wearing anime-style clothes and approaching men, and yes, it is what you think, so if you are a man, don't follow them, they will trick you and make you spend a lot of money.
The metro closes around midnight and taxi are crazy expensive, so if you miss it, a lot of people recommend renting a karaoke room as it would be the cheapest option.
Exploring Tokyo pt. 1🗼
After you leave your luggage, get out of Shibuya station and head to Hachiko Statue as it will be just around the corner.
After that, get to cross the famous Scramble Crossing (I strongly suggest coming in the late evening as it gives a different vibe) and explore the Shibuya district.
I didn't expect anything special as I know is just a crossing, but a friend who had high expectations felt was overrated.
It all depends on your mindset going there!
For me it felt magical because I knew where I was crossing, looking at those tall buildings and having seen many videos of it.
Also in my opinion going in the evening is much better than during daylight.
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Don Quijote is everyone but the one in Shibuya is huge and 24/7, I strongly recommend you to do your shopping there as it was the best one I visited.
Me and my partner spend there 2h in this one and more time another day in others around the city.
It's crazy the amount of things you can find and if you like to explore each floor as we did, do allow two/there hours for it.
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Make sure you book the Shibuya Sky months ahead to get the sunset time and enjoy the beautiful 360' view of Tokyo (if you are lucky you could also see Mt. Fuji!). After that, get in one of the million restaurants around for dinner.
As a rooftop place going at sunset must be amazing! I recommend you book in advance if you care about catching the sunset!
We didn't want to plan too many things and ended up going there at midday because they were the only spot left 😂
Also, bring with you 100 yen coins as on the outside terrace to can bring only your camera and telephone and need to leave everything else such as bags inside some lockers.
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Day 9 - Tokyo 🗼
Today you will explore the Lucky Cat Temple, shop in the luxury district of Ginza, capture memories in TeamLab experience, observe Tokyo Tower and finish with a 9-course fine dinner.
Transport 🚆
Getting to Gotokuji Temple:
Take the Odakyu line at Shinjuku and get off at Gotokuji station. The journey will be around 15 minutes and then walk around 10 minutes to get to the temple.
from the temple to Ginza:
From Shinjuku get the Marunouchi Line and get out at Ginza Station. It will take 15 minutes, so overall 40 minutes from the temple.
From Ginza to TeamLab:
Depending on where you are in Ginza you could walk 30/40 minutes to TeamLab or take the bus (you can see in the picture below). The bus journey should take around 15 minutes,
From TeamLab to Tokyo Tower:
From Toyosu St. take the Yurakucho Line and get off at Yūrakuchō St., walk to Hibiya St. and get to the Mita Line until Onarimon St. and then walk 10 minutes.
Personal Tips 📝
It seems like a long day and it will be, but it is not soo tiring as it seems.
I suggest you either bring with you a change of clothes or wear something that suits both the day and night vibe.
Exploring Tokyo pt. 2 🗼
Start your day by visiting the Lucky Cat Temple where you can purchase a small statue of it, make a wish and leave it there along the hundreds of others.
Getting a lucky cat from this temple was one of the must-haves for us. We went there with the idea to buy many for our friends and family, but it didn't go like that Ahah
Unfortunately, they only accept cash and you are allowed to only buy a max of 1 size per person (they have 5 different sizes and prices available).
It is very nice to see all the ones people left behind, especially if decorated.
Getting to the temple will give you a nice view of a quiet area, it felt very authentic and people were all super nice all around.
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After that, allow yourself to get lost in the luxury district of Ginza where you can take your time for some branded shopping and a very nice lunch.
Ginza is the luxury district of Tokyo. You can fin the finest shops, restaurants and nightclubs.
If you are into fashion and/or shopping this is a must visit area and you could easily spend hours just getting around all the famous brands shops.
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From Ginza, either walk or take a bus to TeamLab where you will have time to have fun, relax and capture a lot of memories.
Another experience I highly recommend you book in advance!
I have mixed feelings about this because on the one side, I got amazing pictures and we really had fun, and on the other side I really felt disappointed when I came out of there.
It is split into two areas, the water and the Earth. The water area is the first one you have to go for, it has many more rooms and it is so fun with all the water and lights things. It lasted almost 1h and set my expectations very high for the second area.
Well, the Earth one lasted 15 minutes in total as it had a few rooms and the one with flowers had limited time (we checked with a timer and it was 3 minutes exactly).
You will need to go barefoot at some point, so make sure your bottom is not too long!
