The Dodans Travel Office  ·  Volume I
A Notebook in Six Phases

日本. Japan,
twenty·seven days

二〇二六
六月─七月

— with Vlad, Ioana & Toma. The notebook opens here.

Window June 23 — July 19
Phase 1 base Shiba Park Hotel
Carrier QR 806 · 807
Booking 945L4H
Phase 1 days 7 nights, Tokyo

This is the field notebook. It walks you through Phase One day by day — arrival, TeamLab, and the first improvised Thursday — with timed schedules, restaurant A/B options, a single real ticket stub, and empty frames waiting for the photos that haven’t been taken yet.

Loading trip status…
Day 01  /  Phase 1Today
Day 01 of 27 / Phase One / Tokyo · Shibakoen
23rd
June / Tuesday
First steps onto Japanese asphalt — the long, quiet glide from Doha to a 7-Eleven near a library hotel.
到着
ARRIVAL
Tokyo Tower illuminated at dusk above the Minato cityscape

Tokyo Tower from somewhere nearby

Have the passports ready in the seat pocket. Toma still gets tired at the border — pack a snack and the bear in his backpack, not the suitcase.
The day's shape
19:10JST

Land at Narita

Qatar QR 806 via Doha. Terminal 2. The watches catch up to local time on descent.

⬣ Non‑shiftable Carrier Qatar Airways Booking 945L4H
20:15→ 20:30

Clear customs & pick up bags

Romanian passports, visa-free 90 days. Have the hotel address handy in case the form asks. Pick up the Suica machines on the way out (or do it at the JR ticket counter inside T2 if the queue is short).

Toma needs a child Suica — passport required at the counter.
20:30→ 22:15

Narita → Daimon

Keisei Access Express to Asakusa, then Toei Asakusa Line to Daimon. ~90 min total. Tap Suica or buy a paper ticket at the kiosk.

¥3,730 family 2 transfers
22:15JST

Check in — Shiba Park Hotel

Library hotel concept: 1,500 curated books on the floors, full bathtubs, and a quiet street with Tokyo Tower glowing through one of the windows. Two minutes from Onarimon, five from Daimon.

22:30

7-Eleven dinner

Convenience store across the street. Onigiri, karaage, a cold beer, ice cream for Toma. The first real meal in Japan should be small and absurd.

Don’t skip the egg sandwich. Tradition.
Cards & memories
⌖ Tonight’s base
Where you sleep · Phase 1

Shiba Park Hotel

A library hotel in Shibakoen — 1,500 books on the floors, Tokyo Tower in one window. You arrive long after dark, so tonight it’s just a quiet street and a 7-Eleven run.

Arrival run · ~90 min →Keisei Access Express→→Toei Asakusa Line→
Open hotel in Google Maps
First meal · 7-Eleven feast

Konbini, near the hotel

Nothing reserved. Walk in, grab a plastic basket, point at what looks right. Heat where they tell you to.

A
7-Eleven Shibakoen
Closest to the hotel, open 24h. Egg sando, salmon onigiri, karaage-kun. Toma can pick his own pudding.
24hcash + IC2 min walk
B
FamilyMart Daimon
If 7-Eleven is mid-restock. Hot oden in summer is still a thing.
24hcash + IC5 min walk
Family budget ¥2,500 Reservation None
Toma's face when the train doors slide open at Narita.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
The first 7-Eleven haul on the hotel bed.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Narita → Daimon transit¥3,730
Suica child top-up (Toma)¥15,000
7-Eleven dinner~¥2,500
Hotelprepaid
Total cash out~¥21,230
Tomorrow brings

Zojo-ji at sunrise, TeamLab at 14:00.

The first locked appointment of the trip is a 14:00 admission window at the Mori Building Digital Art Museum. Be at the door by 13:50 — no re-entry once inside.

