Advice: 7 days in Tokyo

[maumu]

Hi, can comment if my itinerary is okay mah?

27/11 (Wed)
- Reach @ 1450h, exit customs probably around 1600h
- Buy Suica & NEX (roundtrip: 5500 yen) at basement
- Take NEX train to Tokyo Station (about one hour)
- Take JR Yamanote to Ueno Station (4 stops)
- Walk to Hotel, probably around 1800h, Check-in
- Dinner nearby (Ramen?)
- Walk around Hotel area (get water)
- Rest

28/11 (Thu)
- Tsukiji Fish Market (morning)
- Imperial Palace, Imperial East Gardens @ 0950h
- Yurakucho (lunch)
- Ginza
- Akihabara (late afternoon)
- Rest

29/11 (Fri)
- Ueno Park (morning)
- Take Ginza line to Asakusa, stroll along Shin-Nakamise Shopping Street
- Sensoji Temple (afternoon)
- Nakamise Shopping Street
- Walk to Tokyo Skytree
- Walk back and stroll along Kappabashi Street
- Rest and pack

30/11 (Sat)
- Check out at 1000h
- Take JR Yamanote Line to Ikebukuro Station, go to Hotel, leave luggage
- Go to Ikebukuro central (brunch, shopping)
- Check in at 1500h, go to Shinjuku Station by JR Yamanote Line
- Buy Hakone Free Pass at Station (5000 yen)
- Visit Takashimaya, Kinokuniya, Isetan
- Dinner at Omoide Yokocho
- Visit Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (free deck view for night)
- Rest

01/12 (Sun)
- Harajuku, visit Meiji Shrine
- Lunch at Harajuku Takeshita Dori
- Shibuya
- Dinner at Center Gai
- Rest

02/12 (Mon)
- Hakone Day Trip
- Onsen at Hakone Yuryo (1300 yen)
- Rest

03/12 (Tue)
- Check out at 1000h, leave luggage at hotel and go for brunch nearby
- Last minute strolling and shopping around
- Leave for Airport at 1430h, take JR Yamanote to Tokyo Station
- Take NEX train to Narita Airport (reach by 1530h)

Is it advisable to go on the one-day Hakone trip using the Freepass on my own? I'm travelling solo. Or should I just follow a tour package... which is like 12,000 yen for the whole day.

thanks for any advice given!

 

[samtcy]

Hi, can comment if my itinerary is okay mah?

27/11 (Wed)
- Fly @ 0700h
- Reach @ 1450h, exit customs probably around 1600h
- Buy Suica & NEX (roundtrip: 5500 yen) at basement
- Take NEX train to Tokyo Station
- Take JR Yamanote to Ueno Station
- Walk to Hotel, probably around 1800h, Check-in
- Dinner nearby (Ramen?)
- Walk around Hotel area (get water)
- Rest

28/11 (Thu)
- Explore Asakusa, Sensoji Temple (morning)
- Tokyo Skytree, walk back and stroll along shopping (afternoon)
- Rest
You probably could squeeze in 1 more place for this day after Skytree

29/11 (Fri)
- Tsukiji Fish Market (morning)
- Ginza (late morning)
- Yurakucho (lunch)
- Imperial Palace, Imperial East Gardens
- Akihabara (late afternoon)
- Rest and pack

30/11 (Sat)
- Check out at 1000h, visit Ueno Park (breakfast)
- Take JR Yamanote Line to Ikebukuro Station, go to Hotel, leave luggage and go to Ikebukuro central (lunch, shopping)
- Check in at 1500h, go to Shinjuku by JR Yamanote Line
- Visit Takashimaya, Kinokuniya, Isetan
- Dinner at Omoide Yokocho
- Visit Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (free deck view for night)
- Rest

01/12 (Sun)
- Shibuya (morning)
- Harajuku (afternoon), visit Meiji Shrine
- Dinner at Harajuku Takeshita Dori
- Rest
Why not morning Harajuku, then afternoon + dinner at Shibuya? Shops close later at Shibuya than Harajuku.

02/12 (Mon)
- Mt Fuji/Hakone Day Trip

03/12 (Tue)
- Check out at 1000h, leave luggage at hotel and go for brunch nearby
- Last minute strolling and shopping around
- Leave for Airport at 1430h, take JR Yamanote to Tokyo Station
- Take NEX train to Narita Airport (reach by 1530h)

Is it advisable to go on the one-day Hakone trip using the Freepass on my own? I'm travelling solo. Or should I just follow a tour package... which is like 12,000 yen for the whole day.

thanks for any advice given!