I really could smell people's feet and felt a bit disgusted I was in the same water as millions of other tourists where all of us have been walking all day (for me this thought lasted a few seconds but consider this).
Overall, I don't regret going as I wanted to see if it is all the hype as it looked on socials and got not only amazing pictures but also a lot of fun with my partner.
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Once you finish at TeamLab, you can either relax in the park nearby or go ahead to Tokyo Tower.
OMG! I can't describe this place and this experience! So worth it and I think you should go if you can afford it!
Booking was not easy, there were many Japanese websites but none accepted my name or needed a Japanese telephone number, so I contacted them on IG and booked with them.
We spent £150 each, but the quality of food and service, I swear, in London would be worth £500+
We booked the 9-course one, where you will need to choose the main one you prefer.
We had a separate room just for us, where we could call the waiter by a button and the chef came and cooked all the meat in front of us, explaining what cut it was and which sauces should we go for.
Every dish was delicious, the wine was incredible, the service was top, I can't express how happy I am that I spend this money.
If you can afford it, I truly recommend it as it was one of the best dinners I ever had!
Google might indicate the back of the building, if you are in a small alley, just go around and find the front of it.
They accept card and they speak English as well.
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Day 10 -Tokyo 🗼
Today you will come back in time by visiting the Imperial Palace, having a spiritual break in the Hie Shrine, enjoying a good lunch in Yokocho and your day relaxing in the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.
Transport 🚆
Imperial Palace:
Go to Tokyo Station and walk around 10 minutes.
From Imperial Palace to Hie Shrine:
You can walk for 25 minutes or take the Chiyoda Line from Otemachi St. to Kokkai-gijidōmae St., it will be around 15 minutes.
From Hie Shrine to Yokocho:
Walk is 20 minutes or take the Chiyoda Line from Kokkai-gijidōmae St. to Kasumigaseki Station, the whole journey is around 15 minutes.
From Yokocho to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden:
You will need to take two lines, first is Ginza Line from Toranomon St. to Akasaka-Mitsuke St., then take the Marunouchi Line to Shinjuku-gyoemmae Sta., the whole journey will be around 20 minutes.
Exploring Tokyo pt.3 🗼
Start your day by visiting the Imperial Palace and the gardens nearby.
We didn't go as we preferred sleeping in, but if you are into history you should definitely go.
As I researched about it, I realised they never allow a visit inside the palace but just externally and just at specific times.
The gardens around are so big that you can spend there hours just by walking around and imagining samurais and ninjas fighting over there.
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Then get to this shrine which will bring you back to Kyoto vibes and make you feel more in touch with your spirituality.
One thing I love about big cities is parks. After being days going around the busy streets of Tokyo, I think going for a stroll in the park is the best relaxing activity!
If you go during cherry blossom season I think you should go there at 5 am to get a cool shot.
The park is huge, so I suggest allowing a few hours to get around it.
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Enjoy a dinner in some of Shinjuku's izakayas like the ones I list below.
Izakaya Umaimon in the Kabukicho area of Shinjuku, offers seasonal seafood fresh from the market. You can get very good quality fish and seafood at good prices.
They also have a good variety of sake, if you like it.
Here you can taste the flavours of Hokkaido without going all the way there.
The quality of food is fresh and prices are affordable.
They also offer all-you-can-eat options, and the portions are quite big.
This is the perfect option for you if you are on a budget. Cheap, order from a machine and tasty.
Nothing fancy, but you will get out with a full stomach.
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Day 11 - Hakone & Mt. Fuji 🌋
Today you will get the chance to view Mt. Fuji and the more natural side of Japan, taste the particular black eggs and sail in an antique ship.
Hakone is a beautiful natural park and you will feel in another world, you will discover the beautiful nature and colours of Japan and it is perfect as a day trip from Tokyo to see Mt Fuji.
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Transport 🚆
You can buy the Hakone pass from the Link or from Shinjuku Station, but keep in mind you could find a queue over there.
The Hakone Freepass is 6,100 yen and it will cover all the transportation from and to Shinjuku and all the other transportation (trams, ropeway, boats).
It is super worth it and you will spend a beautiful day surrounded by fabulous nature.
It will take you 2 hours to get from and to Shinjuku, I suggest you start your journey before 10 am and leave around 6/7 pm.
As it is a two-day pass, you could also spend the night in a hotel there, if this is something you would like.
The journey is very easy to follow as the map provided online and in the shop it shows where you can get all the transportation and you can just go at your own pace.