→ continue

Day 02  /  Phase 1Today
Day 02 of 27 / Phase One / Tokyo · Shibakoen → Azabudai
24th
June / Wednesday
A temple, a tower, a hill of new architecture — then two hours inside a museum that has no walls.
無境界
BORDERLESS
Visitors silhouetted inside a TeamLab digital art installation, blue light cascades

The room of infinite crystal — phones don’t catch it

The day's shape
09:00→ 10:00

Zojo-ji Temple

Five minutes from the hotel. Tokyo Tower frames itself behind the main hall — the most photographed angle in this part of the city. Free.

Toma will want to ring the bell. Let him.
10:00→ 11:00

Tokyo Tower — Main Deck

¥1,200/adult, ¥700/child for the Main Deck (150m). Top Deck is extra and probably not worth it on Day 2. Walk it; it's ten minutes.

¥3,100 family
11:30→ 13:00

Lunch at Azabudai Hills

Walk to the new Azabudai Hills complex. Lunch courses at Tori Oka (yakitori, counter) or the cheese-hamburg at Limelight if Toma needs comfort food.

14:00→ 14:30

TeamLab Borderless — admission

Azabudai Hills Garden Plaza B. 15-minute walk from the tower; one Oedo stop if you’re tired. Locked admission window, no re-entry. Be at the door by 13:50.

⬣ Non‑shiftable ¥10,300 (2A+1C) Booked 04 May
14:30→ 16:30

Inside — no time limit

Plan for at least two hours. The Crystal Universe and the Forest of Lamps draw the longest queues; the Sketch Aquarium is the one Toma will remember.

Wear something light. The lamp room runs warm.
17:00→ 18:30

Azabudai Hills walk

The whole complex is new — Thomas Heatherwick gardens, mid-luxury retail, the Mori JP Tower. Walk it slowly. Free.

19:00

Dinner near the hotel

Onarimon Tempura (small, five minutes from Shiba Park) or pick down the Daimon izakaya strip. Tonight should be short and quiet — Day 3 starts in Akihabara.

Phones come out inside TeamLab but pictures never do it justice. Try not to fight the room — drop the camera, walk slowly, let Toma run a little.
Cards & the real ticket
⌖ Today’s ground
Today’s ground · the home cluster

Shibakoen & Azabudai

The whole day stays within walking distance of the hotel — a temple, the old tower, the brand-new Azabudai Hills. No trains until you choose one. The most relaxed day of Phase One.

All on foot · ~15 min between points →Tokyo Tower→Azabudai Hills→TeamLab
Open the area in Google Maps
⬣ Locked admission · 14:00 window

TeamLab Borderless

Azabudai Hills Garden Plaza B — Mori Building Digital Art Museum. The 2D code unlocks 24 hours before entry. No re-entry once inside, no time limit on stay.

Reference#A4YMFUNJK4AL-0001
Party2A + 1C · ¥10,300
Booked2026-05-04
Be at the door by 13:50. Phones out, expectations down.
Admission
14:00
JUN 24 WED
2A · 1C
Lunch · Azabudai Hills

Tori Oka or Limelight

Both inside the Azabudai Hills food complex — walk in, see what's open.

A
Tori Oka
High-quality yakitori, counter seating, lunch courses. The hospitality angle is half the meal.
YakitoriCounter~¥6–9k family
B
Limelight
Famous cheese hamburg steak — the kid-comfort pick. Walk-in OK, fast.
YoshokuWalk-in~¥4–6k family
Recommended Tori Oka Reservation None needed
Dinner · Shiba Park / Daimon

Quiet, near the hotel

Short walk back. Tomorrow is Akihabara — don’t over-extend.

A
Onarimon Tempura
Small spot specialising in sweet shrimp. Counter, calm, five minutes from the hotel.
Tempura~¥5–8k family
B
Daimon Izakaya Strip
Walk between Daimon and Hamamatsucho. Multiple izakayas. Grilled chicken, edamame, fried rice for Toma.
IzakayaWalk & pick
Tokyo Tower behind Zojo-ji at 09:30.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
A blur from inside the lamp room.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Tokyo Tower Main Deck¥3,100
Lunch — Azabudai Hills~¥7,500
TeamLab Borderless (prepaid)¥10,300
Dinner — Onarimon area~¥6,500
Local transport~¥1,200
Total~¥28,600
Tomorrow brings

Akihabara, Nakano, and a karaoke room.

