How to Plan Your First Trip to Japan
Not knowing the language isn’t an excuse to postpone your trip to this fascinating country in Japan. Planning well ahead on what routes to take and familiarising yourself with them can help you enjoy a great travel experience. Here are some options for you to choose from when planning your first trip to Japan.
Tour Tokyo for Four Days
Let’s say that you’re planning to spend 10 days in Japan. Option one is to spend four nights in Tokyo, one night in Hakone, and four nights in Kyoto. Would you want to step into one of the world’s busiest stations straight from an hour-long flight? Don’t think so! Make sure that you spend at least four days in the city (the first day would mostly be lost to jet lag, anyway). Focus on resting for the first day so you can start daisy fresh the next day ready to conquer Japan. Three days are just enough to cover the major areas of Tokyo without overtiring yourself.
On your second day, start off your exploring by paying a visit to Tsukiji Market, after which you can explore Asakusa Shrine, Senso-Ji Temple, and finally the Edo-Tokyo Museum.
Spend your third day exploring Shibuya, which is famous the world over for Shibuya Crossing; Harajuku, the quaint fashion district; Roppongi, a fine place for dinner; and Omotesando; a luxury shopping area. In Roppongi, you’ll come across the Tokyo City View, the Mori Art M
museum, and several other attractions.
On your final day in Tokyo, go check out Akihabara, the electronics district that also boasts a fun and quirky owl café and shops that dish out mouthwatering ramen portions. Make time in your itinerary to spend some time shopping in the high-end Ginza, too, where some of the best cocktail bars and sushi restaurants are just waiting to be explored.
Stay in Hakone for a Day
A trip to Japan wouldn’t be complete if you don’t stay at a ryokan; this is a traditional Japanese inn that houses tatami-matted rooms and public areas such as communal baths. Hakone is the perfect place to try this for one night. It is not recommended for first-timers in Japan to spend their entire time in the country in a ryokan; it can be quite difficult to get used to sleeping on tatami mats. Nevertheless, the opportunity of dining on traditional Japanese food here while being pampered to your heart’s content is an experience that’s not to be missed. Some ryokans offer private outdoor hot spring baths as well.
Explore Kyoto for Four Days – Day 1-2
If your main interest in travelling to Japan is the intriguing history and culture of the country, then Kyoto will be the highlight of your trip. You will need 3-4 days to cover all the major sights and attractions in Kyoto. Although Kyoto is not as dense and large as Tokyo, it’s still pretty spread out. Make plans to stay at one of the centrally located Kyoto hotels such as the Park Hotel Kyoto for easy access to many attractions in the city.
On your first day, spend some time exploring Higashiyama Ward, which boasts the exquisite Kiyomizu-Dera Temple – visit it during sunrise for a breathtaking experience! After that, visit Fushimi Inari-Taisha; its orange torii gates are photogenic and would make for an ideal Instagram picture!
On day number two, go cycling through Heian Shrine and the Philosopher’s Walk. After that head down to Nishiki Market to shop for beautiful trinkets and treat your taste buds to delicious varieties of food.
Explore Kyoto for Four Days – Day 3-4
Visit Arashiyama, the bamboo forest, on your third day in Kyoto; here, you’ll come across a monkey park and several exquisite temples and shrines. On your final day in Kyoto, make time to visit the Kinkaku-Ji, which is also known as the Golden Pavilion.
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