I started planning my trip to Japan pretty early on. We first made a list of things we wanted to do, and then put them on a map all at the same time. I divided each day into morning, lunch, afternoon, dinner, and night. I did all my planning in a spreadsheet. I’ll also rate each of the activities we did.
6/5: I will treasure this memory forever and still think about it all the time
5/5: This activity was AMAZING
4/5: It was pretty good, no complaints. Or this was AMAZING but also a little annoying for some reason.
3/5: I am ambivalent about doing this activity
2/5: I wish I did something else, but whatever
1/5: I regret my decision strongly
0/5: A very painful memory
Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019: Arrival
- 7:30pm: Touchdown!
- Check in to Airbnb
- Grab a bite (convenience store food is perfect)
Thursday, Dec. 19: Shibuya and Harajuku
Harajuku in the morning
- Takeshita street (4/5)
- Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Mall (4/5)
- Purikura pictures (5/5)
- Snacks: Eiwelt Gelato, Ronron Dessert cafe, Maison Crepes
Shibuya in the afternoon/night
- Shibuya crossing (3/5)
- Hachiko statue
- Shopping:
- Don Quijote (4/5)
- FrancFranc (4/5)
- Tokyu Hands (3/5)
- Food:
- Genji Sushi (rotating sushi bar) for lunch (4/5)
- Monja yakiniku for dinner (4/5)
- Nonbei Yokocho (great for dinner + drinks) (5/5)
Friday, Dec. 20: Hakone Hot Springs Town
- Morning: Train to Hakone town
- Hakone Kowakien Yunnesun Spa Theme Park (5/5)
- We used the Odakyu Travel center discount (5/5)
- Afternoon: Check into Hakone Airu (ryokan) (6/5)
- Kaiseki dinner at ryokan (6/5)
Saturday, Dec. 21: Odaiba
- Morning: breakfast at ryokan (6/5)
- Train back to Tokyo
- Lunch at iBeer in Shinjuku (4/5)
Odaiba
- Venusfort mall (4/5)
- Mega V3: Toyota Exhibition (3/5)
- Toyota Historical gallery of cars (5/5)
- Gundam Unicorn statue (4/5)
- 7pm: Fireworks above the Rainbow Bridge on Saturday nights (5/5)
- Decks Odaiba mall (4/5)
- 4th floor has retro arcade (5/5)
Sunday, Dec. 22: Shinjuku
- Morning: Shinjuku National Gyoen (5/5)
- Lunch: Sushimaru (5/5)
- Afternoon activities:
- Cat cafe (did not go)
- Isetan mall (4/5)
- Golden Gai (4/5)
- Love hotel district (5/5)
- Red Light district (6/5)
- Shopping (Biclo, Labi, Muji, Uniqlo, etc) (5/5)
- Night time:
- Omoide Yokocho (5/5)
- Taito Games (4/5)
Monday, Dec. 23: Akihabara and Asakusa
Akihabara in the morning
- Electronics Alley (4/5)
- Shopping
- Yodabashi Camera (5/5)
- Radio Kaikan tower (3/5)
- M Sex Shop (3/5)
- Maid cafe: Maidreamin (1/5)
Asakusa in the afternoon
- Senso-ji temple (5/5)
- Nishisando shopping streets (5/5)
- Dinner: Wagamama Sukiyaki (4/5)
- Tokyo Skytree (4/5)
- Asahi Beer Plant (just a walkby to see the golden poo) (4/5)
- Asakusa Rockza dance show (R-rated) (6/5)
Tuesday, Dec. 24: Ueno
Ueno in the morning
- Ueno Park (5/5)
- Ueno Zoo (deeply regret not going to this zoo)
- Tokyo National Museum (5/5)
- Lunchtime: Taimeiken omurice (5/5)
Central Tokyo at night
- Ginza night markets/Christmas terraces (1/5)
- Tokyo Tower night market (1/5)
- Roppongi Night Lights (4/5)
- Dinner: Hakata-Gekijo Roppongi (4/5)
Wednesday, Dec. 25: Shinjuku
- Lunch: Sushizamarai (3/5)
- ROBOT RESTAURANT (6/5)
- Tokyo Metropolitan Building (free to go up, great view) (4/5)
- Dinner: all you can eat shabu shabu in red light district (4/5)
- Night:
- Shopping at Shinjuku second-hand stores! (5/5)
- Ebisu Christmas market (3/5)
- Meguro City Christmas Riverwalk (5/5)
Thursday, Dec. 26: Teamlab Borderless
- Morning: Teamlab Borderless (6/5)
- Afternoon: Teamlab Borderless (6/5)
- Dinner: Tendon Kanekoya Akasaka (5/5)
- Night: Shibuya Blue Cave Illumination (3/5)
Friday, Dec. 27: Kyoto
- Morning: train to Kyoto
- Lunch: Matsuba Soba (5/5)
- Afternoon:
- Drop off luggage
- Kinkaku-ji temple (4/5)
- Monster street (2/5)
- Kyoto Imperial palace (didn’t get to check this out)
- Dinner: Katsukura Kyoto (tempura) (5/5 for that unlimited REFILL)
- Dessert: Matcha (5/5)
Saturday, Dec. 28: Osaka
- Short train ride to Osaka (5/5 great train)
- Morning: Shinsaibashi shopping (4/5)
- Lunch:
- Takoyaki by train station (2/5 wish they had sauce)
- Mizuno okonomiyaki (4/5)
- Afternoon: mostly shopping
- Dotonbori (5/5)
- Americamura (5/5)
- Department stores (5/5)
- Japanese denim: (3/5)
- EVISU
- Momotaro
- Studio d’Artisan
- And many more
- Dinner: Jiyuken curry (4/5)
- Bars: LIME (6/5)
Sunday, Dec. 29: Nara
- Rent car, drive to Nara
- Nara Park (6/5)
- Kasuga shrine (famous for big statue) (3/5)
- Todai-ji temple (3/5)
- Feed the deer! (5/5)
- Thousand year old knife shop: Kikuichimonjushirokanenaga honten (6/5)
- Naramachi street (4/5)
- Check into Gyokuzoin temple (5/5)
- Dinner: temple ryori (6/5)
Monday, Dec. 30: Kobe and Hyogo
- Morning at Gyokuzoin Temple:
- Fire ceremony (1/5)
- Morning prayer (5/5)
- Breakfast (5/5)
- Drive to Kobe
- Lunch: Yazawa Kobe Beef (5/5)
- Kobe Train Station waterfall hike (5/5)
- Drive to Airbnb and check in (6/5)
- Homemade dinner (6/5)
Tuesday, Dec. 31: Kyoto Osaka
- Morning:
- Arashiyama Bamboo forest (2/5)
- Monkey Mountain (5/5)
- Afternoon:
- Temples and Gion district (3/5)
- Try to check in but can’t (0/5)
- Drive to Osaka
- Finally check into Osaka Sheraton (10/10 what a lifesaver)
- Dinner: Small yakisoba place (4/5)
- Ring in the new year!!!!
Wednesday, Jan. 1: Himeji
- First sunrise: Osaka castle (5/5 good view)
- Drive to Himeji, check out the leather work area (4/5 all closed)
- Lunch in Himeji (5/5)
- Himeji castle (3/5)
- Drive to Kobe
- Dinner: Steakland (5/5)
- Chill in Osaka at night
Thursday, Jan. 2: Heading back to Tokyo
- Train to Tokyo
- Lunch: Tamago-to-watashi in Shibuya (omurice!) (3/5 egg was too fluffy lol)
- Visit Meiji shrine (2/5)
- Check into Intercontinental (5/5)
- Billiards bar (4/5)
- Dinner: Uobei sushi (rotating sushi bar, 4.5/5)
Friday, Jan. 3: Shibuya shopping
- Shibuya (4/5)
- Jeans
- Suyasan jackets
- Cool kid clothes
- Takeshita street in Harajuku (5/5)
- Girly things
- Fuzzy things
- Stuffed animals
- Lunch: Tendon Tenya in Shibuya (5/5)
- Afternoon: Shopping in Meguro City (2/5)
- Dinner: Dondon Yakiniku in Shinjuku (4/5)
- Bars: Bar Cuore magic show (5/5)
Saturday, Jan. 4: Shopping at Tsukiji Market, Akihabara, and Asakusa
- Imperial Palace (closed for the holidays) (2/5)
- Tsukiji market (3/5)
- Lunch: Sushizanmai at Tsukiji market (5/5)
- Akihabara:
- Every anime store possible (3/5)
- Biggest Yodabashi Camera store (6/5 still have theme song stuck in my head)
- Asakusa:
- Kappabashi Dori kitchen supply store (6/5 plates make me happy)
- Dinner: Gottsui okonomiyaki in Roppongi (4/5)
- Late night shopping: Don Quijote (5/5)
Sunday, Jan. 5: Roppongi
- Check out of hotel
- Last minute shopping at Don Quijote (5/5)
- Get last Starbucks mugs (5/5)
- Lunch: Udon and Oden in Roppongi (5/5)
- Train to airport