What used to be the Disneyland day is now the day pulled forward from Phase 6 — a full indoor sweep through neon, vintage Mandarake floors, and a private soundproof room with a drinks bar.

→ continue

Day 03  /  Phase 1Today
Day 03 of 27 / Phase One / Akihabara → Nakano → Karaoke
25th
June / Thursday
A day rebuilt from a cancelled one — retro arcades, four floors of vintage toys, then a soundproof room of our own.
電気街
ELECTRIC TOWN
Akihabara at night, neon billboards in kanji above a busy crosswalk

Akihabara at dusk — the only crowd louder is its own signage

Originally a Disneyland day. The pivot is good. USJ on July 9 is still the big-park anchor; what Akihabara gives you is the trip’s deepest indoor day — perfect insurance if June rain shows up.
The day's shape
09:30

Leave Shibakoen

Hamamatsucho → Akihabara, JR Yamanote line, ~15 min. Tap Suica.

~¥200/adult
10:00→ 13:00

Akihabara

Three hours is enough. Super Potato (top-floor playable arcade, retro consoles for sale), Yodobashi Camera Akiba (eight floors), the crane-game arcades down Chuo-dori, the smaller manga shops between blocks. Toma will not want to leave.

Pocket coins for the crane games. They are the point.
13:00→ 14:00

Lunch in Akihabara

Kanda Matsuya for hand-made soba (since 1884) or CoCo Ichibanya for kid-friendly customisable curry — Toma picks his spice level.

14:30→ 17:00

Nakano Broadway

JR Chuo line via Ochanomizu or Shinjuku, ~25 min. Four floors of vintage toys, 30+ Mandarake sub-shops, rare figures. Jackroad and a few pre-owned watch dealers — a first-look pass before Ginza on Day 7. Don’t miss the Daily Chico 8-scoop ice cream tower in the basement.

If you see a watch you want, don’t buy it today. Photograph it. Sleep on it.
17:30

Back to Shibakoen

Nakano → Hamamatsucho, JR Chuo + Yamanote, ~30 min. Quick shower at the hotel before dinner.

18:00→ 19:30

Dinner near the hotel

Onarimon or Daimon strip — short, calm, fuelling for karaoke. Save Tempura Ginza Onodera for Day 7's farewell dinner.

20:00→ 22:00

Karaoke

Big Echo or Karaoke Kan — Shibuya or Roppongi branch (10–15 min from Hamamatsucho). Private soundproof room for 3, two hours, drinks bar included.

¥3,000–5,000 family Walk-in English songbook
Toma sings first. Family rule.
Cards & change notice
⬣ Day-3 swap · logged 2026-05-19

Disneyland → Akihabara

The Disneyland plan was dropped. This day was pulled forward from old Phase 6 Day 4 (Jul 17). Phase 6 now reserves Friday Jul 17 for the Ghibli Museum if the July ticket battle lands at 04:00 BUC on Jun 10.

Trade even USJ remains Jul 9
Lunch · Akihabara

Soba or curry

Two opposite poles. Pick what the morning energy points to.

A
Kanda Matsuya
Hand-made soba since 1884. Cold seiro in summer. Traditional, fast, elegant. 5 min walk from Akihabara.
SobaTabelog 3.6+~¥3–4.5k family
B
CoCo Ichibanya
Customisable Japanese curry — Toma picks spice and toppings. Fast fuel for the Nakano hop.
CurryWalk-in~¥3–5k family
Recommended Kanda Matsuya
⌖ Today’s ground
Today’s ground · Electric Town → Nakano

Akihabara & Nakano

Two cathedrals of the obsessive — Akihabara’s eight-floor electronics towers, then Nakano Broadway’s four floors of vintage figures and pre-owned watch dealers. A whole day spent looking up at signage.

Getting around · Suica · ~70 min total →JR Yamanote→→JR Chuo→
Open route in Google Maps
Watches · the dry run

Nakano Broadway, 2F–4F

Pre-owned shops cluster on the upper floors. Jackroad is the named anchor; smaller dealers around it carry the surprises. The point today is the survey, not the purchase.

