Japan Sample Itinerary thread

[evilerniex]

Hi all!
It is my 1st trip with my girlfriend to Tokyo from 9 Feb to 19 Feb.
I did as much read up I could for now, and draft itinerary below.
I will need the experts' /gurus' advise and recommendation for improvement.

Draft itinerary will be as follow:

Day 1 (10 Feb):
6am: Arrival @ Hanada Airport.
Hanada > Hakone
Stay 1 night
[note that certain areas in hakone is still closed due to volcanic activities]

Q: Any ryokan with mixed onsen to recommend? Outdoor if possible?
Should I buy 2-days or 3-days Hakone Free pass??
[most onsens are not mix because u cant wear any clothes into the onsen. however, there are ryokan where u can book the onsen for a period of time for personal use. i have not tried that though, so cant recommend.
u can get the fuji hakone pass since u are going to both places
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_014.html]

Day 2 (11 Feb):
Hakone (Round trip)
Gotemba Premium Outlets

Day 3 (12 Feb):
Check-out, proceed to Fuji 5 Lake
Stay 1 night
Q: Any nice hotel to recommand?

Day 4 (13 Feb):
Check-out, proceed to Shinjuku
Stay AirBNB
Q: Any nice AirBNB near train station to recommend?

Day 5 (14 Feb):
Harajuku

Day 6 (15 Feb):
Tsukiji Fish Market
Ginza

Day 7 (16 Feb):
Shibuya
Meiji Shrine
Government Building
[meiji shrine is near harajuku station, so can just visit on day 5]

Day 8 (17 Feb):
Odaiba (Oedo Onsen)

Day 9 (18 Feb)
Check-out
Free & Easy
Mid-night flight back to SG

Our main objective for this trip is to relax thus slow-pace.
Not into Disney.. or too much shrines.. haha
Thank you and looking forward for comments.

some comments above.
some popular places u can also consider:
ueno- ueno park and ameyoko street
asakusa- sensoji shrine, skytree
akihabara- electronics, anime/manga related stuff
tokyo tower

 

[xxSaDanxx]

some comments above.
some popular places u can also consider:
ueno- ueno park and ameyoko street
asakusa- sensoji shrine, skytree
akihabara- electronics, anime/manga related stuff
tokyo tower

Thanks for your prompt reply!
Should I skip Hakone then? Was hoping to visit as read it is a great place =)

Let me read thru the rest that you recommend.

 

[evilerniex]

Thanks for your prompt reply!
Should I skip Hakone then? Was hoping to visit as read it is a great place =)

Let me read thru the rest that you recommend.

u still can visit the other parts of hakone and can still experience the onsens.
and hakone is along the way since u are visiting gotemba and Fuji 5 lakes

 

[sKeLeToN]

u can always buy on the spot.
but if u are going on peak periods, such as during public holidays, then it will be better to book first

Thanks for the quick response bro!

I will be in Tokyo from 31 March to 6 April....is that considered peak period?

 

[evilerniex]

Thanks for the quick response bro!

I will be in Tokyo from 31 March to 6 April....is that considered peak period?

I think it shld be fine as long as u avoid the weekend.
u can check Disneyland website, they have a calendar that shows which day is the most crowded.

 

[evilerniex]

Going to japan from mar 22nd to april 1st with 2 friends taking united airline

planning to visit tokyo(4days) - kyoto(1 day) - osaka(4days)



Mar 22nd (half day)
reach narita airport at 3.30pm
-find our airbnb accommodation near shinagawa
-walk around our area and end the day

Mar 23th - 26th (Tokyo)
will visit
tokyo disneyland (1 day)
shibuya/shinjuku
Tsukiji Seafood Market
and any other recommendations?
[popular places to visit are ueno, asakusa, harajuku, odaiba etc. really depends on wat u like to see or do]

Mar 27 (kyoto)
not really a temple/shrine guy so arashiyama?
will stay 1 night in ryokan(any recommendations for ryokan?)
[for 1 night it will be better to just stay in osaka and make a day trip. save u the hassle of changing accommodation]

Mar 28th - mar 31st (osaka)
will visit
nara deer park(should be nearer from osaka?)
[nearer compared to?]
universal studio
and any other recommendations in osaka?
[osaka castle, aquarium, instant noodle museum, food and shopping in umeda and namba area]

April 1st

will fly off at 3.30pm from narita airport so will likely find a place to store our luggage, and walk around in tokyo

Questions:

1)what is the best area to catch sakura from? osaka or tokyo with my schedule? and any park to recommend for viewing?

