Two weeks through Japan during peak cherry blossom season, Tokyo’s neighborhoods, a couple of day trips out to Nikko and Kawaguchiko/Mt. Fuji, then on to Kyoto and Osaka before flying home. Sharing this in case it’s useful for planning your own trip; swap in your own hotels and adjust timing as needed!
Quick Overview
| Dates | City | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 2 | ✈️ In transit | Depart SFO |
| Apr 3 – 9 | Tokyo | Roppongi, Shinjuku, Harajuku, Shibuya, Akihabara, Nikko & Kawaguchiko day trips |
| Apr 10 – 12 | Kyoto | Gion, Nara day trip, Arashiyama, Kinkaku-ji |
| Apr 13 – 15 | Osaka | Fushimi Inari (en route), Dotonbori, Osaka Castle |
| Apr 16 | ✈️ In transit | Arrive back in SFO |
Must Do’s (IMO)
- Day trip to Lake Kawaguchiko and rent bicycles and bike around the lake. Grab food, picnic blanket and bike around. STUNNING views of Fuji. The best experience of the entire trip
- In terms of food, you MUST try these dishes/experiences: omakase, ramen (dipping and regular), curry udon, japanese curry over rice, tofu skin dishes, izakaya with drinks, 7/11 snack runs :)
- Bar hopping in Golden Gai (cocktail bars)
- Japanese Cocktails are awesome, also try the different seltzers because they are also amazing
- Picnic under the cherry blossoms in local park with snacks and books
- Stroll through Shinjuku at night and take in the neon lights
- Find a local screening of Spirited Away and watch it & go to the Studio Ghibli museum (book in advance)
- Shibuya Sky (book in advance)
- Onsen in a good facility (some hotels have good ones)
- Just walk around neighborhoods and take it all in
- Jimbocho Book Town
- Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
- Tea Ceremony (do a good one, they can get really bad)
- Try matcha everywhere
- Stay at a Ryokan
- Park Hyatt Kyoto and the Grand Hyatt Tokyo were AWESOME
Skips (IMO)
- Pokemon Cafe
- DisneySea + Disney Land (I didn’t go but friends said it wasn’t worth it)
- TeamLabs
Useful Information
- Don’t get the JR pass, just load whatever the pass thing is called
- Use tabelog for reviews, Gmaps is HIGHLY inaccurate since tourists think everything is good
- BOOK things EARLY
April 2 (Wednesday): Departure Day
- 11:30 AM PDT — Depart from SFO
- Flight time: ~11 hours
April 3 (Thursday): Arrival in Tokyo
Stay: Grand Hyatt Tokyo (Roppongi)
- 2:45 PM — Arrive at Narita International Airport
- 3:00–4:00 PM — Clear immigration, collect luggage
- 4:00–5:30 PM — Head to the hotel: Narita Express (N’EX) to Tokyo Station (~60 min, ¥3,270), then Hibiya Line to Roppongi (~15 min)
- 5:30–6:30 PM — Check in at Grand Hyatt Tokyo, freshen up
- 6:30–7:30 PM — Stroll through Roppongi Hills — Mori Garden and the observation deck
- 7:30 PM — Dinner at a local izakaya (sushi, ramen, or regional specialties)
- 9:00 PM — Optional: a couple of bars in Roppongi to ease into Tokyo nightlife
April 4 (Friday): Roppongi to Shinjuku
Stay: Shinjuku Airbnb
- 8:00–9:00 AM — Breakfast at the hotel
- 9:00–10:00 AM — Check out of Grand Hyatt, store luggage with concierge
- 10:00 AM–12:30 PM — Explore Roppongi: Mori Art Museum, Hinokicho Park (sakura viewing)
- 12:30–1:30 PM — Lunch at Irakuya
- 1:30–3:30 PM — Takeshita Street + Togo Shrine
- 4:00 PM — Check in to Shinjuku Airbnb
- 4:30–6:00 PM — Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observatory (free panoramic views — a nice alternative to Skytree)
- 6:00–8:00 PM — Shinjuku exploration: Kabukicho, Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane) for yakitori and drinks
- 8:00 PM onward — Golden Gai bar hopping — tiny bars in narrow alleys; Albatross, La Jetée, and Champion are welcoming for newcomers
April 5 (Saturday): Harajuku & TeamLab Planets
Stay: Shinjuku Airbnb
- 6:00–8:00 AM — Sensoji Temple and the surrounding area
- 9:00–10:00 AM — Breakfast at %Arabica Coffee, Shinjuku
- 10:00–11:30 AM — Meiji Shrine & Inner Garden
- 11:30 AM–1:30 PM — Yoyogi Park sakura viewing (peak cherry blossom season!)
