Day 1 (3/28): Tokyo
Tokyo SkyTree is the best way to get a view of Tokyo, and understanding of how massive it really is, without having to be in a helicopter. I typically put this in on the first day of itineraries so that the scale of the city is immediately imprinted upon our guests. The tower itself is over 600 meters tall, and it is located near the area where the yakatabune boats typically operate. I've planned it this way so that you guys can have a few things to look forward to on your first day, but you can also rest, and aren't bombarded with different things to do as soon as you land.
Activities:
- Tokyo Sky Tree
Yakatabune dinner- Night food tour (pending availability)
Planner's Notes: I wanted to keep the activities brief since you guys are landing around 3PM. These are both activities that can be done later in the day, and they don't take much time at all.
Day 2 (3/29): Tokyo
Finding a good place to people watch in Tokyo is a challenge sometimes. There isn't really a spot like Central park in Tokyo, and the reason is kind of sad. Story time... in the late 60's, there were a lot of student protests in Tokyo, and so one of the ways the city decided to deal with this is to reduce the amount of public spaces. There are movements in the city where people are attempting to reclaim public spaces, or shed light on the issue by doing things such as throwing 'guerilla picnics' in odd spaces that you wouldn't imagine being used for such things (like the median of large roadways... I put a picture of this in your gallery). The two best (remaining) places that come to mind are Yoyogi Park, and Ueno Park, but Yoyogi is top-tier. For the longest time, whenever I go there I see aa group of people in full rockabilly gear, practicing their Grease-style dances. I think that the lack of public spaces is kind of a blessing and a curse for people-watching, in the sense that there aren't many places to do it, however it forces everyone who wants to be outside to a few places in the city.
The fashion tour is something that should include really nice, small boutique stores, but since we are discussing people watching, I also just want it to include areas and neighborhoods that are known for their fashion. All of the activities for this day are centered around the west-side of Tokyo, thus there won't really be a need to take the trains between these locations, however you should wear a comfortable pair of shoes. We made a really bad attempt at shooting a fashion vlog pre-COVID in the very neighborhood that I would like to include in the itinerary for this day. I'll send you a link.
Activities:
- Meiji-Jingu Shrine (guided)
- Yoyogi Park (guided)
- Fashion district tour (guided)
- Tattoo museum
- Sake taste-testing (guided)
Planner's Notes: I think that I'd like to move the Tattoo museum to day 5, and perhaps put the Ueno Park hanami in on this day instead, since the forecast for peak cherry blossom viewing will be around this day.
Day 3 (3/30): Tokyo ---> Hachijojima
Nikko is just north of Tokyo, and the best way to get there is by train. There is a train that actually has a private cabin (which is pretty rare for Japan), and it's the most enjoyable way to watch the landscape change from modern, to countryside. Nikko is the resting place for the shogun who unified Japan. There is a shrine there in his honor, and it by far the most ornate of any shrine I've seen in the country. The first half of this day is best spent with a knowledgeable guide who can give you all of the history of Nikko, and the shrines so that you can best appreciate it. The shrine itself is planted right in the middle of a large cedar forest, which only adds to its majesty.
After that, the next stop is more lighthearted. The Edo-era theme park isn't located too far from the shrine. I love visiting here, and they usually have to kick us out, because we typically stay until closing hours. There is so much to do, see and learn while visiting. There are impromptu sword fights, hidden ninjas in the streets, and even stations where you can try your hand at creating your own daruma dolls. It is a lot of light-hearted fun, but I can definitely understand if it isn't exactly what you're looking for with this itinerary. Please let me know what you think about it, and we can replace this with something else.
As transportation in the area can be very complicated, we would like to arrange a private car for you and your guide on this day (to travel around Nikko after you have arrived by train, or even to pick you up directly from where you'll be staying in Tokyo). At night, we'd like to schedule in an overnight ferry to Hachijojima, which is an island in the Izu Peninsula just south of the city. They have private cabins.
