JAPAN ITINERARY
3 nights in Tokyo. 3 Nights in Osaka. 3 Nights in Kyoto. 4 Nights in Tokyo. Sharing our Japan Itinerary in hopes it can help you with your planning if you’re heading to Japan soon!
THINGS TO NOTE
You don’t need to tip.
Carry cash with you. (Use a pill organizer to organize the coins so you’re not rummaging through a coin pouch like me)
Be prepared to hang on to your trash, they’re not on every corner and are very specific about what trash can be tossed where.
JR Passes are great if you plan on traveling from city to city.
English is not widely spoken, but don’t be afraid to use Google Translate to help you converse.
Learn small phrases such as:
“thank you” - Dōmo arigatōgozaimasu (どうもありがとうございます)
“please” - Onegaishimasu (お願いします)
“hello” - Kon'nichiwa (こんにちは)
“good morning” - Ohayō (おはよう)
“good evening” - Konbanwa (こんばんは)
“pardon me” - Sumimasen (すみません)
Get used to bowing a lot, it is a way to greet people and part of proper etiquette in Japan.
Be respectful when entering sacred places and shrines. Guide here.
Stand / Walk on the right side of the street, corridor, stairs, escalator, etc.
Do not eat while walking.
Quiet on the trains/keep noise to a minimum.
Bring a compact umbrella for the unpredictable weather.
Comfy shoes only, you’ll be doing a lot of walking.
The Suica card is seamless for transportation. This can be loaded onto your phone and you can just tap and go. Also works at shops, convenience stores, etc.
A lot of places don’t open until 10:30AM/11AM.
Avoid commuting during the rush hours. Trains get very packed.
Try to book places to stay that can be conveniently reached by train
See if your hotels/bookings will include pajamas. All of our hotels provided them.
Leave space in your luggage for the souvenirs you will be bringing back.
TRAVEL DAY
We flew from EWR around 11AM and had a 14 hour flight to NRT. We landed around 2:30PM (Japan Time).
At the airport, we got our JR Passes, Suica Card (Can be loaded into your Apple Wallet), exchanged our money, and picked up our pocket wifi.
*Our pocket wi-fi ended up being slow and our T-mobile plan actually got us through most of our trip. Have been told a sim works better for service!
By the time we got everything done, it was around 4:00 and we waited for the next Narita Express Train to Tokyo. The ride was about an hour but much cheaper than a taxi. By the time we arrived to our hotel, it was around 5:30PM. We freshened up for dinner at our hotel and ended up going to bed early. Highly recommend a more relaxed first day if you’re landing in the afternoon.
TRAVEL MUST HAVES
TOKYO
3 Nights at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi
DAY 1
Arrival at Airport - Pick up JR Passes, Suica, Pocket Wifi, and exchange money.
Take NRT to Tokyo (1 Hour)
Check-in
Get Settled into Hotel. (I recommend making note of a place you want to eat at near/around your hotel area so you can get a lot of rest for your first full day ahead.)
DAY 2
Breakfast at Hotel (Most places were not open yet and we woke up around 5:30AM due to our jet lag.
Nihonbashi Tendon Kaneko Hannosuke Nihonbashi Main Shop - Tempura Spot. Opens at 11:00AM and we arrived at 10:20AM so we can get in right when they opened. Delicious Tempura Bowls.
Hop on train to head to Akihabara Area - Lots of electronic stores and arcades. Great plan for rainy days.
Hotel Break / Grab snacks from 7-Eleven / Get Coffee
Explore Ginza Area: Luxury Shopping
Explore Shibuya at night: Shibuya Crossing. Kith Tokyo. Mega Don Quijote.
Dinner at Ikinari Steak. Multiple locations throughout the city.
DAY 3
Breakfast at Hotel (We always had breakfast at the hotel so that by the time places opened at 11, it was our early lunch)
TeamLab Planets Tokyo - Booked the 9AM slot (First one of the day) I have read that people say the exhibit smells like feet, lol. You need to remove your shoes throughout the exhibit so I figured the first slot would reduce the chances of the odor? The place just smelled like bleach to be honest. Wear shorts or loose pants that you can roll up. Some rooms involve water you need to walk through but they also have shorts available for rent.
Katsumidori Seibu Shibuya - Took the train back to Shibuya and found a conveyor belt sushi spot for lunch.
Walked to the Omote-Sando / Harajuku Area for the afternoon. Lots of cute shops, luxury vintage (Vintage Qoo, Amore, Casanova), as well as luxury retailers.
Grabbed street food at Harajuku.
Shimokitazawa - Good thrifting area
Gyukatsu Motomura - One of my must-have meals in Japan. They have multiple locations but be prepared for there to always be a bit of a wait.
