14 DAYS IN JAPAN | AUGUST 2019
OPTIMAL TIMES OF YEAR FOR THIS ITINERARY: mid-March - mid-October. August was hot and humid but still enjoyable!
INTERACTIVE GOOGLE MAP: All of the recommendations on this itinerary (and extra bonus ones) are pinned in the map embedded here that you’re welcome to copy over into your own google maps and customize to your own liking. You can also click on any of the dots once in Google map view to read a little blurb about each spot. Yellow = lodging, Red = activity, Blue = food.
Day 1: Arrive in Tokyo
Like most international visitors, you’ll arrive Narita International Airport around mid-afternoon. BEFORE actually leaving the airport, there are a few “errands” you need to do that will make the rest of your trip so much smoother:
1) Find an international ATM and withdraw money in JPY (better exchange rate usually than converting cash dollars at exchange booth).
2) Go to the Japan Post Office (4th floor of NRT) to pick up your pre-reserved JapanWireless pocket wifi device (reserve and pay for it online in advance here).
3) Go to the Japan Rail Pass office and activate your pre-purchased Japan Rail Pass vouchers (before you leave for Japan, purchase your Japan Rail Pass vouchers online or at a Japan Rail Pass Office). Also book all the intra-city train tickets for your 14-day trip at the Japan Rail office (same place where you pick up the vouchers, lower level of NRT).
After settling into your hotel (recommended neighborhoods where to stay: Shinjuku, Gion, Shibuya, Nakemagura, or Sangenjaya). Snag an early dinner somewhere close and rest up for an early start on Day 2!
Day 2: Tokyo (daytime in Harujuku, evening in Shinjuku)
For the tuna-curious, if you were lucky enough to get a lottery ticket to the Toyusu Live Tuna Auction Observation deck, wake up at 4:45am to see the tuna auction happen. Note Toyusu is the new Tsujiki — Tsujiki Fish Market is now sans tuna auction, and has become extremely touristy (not recommended).
Since you’re awake super early already, the other early morning sight worth seeing is Meiji Shrine (opens at 5am). Enjoy the peaceful shinto buddhism and shaded walk through the grounds. After you’ve gotten your shrine fill, walk to nearby BOBA tea shop called Sin An Jau. Try the brown sugar-laced BOBA option if you have a sweet tooth! Shop opens at 10am. You are now on the edge of the Harujuku neighborhood, which is a fun area to walk around the small side streets and experience the high fashion of Tokyo. Make your way through “Cat Street” and the other small alleyways all the way to Commune 2nd, a really cool food truck collaborative, where you can grab a bite of lunch.
After the early wake-up, you’re probably in the mood for a nap. After some rest, head out for an evening walking food tour of Shinkjuku (we did this one via Airbnb experiences and loved it - 5-6 different stops with a local guide, trying all sorts of things you probably wouldn’t order on your own!). If you want to experience some sake before the food tour begins, check out Know by Moto for an authentic experience sampling several different sake’s.
Day 3: Tokyo (daytime in Asakusa, evening in Ginza)
Time for some historical / cultural scenes. Tokyo’s Edo Museum has a really interesting historical take on the city. Start your day there and take advantage of one of the volunteer English-speaking guides who will show you around. Then cross the river on foot to walk through and experience Asakusa neighborhood. For tea lovers, on your way to Asakusa, stop in and sample some of the modern sencha and hojicha green tea’s at Nakamura Tea Life Store (also a Dandelion Chocolate next to it if you’re craving a mocha!). Then continue walking towards Asakusa’s historical center. Many food options in the markets and stalls, or for some excellent ramen, order the classic double-yolked ramen at Yoroiya Ramen.
I am a tea lover who was keen to learn more about Japanese tea - if you are as well, check out this Airbnb tea experience for matcha & sencha tasting in the late afternoon (4:30 - 6:00). In the evening, make a reservation in advance for one of the Michelin star sushi or tempura restaurants (there are 20+ to choose from) in Ginza. Price is $250 to $300 per person. We opted not to do this, but most folks do not regret one big fancy meal!