As Mt. Fuji is not always visible, I recommend you don't plan in advance which day exactly to go but leave some of your days in Tokyo free so you can change your plans. For example, while I was there it was raining when I planned to go to certain places and it was sunny in others, and had to switch the plans for those days. And make sure to check the weather for Hakone and Mt. Fuji visibility.
Exploring Hakone 🌋
Your journey will start and end at Shinjuku station.
Here below is the map of Hakone areas and all the transportation included in the pass and you can decide where to go and which transportation to take between buses, trams, ropeways and boats.
I can only recommend the one I did, but you are free to just follow your own path. ✨
From Shinjuku you will get to Odawara and finally to Hakone-Yumoto.
Before getting along, get around and observe the beautiful river nearby, which is a very nice spot for pictures.
From Hakone-Yumoto station you will need to get to Gora by using the Hakone Tozan Train. This will be an old-style train and it will allow you to see nature all around, The sightseeing will be beautiful.
In Gora, you will take the Hakone Tozan Cable Car to Sounzan. The cable car is quite small and it will probably be very crowded, but the trip will be short and you can see a lot of foliage around,
Once in Sounzan you will take the Hakone Ropeway and will have the chance to observe a different side of Japan. The tall trees, the foliage, the volcano. A girl in my same car said "It looks like Switzerland rather than Japan". On this journey, you will finally get to spot Mt. Fuji.
It will make a stop at Owakudani, where there are some facilities and where you can taste the famous black eggs specifically from this area.
Sometimes the volcano sulfates will be more than usual and they will provide some masks for you. (When I was there it was too much for me and felt sick so no picture, sorry!)
After that, return to the ropeway which will get you to Togendai-ko, in Ashi Lake.
On the Ashi Lake coast, you will take the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise which offers a VIP view if you upgrade your ticket. It gets overcrowded and it could be worth it to upgrade it if you want to have a nice view and cool pictures.
Once you get down to Hakone Motohakone-ko, you will need to take a bus to get back to Hakone Yumoto and then start your way back to Shinjuku. At Hakone Motohakone-ko you will find a convenience store where you can buy some drinks and food and get a small break while watching the beautiful view.
Day 12 - Tokyo 🗼
Today you will explore the Akihabara area, famous for anime, manga, video games and all sorts of electronics. After that, you can enjoy the nightlife in Shinjuku, with either dinner or a few drinks after dinner.
"Akihabara is considered by many to be the epicentre of modern Japanese otaku culture, and is a major shopping district for video games, anime, manga, electronics and computer-related goods." Wikipedia
Are you a fan of video games, animes, manga or electronics? You must visit Akihabara!
From retro style to the latest version, there all kinds of store and you can find anything there.
There are also plenty of gaming arcade where you can play all sorts of games, we spent at least one hour playing around but we could easily get caught on and be there forever 😁
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Transport 🚆
Getting to Akihabara:
You can get to Akihabara Station easily on the JR Yamanote Line, Keihin-Tohoku Line, Sobu Line, and Tokyo Metro's Hibiya Line.
From Shinjuku Station: 18 minutes on the JR Sobu Line to Akihabara Station.
From Tokyo Station: Four minutes on the JR Yamanote Line to Akihabara Station.
Personal tips 📝
If you will have a rainy day on your holiday, spent it there! This is what we did and it was the best. Playing video games, shopping around and not getting soaking wet.
Before going there, have an idea of what you like to purchase, like your favourite anime or video game things, as there are so many options that you will get overwhelmed.
You will need coins to play videogames, every place has a notes converter, so bring some cash with you.
Super Potato is famous for retro games, anime and manga.
On the fifth floor, you have a very small arcade where you can play some retro games and buy retro snacks too.
Animate has the latest merch about manga and anime, and the prices are a bit more expensive than the average. Before buying there I would compare around and see if you can find the same thing in another store at a cheaper price.
You can find different shops in this building, all with a selection of manga, figure dolls, books, trading cards, unique souvenirs and all Otaku things.
It's a 7 floors building, where you can find all sorts of goods related to animation and games.
There are a lot of books, CDs, DVDs and Blu Ray as well.
"Akihabara Radio Center is a 60 years old shopping center lined by numbers of small merchants selling millions of electronic components.
It’s also a good place to hunt for rare anime goods such as model figures."
From jw-webmagazine.com.
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Below are the best options for electronics and to buy video games and consoles.
Yodobashi Camera is the biggest electronic store in the area, it has 9 floors and you can find any kind of electronics you are looking for or the ones you didn't even think you would need.