DAY 4
Breakfast at Hotel
Pack & Check Out
Head to Tokyo Station to catch train to Osaka
Pick up Bento Boxes to have on the Train
3 Hours from Tokyo to Osaka
MORE THINGS TO DO IN TOKYO IF YOUR SCHEDULE ALLOWS + RECS FROM OTHERS
Seryna Sukiyaki
Tonkatsu Maisen Aoyama
Tempura Abe
Meiji Jingu Shrine
Tempura Miyashiro
Onibus Coffee
Meguro River (Cherry Blossom Season)
Imakatsu Ginza
Seagen in Tsukiji
Tsujihan
Benitsuru Fluffy Pancakes
Afuri Ramen
Golden Gai
Melon Pan from Asakusa Kagetsudo
Rokurinsha
Sushi Asaba
Oedo for Unagi
Ginza Fugetsudo
Nakano
Cremia Ice Cream
OSAKA
3 Nights at InterContinental Osaka - Convenient Hotel Location
DAY 4:
Arrive in Osaka - Check-in to Hotel
Head to Dotombori Area and explore - Busy area with lots of street food, bright lights, gachas, etc.
Tsurutontan Soemoncho - Udon for dinner
Head back to hotel to rest for USJ Day
DAY 5:
Breakfast at Hotel
Universal Studios Japan - Book tickets ahead of time. If you’re not doing a ton of rides, you don’t need to block out a full day for USJ. We were able to see all of it in just a few hours. For the theme parks, best to avoid weekends and the super hot season.
Super Nintendo World - Can book a timed entry slot once you enter the park!
Rest at Hotel
Dinner somewhere near the hotel. We were too tired from USJ lol
Played more arcade games + gachas for souvenirs
DAY 6:
Breakfast at Hotel
Osaka Castle - 10 Yen Coins Nearby (Got the cheese one, so good!)
Tempura Makino - My favorite tempura I’ve had all trip!
Explored the Namba area - Lots of shops for vintage and thrift that might have better pricing compared to Tokyo
Explored the Shinsaibashi Area - Shopped at Nike Osaka. When shopping, you just need to show your passport in some places and get reduced pricing.
Arcade games at Yodobashi-Umeda. Loved playing all the gachas and found an Initial D racing game that Marco had been looking for.
Head back to hotel and pack
DAY 7:
Breakfast at Hotel
Check out
Early train to Kyoto (Only about 15 minutes on the Bullet Train)
MORE THINGS TO DO IN OSAKA IF YOUR SCHEDULE ALLOWS + RECS FROM OTHERS
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
Sumiyoshi Taisha - Shinto Shrine
Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel
Namba Yasaka Shrine
Takuya Tonkatsu
Shusaiten Tsuchiya Tempura
551 Horai Pork Buns
Hanadako Takoyaki
La Cime
Takamura Coffee Roasters
KYOTO
3 Nights at Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto (One of the best properties I’ve stayed at)
DAY 7:
Arrive in Kyoto headed to the hotel. Kyoto is an older city with less trains compared to Osaka and Kyoto, but they do have a lot of buses to get around + taxi is an option as well.
Explored Gion district while we waited for our rooms to be ready. Beautiful and favorite area.
Gion District: Lots of cute shops full of souvenirs and good street food too
Massages + Spa back at hotel. (Mid-trip treat)
Nishiki Night Market - Street food and souvenir shopping. Lots of shops that have traditional things such as Kimonos, ceramics, etc.
DAY 8:
Breakfast at Hotel
Arabica at Arashiyama - Opens at 9AM so try to arrive early in order to avoid the long lines!
Bamboo Forest
Street Food - Loved the Dangos with Soy Sauce
Hotel Break
Gion District
Hanamikoji Street - We stumbled upon this street on the way to dinner and we saw 3 beautiful Geishas. I did not take photos but saw online that it is only allowed when consent is given. Another page said to only take photos from a distance, and only from the sides or behind. Never get in the walking path of a Geiko or Maiko, they are on their way to an appointment. Don't stop them. Don't try to take selfies with them.
Ichiran Ramen for Dinner
DAY 9:
Breakfast at hotel
Train to Nara - We took the regular train to Nara. You must reserve seats for this train. If you’re looking for a beautiful and scenic train experience, check out the Aoniyoshi.
Feed the Deer - The treats are available to purchase via street vendors. You will see them right by the entrances of the park. Hide the treats/snacks so that you only take one out at a time when you want to feed the deer. They bow! Some deer can be a little aggressive so just be mindful, don’t panic, and watch where you’re stepping.
Nakatanidou - Show is between 1PM-3PM. The fresh batch is always the best but you can also take packs to go.
Weekenders Coffee - Tucked towards the back of an open parking lot. Delicious coffee.
Back to Hotel for a quick Break
Gion District for Kimono Experience - We went around 4PM so that the Gion District would be a bit emptier for photos. It also rained which cleared the area even more.
