Kyoto and Tokyo! Very short trip!
 

Hello Friends!

My husband and I have a very last minute opportunity to visit Japan for a short amount of time (its a stop over). We don't have much time to walk too much or see things too far apart. I would just like some authentic and memorable experiences. We love food and culture, we love non-touristy stumble upon spots.

We will be in Kyoto for 1.5 days and then in Tokyo for 1.5 days. Ridiculously short amount of time, I know, but if that's all you had - what would you see and where would you eat (no pork)?

Excited traveler!

I think I'd want to consolidate all my time in one place or the other, rather than travel between the two. Is it because you're flying out of different airports?

I think it will be difficult to direct you to any unknown gems. You're sure to find any number of memorable experiences if you didn't have a plan and just wander side streets. But tourist favorites are favorites for a reason.

But to more simply answer the question, in one day in Kyoto, I'd want to visit the gardens at Kinkaku-ji, then Fushimi Inari at sunset, then do an evening walk in Gion. I'm not a foodie, but you could arrange a Kaiseki meal somewhere. For less mobbed areas, Sanjusangendo was a temple that I'd visited that had no other visitors while I was there, and I thought it was pretty spectacular. (Be warned: Kyoto is popular. Groups of tourists are everywhere you'd want to be, but if they're Japanese tourists, they're good at sharing the space.)

In Tokyo, I'd combine Harajuku and Shibuya. Starting with a wander to Meiji Jingu, a ramen/gyoza lunch somewhere in Harajuku, walk through Yoyogi park, then to the masses of humanity in Shibuya to shop for some pretty furoshiki as gifts.
https://thosewhowandr.com/things-to-...ng-tokyu-plaza

Have fun planning! HOpefully others can weigh in on restaurant options. I'm not that picky, and I'm happy with an onigiri and canned coffees from their wonderful convenience stores.

how many nignts are you in Japan?
which airports do you arrive/depart and at what times of day?

@ChgoGal Thanks you for the advice! I appreciate the walking route - we will try it out (weather permitting)

@mrwunrfl We will be in Okinawa for the majority of the week (I'm not able to change travel plans there), once on mainland Japan - it will be a total of 4 nights. We are flying into Osaka (in the evening) and the flying out of HND (Tokyo) early afternoon. We will be doing 2 nights in Kyoto and 2 nights in Tokyo.

OBrusov Given the short time you have in each city, I would suggest focusing your time just in Tokyo rather than splitting it between Kyoto and Tokyo. 2 nights in each place is really only enough time for a glimpse, and traveling between the two will eat into your limited time.

In Tokyo, I'd recommend spending your days wandering the different neighborhoods to get a feel for the local culture. Harajuku and Shibuya would be great places to explore as suggested. If you like gardens, Meiji Jingu is lovely. Be sure to check out some of the smaller shrines too like Yasukuni. For food, you can't go wrong with ramen, onigiri or gyoza from the many small shops. Tokyo Station also has a great food floor if you want variety.