Sofmap is one of the largest personal computer and consumer electronics retailers in Japan and it is part of Big Camera since 2010.
We purchased a used XBox and it worked perfectly fine. The staff was very helpful and even if the language barrier can be a problem sometimes, they were very keen to help us.
Something a lot of people love to do is Street Go Karting while having Mario Kart costumes on! You can buy the experience in the link below, but make sure you can get an international driving licence.
Shinjuku is famous for its tall buildings and amazing nightlife, with streets full of restaurants, bars and clubs.
It is very chaotic, so if you don't like crowds I don't recommend spending a lot of time here.
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Day 13 - Tokyo 🗼
Today you will explore the area of Asakusa, one of the few distric of Tokyo where you can feel an old time atmosphere.
You will visit the Senso-ji Temple and shop for souvenirs in Nakamise-dori Street and after that walk to Kappabashi Dougu Street, where you can buy all sorts of pottery and kitchen utensils.
Asakusa was one of my favourite parts of Tokyo and we visited it during the Sanja Matsuri festival which is considered as one of the wildest and largest festivals in Tokyo.
It was pretty crazy, a lot of men were walking around with just underwear and showing off their tattoos, which usually are not socially accepted but they are in this festival.
If you go in May, I think it is worth making sure you visit during those dates.
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Transport 🚆
Getting to Asakusa:
Asakusa Station is on Tokyo Metro's Ginza Line, Toei Asakusa Line and Tobu Skytree Line.
Depending on where you are staying, you will need to check how exactly get there, but from Tokyo Station or Shinjuku is around 20/30 minutes.
Exploring Tokyo pt. 5 🗼
When coming out of the station, you will see directions for the Seso-ji, just follow them and enjoy the traditional look of this part of the city.
As you can see from the pictures, this is a street full of small shops where you can find all sorts of things.
I feel the prices are a bit more expensive as it is a touristic area, so make sure you are not getting overcharged and have a look around before buying something.
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After lunch, take a walk to Kappabashi Dougu Street and shop for kitchen utensils and pottery.
If you are passionate about kitchen stuff or you want to buy a Japanese Knife, this is the perfect area for you.
You can find shops with very particular pottery, all different from each other, and also bigger shops with stock of the same style.
I preferred to buy my cups, bowls and stuff, where everything was different from each other as it felt more unique and the price was also much more affordable.
Bring cash as a lot of these small shops don't have a card reader.
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Day 14 - Return ✈️
If you have a late departure, I strongly suggest going around your neighbourhood and enjoying the last moments in Japan.
Transport 🚆
How to get to Narita Airport:
• By JR Narita Express: ¥3000 - 60 min from Tokyo St. - Departures every 30/60 min
• By Keisei Skyliner: ¥2570 - 55 min from Nippori Station - Departures every 20/40 minutes
• By Keisei Main Line: ¥ 1220 - 90/100 min from Nippori Station - Multiple departures per hour
Personal tips 📝
We stayed at Hikebukuro and the best option for us was the Keisei Skyliner, as it was much easier and faster to get to Nippori Station than Tokyo St.
I strongly recommend getting to the Airport way before so you can shop duty-free. We went there 5 hours before our flight and we had the perfect amount of time to shop around, eat something (we found a proper restaurant on another side of the airport and we could go just because we had enough time) and overall chill around.
If you are a smoker, you will be happy to hear that there is a smoking area after passport control.
If you are a Whisky fan, I noticed you could book the bottles before and I wish I knew that as it was very difficult finding the good whisky we were looking for. I found a link where you are able to book, I didn't use it so I can't provide any feedback.
I hope you will have an amazing time in Japan, and if you need any further information don't be shy and contact me via DM or via email at yourfriendchichi@gmail.com!
Ciao! I'm ChiChi, an Italian who moved to London in 2018 so that she could travel the world. And guess what? I've been travelling since then. 🤩
I'm the kind of person who enjoys having a cheap meal in a local restaurant and a free walk around the city one day, and the next day pays for a very expensive meal and experience. It's all about balance, isn't it? 👀
So what can you expect in my travel shop?
🗺️ Itineraries, recommendations and essentials about London or trips I went to myself, such as the one to Japan or Valencia.
🌸 1:1 calls where you can ask me anything about London, my trips or tips on how to plan one; itineraries tailored to your needs or more loose recommendations so you can have the list of spots all in one place.
If this is what you are looking for, check out my services and guides.✨