Day 4: Tokyo (daytime in Sangenjaya, evening in Ginza)
Start the day with a subway ride out to a close-in “suburb” of Tokyo, Sangenjaya, which was a fun surprise how nice it was to walk through the ambling streets away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Tokyo. Sign up for ramen making class with 75-year-old chef Yoshi. He also offers a sushi-making class if you prefer. Grab a Boba or Blue Bottle Coffee next door on your way into class - because you don’t eat until the very end of the class! After ramen, if you’re up for some walking, take a leisurely stroll towards Nakameguro. Map “Naka-meguro Station” on your map and find your way there through small side streets. Once you arrive you’ll find a super gourmet grocery store (great for a second lunch!), upscale juice and boba, a quaint bookstore, and many other fun shopping options.
Finally, in the evening - time for a night out! Start your night with a 4 or 5-course cocktail experience at Gen Yamamoto (reservations far in advance required!), then venture out to a low-key sake bar like Sake Hall Hibiya or the 4-seater bar Tokyo Sake Department. Once done with sake, you might enjoy some of Tokyo’s best yakitori (and more sake) at Kushiyaki Bistro Fukumimi, followed by some karaoke! Any karaoke place where you like the costumes is great. Several right there in Ginza, or for even better karaoke options, take the train a few stops to Akihabara.
Day 5: Tokyo (daytime in Shibuya, evening at Tokyo Dome City)
After a night of drinking, ramen hits the spot. Here are several options depending on what is closest to you:
Afuri for Yuzu ramen
Gogyo in Nishiazabu/Roppongi for Kogashi Miso (burnt miso)
Ichiran for Tonkotsu (Pork-belly) ramen
Then, time to head to Tokyo Baseball! Purchase tickets online here at least 3-4 weeks in advance. Either before or after the game, enjoy a multi-story spa onsen experience at La Qua Spa, right next to the stadium. Then enjoy watching the game and trying to make sense of the unison cheers!
Day 6: Tokyo -> Hakone
Ok, enough of the big city! Time for some nature, hiking and hot springs. Take the train to Hakone (via Odawara station, then a bus from there). I highly recommend staying at the traditional onsen / ryokan Mount View Hakone. Book the included dinner for the first night when you arrive, so after the multi-hour journey you can just check in, change into your yukata robe, use the hot springs, then enjoy a meal right there before bed. Try a traditional Japanese massage as well booked through the hotel (right in the comfort of your own room!).
Day 7: Hakone
The masses of tourists will head to the tram and the lake, but if you’re staying at Mount View Hakone hotel, you are only 10 minutes’ walking from the trailhead of a super beautiful hike. The hike up to Mt. Kintoki takes 75 minutes for someone who is pretty in-shape. Be prepared for basically STRAIGHT vertical uphill nonstop, but you can take as many breaks as you need to! But the reward at the top is worth it - a breathtaking view of Mt Fuji on a clear day. There is a restaurant at the top where you can purchase soba, udon, water, beer, and other snacks and have a picnic.
After hiking, on your walk home, stop by the grocery store to make your own “Japanese beer tasting” (or sake / whiskey tasting) that you can do later that evening before dinner. If you are still not exhausted from the hike and up for another adventure, take the bus to Hakone’s Open-Air Museum. Also be sure to use the onsen hot baths at least 2-3 times during your stay. I enjoyed soaking both before and after dinner!
Day 8: Hakone -> Kyoto
For some morning exercise, it’s relatively flat to go for a run on the small side streets. You’ll be rewarded with some breathtaking views of the park! The journey then begins from Hakone bus -> Odawara train station -> Kyoto station -> Kyoto local train to hotel begins (5 hours in total). At Odawara train station, grab your lunch for the train journey at the gourmet grocery store inside Odawara train station — dozens of delicious options to choose from.
In Kyoto, I highly recommend Villa Sanjo Muromachi hotel. After 2 days of tatami mat sleeping in Hakone, you’ll welcome the Western bed. After some rest post-travel, we enjoyed an incredible and affordable evening sushi meal at Kikyo Sushi (15 mins walking). Have the hotel make a reservation for you (or just message them on facebook messenger).
Day 9: Kyoto
In the morning, we enjoyed starting off with a walking tour learning about tea, history, and culture with The Way of Tea Walk via Airbnb experiences. Not only fun for tea folks, but also generally getting the layout of Kyoto and some of the history and culture. Afterwards we walked through the fairly touristy (but still worth it) Nishiki Market to sample various foods and eat a little bit of lunch.