- 1:30–2:30 PM — Lunch at Harajuku Gyoza Lou
- 2:30–4:00 PM — Open/flex time
- 4:00–5:15 PM — Travel to TeamLab Planets (Toyosu)
- 5:45 PM — TeamLab Planets digital art experience
- 8:00–10:00 PM — Dinner in Toyosu — sushi at one of the Toyosu Fish Market restaurants is a good bet
- Return to Shinjuku by train
April 6 (Sunday): Nikko Day Trip
Stay: Shinjuku Airbnb
- 7:00–8:00 AM — Breakfast near the Airbnb
- 8:00 AM — Head to Nikko: JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line → transfer to JR Nikko Line at Utsunomiya, or Tobu Railway direct from Asakusa (fewer transfers). Consider the Nikko All Area Pass (~¥5,140) for unlimited local transport.
- 10:30 AM — Arrive in Nikko
- 10:30 AM–5:00 PM — Explore: Toshogu Shrine (UNESCO site), Shinkyo Bridge, Kanmangafuchi Abyss (row of Jizo statues), Rinnoji Temple; lunch at a local spot serving yuba (tofu skin)
- 5:00–7:30 PM — Return to Tokyo
- 8:00–10:00 PM — Dinner at Omoide Yokocho — try a few different yakitori stalls
April 7 (Monday): Shibuya Day
Stay: Shinjuku Airbnb
- 6:00 AM — Tsukiji Outer Market
- 9:00–10:00 AM — Breakfast at a trendy Harajuku café
- 10:00 AM–12:00 PM — Yoyogi Park / Meiji Shrine area — more sakura viewing
- 12:00–1:30 PM — Lunch at the Shibuya Scramble Square food hall
- 1:30–3:30 PM — Shibuya: Nintendo Tokyo at Shibuya Parco, the Shibuya Crossing, Center Gai shopping
- 4:20 PM — Shibuya Sky observation deck (great around sunset)
- 6:30–8:30 PM — Dinner at Gonpachi Nishi-Azabu
- 9:00 PM onward — Shibuya nightlife: Nonbei Yokocho (Drunkard’s Alley) for tiny bars, or Club Camelot / Womb for clubbing
April 8 (Tuesday): Akihabara & Coffee Experience
Stay: Shinjuku Airbnb
- 9:00–10:00 AM — Breakfast at the Airbnb
- 10:00 AM–1:00 PM — Akihabara Electric Town — anime/manga/gaming culture, Super Potato (retro games), Don Quijote for souvenirs
- 1:00–2:00 PM — Travel to Koto City
- 3:00 PM — Coffee omakase at Koffee Mameya
- 5:00–7:00 PM — Kiyosumi Garden — traditional garden with pond and tea house
- 7:00–9:00 PM — Dinner in Monzen-Nakacho — try chanko nabe (sumo hotpot)
- Return to the Shinjuku Airbnb
April 9 (Wednesday): Kawaguchiko / Mt. Fuji Day Trip
Stay: Hyatt Centric Ginza
- 6:30–7:00 AM — Travel to Hyatt Centric Ginza, drop off luggage
- 7:00 AM — Breakfast at Hyatt Centric Ginza
- 7:45 AM — Depart for Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal
- 8:15 AM — Bus to Kawaguchiko
- 10:00 AM–5:00 PM — Explore the area: bike around Lake Kawaguchiko, the Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway, Chureito Pagoda (classic Fuji + cherry blossom shot), lakeside lunch, optionally the Kubota Itchiku Art Museum (kimono art)
- 5:00–7:10 PM — Return bus to Tokyo
- 7:30–8:00 PM — Check in to Hyatt Centric Ginza
- 8:00–10:00 PM — Dinner in Ginza
April 10 (Thursday): Tokyo → Kyoto
Stay: Kyoto Airbnb (Nakanocho)
- 7:00–8:00 AM — Breakfast at the hotel
- 8:00–9:00 AM — Check out, head to Tokyo Station
- 9:30 AM–12:00 PM — Shinkansen to Kyoto (unreserved seats ~¥13,320, or use a JR Pass if purchased)