2)if my schedule works out , what kind of train pass should i get

3)i should be able to view mount fuji from kyoto in a clear day?

some comments above

1. this year sakura blooming period may be early. there is a thread discussing this, u can take a look
u can refer to this page for list of places for sakura:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011.html

2. since u are travelling from tokyo to osaka/kyoto and back, a 7-day JR pass will be worth it to cover the expensive trips on shinkansen

3. dun think u can see mt fuji from kyoto. have not heard about this.
if u want to see mount fuji, u may want to visit lake kawaguchi or hakone

 

[Hua_Hui]

Hi all, my first time travelling to JP, also my furthest trip thus far.

have just booked my tickets.. travelling this sep, 10-23 sep. Will be taking SQ.. total of about 2 weeks.. hoping to cover tokyo and hokkaido with my wife (honeymoon)

itenerary looks something like this:

day 1: touchdown Haneda Airport, travel to Hokkaido (need advice on how to go there, Shinkansen or domestic flight)
day 2-4: explore Hokkaido (need recommendations on hotels, hopefully central enough to the city. places to visit? will definitely savour the seafood hokkaido has to offer)
day 5-7: back to tokyo, check in disneyland/sea hotel (need recommendation)
day 8-13: check in shinjuku hotel (need recommendation)
places of interest to visit?
definitely will check out shopping hotspots like akihabara, ginza

internet connectivity wise: should i get a wifi egg or 4g sim card?
re: currency - should i exchange desired amount all in sg or 50-50?

hopefully I can get more input so as to piece together my itenerary. thanks!

 

[deodorant]

day 1: touchdown Haneda Airport, travel to Hokkaido (need advice on how to go there, Shinkansen or domestic flight)

Domestic flight for you way more convenient. If you want train ... you're looking at easily 5 hours for Haneda - Hakodate, and another 4 hours to Sapporo (including waiting times between trains).

day 2-4: explore Hokkaido (need recommendations on hotels, hopefully central enough to the city. places to visit? will definitely savour the seafood hokkaido has to offer)

What city? Sapporo? Hakodate? Otaru?

Anyway last Autumn I did a trip to a few places in Hokkaido, you can check out the itinerary on blog if looking for some inspiration.

internet connectivity wise: should i get a wifi egg or 4g sim card?
re: currency - should i exchange desired amount all in sg or 50-50?

4g sim card if it's only you traveling. If with more than 1 person ... for me even just 2 ppl (me and my wife) we use pocket wifi cos it lasts the whole day and don't need to worry much about battery and juggling powerbank the whole day.

Currency -- exchange everything you expect to use here in SG and bring over.

 

[Crexzz]

Would appreciate some Kyoto Itinerary suggestion?

I'll be giving Kyoto 2 days as a day trip from Osaka and i've not been to Kyoto before.

 

[deodorant]

Would appreciate some Kyoto Itinerary suggestion?
I'll be giving Kyoto 2 days as a day trip from Osaka and i've not been to Kyoto before.

Mine: http://look-see-eat.blogspot.sg/2013/04/japan-honeymoon-trip-report-two-days-in.html

Not really two days, more like just 1-and-a-bit days though, so I decided to skip quite a few places most people would say is "must visit" like kiyomizudera, fushimi inari or arashiyama.

 

[Crexzz]

Mine: http://look-see-eat.blogspot.sg/2013/04/japan-honeymoon-trip-report-two-days-in.html

Not really two days, more like just 1-and-a-bit days though, so I decided to skip quite a few places most people would say is "must visit" like kiyomizudera, fushimi inari or arashiyama.

Nice write up!

 

[joeson]

Shimanami Kaido itinerary

this is bad. I'm going to Japan annually now. friends and colleagues have commented it's like an annual pilgrimage for me to there now.

anyway, I bought tickets on Delta Airlines for my upcoming April trip - $420/pax only, hehe. Only problem is that it's not a direct flight to Osaka, I'll be having a 2 hours layover at Narita. :x here's my brief itinerary:

Apr 13 -
Daytime: flight to Osaka
Evening: domestic flight to Matsuyama, check in at guesthouse

Apr 14 -
Whole day: Matsuyama city tour (Castle, Dogo Onsen)

Apr 15 -
Morning: Train to Imabari
Rest of the day: cycling along Shimanami Kaido biking route. Overnighting at ryokan in Ikuchijima Island (booked liao.)