My comments in red.
Also, bear in mind that the sun will set by around 4pm plus. So it will be dark by 4pm.

If you are using the Hakone free pass to travel the Hakone Classic Round course, then also please take note of the last train/tram/ropeway/ship/bus timings.

 

[hawkwind]

No problem going Hakone on your own using free pass. There's a recommended route on the brochure but you can chose to go the other direction as well.

 

[panDaz]

Your plan is quite leisurely, got lots of time at one place. You are there to shop? Not planning to go odaiba or roppongi? I always like the night view at roppongi hills. They have nice Xmas light ups too. You might want to catch it.

Harajuku takeshita dori maybe around 7 or 8? Not closed particularly early, just maybe earlier a bit..

 

[maumu]

My comments in red.
Also, bear in mind that the sun will set by around 4pm plus. So it will be dark by 4pm.

If you are using the Hakone free pass to travel the Hakone Classic Round course, then also please take note of the last train/tram/ropeway/ship/bus timings.

thanks, i'll swap harajuku with shibuya as you suggested. dinner at center gai I guess...

will also move Ueno park to Day 2 morning, before going to asakusa. I guess ikebukuro should have stuff to look around before I check in the other hotel on Day 4.

question about hakone. is it possible to squeeze in an onsen after completing the round course? it should take around 1.5 hr at most right? i'm thinking of doing a simple one at hakone yuryo, which is 5 minutes shuttle bus from hakone-yumoto. so is it possible to do one complete round course + onsen?

 

[cpuer]

thanks, i'll swap harajuku with shibuya as you suggested. dinner at center gai I guess...

will also move Ueno park to Day 2 morning, before going to asakusa. I guess ikebukuro should have stuff to look around before I check in the other hotel on Day 4.

question about hakone. is it possible to squeeze in an onsen after completing the round course? it should take around 1.5 hr at most right? i'm thinking of doing a simple one at hakone yuryo, which is 5 minutes shuttle bus from hakone-yumoto. so is it possible to do one complete round course + onsen?

Just start as early as possible and ensure your last train/bus schedule is kept. You should be Ok. If you really want to experience onsen within Tokyo, here's a list of them
Tokyo

public baths, some near Ueno, so its easy when you stay nearby hotel:
Sento spectacular -- Tokyo's amazing public baths | CNN Travel

 

[purpleberry]

Depending on your flight on the last day, it might be worthwhile to stay overnight at an Onsen in Hakone. Plenty to choose from but perhaps safer to choose one that has a good transport network.

 

[lapucelle]

For Hakone, many of the buses (and cruise itself) stop around 5pm. But there are a few that run late into the night (like T and K).

First thing to do when you get to Odawara/Hakone Yumoto station is to grab the brochure that has all the transportation timing.

 

[maumu]

Yeah would like to spend a night at one of the ryokan in Hakone but I already paid for the accommodation in Tokyo.

I might make changes though... if I can cancel the last night in Tokyo and stay at Hakone instead. Thanks for your advice! But for solo travellers is it worth staying solo in Hakone and going through the private onsen thingy?

 

[hawkwind]

You can go to the Odakyu Tourism counter at the Odakyu dept store and buy the free pass one day before. That way you can start off early in the morning. They can also provide the train schedule on paper for you. Should be no problem doing all you want to do.

 

[cpuer]

Yeah would like to spend a night at one of the ryokan in Hakone but I already paid for the accommodation in Tokyo.

I might make changes though... if I can cancel the last night in Tokyo and stay at Hakone instead. Thanks for your advice! But for solo travellers is it worth staying solo in Hakone and going through the private onsen thingy?

Not all has private onsen. You have to find out at the targeted inn/hotel. Just do like the romans do. Private onsen removes a big part of the experience.

 

[xtwis7]

Wow, shall take reference from TS's itinerary just that I'm going in March.

 

[samtcy]

Wow, shall take reference from TS's itinerary just that I'm going in March.