Kimono Rental at Mimosa - This rental shop is small but so beautiful. Some places require reservation so make sure to look into this if you’re interested in a particular shop. Marco and I did a couples outfit rental which was ¥7000 ($50) Getting ready took about 15-20 minutes. We explored the Gion District until it started to get dark, since the shop closed, we returned the Kimonos the next day. Highly recommend this experience in Kyoto!
DAY 10:
Fushimi Inari-Taisha - This visit involves a hike if you’re looking to explore the entire site. Wear comfortable shoes if you plan on going through all the gates.
Nishiki Market - Grabbed lunch before heading back to the hotel.
Last minute souvenir shopping before check-out at Sanjo-Dori Area - Grabbed Kimono souvenirs from Musubi.
Check-out of hotel
Train to Tokyo (2.5 hours)
MORE THINGS TO DO IN KYOTO IF YOUR SCHEDULE ALLOWS + RECS FROM OTHERS
Kichi Kichi Omurice - Requires Reservation. Reservations can be made for one week from 11:00 am Japan time (9PM EST Saturday) every Sunday.
Kinkaku-Ji Temple
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Sanjusangendo Temple
Higashiyama Jisho-ji
Nijo Castle
Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama
Nanzen-ji Temple
Eikan-do Zenriji Temple
TOKYO
4 Nights at The Okura
DAY 10:
Check into Hotel
Dinner in Shibuya - Tried out a KBBQ spot but can’t recommend because it was chaotic and they served us a “welcome” dish only to charge us for it later on lol.
DAY 11:
A Happy Pancake - Fluffy pancake spot we tried and loved during our visit in 2018. A few more places opened up that also serve fluffy pancakes so you have some options.
Vintage Shopping - Amore Vintage, Vintage Qoo, and Casanova are all within walking distance of each other.
Luxury Shopping in the Aoyama area - Loved shopping here, picked up something fom Miu Miu and Prada and both locations were beautiful with the nicest sales associates. Brought my passport with me everywhere to get the tax free shopping. I got charged the tax free amount at checkout so it’s not like Europe where you have forms and need to scan at the airport before you depart.
Sushi Lunch at Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera
Rest at Hotel
Head back to Ginza - Visit Itoya (Massive stationery store)
Ichiran Shinbashi for Dinner - Marco really loved Ichiran and could have it every night lol.
DAY 12
Disney Sea - Tokyo is the only city that has Disney Sea so it was the top recommendation when I asked friends if we should go to Sea or Land. We arrived right at 9AM when the park opened but it was Golden Week so it was busier than usual. We ended up getting into the park around 9:45. Be sure to wear sunblock and comfortable shoes.
Disneyland - Accessible from Disney Sea by taking a train. We were able to get tickets that same day by going to the ticket booth at Disneyland since tickets online were sold out. We spent about 3 hours at Disney Sea and another 3 hours at Disneyland.
Necessary Hotel Break post Disney.
Sneaker shopping in Harajuku + Shopped for souvenir stickers at B-Side Label.
Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu - Went here because the line at Gyukatsu Motomura was so long lol. Food was still really good, but Motomura is definitely still my favorite.
DAY 13
Shibuya Sky - Book tickets in advance for the time of the day you want to go up. Spent about an hour here.
Grabbed lunch at Shibuya Scramble Square - It’s a mall so there are a couple of food options available
Omote-Sando - Our favorite area if you couldn’t tell, lol. More souvenir shopping for family, shopping around for a luggage because we had a lot more to bring back than we originally anticipated.
Tsukiji Fish Market
JDM Experience - Booked this through AirBnb experiences! Was told that Daikoku (Famous Parking Area for the Car Scene, usually cars everyday but weekends are the busiest) was only accessible with your own car. Others have mentioned they had to pay for an expensive taxi. Highly recommend booking an experience so you can check it out with someone who is knowledgable in the Tokyo Car Scene. We also checked out another location and enjoyed the ride to and from Daikoku. Night ends right by Tokyo Tower.
DAY 14
Glitch Coffee Ginza - Great coffee from baristas that are very passionate about coffee.
Godaime Hanayama - Famous for their flat udon. Marco had the regular udon and we both agree this was the best udon we had during our trip. We arrived around 10:30 (Opens at 11) and got seated a little before 12:00PM.
Back to Hotel - Pack and Go to airport. We brought an empty bag so that we can load up on snacks to bring back home with us.
We definitely could have squeezed a lot more into the trip but we hope to be back soon with family and friends and do a lot more next time that we might not have been able to do this time around. Will be adding to this if anything more comes up / comes to mind but hopefully this has been helpful for anyone planning their own Japan itineraries! Japan vlogs will slowly go live so you can watch our trip unfold. As of May 8, 2023, you are no longer required to test or prove vaccination + booster before entering the country.