Notebook out, wallet closed Ginza on Day 7
Toma at a crane game, the moment before he loses again.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
The karaoke songlist screen. The first song you all picked.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Local transport (3 JR legs + karaoke trip)~¥1,500
Lunch — Akihabara~¥4,000
Crane games + small purchases (Akihabara)~¥3,000
Daily Chico ice cream tower~¥1,200
Dinner — Shibakoen area~¥6,000
Karaoke · 2 hours, private room~¥4,000
Total~¥19,700
Tomorrow brings

Meiji Shrine. Shibuya Sky. Don Quijote at midnight.

The Shibuya–Harajuku–Shinjuku sweep. Day 4 is shiftable with Day 6 (Odaiba) if the forecast flips, otherwise it’s a 12-hour outdoor day.

→ continue

Day 04  /  Phase 1Today
Day 04 of 27 / Phase One / Harajuku → Shibuya → Shinjuku
26th
June / Friday
Meiji Shrine at dawn, Shibuya Sky at sunset, Don Quijote at midnight — the day Tokyo opens its widest.
渋谷
SHIBUYA
Shibuya Scramble crossing from above, lit by neon billboards at night

Shibuya Scramble from somewhere up high

Long day. Pace it. Lunch in Harajuku is the inflection point — if Toma is fried, swap Shinjuku for an early dinner near the hotel and skip Don Quijote.
The day’s shape
09:00→ 10:30

Meiji Shrine

Hamamatsucho → Harajuku (JR Yamanote ~20 min). Best before 10:00 — emptier, cooler. Free.

10:30→ 11:15

Yoyogi Park

Exit Meiji’s south gate. Open lawns. Toma can run. Free.

11:15→ 12:00

Takeshita Street + Kiddy Land

Walk from Yoyogi. Kiddy Land is multi-floor toy heaven — Ghibli, Pokémon, Sanrio.

12:00→ 13:30

Lunch — Harajuku/Omotesando

Sakuratei (okonomiyaki, cook-your-own teppan) reservation 1wk ahead, or Harajuku Gyoza Lou (no-frills, cash only).

14:00→ 15:30

Shibuya Sky observation deck

¥2,200/adult, ¥1,000/child. Timed entry — book a few days ahead at shibuya-sky.

⬣ Timed entry ~¥5,400 family
15:30→ 16:30

Shibuya Crossing + Hachiko

Street-level after the deck. Cross the scramble at least twice. Hachiko statue for the obligatory photo.

The Starbucks across the crossing has the best window view if it’s raining.
17:00→ 18:00

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

Shibuya → Shinjuku (JR Yamanote 1 stop). Free 45th-floor observation deck, open until 22:30. Sunset/dusk views — rival the paid ones.

18:00→ 19:00

Kabukicho walk-through + Golden Gai

Neon, narrow alleys, micro-bars. Just walk. Don’t stop in — Toma is along.

19:00→ 20:30

Dinner — Shinjuku

Tsunahachi Honten (tempura since 1924, counter seating) or Fuunji (tsukemen, ticket machine, queue).

20:30→ 21:15

Don Quijote Shinjuku

24-hour discount store, 8 floors. Tax-free over ¥5,000 with passport. Kit-Kat flavors, toys, weird souvenirs.

If the day is winning — skip. If it’s losing — this is the win.
21:30

Return to hotel

Shinjuku → Hamamatsucho (JR Yamanote ~20 min).

Cards & memories
⌖ Today’s ground
Today’s ground · the wide sweep

Harajuku → Shibuya → Shinjuku

Tokyo at its loudest and widest — a forest shrine, a teenage shopping street, the world’s busiest crossing, neon alleys. You move south to north along the Yamanote, on and off the loop all day.

Getting around · Suica · Yamanote loop →→
Open route in Google Maps
Lunch · Harajuku / Omotesando

Cook-your-own or queue-fast

A reservation pick and a walk-in pick. The reservation has to be made by ~Jun 19.