Activities:
- Day trip to Nikko (with a guide)
- Toshogu Shrine
- Edo Wonderland open-air museum/theme park
- Dinner reservation:
- Locale (first choice)
- Locale is a relatively new restaurant in the Meguro ward of Tokyo. Not super-famous, but extremely unique. It was started by a Californian chef, with a strong focus on farm-to-table fresh ingredients and working closely with farmers in Japan. Very small, and intimate.
- https://www.locale.tokyo/
- Locale (first choice)
- Overnight ferry to Hachijojima
Planner's Notes: The ferry is a really nice way to check out Tokyo Bay at night, and I know it may sound strange, but sometimes traveling slowly makes you feel like you're actually changing locations. The island is technically part of Tokyo (same governing municipality), however they are two different worlds. Ferry will depart around 10PM, and arrive early in the morning.
Day 4 (3/31): Hachijojima
Island lifestyle in Japan is amazing, and this island is particularly blessed. This day is meant to be a more slow-paced relaxing day. The island is a set of twin volcanoes in the middle of the sea and the larger volcano makes for a really beautiful short hike. There is actually a smaller volcano inside of the larger one, both overgrown with lush greenery. The tall grass that covers the volcano is beautiful, and it gives it a very special kind of presence.
In the past, I've sent people here for go-karts, as there is a place where you can rent them to drive around the island. If you wanted to add some lighthearted fun to this part of your trip, then it would be a nice addition, however the ryokan that we use here does have a van or small motorbike that you guys can rent too. The accommodations that I've chosen for you will have a car for you to use, as there isn't much in terms of public transportation. They will also prepare breakfast and dinner. They use a lot of ingredients that they themselves grow or catch. It is an ideal island ryokan stay. International driving permits aren't too hard to get, and usually only involve paying a nominal fee, but are required for both the car rental and the go-karts.
The place you'd be staying at is a very small location that is a short walk to the beach with black sands that I mentioned to you guys on the phone. The place is a standard ryokan, however the food here has been really good on previous visits, because they have a garden on-site that they use to cook with. Also the fish is typically fresh caught that day, so it is stellar. They location provides a kaiseki-style dinner that I personally think beats the other food options on the island, however there are izakaya that you guys can visit for food, or drinks while there. I've included a couple's massage on this day, but please do let me know if that kind of thing is not wanted.
Activities:
- Volcano hike (Mt. Hachijofuji - volcano is not active)
- Spa day - couple's massage
- Traditional kaiseki meal
- Traditional ryokan stay
- Car, go-karts, or van rental to travel the island
Planner's Notes: This island has very sparse public transport, so it is best to rent a car, or the go-karts, or the motorbike to get around, so one of you should secure an International Driving Permit (you can just google IDP, they don't cost much at all) for this day. Also, I do believe that there is a bathhouse here that utilizes the ocean water instead of hot springs water. I will confirm before adding it to this itinerary.
Day 5 (4/1): Hachijojima ---> Tokyo
Heading back to Tokyo, the goal for this day was to visit some of the more historic sites in Tokyo, before leaving this region. This day will be with a guide, who will take you to the locations listed below. Asakusa, and Sensouji Temple are also great spots for traditional Japanese sweets. The main entrance is lined with stalls that sell all types of treats, however there are restaurants in the same area as the temple that have really interesting sweets that you normally wouldn't find outside of Asakusa, like maccha gelato.
Activities:
- Asakusa and Sensouji Temple (guided)
- Tokyo Imperial Palace grounds (guided)
- Depachika (time permitting)
- Toyosu Fish Market + Sushi Making lesson
Ueno National Museum- Tokyo bar-hopping tour (guided)
Planner's Notes: My plan is to utilize the same hotel that you've been using for the first three days of your trip, so that you can pack a small bag for your island trip, and leave your bigger bags at reception at the main hotel back in Tokyo. Also, I think this would be a great day for a museum addition, but please let me know what you think. Also, the Whiskey Library also does dinner now, so this could be a dinner reservation should you guys wish to eat there as well. Their whiskey menu can be seen here:
https://tokyo-whisky-library.com/pdf/whisky.pdf
Also, please note that I've consciously put less activities on this day, because I didn't want to overdo it on a day where you have some travel time. To get back to Tokyo from Hachijojima is a very quick 50 minute flight. I remember you mentioning that Vanessa may get tired after too many activities, so I put less in the itinerary for this day, assuming you guys might want a little downtime to recover from all the back-and-forth.