- 12:00–1:30 PM — Travel to the Airbnb, drop off luggage
- 1:30–3:00 PM — Lunch near Nishiki Market (the food stalls are great for variety)
- 3:00–6:00 PM — Eastern Kyoto: Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Maruyama Park (prime sakura spot), a stroll through Gion
- 6:00–8:00 PM — Dinner in Gion — Gion Kappa for casual izakaya
- 8:00–10:00 PM — Evening temple illuminations (seasonal) or a tea house experience in Gion
April 11 (Friday): Nara Day Trip
Stay: Park Hyatt Kyoto
- 8:30–9:00 AM — Travel to Kyoto Station
- 9:00 AM — Depart for Nara
- 10:00 AM–6:30 PM — Explore Nara: Nara Park (feed the bowing deer), Todai-ji Temple (Great Buddha Hall), Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Isuien Garden, the Naramachi old merchant district; lunch — try kakinoha-zushi (persimmon leaf sushi)
- 6:30–7:10 PM — Return to Kyoto Station
- 7:30–9:30 PM — Dinner at Park Hyatt Kyoto
April 12 (Saturday): Kyoto Exploration
Stay: Kyoto Hotel
- 7:00–8:00 AM — Breakfast at Park Hyatt Kyoto
- 8:00 AM–12:00 PM — Arashiyama: the Bamboo Grove (go early to beat crowds), Tenryu-ji Temple, optionally Monkey Park Iwatayama
- 12:00–1:30 PM — Lunch in Arashiyama
- 2:00–5:00 PM — Northern Kyoto: Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), Ryoan-ji (rock garden)
- 5:30–7:00 PM — Tea ceremony experience — En Tea House or Camellia Tea Ceremony often take walk-ins
- 7:30–9:30 PM — Dinner downtown — try yudofu (tofu hot pot) or kyo-kaiseki
April 13 (Sunday): Kyoto → Osaka
Stay: Osaka Hotel
- 7:00–8:00 AM — Breakfast at the Airbnb
- 8:00–8:10 AM — Check out
- 8:30 AM–12:00 PM — Fushimi Inari Shrine — thousands of vermilion torii gates
- 12:00–1:00 PM — Lunch nearby
- 1:30–2:30 PM — Train to Osaka
- 3:00–4:00 PM — Check in to the hotel
- 4:00–6:30 PM — Dotonbori — the Glico Running Man sign and other landmarks
- 6:30–9:00 PM — Dinner and street food in Dotonbori — takoyaki, okonomiyaki, kushikatsu
- 9:00 PM onward — Bar hopping in Dotonbori or Namba
April 14 (Monday): Osaka Exploration
Stay: Osaka Hotel
- 9:00–10:00 AM — Breakfast at the hotel
- 10:00 AM–12:30 PM — Osaka Castle and Park (cherry blossoms in the surrounding park)
- 12:30–2:00 PM — Lunch at Kuromon Market — fresh seafood and local specialties
- 2:00–5:00 PM — Pick one: Amerikamura & Shinsaibashi (shopping), Shinsekai (retro, street food), or the Cup Noodle Museum
- 5:00–7:00 PM — Abeno Harukas observation deck — 360° views from Japan’s tallest building
- 7:00–9:00 PM — Farewell dinner — izakaya around Namba or a high-end teppanyaki spot
- 9:00 PM onward — Pack up and relax before departure
April 15 (Tuesday): Departure Day
- 5:00–6:00 AM — Early breakfast / check out
- 6:00–6:30 AM — Travel to Shin-Osaka Station
- 7:00–9:30 AM — Shinkansen to Tokyo Station
- 10:00–11:30 AM — Narita Express to Narita Airport
- 11:30 AM–2:00 PM — Check in, security, pre-flight meal, last-minute shopping
- 5:10 PM — Depart NRT → SFO
- 10:30 AM PDT (April 16) — Arrive at SFO
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