A
Sakuratei
Okonomiyaki on a teppan at your table. Fun and interactive for Toma. 8 min from Harajuku Station. Reserve 1 week ahead.
OkonomiyakiBooking~¥5–7k family
B
Harajuku Gyoza Lou
Legendary no-frills gyoza. Crispy pan-fried. Cheap, fast. Cash only.
GyozaCash~¥3–4.5k family
Recommended Sakuratei Deadline ~Jun 19
⬣ Timed entry · book ahead

Shibuya Sky

Observation deck at the top of Shibuya Scramble Square. The slot at 14:00 catches the Scramble at full activity below; later slots get sunset over the city.

Adult ¥2,200 Child ¥1,000 Book 2–3 days out
Dinner · Shinjuku

Old institution or new queue

Both walk-in.

A
Tsunahachi Honten
Tempura since 1924. Counter seating, watch the chef. English menu. Kid-friendly.
Tempura~¥8–12k family
B
Fuunji
Tabelog 3.7+. Thick fish-based tsukemen. Small shop, expect a queue. Ticket machine.
Tsukemen~¥3.5–5k
Three of you mid-stride across Shibuya Scramble.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Toma's Kiddy Land haul, sorted on the hotel bed.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Local transport (Yamanote loop)~¥1,800
Lunch — Harajuku~¥6,000
Shibuya Sky tickets~¥5,400
Dinner — Shinjuku~¥9,000
Don Quijote souvenirs~¥4,000
Total~¥26,200
Tomorrow brings

Out of the city — Kamakura by JR.

Great Buddha, Hokokuji bamboo grove, and Yuigahama Beach. Toma runs on sand. ~75 min each way on the JR from Hamamatsucho.

→ continue

Day 05  /  Phase 1Today
Day 05 of 27 / Phase One · Day Trip / Kamakura · Hase · Yuigahama
27th
June / Saturday
Out of Tokyo for a day — the Great Buddha, the bamboo at Hokokuji, sand under the feet at Yuigahama.
鎌倉
KAMAKURA
The Great Buddha of Kamakura (Daibutsu) at Kotoku-in, bronze, weathered

Daibutsu at Kotoku-in, cast 1252

This day replaces the original Ghibli Saturday — the June ticket window was missed. We’re trying for Ghibli July on the morning of Jun 10. Until then, Saturday is a day trip.
The day’s shape
08:00→ 09:30

Hamamatsucho → Kamakura

JR via Yokohama, ~75 min, ~¥1,000/adult each way. Tap Suica.

~¥4,000 family return
09:30→ 11:00

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu + Komachi-dori

Walk up Komachi-dori from the station — ~700m of small shops, dango skewers, shirasu samples. End at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. Free.

11:00→ 12:00

Hokokuji Bamboo Grove

10 min by bus or taxi from station. Small zen temple with a stunning bamboo grove and matcha service at the back.

¥600 entry incl. matcha
Less crowded than the Arashiyama bamboo in Kyoto. Sit with the matcha. Don’t rush.
12:00→ 13:30

Lunch in Kamakura

Komachi-dori street grazing (shirasu donburi samples, croquettes, dango) or a sit-down shirasu bowl in Hase.

13:30→ 14:30

Kotoku-in — the Great Buddha

Enoden train from Kamakura → Hase, 5 min, ~¥200. The bronze Daibutsu was cast in 1252. Enter inside for ¥50.

¥300/adult · ¥150/child
14:30→ 15:30

Hase-dera

5 min walk from the Daibutsu. Hilltop temple, Kannon statue, bay views, hydrangea garden in late June.

¥400/adult · ¥200/child
15:30→ 17:00

Yuigahama Beach

10 min walk from Hase. Toma can run on the sand, paddle in the surf. Sunset is ~19:00 in late June — leave around 17:00 to keep ahead of dusk.

17:00→ 18:30

Return to Shibakoen

Hase → Kamakura → Hamamatsucho, ~90 min via Enoden + JR.

19:00→ 20:30

Dinner near the hotel

Hamamatsucho area izakaya, or konbini-feast at the hotel if energy is low.

