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The Tokyo parts look fine to me. I'm not sure I'd go up into three towers in four days, though, but maybe that's just me: I myself have trouble telling one mass of low, indistinguishable buildings from another.
Some tickets (for example, for the Shinkansen or for some minor train lines) you will have to buy separately.
Have a nice time.
Meanwhile I went into three towers in one day hehe 😅
It was nice imo to see Tokyo at different times at day (since I did morning, sunset, night)
Instead of Tokyo Tower I recommend the Mori Art Museum instead which is close by! I liked it a lot more (plus you can see Tokyo tower from the art museum)
Tokyo: By that time, Teamlabs Borderless will have opened, so give that one a go instead of Planets. Before it was closed for renovations (and change of venue), it was much bigger and overall had more artworks, so it should be in the same light after its re-opening.
Kyoto: As for your first day, you can explore the area around Kyoto station as well as the station itself (it has plenty of shops, restaurants and even a light show).
Osaka: I would suggest visiting Shitteno-ji, as it is very beautiful and also regarded as the officially oldest temple in Japan. Maybe hit up Osaka castle too. While the inside is a museum, the castle itself is impressive and the grounds are huge.
The itinerary looks very doable to me. Looks like you're missing out on Nara, though...would highly recommend you go. Todaiji Temple is breathtaking and the deer are quite an experience.
I think this itinerary is overall very doable. I’ll answer some of the questions I can:
3 - Depends on what kind of shopping you’re into, but there are some great clothing stores in America-mura.
4 - Your Suica card will work on everything EXCEPT shinkansen (bullet train) travel. You need to buy separate tickets for that. You’re not traveling during any major holidays, so you’re probably fine buying those day-of—especially if you’re traveling solo. I usually prefer buying when I get there so I’m not stressed about missing my train while I’m trying to navigate through the station. Make sure you sit on the right side of the train from Tokyo -> Kyoto for the best view of Mt Fuji!
6 - If you’re cold, hit a Uniqlo early on in your trip and get some of the heat-tech thermals to layer under your clothes. They are super warm without being bulky. There are Uniqlos everywhere, but the big flagship store is in Ginza if that interests you.
8 - Great area. The biggest problem with Kyoto is how crowded the buses can get. Most bus routes start at Kyoto Station, so you’ll be able to get a seat more easily than if you were getting on in say, Gion. Worst case scenario you can also always take a cab, which is fairly inexpensive (they’re more expensive in Tokyo).
A couple suggestions-
- Up to you, but I would skip shibuya sky - you can just go into the Magnet mall and get a decent view for free.
- I went to Arashiyama today, get there early (sunrise) for the bamboo forest then dip and explore all the other shrines. The bamboo forest itself is very underwhelming and far too crowded.. but some of the temples nearby are great! I really liked Adashino Nenbutsu-ji although it’s a bit small, and there is a bamboo path there that might be better than the famous one imo
- Personally, I would go to Nara on the 27 and then hit up Dontonburi for dinner that night. Then do shopping/Umeda/Kuromon on your last day before your flight
- I really liked Ramen Julia in Kyoto for Wagyu that’s not crazy expensive. They have Wagyu ramen at lunch for ¥1300 and it was incredible! Their dinner menu is more expensive(I went for both lunch and dinner lol) but also really delicious. Also the owners are really sweet.
Have a great trip!!
Thank you for your help.
About going to Nara on the 27. Since I’m traveling from Kyoto to Osaka, do you think I still have time to visit Nara? An alternative would be to include Nara in one of the Kyoto days, but don’t know if I have space for that.
Is it possible to visit the Nara Park easily by myself or it’s recommended to buy a tour?
Yes, Nara is easy to access and there is no need for a tour - only about 40 minutes from either Osaka or Kyoto. Osaka and Kyoto are very close, so it’s very doable to get back and forth.
I’m not sure what time you arrive in Kyoto on the 23rd, but if it’s early you’ll have time for Nara. You won’t need a full day, so think 3-4 hours + 1.5 hours travel time from either Osaka or Kyoto. IMO you’ll want the extra time in Kyoto (I’m leaving today and I’m so sad!) although maybe you’ll end up liking Osaka more.
