Advice from those of you who have been to Japan
Here is what I am thinking we'll do when we go to Japan next year- tell me if I am missing anything amazing:
- Stay 6 nights at Courtyard Ginza Tobu (yeah free hotel!):
Asakusa Walking Tour that includes Hama Rikyu Garden, boat ride up the Sumida River, Nakamise Dori, Pagoda, Demboin Garden, Sensoji Temple, Drum Museum; Ueno- Takamori Saigo Statue, Toshogu Shrine, Nat'l Science Museum, Tokyo Nat'l Museum;Edo-Tokyo Museum, Fukugawa Edo Museum, Studio Ghibli, National Children's Castle, TMG Observation Platform, Children's Hall, Tokyo Tower, Tsukiji Fisk Market, wander Ginza, Akihabara, Harajuko
Travel to Hakone and stay 1 night at Fujiya Hotel: Check Point, Open Air Museum, Owakudani Nature Trail and travel by mountain tram, cable car, ropeway and boat, try to see Fuji through clouds
Here is where it gets tricky- I have two options next. Either do Kyoto/Nara or hit some significant sites near Tokyo. We already know we want to come back and do southern Japan at a later date- I really want to go to Okinawa and Hiroshima but Josh isn't old enough yet. I may just do Kyoto then. So here are the options:
Option 1:
Travel to Kyoto and stay 3 nights at ?
Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle, Ryoanji Temple, Kinkakuji, Walking Tour that includes Ginkakuji, Philosopher’s Pathway, Eikando Temple, Nanzenji Temple, Kyoto Musuem of Traditional Crafts, Heian Shrine, Kyoto Handicraft Shrine
Day Trip to Nara: Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Shrine, Kofukuji Temple
Option 2:
Day trip from Tokyo to Nikko: Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Villa, Toshogu Shrine, Ieyasu’s Mausoleum, Sacred Bridge
Day trip from Tokyo to Kamakura: Great Buddha, Hase Kannon Temple, Tsurugaoka-Hachimangu Shrine
- Stay 6 nights at Courtyard Ginza Tobu (yeah free hotel!):
Asakusa Walking Tour that includes Hama Rikyu Garden, boat ride up the Sumida River, Nakamise Dori, Pagoda, Demboin Garden, Sensoji Temple, Drum Museum; Ueno- Takamori Saigo Statue, Toshogu Shrine, Nat'l Science Museum, Tokyo Nat'l Museum;Edo-Tokyo Museum, Fukugawa Edo Museum, Studio Ghibli, National Children's Castle, TMG Observation Platform, Children's Hall, Tokyo Tower, Tsukiji Fisk Market, wander Ginza, Akihabara, Harajuko
Travel to Hakone and stay 1 night at Fujiya Hotel: Check Point, Open Air Museum, Owakudani Nature Trail and travel by mountain tram, cable car, ropeway and boat, try to see Fuji through clouds
Here is where it gets tricky- I have two options next. Either do Kyoto/Nara or hit some significant sites near Tokyo. We already know we want to come back and do southern Japan at a later date- I really want to go to Okinawa and Hiroshima but Josh isn't old enough yet. I may just do Kyoto then. So here are the options:
Option 1:
Travel to Kyoto and stay 3 nights at ?
Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle, Ryoanji Temple, Kinkakuji, Walking Tour that includes Ginkakuji, Philosopher’s Pathway, Eikando Temple, Nanzenji Temple, Kyoto Musuem of Traditional Crafts, Heian Shrine, Kyoto Handicraft Shrine
Day Trip to Nara: Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Shrine, Kofukuji Temple
Option 2:
Day trip from Tokyo to Nikko: Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Villa, Toshogu Shrine, Ieyasu’s Mausoleum, Sacred Bridge
Day trip from Tokyo to Kamakura: Great Buddha, Hase Kannon Temple, Tsurugaoka-Hachimangu Shrine