Day 6 (4/2): Tokyo
The main activity for this day is the Kanamara Matsuri. I really wanted to include a matsuri festival in your itinerary as (like I mentioned in our call) they are one-off very special occasions. This particular matsuri is very unique. Kanamara, roughly translates to 'steel phallus'. The Kanayama Shrine that is responsible for this event is a shrine that is dedicated to a god of blacksmithing and mining. The story of how this matsuri came to be is super interesting. Supposedly there was a woman who unfortunately had a demon in her vagina. The demon kept biting off the dicks of her husbands and so she went to blacksmith who essentially crafted a dildo for her that was made of steel. She used it, and the demon broke his teeth on it and immediately vacated her vagina.
The matsuri itself is, on the surface, a very wild looking matsuri. They will carry a massive penis structure through the streets in the exact same way that a mikoshi would be carried for any other festival. This festival is extremely important and special in that those who are typically not present in other matsuri flock to this one. What I mean is that in some situations and places, LGBTQ+ don't really have a presence in most traditional matsuri. This shrine was also patronized by sex workers to pray for protection against STDs in a bygone era. So essentially, this matsuri has over time become one of the matsuri that people of all backgrounds can openly celebrate. Japan can be very conservative in regards to sexual orientations, and views on them, so this is a very special event that will allow you to see people celebrating openly, which isn't a common sight in Japan.
After the matsuri, I wanted to include a visit to Odaiba, where all of Japan's really cool and fancy tech stuff is housed. I thought that this may be a cool visit for Vanessa in particular as my hope is that she'll see some things there that she might be interested in. There are many places to visit there (a lot of Japan's biggest corporations have concept tech houses there), however I wanted to focus on the two listed below. MIRAIKAN, is a science/tech museum that has a lot of really cool interactive things to assist with learning.
Activities:
- Kanamara Matsuri
- TeamLab Planets
- MIRAIKAN
- Dinner Reservation: TBD
Overnight train to Kurashiki
Planner's Notes: Rather than leaving on this night, the plan will be to have you guys depart on Day 7, so if the nighttime bar-hopping activity needs to be switched to this day, or if you guys would like another night out on this day, then a late train tomorrow before or around noon would be possible to allow you guys to rest in.
Day 7 (4/3): Kyoto
REST DAY
Activities:
- bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto
- Ryoan-ji Temple Garden
- Himeji Castle visit
- Osaka Street food + Dotonbori area tour
Planner's Notes:
All of the major travel for this day should be done via bullet train. The train from Tokyo to Kyoto is about a two and a half hour journey, and the trip to Himeji is about an hour, and can be scheduled a tad later in the day. The trip between Osaka and Kyoto is about 20 minutes, so it wouldn't be too much trouble to get between each place, even though it does seem like a lot when you read it. Kyoto isn't known for nightlife activities, so I thought that stopping in Osaka before heading back would be best if you wanted something to do before heading back. Also, the Dotonbori area in Osaka is amazing at night. Osaka in general is better for food and nightlife in my opinion. The two cities (Kyoto and Osaka) are pretty much one big city. The subways even connect, so really the day trip portion would be to Himeji.
Day 8 (4/4): Koyasan
The islands in the Seto Inland Sea are essentially a canvas for many artists around Japan. I think the idea came about as a way to utilize this area as the population started to dwindle. Every three years, new art is installed on the islands in this region. Thus, I would like to dedicate this day to visiting a few of them.
