Tokyo Itinerary - Reviews/Thoughts/HELP!
 

Hi Everyone!

I was wondering if you guys could do me a favor and look over my rough itinerary and let me know if its reasonable/feasible. We're only planning on staying in the Tokyo vicinity as we've already been to Osaka and Kyoto. Am I missing anything? We're travelling with a 5 year old so we're trying to keep the days light… Any tips/recommendations/suggestions would be welcome!

Thanks!


March 30 Friday Arrive in Tokyo at 4 pm
Check in at hotel (Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Premier) at approximately 7 pm
Dinner nearby (any suggestions?)

March 31 Saturday Wakeup at 4 and go to Tsukiji Market
Breakfast at Sushi Dao
Go to Imperial East Gardens (Tsukijishijo station towards Monzennackacho transfer to Tozai Line and exit Otemachi station through exit c13b)
East Gardens, Sannomaru Shozakan, Kokyo Gaien and Nijubashi
Head to Akihabara (Otemachi station Tozai line to kayabacho transfer to hibiya line and exit at akihabara)
Lunch at Kyushu Jangara Ramen (or would En Izakaya be better?)
Walk around akihabara (Don Quixote, Mandarake Toy Store)
Head to Roponggi for dinner (suggestions?)
Tokyo Tower

April 1 Sunday Shibuya, Meiju Shrine, Kiddy land, Omotesando, Takeshita Street, Harajuku, Yoyogi Park

April 2 Monday Nikko (Tobu World Square, Edo Wonderland – im open to suggestions here)

April 3 Tuesday Mt Fuji/Hakone Day Tour

April 4 Wednesday Tokyo Disneyland

April 5 Thursday Tokyo Disney Sea

April 6 Friday Ghibli Museum, Ginza

April 7 Saturday Asakusa, Sensoji Temple, Kappabashi and Odaiba

April 8 Sunday Yasube, Ameyoko, Tokyo National Museum, Ueno Park, Shinjuku, Shinjuku Gyoen (should I do the parks in the morning?)

April 9 Monday Sanrio land and then free afternoon for things we missed or want to go back to

April 10 Tuesday Flight out at 11 AM

Actually I think it's quite busy and I'd cut some things in favor of some down time.

Oh my goodness, you sound just like me - cramming as much as you can in as short a time as possible. I'm working on my itinerary also. The problem being - we will only be in Tokyo 3 days with two partial days at each end. What to do? DD wants Disney one whole day.

Your first Saturday (March 31) seems really busy--if you wake go to Tsukiji at 4 a.m., after a long flight the day before, I think you'll be ready to call it a day well before you get to Tokyo Tower. Be ready to be flexible and transfer some things to other days if you get too tired (you seem to be less scheduled toward the end of your trip). For example, you may want to find a restaurant in your neighborhood rather than going to Roppongi and Tokyo Tower.

Nikko will be a full day.

I loved the Ghibli Museum. It's an easy train trip from central Tokyo. I assume you already have an advance reservation, but see the Ghibli website for more info. http://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/ticket-information/. The trip won't take the full day.

Full day Nikko, followed by very full day Mt Fuji/Hakone, and then Dismey? You'll be dead. Spread the day trips out, with some short in-town days among them.

It's only a six hour flight for us to Tokyo and we're all really excited about Tsukiji market… people say though that the market is closed to the public during the auction so I'm wondering if there's really any point in getting there early in the morning…

I've tried shuffling things around but really want to avoid the amusement parks on the weekends - hopefully this is light enough… what do you guys think?


Revised Itinerary:

March 30 Friday Arrive in Tokyo at 4 pm
Check in at hotel (Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Premier) at approximately 7 pm
Dinner nearby (any suggestions?)

March 31 Saturday Wakeup at 4 and go to Tsukiji Market
Breakfast at Sushi Dai
Go to Imperial East Gardens (Tsukijishijo station towards Monzennackacho transfer to Tozai Line and exit Otemachi station through exit c13b)
East Gardens, Sannomaru Shozakan, Kokyo Gaien and Nijubashi
Head to Akihabara (Otemachi station Tozai line to kayabacho transfer to hibiya line and exit at akihabara)
Lunch at Kyushu Jangara Ramen (or would En Izakaya be better?)
Walk around akihabara (Don Quixote, Mandarake Toy Store)
Head back to Ginza for dinner

April 1 Sunday Shibuya, Meiju Shrine, Kiddy land, Omotesando, Takeshita Street, Harajuku, Yoyogi Park

