Hey everyone!

I’ve made a tentative itinerary of my upcoming Japan trip. Feedback will be much appreciated as this will be my first time in Japan on my own.

I’ll be bringing 26k yen in cash and will be utilisons cards for the rest, would that be enough cash on hand? I know Japan is still a cash reliant society.

Touchdown in Tokyo on 25 March 3.30pm:

• Check into the hotel (shimbamba)
• Roppongi for dinner and night exploration

(Couple of questions: how much time would it take to buy a JR rail pass on-site, or should I reserve online and collect on-site? Do you think the sun will still be up after I check in? I’d like to see the roppongi Sakura-zaka under the sun.)

26 March:

• Akihabara morning exploration. lunch there too.
• Sumida Park.
• kaminorimon gate, walk up to senso-ji. Explore the temple area.
• dinner and night exploration at Hoppy street and the Asakusa old city .

27 March:

• Mt. Takao. Lunch here.
• Inokashira park.
• Omoide Yokocho for dinner and night exploration.

(question here: are there any spots to eat lunch in Mt takao? I know I’ll probably have to buy lunch ahead of time if I want to eat lunch there.)

28 March:

• check out and take Hikari Shinkansen to Kyoto.
• Nishiki Market if I have time to kill, most likely not.
• check in at hotel. (Kawaramachi area)
• rush down to Fushimi Inari Taisha.
• back up to Pontocho Alley for dinner and Kamo river stroll down from pontocho park.

29 March:

• kiyomizudera
• Maruyama park via ishibei Koji lane
• yasaka shrine
• lunch in Gion’s old city and explore the area.
• back to the park to see Chion-in and Shoren-in
• Keage Incline.
• back to Gion old city for dinner and night exploration.

30 march:

• Ginkaku-Ji (silver temple)
• path of philosophy donwards
• all the way to nanzen-ji. lunch in the area.
• Okazaki canal to Heian shrine. explore there too.
• Nishiki market, teramachi dori, shin kyogoku for dinner and night exploration.

31 March:

• Arashiyama all morning and lunch there too.
• hirano shrine and kinkaku-ji (golden temple)
• I want to go to haradani garden after that but I’m not sure if it will open by then. If it’s not open by then, I could use suggestions as to what to do after kinkaku-ji.
• either that or just souvenir shopping at Daimaru and Takashimaya.

1 April:

• take Nozomi Shinkansen back to Tokyo.
• flight home at 4pm. (Would Hikari work here too? I’m kinda lazy to buy an extra ticket just for the Nozomi)

Looking forward to all your feedback. Thanks Everyone!