Cards & memories
⌖ Day trip · the route
Today’s ground · out of the city

Kamakura, on foot & Enoden

An old samurai capital folded into a small coastal town. You walk Komachi-dori, ride the one-carriage Enoden line down to the sea, and end the day with sand underfoot at Yuigahama.

Getting there · Suica · ~75 min each way →JR via Yokohama→→Enoden→
Open day route in Google Maps
Lunch · Kamakura

Komachi street or shirasu bowl

No reservation needed. Pick by mood.

A
Komachi-dori grazing
Walk the street, taste-as-you-go: shirasu (whitebait) bowls, dango skewers, Kamakura purple sweet potato soft serve, croquettes.
Street food~¥3–5k family
B
Yorimichi (Hase)
Local specialty. Fresh shirasu over rice with quail egg. Near Daibutsu/Hase-dera. Simple, kid-friendly.
Donburi~¥4–6k family
Day-trip discipline

Weather plan

If it’s raining hard, flip this day with Day 6 (Odaiba — indoor). Kamakura without sky is half a day. Bamboo grove holds up under drizzle; the beach does not.

Swap with Day 6
The bamboo grove at Hokokuji, light filtering through.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Toma on Yuigahama, ankle-deep in the Pacific.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
JR + Enoden return~¥6,000
Hokokuji bamboo (incl. matcha)~¥1,800
Kotoku-in Daibutsu¥750
Hase-dera¥1,000
Lunch — Kamakura~¥4,500
Dinner — Shibakoen~¥5,000
Total~¥19,050
Tomorrow brings

Across the Rainbow Bridge to Odaiba.

Miraikan’s ASIMO, the giant Gundam at DiverCity, Bills pancakes by the bay. Indoor backup day for the rest of Phase One.

→ continue

Day 06  /  Phase 1Today
Day 06 of 27 / Phase One · Indoor backup / Odaiba · Miraikan · DiverCity
28th
June / Sunday
Across the Rainbow Bridge to a man-made island — ASIMO at noon, the giant Gundam at three, the bay at dusk.
台場
ODAIBA
Odaiba ferris wheel against bright sky

The wheel at Palette Town

Pure rainy-day fuel. If the weather flips on Day 4 or 5, do this day first — everything indoor, monorail covered, family-friendly. Toma will want the Gundam first; deny him until after Miraikan.
The day’s shape
09:30

Depart hotel

Hamamatsucho → Odaiba via Tokyo Monorail, ~15 min.

¥2,560 family return
10:00→ 12:30

Miraikan Science Museum

ASIMO robot demo (check the schedule on arrival), hands-on exhibits, planetarium. The one Toma will talk about afterward.

¥640/adult · ¥210/child
12:30→ 13:30

Lunch — DiverCity / Odaiba

Food court for variety (everyone picks differently) or Bills for ricotta pancakes with Rainbow Bridge views.

13:30→ 14:00

Unicorn Gundam statue

Free. DiverCity plaza. The transformation animation fires at specific times — check the day’s schedule.

14:00→ 16:00

DiverCity shopping + Odaiba seaside walk

Mall, then waterfront. Rainbow Bridge from the seaside park is the photo.

16:30

Return to hotel

Monorail back to Hamamatsucho. Quiet hour at the hotel before dinner.

19:00→ 20:30

Dinner — Shiba Park area

Hamamatsucho craft beer dining or a konbini farewell-feast at the hotel. Tomorrow is Ginza — save appetite.

Cards & memories
⌖ Today’s ground
Today’s ground · the man-made island

Odaiba, across the bay

A whole island built on Tokyo Bay landfill — science museum, a life-size Gundam, a beach with a view of the Rainbow Bridge. The monorail glides over the water to get there; the ride is the first exhibit.

Getting around · Suica · ~15 min each way →Tokyo Monorail→
Open Odaiba in Google Maps
Lunch · Odaiba

Food court or Bills

No reservations needed. Both walk-in.