April 2 Monday Sanrioland, Ghibli Museum, Shinjuku

April 3 Tuesday Mt Fuji/Hakone Day Tour

April 4 Wednesday Tokyo Disneyland

April 5 Thursday Tokyo Disney Sea

April 6 Friday EdoMura

April 7 Saturday Asakusa, Sensoji Temple, Kappabashi and Odaiba

April 8 Sunday Yasube, Ameyoko, Tokyo National Museum, Ueno Park

April 9 Monday Ginza

April 10 Tuesday Flight out at 11 AM

Looks a lot better. You know that you will be there in prime time cherry blossom season right? I have, and now all predictions are that Sunday April 8th will be THE Sunday for cherry blossoms in Tokyo. I see you have Ueno Park on your schedule for that day. Be prepared for crowds that are beyond your scope of imagination. You can see some pictures in the link below of a peak day in Ueno Park. ALL of Tokyo will be crowded beyond crowded during the times you are there so again be prepared for the crowds and temper your expectations of getting a lot done during that time of year in Tokyo......things will take a little longer.....patience......patience....

http://tinyurl.com/7hq8ubv

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011.html

The Ginza is ok but not enough for the whole day April 9. Its right around the corner from the fish market. Suggest you do that area the day you do the fish market.

We love Gonpachi in the Roppongi Hills area of Tokyo. Make reservations if you want to go.

http://www.gonpachi.jp/en/nishi_azabu/home/location


See if your hotel offers the Disney Shuttle Bus service. It used to be free but I think they now charge 4 or 500 yen p/p.

Move Yoyogi Park more towards the 8th or 9th for better cherry blossom viewing

I might want to switch out April 6 & 7. Saturday during the blossoms season at Asakusa, Sensoji etc might just be to oppressive with the crowds. Edomura on Saturday might be better as lots of families and their children will be at hanami.

Aloha!

Oh and don't eat dinner on the Ginza unless you want to experience Japan at its most expensive. There are many, many, many other areas in the city to have a fabulous dinner without the added expense they charge you for eating on the Ginza. Just imho.

Aloha!

I just noticed I don't have roponggi here anywhere. What day should I go there? Where is it nearby? I think I will switch 6&7. :) but I have yoyogi park early on because it's close to harajuku... Is Shinkuku gyoen not good for viewing cherry blossoms? Cause I could always switch April 2 and April 9. Though I was hoping for a light day on the 9th so I could just go back to other places we want to revisit or do some last minute shopping that day. What do you guys think?

Updated Itinerary:


March 30 Friday Arrive in Tokyo at 4 pm
Check in at hotel (Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Premier) at approximately 7 pm
Dinner nearby (any suggestions?)

March 31 Saturday Wakeup at 4 and go to Tsukiji Market
Breakfast at Sushi Dai
Go to Imperial East Gardens (Tsukijishijo station towards Monzennackacho transfer to Tozai Line and exit Otemachi station through exit c13b)
East Gardens, Sannomaru Shozakan, Kokyo Gaien and Nijubashi
Head to Akihabara (Otemachi station Tozai line to kayabacho transfer to hibiya line and exit at akihabara)
Lunch at Kyushu Jangara Ramen (or would En Izakaya be better?)
Walk around akihabara (Don Quixote, Mandarake Toy Store)
Head back to Ginza for dinner

April 1 Sunday Shibuya, Meiju Shrine, Kiddy land, Omotesando, Takeshita Street, Harajuku, Yoyogi Park

April 2 Monday Ghibli Museum, Roponggi, Ginza

April 3 Tuesday Mt Fuji/Hakone Day Tour

April 4 Wednesday Tokyo Disneyland

April 5 Thursday Tokyo Disney Sea

April 6 Friday Asakusa, Sensoji Temple, Kappabashi and Odaiba

April 7 Saturday EdoMura

April 8 Sunday Yasube, Ameyoko, Tokyo National Museum, Ueno Park

April 9 Monday Sanrioland, Shinjuku Gyoen, Shinjuku

April 10 Tuesday Flight out at 11 AM

Looks good to me if a little busy. Shinjuku Gyoen is one of our favorite places in Tokyo especially as a venue for cherry blossoms. Take a bento lunch with you. Have fun!

Aloha!

Hello from Tokyo! Hmmm... Your March 30 to April 6 looks good to me, busy, but possible. Coolest thing looks like the Mandrake shop. Good choice. Don't be too shocked by what you see if you go to all of the floors. Your April 7-9 looks a lot less interesting to me. Your April 6 and 8 would put me to sleep. You have left off many of the coolest places in Tokyo and are sticking to the pretty mainstream places. What are you most interested in seeing and learning about?