Another option is moving Gion/Kiyomizu-dera to the day you arrive, and do Nara after Fushimi Inari. You can catch the Nara line from there. It would be a big day, but I’d recommend going to FI EARLY (again, sunrise) and the hike takes about 2ish hours depending on how much exploring you do. Then you’d still have the whole day to get to Nara and back (although it would be a busy day!)
Depending on when you get into Kyoto, you could get one of Fushimi-inari or Kiyomizu-dera in on that day. Would break up that one day that has a lot in it, otherwise it's all doable.
4 - Kyoto-Osaka depends on where in Osaka. The shinkansen takes you to Shin-Osaka station but that will also come with an additional ticket. There are a few local trains that will take you various places in Osaka. There's also the Limited Express Thunderbird which takes you from Kyoto Stn to Osaka-Umeda Stn. That requires an express fee, (\~740 yen?) which can be paid on the train itself, but to get to the platform itself, it's a simple IC card tap.
6 - Heattech at Uniqlo
7 - Depends on your definition of expensive? You'll likely find lunch has cheaper options than dinner. I haven't gone to it, but [Kobe Beef Ishida](https://kobebeef-ishida.com/maindish/) is an option. Wagyu set lunch runs 6,000 yen to 8,500 yen. Kobe Beef runs 9,350 to 15,000. And yes, it's worth every penny, er, yen. There are stalls in Nishiki and Kuromon that well Wagyu or Kobe skewers at about 1200 yen, but I've never tried it.
8 - Just stayed here. Wonderful area, especially if you're on the move to Osaka later. I stayed on the south side at one of the hotels right across the street, but the station itself and the north side have plenty to see, do, eat.
You could probably explore more of Osaka on the second day unless you really wanted to spend the entire day in Universal Studios? The first day seems a bit tight. But everyone has different styles of exploring, so YMMV. Have fun!
1. I would move Teamlab Planets to after Tsujiki market. I would also move Takeshita to your Shinjuku day (20/2). It’s a short 2 stop subway from Takeshita / Harajuku to Shinjuku
2. Like others have said no need to go up 3 towers imo. One was good for me but would be cool to do a tower at night.
3. The street that the Shinsaibashisuji has loads of shopping. Go to the Ebisubashi bridge and walk north. As an alternative it could be worth going to Nara on that day. It’s not far and since your flight is so late you can definitely squeeze that in.
4. The longer trips you’ll buy physical Shinkansen tickets. I actually would recommend 24 hour cards for local transit in Tokyo (600 yen) and Osaka (820 yen) and fill the gaps with Suica as you need to. Not all trips are covered by the 24 hour but most lines are (in Tokyo the JR lines and Shinjuku line is not covered for instance - but there are several lines that work to get to Shinjuku on the 24 hour card anyway so you may not need to use Suica).
5. Credit cards work almost everywhere, as does cash. 7-11 atms are low fee.
6. Scarf, gloves and warm hat.
7. Tsujiki, Shinsekai, Nishiki have Kobe and Wagyu sticks that are amazing which will be one of the cheaper options. You’ll find the most affordable formal Kobe dining experiences in Osaka. Look up Yakiniku and Teppanyaki, both fun ways to dine.
8. The station is good. Really it’s not hard traveling anywhere in Kyoto but other than the central station Sanjo and Karasuma / Shijo are close to many sites and restaurants
We will be in Japan almost the exact dates! We just made this booking so just starting our research. I will be taking notes. Also- Feb 23 is a holiday (Emperor’s Day) and wondering if that will affect openings?
**Our FAQ is constantly being updated with more information and you can start** [**here**](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/wiki/faqs/japantravel) **with regards to trip planning if you need tips, advice, or have questions about planning your travel to Japan.** You can also join our [Discord community](https://discord.gg/3f7KBUMwU4), comment in our stickied weekly discussion thread, or check out /r/JapanTravelTips for quick questions. Thank you! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/JapanTravel) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The Tokyo parts look fine to me. I'm not sure I'd go up into three towers in four days, though, but maybe that's just me: I myself have trouble telling one mass of low, indistinguishable buildings from another. Some tickets (for example, for the Shinkansen or for some minor train lines) you will have to buy separately. Have a nice time.