Apr 16 -
Morning: Continue cycling along Shimanami Kaido, aim to reach Onimichi by afternoon.
Rest of the day: Onimichi sightseeing course (kope from official tourism website), check in at ryokan

Apr 17 -
Morning: Catch bus to Osaka (07 42 - 12 23hrs)
Afternoon + rest of the day: Check in hotel. Osaka Museum of Natural History (want to see the dinosaur fossil), Botanical Museum (since its just nearby), Den Den Town.

Apr 18 -
Osaka Aquarium
Osaka Castle
Umeda area (GFO, Umeda Sky Building)
Spa world

Apr 19 -
Morning: Check out, reach KIX early, lock luggage in locker. Go walk walk in Rinku Town.
Afternoon: Back to airport, pick up luggage, flight back home.

 

[evilerniex]

this is bad. I'm going to Japan annually now. friends and colleagues have commented it's like an annual pilgrimage for me to there now.

anyway, I bought tickets on Delta Airlines for my upcoming April trip - $420/pax only, hehe. Only problem is that it's not a direct flight to Osaka, I'll be having a 2 hours layover at Narita. :x here's my brief itinerary:

Apr 13 -
Daytime: flight to Osaka
Evening: domestic flight to Matsuyama, check in at guesthouse

Apr 14 -
Whole day: Matsuyama city tour (Castle, Dogo Onsen)

Apr 15 -
Morning: Train to Imabari
Rest of the day: cycling along Shimanami Kaido biking route. Overnighting at ryokan in Ikuchijima Island (booked liao.)

Apr 16 -
Morning: Continue cycling along Shimanami Kaido, aim to reach Onimichi by afternoon.
Rest of the day: Onimichi sightseeing course (kope from official tourism website), check in at ryokan

Apr 17 -
Morning: Catch bus to Osaka (07 42 - 12 23hrs)
Afternoon + rest of the day: Check in hotel. Osaka Museum of Natural History (want to see the dinosaur fossil), Botanical Museum (since its just nearby), Den Den Town.

Apr 18 -
Osaka Aquarium
Osaka Castle
Umeda area (GFO, Umeda Sky Building)
Spa world

Apr 19 -
Morning: Check out, reach KIX early, lock luggage in locker. Go walk walk in Rinku Town.
Afternoon: Back to airport, pick up luggage, flight back home.

looks great!
are u forwarding ur luggage to ur accommodation during the cycling trip?

where will u be renting bike?
there is a Giant outlet at imabari station itself. but rental is expensive. the Sunrise outlet near the start of shimanami kaido have a wider range of bicycle or rental, but it is about 5km from imabari station.

would advise u to get a good bicycle with proper gears. I took the free bicycle provided by my hotel, which was a crappy market bike with only 3 speed. by the time I reach the start of shimanami kaido, already wanna die liao. going up was also a killer coz it is one big spiral track to get up onto the bridge.

 

[vtecXx]

hi all,

appreciate some advice on this.

purpose of this trip mainly to catch the cherry blossoms during the end of the journey in tokyo and experience the scenic hakone onsen. hence we allocated more time in tokyo.

my grp decided to travel out of Tokyo and my rough itinerary looks like this:

24 Mar: Land at Narita 2pm
Head to Osaka (Free and Easy)
Check in airbnb in Namba

25 Mar: Kyoto Day Trip

26 Mar: Nara/Kobe Day trip

27 Mar: USJ or Himeji Castle, by late noon head to Hakone

28 Mar: Hakone onsen/sightseeing + Gotemba outlet shopping

29 Mar: Hakone sightseeing, depart to Tokyo by afternoon

30 Mar: Disneyland or Disneysea

31 Mar: Tokyo

1 Apr: Tokyo

2 Apr: Narita at 4pm and back to SG

1 day for kyoto is quite short unless u have already been there before. u will probably not have time to cover arashiyama.

note tha the hakone ropeway and the surrounding area is currently closed due to volcanic activities. but u can still go to other areas in hakone

u can refer to this page for sakura viewing spots:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011_where.html

tks evilerniex, point taken.

unfortunately, my airbnb accommodation at Osaka suddenly got cancelled due to some unforeseen circumstances.

could be a blessing in disguise as now my group is contemplating whether still go osaka/kyoto since i read that 3 days in insufficient in that region.

we are thinking maybe we can:

1) spend that 3 days to explore kyoto and not go osaka (which will mean that we have to purchase JR pass 2 ways and we are aware of the cost involved)

2) spend the 3 days exploring other parts of Kanto region such as yokohama, kamakura, nikko, takaosan etc.