Activities:
- Koyasan shukubo stay
Planner's Notes:
Uno PortTeshimaNaoshima
First option for the temple to stay at is definitely Eko-in. The head monk speaks English quite well, so the explanations on things will be better than other places, however I'm sure that there are other temples that also have bilingual monks that can offer explanations for things. Typically people visit this area to do a portion of the Kumano Kodo path, participate in the nightly fire rituals that the monks hold, practice zen meditation, experience this regions form of shojin-ryouri (which is what monks usually eat during ascetic periods), and visit the Okunoin Cemetery at night where Kobo Daishi, the founder of this area's sect of Buddhism, is buried. I don't think that a single day is enough for the Kumano Kodo temples, however I don't see why any of the other activities wouldn't be possible during your stay. I would suggest an early departure to make the best of your time here as it takes a while to get to Koyasan (2.5 hours).
Day 9 (4/5): Kyoto
I wanted this day to have a more intimate feel to it, so most of the activities listed here are with that goal in mind, but they are also very instagrammable locations as they are all very beautiful. The area that you'd be exploring is the Arashiyama district. The day will start with a boat ride down the Hozugawa river. This ride however is a traditional 3-manned wooden boat, and is a portion of the route that used to be used in the past to transport cargo between Osaka and Kyoto. The ride is beautiful, and a lovely way to take in the natural surroundings of Kyoto and the beautiful cherry blossom trees that line the river. It ends in the Arashiyama district, where you will have the chance to visit one of Japan's most beautiful zen gardens (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). The garden is somehow beautiful and different in every season. It was masterfully designed. There is a path behind Tenryuji that is famous for being lined with extremely tall bamboo. I'm going to include a picture of it in the small gallery below.
The Arashiyama area also has a small mountain called Iwata that also serves as a sanctuary for monkeys. It is a really nice hike (albeit, very short), and the top of the mountain gives you a view of the entire city of Kyoto.
There is an open air steam-engine train that is an excellent way to get to the meeting spot for taking the boat down the river. It is a beautiful way to get to the boat, however it will add a small amount of time to your overall journey. I do believe that it is worth it though! It is called the Sagano Romantic Train, named so for its romance seats. In Arashiyama there is also a small temple that has hundreds of statues, and each of them was made by a completely different person. One of the former head monks decided that he would teach sculpting to anyone that visited the temple and wanted to learn (this was in the 80's, I believe). All of the sculptures are spread around the temple grounds, and because he gave his students carte blanche with their designs, you'll see some of the ojizou statues wearing headphones, and holding a walkman or other contemporary paraphernalia. It is a site that is unlike thing else in Japan. I thought that you may enjoy this one James.
So, I asked one of our partners in Kyoto if they could put together a hanami-style picnic for the two of you. They came back to me, and suggest that we do it on the Kamogawa river instead. The Kamogawa is the river that runs through Kyoto. It is a wonderful place because it really is one of the best places to get a sense of what type of town Kyoto is. There are typically musicians playing outside on the river, which is a very rare thing for Japan in general. He would have a chef, or cook prepare bento meals for the picnic.
Activities (guided):
- Hozugawa traditional riverboat ride
- Short hike of Iwatayama Monkey park
- Tenryuji zen garden visit
- Torokko Steam Train
- Otagi-Nenbutsu-ji
- Kamogawa picnic
Planner's Notes: This may seem like a packed day, but everything outside of the picnic is pretty much centered in one area. Thus, you guys would have some free time in the afternoon on this day.
Day 10 (4/6): Kyoto
This day is pretty straightforward. It would be a chance to see some of Kyoto's more classic sites, and also have dinner over the river in Kibune.
Activities:
- Kimono try-on for Vanessa
- Traditional tea ceremony
- Visits to Kyoto's classic historic sites:
- Kiyomizudera (this is the temple James mentioned on the phone)
- Fushimi Inari (the shrine with thousands of red torii gates, picture included in gallery)
- Dinner over the river in Kibune
Planner's Notes: I'd like to have guide for the shrine and temple visits, however it isn't a must for these particular sites. It would be very beneficial for gaining some insight though. The kimono try on session will last a bit, depending on where we choose, and how elaborate the kimono is.
Day 11 (4/7): Kyoto
I haven't planned anything on this day, as I'm not sure when you guys would be departing.
Activities:
- n/a
Planner's Notes:
