My wife and I are going to Japan at the end of May/early June for one week. I'm hoping to get some feedback on our itinerary and maybe some tips on good restaurants to go to as we are looking for a 1 Michelin star restaurant in Kyoto and Tokyo that would be a max of $75 per person.
I agree that you can find good food everywhere in Tokyo and Kyoto.
Is it worth getting the JR Pass for this trip? It looks like the SHINKANSEN HIKARI from Tokyo <-> Kyoto is 18,400 yen per person each way in the Green Car and only 38,880 for the 7 day pass
You don't need the Green Car. Unlike First Class in Europe, you get no special perks other than a larger seat, but the regular cars are just fine, and I'm tall.
Are we overextending ourselves? I know some days have a lot of stops in them and I'd rather focus on a few than feel a bit rushed on those days.
Plot out your itineraries for Tokyo and Kyoto on city maps to figure out what sights are close together.
Thanks for taking a look for us!
- Saturday
- Sunday
- Tsukiji Fish Market - Sushi breakfast. Is it worth trying to watch the auction? The auction is overrated--and increasingly hard to get into. Is the market even open on Sunday? I don't know.
- Wander along the backstreet shops of Tsukiji
- Imperial Palace and East Garden
- Yasukuni Shrine
- Toshogu Shrine
- Senso-ji Complex
- Tokyo Skytree after dinner if weather is nice
- Monday
- Daytrip to Hakone to see Mt. Fuji. I know it is out of season to climb, but is it worth the day trip to see Mt. Fuji and explore Hakone and then go back to Tokyo?
One thing I have said repeatedly on this site is that Mount Fuji probably won't be visible at the time of year you're going. If it is visible, you will be able to see it from tall buildings in Tokyo. If Fuji isn't visible from Tokyo, you won't be able to see it even if you're practically on its slopes.
Hakone is a fun excursion, but you could see it on the way to Kyoto if you got an early start. The whole trip from Tokyo to Kyoto is 3 hours on the slowest Shinkansen, and seeing Hakone as a stopover will give you another day in either Tokyo or Kyoto.
- Tuesday
- Travel from Tokyo to Kyoto
- Koryu Temple
- Wednesday
- Kiyomizudera for sunrise
- Arabica Cafe
- Kodaiji Temple
- Fushimi Inari Shrine --This is a trip out of town, not a very long one, but out of town nevertheless.
- Sanjusangendo or Rengeo-in
- Chion Temple
- Gion - Geisha District
- Gion Corner Show - Is there a better place to see a tea ceremony?
- Thursday
- Kinkakuji
- Yasake Shrine
- Ginkakuji Temple
- Kyoto Handicraft Center
- Honke Owariya for lunch
- Nijo Castle
- Nishi Honganji
- Friday
- Togetsukyo Bridge
- Tenryuji Temple
- Shoraian for lunch
- Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
- Afternoon/evening train to Tokyo
- Saturday
- Gallery Kawano for 2nd hand kimonos
- Meiji Jingu - Harajuku Park
- Shinjuku Gyoen Nation Garden
- Leave Japan in Evening