3) spend the 3 days in tokyo to fully experience the city

appreciate some advise here pls

 

[evilerniex]

tks evilerniex, point taken.

unfortunately, my airbnb accommodation at Osaka suddenly got cancelled due to some unforeseen circumstances.

could be a blessing in disguise as now my group is contemplating whether still go osaka/kyoto since i read that 3 days in insufficient in that region.

we are thinking maybe we can:

1) spend that 3 days to explore kyoto and not go osaka (which will mean that we have to purchase JR pass 2 ways and we are aware of the cost involved)

2) spend the 3 days exploring other parts of Kanto region such as yokohama, kamakura, nikko, takaosan etc.

3) spend the 3 days in tokyo to fully experience the city

appreciate some advise here pls

since u have only 10 days, I would suggest dropping Kyoto/Osaka. that will save u a lot of money coz the transport to and fro on the shinkansen is expensive, and also save on travel time.

yokohama, kamakura etc. can be done as day trips from Tokyo. u can add in 1 or 2 such day trips since u have 5 full days in Tokyo. u can also consider extending another day for hakone to visit lake kawaguchi or Fuji-Q highland

 

[joeson]

looks great!
are u forwarding ur luggage to ur accommodation during the cycling trip?

where will u be renting bike?
there is a Giant outlet at imabari station itself. but rental is expensive. the Sunrise outlet near the start of shimanami kaido have a wider range of bicycle or rental, but it is about 5km from imabari station.

would advise u to get a good bicycle with proper gears. I took the free bicycle provided by my hotel, which was a crappy market bike with only 3 speed. by the time I reach the start of shimanami kaido, already wanna die liao. going up was also a killer coz it is one big spiral track to get up onto the bridge.

yup, I researched le, will be getting the Ta-Q-Bin people to pick up my luggage at Matsuyama and forward to the ryokan at Onomichi I booked.

Actually thought of Giant outlet, but like you said, very expensive. I see the prices liao I will be getting my bike from Sunrise lor. heng thing is that from Imabari, there's a bus that pass by the Sunrise shop, so just nice.

hahaha! I emailed sunrise too, and got a proper mountain bike that looks like the one I've at home, so it should be ok ba.

 

[evilerniex]

yup, I researched le, will be getting the Ta-Q-Bin people to pick up my luggage at Matsuyama and forward to the ryokan at Onomichi I booked.

Actually thought of Giant outlet, but like you said, very expensive. I see the prices liao I will be getting my bike from Sunrise lor. heng thing is that from Imabari, there's a bus that pass by the Sunrise shop, so just nice.

hahaha! I emailed sunrise too, and got a proper mountain bike that looks like the one I've at home, so it should be ok ba.

have fun!
hope to see ur trip report on Shimanami Kaido!

 

[magna_strike]

since u have only 10 days, I would suggest dropping Kyoto/Osaka. that will save u a lot of money coz the transport to and fro on the shinkansen is expensive, and also save on travel time.

yokohama, kamakura etc. can be done as day trips from Tokyo. u can add in 1 or 2 such day trips since u have 5 full days in Tokyo. u can also consider extending another day for hakone to visit lake kawaguchi or Fuji-Q highland

just a minor detail, if u are planning to go kamakura for the daibutsu giant buddha, don't. i went last week wednesday and the statue is under repair or something, scaffolding all over it. damn sad sia..

 

[joeson]

have fun!
hope to see ur trip report on Shimanami Kaido!

sure! most definitely will do the trip report. hee. but its in April, still so longggggggg

 

[genelim]

Hi All,

1st R&R trip to Japan, googled and researched, appreciate all feedback.

Day 1 13th feb
Reach narita got the jr 5days east pass
Proceed to Nagano, Yudanaka station
Stay over at Shibu onsen

Day 2 14th feb
Proceed to shiga kogen ski resort
Visit 9 public bath at shibu onsen
Stay over at shibu onsen

Day 3 15th feb
Visit snow monkey
Travel Back to shinjuku tokyo
Stay in shinjuku area, airbnb

Day 16th feb
To Nakano station- jackroad shop
To disneyland

Day 17th feb
To hakone
To Gotemba premium outlet


Day 18th feb
To Tsukiji Fish market
Shop at ginza, tokyo
At night either to tokyo skytree or tokyo tower or odaiba

Day 19th feb
shop at shibuya and harajuku area

Day 20th
Check out
leave luggage at shinjuku/tokyo station
last minute shopping at shinjuku/tokyo
Back to narita airport

Any things that i missed? Any must do stuff? any feedback welcome

Thanks!