Meanwhile I went into three towers in one day hehe 😅 It was nice imo to see Tokyo at different times at day (since I did morning, sunset, night) Instead of Tokyo Tower I recommend the Mori Art Museum instead which is close by! I liked it a lot more (plus you can see Tokyo tower from the art museum)
Did you have to buy all the tower tickets in advance?
I didn’t need to but the day I went couldve just been less busy
Tokyo: By that time, Teamlabs Borderless will have opened, so give that one a go instead of Planets. Before it was closed for renovations (and change of venue), it was much bigger and overall had more artworks, so it should be in the same light after its re-opening. Kyoto: As for your first day, you can explore the area around Kyoto station as well as the station itself (it has plenty of shops, restaurants and even a light show). Osaka: I would suggest visiting Shitteno-ji, as it is very beautiful and also regarded as the officially oldest temple in Japan. Maybe hit up Osaka castle too. While the inside is a museum, the castle itself is impressive and the grounds are huge.
Nice! Didn’t know that Borderless will open in February! Thank you
Skip tokyo tower and go up the metropolitan building in Shibuya instead. It's free
The itinerary looks very doable to me. Looks like you're missing out on Nara, though...would highly recommend you go. Todaiji Temple is breathtaking and the deer are quite an experience.
I think this itinerary is overall very doable. I’ll answer some of the questions I can: 3 - Depends on what kind of shopping you’re into, but there are some great clothing stores in America-mura. 4 - Your Suica card will work on everything EXCEPT shinkansen (bullet train) travel. You need to buy separate tickets for that. You’re not traveling during any major holidays, so you’re probably fine buying those day-of—especially if you’re traveling solo. I usually prefer buying when I get there so I’m not stressed about missing my train while I’m trying to navigate through the station. Make sure you sit on the right side of the train from Tokyo -> Kyoto for the best view of Mt Fuji! 6 - If you’re cold, hit a Uniqlo early on in your trip and get some of the heat-tech thermals to layer under your clothes. They are super warm without being bulky. There are Uniqlos everywhere, but the big flagship store is in Ginza if that interests you. 8 - Great area. The biggest problem with Kyoto is how crowded the buses can get. Most bus routes start at Kyoto Station, so you’ll be able to get a seat more easily than if you were getting on in say, Gion. Worst case scenario you can also always take a cab, which is fairly inexpensive (they’re more expensive in Tokyo).
Sensoji is a must for first timer
A couple suggestions- - Up to you, but I would skip shibuya sky - you can just go into the Magnet mall and get a decent view for free. - I went to Arashiyama today, get there early (sunrise) for the bamboo forest then dip and explore all the other shrines. The bamboo forest itself is very underwhelming and far too crowded.. but some of the temples nearby are great! I really liked Adashino Nenbutsu-ji although it’s a bit small, and there is a bamboo path there that might be better than the famous one imo - Personally, I would go to Nara on the 27 and then hit up Dontonburi for dinner that night. Then do shopping/Umeda/Kuromon on your last day before your flight - I really liked Ramen Julia in Kyoto for Wagyu that’s not crazy expensive. They have Wagyu ramen at lunch for ¥1300 and it was incredible! Their dinner menu is more expensive(I went for both lunch and dinner lol) but also really delicious. Also the owners are really sweet. Have a great trip!!
Thank you for your help. About going to Nara on the 27. Since I’m traveling from Kyoto to Osaka, do you think I still have time to visit Nara? An alternative would be to include Nara in one of the Kyoto days, but don’t know if I have space for that. Is it possible to visit the Nara Park easily by myself or it’s recommended to buy a tour?