In the evening, reserve in advance (or just show up very early) spots for dinner at Yakitori Hitomi for some of the best meat skewers and rice balls in your life! We enjoyed several types of sake here as well as chicken (crisp kawa skin, momo chicken thigh), seasoned only with salt. Then cross the river and enjoy walking along the river strip of bars and restaurants and nightlife — perhaps making a few more stops for a drink or late-night gyoza at Anzukko.
Day 10: Kyoto
Time to see the overwhelming number of temples, shrines, and castles in the city! Some people really like seeing 1-2 particular ones, but most people (including us) just wanted to see a bunch, in no particular order, and enjoy exploring and finding the random hidden shrines and temples instead of going to the most crowded / popular ones. Rent bicycles (hotel can help you with this the day before), plot out your handful of must-see shrines / temples, and start pedaling! You can also bike the beautiful “Philosopher’s Path”, which will take you through lots of random temples and shrines on the journey to get there.
In the evening, have your hotel make two reservations for you to experience an incredible sake-focused foodie night: 1) Masuya Saketen where you can experience sake in the “four quadrants” of their graph, with authentic mini food dishes that go nicely with sake, then 2) Wadachi - 500 yen per glass (great deal), small hole in the wall with excellent food too (duck, Kyoto style friend chicken). Then end the night with gyoza from Gyoza Hohei. They only serve 2 types; recommended to order 2-3 orders per person. There will be a crazy waiting list, but pro tip: order for takeaway. You’ll never look at gyoza the same way ever again.
Day 11: Kyoto
Begin your day with a half day trip to Aarashiyama. I am a huge monkey lover, so the arduous surprise mini-hike that it takes to get to the top of Aarashiyama Monkey Park was worth it. But be forewarned…and be ready to sweat! It’s not only fun to feed the monkeys, but also has breathtaking view of the city. Then head to lunch at Sushi Bar Naritaya (hidden in an alleyway) for delicious salmon and tuna that melt in your mouth! Three grades of tuna depending on fatty-ness level. Then, walk through the famous Tenruji-ji Temple and Bamboo Grove before heading home.
Back in Kyoto, yakitori for dinner will be a good balance to sushi lunch. Reserve a table at Tsujiya and enjoy sitting at the bar (or on the floor) watching your dinner being made on the charcoal grill. Chicken skewers of all types, but also don’t miss out on the grilled whole onion and the rice balls!
Day 12: Kyoto -> Kanazawa
Bullet train is very scenic - enjoy staring out the window during the journey to see the hillside! At Kyoto train station before boarding, get some breakfast / early lunch sushi at revolving plate sushi restaurant (pay by the plate color, take what you want from the conveyor belt) inside the station called Sushi No Musahi. Once you arrive at Kanazawa Train Station, it’s a 15-minute walk to my recommended lodging — which is called Sumiyoshi Ryokan. This is a very traditional Ryokan similar to the one in Hakone. You’ll have robes, slippers, and the hot bath available to you between the hours of ~11am and 8pm or so (that was the only mildly annoying part to not be able to shower until 11am…). You can either have a traditional dinner in the Ryokan itself, or book a table in advance at the outstanding Kourin Sushi, just 2 mintues walking distance.
Day 13: Kanazawa
Morning exercise: Head to the giant green areas right next door, Kanazawa Castle Park and Kenrouken Gardens. Perfect for brisk walking, running, or doing some yoga poses.
Breakfast time: Omicho Market has everything you could dream of! Explore, sample, and indulge in all of the things you’ve been wanting to try.
Then hop on the Ryokan’s free bicycles they provide and do some short bike rides to first explore Higashiyama Higashi Chaya District to see the historic homes and bathhouses, interspersed with coffee places and other goodies. You can then continue the bike ride to the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. For us there was a super long line to get into the actual museum, but there are free exhibits around the perimeter as well as a really quant gift shop worth checking out.
After a long day of exploration, you might enjoy a Ryokan bath followed by dinner out at PLAT HOME Kanazawa Kitchen (modern twist, decent drinks too).
Day 14: Kanazawa -> Tokyo -> Home!
Another morning garden exercise followed by Omicho Market - your last meal in Japan!!
Kanazawa bullet train to Tokyo is quite scenic (book a window seat). Once you reach the Tokyo train station, you will have to transfer to the airport train (that leaves once per hour, covered by JR Pass). There are lots of great lunch options in Tokyo train station; we actually found ourselves ready to be done with Japanese food at this point and ordered a homemade pizza at Eataly!
Don’t forget to return your Japan Wireless device at the NRT airport post office before you fly out.