Depending on which part of March you will be going, if you will be going in the last 2 weeks of March, you might be able to catch Sakura season. So you can try going to some parks/gardens for Sakura viewing.
- Ueno Park (probably the most popular Sakura viewing location in Tokyo)
- Rikugien (lovely garden plus they usually have evening illumination of the sakura trees)
- Hama Rikyu (nice garden, have a few sakura trees, and there's also a field of yellow flowers as well when I went in March earlier this year)
- Sumida Riverside
- Shinjuku Gyoen

My blogpost for my March's Japan trip earlier this year to Tokyo.
Go Away, Sam...: Japan (Mar 2013)

 

[maumu]

Not all has private onsen. You have to find out at the targeted inn/hotel. Just do like the romans do. Private onsen removes a big part of the experience.

may I ask what you mean by "private onsen removes a big part of the experience"?

do you mean the main experience of onsen is to do it in public with other people?

i'm actually looking more at outdoor onsen - can be private or public but I supposed if you stay in ryokan there should be some that are outdoor and yet private onsen... personally I prefer private (privacy) unless there's something i'm missing out by not going for public onsen~

 

[cpuer]

may I ask what you mean by "private onsen removes a big part of the experience"?

do you mean the main experience of onsen is to do it in public with other people?

i'm actually looking more at outdoor onsen - can be private or public but I supposed if you stay in ryokan there should be some that are outdoor and yet private onsen... personally I prefer private (privacy) unless there's something i'm missing out by not going for public onsen~

yes, i meant the communal bathing in nude portion is the integral part of the Japanese onsen culture.
Onsen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I myself is a shy person, but I will toughen up my skin and do it the local way when I will be there 3 weeks later. I wish my travelling partners are bold enough to do it too, but seems like most are very reluctant on the idea except my wife. She will likely do it too at the ladies onsen.

 

[maumu]

yes, i meant the communal bathing in nude portion is the integral part of the Japanese onsen culture.
Onsen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I myself is a shy person, but I will toughen up my skin and do it the local way when I will be there 3 weeks later. I wish my travelling partners are bold enough to do it too, but seems like most are very reluctant on the idea except my wife. She will likely do it too at the ladies onsen.

I see... i guess you're right about the culture part lol... i had initially wanted to stayover but can't find a ryokan that has Japanese style rooming with futon bedding... at a reasonable price of say $120 - $150 (including meals).

so i may just visit Hakone Yuryo for a short 1+ hour public onsen when i'm going for the day trip to Hakone... :\

 

[xtwis7]

Depending on which part of March you will be going, if you will be going in the last 2 weeks of March, you might be able to catch Sakura season. So you can try going to some parks/gardens for Sakura viewing.
- Ueno Park (probably the most popular Sakura viewing location in Tokyo)
- Rikugien (lovely garden plus they usually have evening illumination of the sakura trees)
- Hama Rikyu (nice garden, have a few sakura trees, and there's also a field of yellow flowers as well when I went in March earlier this year)
- Sumida Riverside
- Shinjuku Gyoen

My blogpost for my March's Japan trip earlier this year to Tokyo.
Go Away, Sam...: Japan (Mar 2013)

I'm actually going from 16-23 March so not sure if that will be ideal period. The thing is I'm not sure about Tokyo but other countries like Taiwan when it's Sakura season it's packed with tourists to the point that one can hardly get a clean shot.

Thanks for sharing. Will definitely bookmark your blogpost.

 

[samtcy]

I'm actually going from 16-23 March so not sure if that will be ideal period. The thing is I'm not sure about Tokyo but other countries like Taiwan when it's Sakura season it's packed with tourists to the point that one can hardly get a clean shot.

Thanks for sharing. Will definitely bookmark your blogpost.

You could plan to go to a few parks/gardens for sakura viewing on the last few days of your trip.

On my trip, I went to this neighbourhood park called Asukayama park, located up a small hill just opposite Oji station. There's not much people there since this park is relatively unknown to tourists, but there's sakura trees here too.
See my blog post for pics of Asukayama Park:
Go Away, Sam...: Japan (Mar 2013): Day 9 Ueno + Oji + Akihabara + Koishikawa + Rikugien (Part 1)

 

[panDaz]

There's a fun onsen water park at having actually. You can wear your swimsuits in for this, so it will be fun even for shy people. Red wine onsen, green tea onsen etc. They have a dead sea spa too, u will float in it. It's perfect for groups of friends who dun wanna go nude..

Hakone Kowakien Yunessun is a hot springs spa resort and water amusement park in Hakone, Japan

 

[leogeo]

You can go to the Odakyu Tourism counter at the Odakyu dept store and buy the free pass one day before. That way you can start off early in the morning. They can also provide the train schedule on paper for you. Should be no problem doing all you want to do.

the first express train to Hakone departs SHinjuku at 0700hrs, reaching abt 0830. cost 870yen more though.

i will prob aim for this train as well so i can maximise my day in Hakone.

I read that this onsen is one of the few in Hakone that offers view of Mt Fuji - open to visitors (non guests) from 12-3pm only

walking distance from Ubako ropeway station