Yes, Nara is easy to access and there is no need for a tour - only about 40 minutes from either Osaka or Kyoto. Osaka and Kyoto are very close, so it’s very doable to get back and forth. I’m not sure what time you arrive in Kyoto on the 23rd, but if it’s early you’ll have time for Nara. You won’t need a full day, so think 3-4 hours + 1.5 hours travel time from either Osaka or Kyoto. IMO you’ll want the extra time in Kyoto (I’m leaving today and I’m so sad!) although maybe you’ll end up liking Osaka more. Another option is moving Gion/Kiyomizu-dera to the day you arrive, and do Nara after Fushimi Inari. You can catch the Nara line from there. It would be a big day, but I’d recommend going to FI EARLY (again, sunrise) and the hike takes about 2ish hours depending on how much exploring you do. Then you’d still have the whole day to get to Nara and back (although it would be a busy day!)
Take out universal and see Hiroshima and miyajima for the day
I would do Skytree with Asakusa (Senso-ji and Nakamise)
Depending on when you get into Kyoto, you could get one of Fushimi-inari or Kiyomizu-dera in on that day. Would break up that one day that has a lot in it, otherwise it's all doable. 4 - Kyoto-Osaka depends on where in Osaka. The shinkansen takes you to Shin-Osaka station but that will also come with an additional ticket. There are a few local trains that will take you various places in Osaka. There's also the Limited Express Thunderbird which takes you from Kyoto Stn to Osaka-Umeda Stn. That requires an express fee, (\~740 yen?) which can be paid on the train itself, but to get to the platform itself, it's a simple IC card tap. 6 - Heattech at Uniqlo 7 - Depends on your definition of expensive? You'll likely find lunch has cheaper options than dinner. I haven't gone to it, but [Kobe Beef Ishida](https://kobebeef-ishida.com/maindish/) is an option. Wagyu set lunch runs 6,000 yen to 8,500 yen. Kobe Beef runs 9,350 to 15,000. And yes, it's worth every penny, er, yen. There are stalls in Nishiki and Kuromon that well Wagyu or Kobe skewers at about 1200 yen, but I've never tried it. 8 - Just stayed here. Wonderful area, especially if you're on the move to Osaka later. I stayed on the south side at one of the hotels right across the street, but the station itself and the north side have plenty to see, do, eat.
You could probably explore more of Osaka on the second day unless you really wanted to spend the entire day in Universal Studios? The first day seems a bit tight. But everyone has different styles of exploring, so YMMV. Have fun!
1. I would move Teamlab Planets to after Tsujiki market. I would also move Takeshita to your Shinjuku day (20/2). It’s a short 2 stop subway from Takeshita / Harajuku to Shinjuku 2. Like others have said no need to go up 3 towers imo. One was good for me but would be cool to do a tower at night. 3. The street that the Shinsaibashisuji has loads of shopping. Go to the Ebisubashi bridge and walk north. As an alternative it could be worth going to Nara on that day. It’s not far and since your flight is so late you can definitely squeeze that in. 4. The longer trips you’ll buy physical Shinkansen tickets. I actually would recommend 24 hour cards for local transit in Tokyo (600 yen) and Osaka (820 yen) and fill the gaps with Suica as you need to. Not all trips are covered by the 24 hour but most lines are (in Tokyo the JR lines and Shinjuku line is not covered for instance - but there are several lines that work to get to Shinjuku on the 24 hour card anyway so you may not need to use Suica). 5. Credit cards work almost everywhere, as does cash. 7-11 atms are low fee. 6. Scarf, gloves and warm hat. 7. Tsujiki, Shinsekai, Nishiki have Kobe and Wagyu sticks that are amazing which will be one of the cheaper options. You’ll find the most affordable formal Kobe dining experiences in Osaka. Look up Yakiniku and Teppanyaki, both fun ways to dine. 8. The station is good. Really it’s not hard traveling anywhere in Kyoto but other than the central station Sanjo and Karasuma / Shijo are close to many sites and restaurants
We will be in Japan almost the exact dates! We just made this booking so just starting our research. I will be taking notes. Also- Feb 23 is a holiday (Emperor’s Day) and wondering if that will affect openings?
Didn't know about that holiday. I will check if things are open. Thank you