A
DiverCity Food Court (2F)
Huge variety: ramen, curry, tonkatsu, hamburg steak. Everyone picks what they want. Near the Gundam statue.
Mixed~¥3–5k family
B
Bills Odaiba
Famous ricotta pancakes. Waterfront Rainbow Bridge views. Kid-friendly Western comfort menu.
Brunch~¥5–8k family
For Toma specifically

Miraikan: ASIMO + planetarium

The ASIMO robot demos run on a schedule — check the day’s board on arrival. Plan the rest of the morning around it.

Demos 15–20 min Daily 2–3 sessions
Toma in front of the Gundam, the moment its head turns.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
The Rainbow Bridge from the Odaiba seaside park.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Tokyo Monorail return¥2,560
Miraikan admission¥1,490
Lunch — DiverCity / Bills~¥5,500
DiverCity shopping~¥3,000
Dinner — Shiba Park~¥6,500
Total~¥19,050
Tomorrow brings

Phase One closes — Tsukiji at sunrise, Ginza by noon, tempura omakase to send us to Hakone.

Last day in Tokyo for Phase One. Watch shopping round 1. Imperial Palace East Gardens at sundown.

→ continue

Day 07  /  Phase 1Today
Day 07 of 27 / Phase One · Farewell / Tsukiji → Ginza → Imperial Palace
29th
June / Monday
Phase One closes in Ginza — tsukiji seafood at sunrise, Grand Seiko at noon, tempura omakase to send us to Hakone.
銀座
GINZA
Ginza at night, neon kanji billboards, taxis at the curb

Ginza at night — the farewell street

Tempura Ginza Onodera needs to be booked 2–4 weeks ahead via Tabelog — this is the early-June task. If it doesn’t land, Plan B is a low-key izakaya in Shibakoen. The first farewell of the trip; the second is in Asakusa on Jul 18.
The day’s shape
08:00→ 11:00

Tsukiji Outer Market

Street food breakfast/brunch. Grilled scallops at Kakigoya, tamagoyaki at Shouro, fresh sushi at the stalls. Eat your way through the market.

~¥3,000–5,000 family
11:30→ 16:00

Ginza watch shopping

Grand Seiko Boutique Ginza (flagship), Seiko Premium Salon, Wako department store, Yodobashi/Bic Camera duty-free. While Vlad shops: Ioana and Toma explore Itoya stationery (12 floors), Hakuhinkan toys, Uniqlo Ginza.

Photograph anything you like. Buy nothing yet. Round 2 in Phase 6 (Ueno/Ameyoko/Nakano pre-owned).
16:00→ 17:00

Imperial Palace East Gardens

Free. Closes 17:00, last entry 16:30 — get in before. Quiet, green, the bookend before dinner.

19:00→ 21:00

Farewell dinner — Tempura Ginza Onodera

High-end counter tempura, sesame + cotton seed oil blend. Book 2–4 weeks ahead via Tabelog. Backup: a low-key izakaya near Shiba Park.

⬣ Booking by early June ¥15,000–25,000 family
Cards & the second real reservation
⌖ Today’s ground
Today’s ground · the last Tokyo day

Tsukiji → Ginza → the Palace

Phase One closes on a short, walkable line — seafood breakfast at the old market, watch windows along Ginza, the quiet of the Imperial gardens before the farewell dinner. Everything within a slow stroll.

Mostly on foot · ~15 min between points →→Imperial Palace
Open route in Google Maps
⬣ Farewell dinner · book by early June

Tempura Ginza Onodera

Counter tempura omakase — from the “Japanese Food Rules” guide. Sesame plus cotton-seed oil, lighter than the typical Tokyo style. The first farewell of the trip.

BookingTabelog · 2–4wk ahead
Party2A + 1C · ¥15–25k
Deadline~2026-06-08
If it doesn’t land, fall back to a Shibakoen izakaya. Confirm before leaving Bucharest.
Dinner
19:00
JUN 29 MON
2A · 1C
Lunch · Tsukiji

The market IS lunch

Don’t sit. Walk the market and grazing. Two stops worth pinning:

A
Street-food grazing
Grilled scallops at Kakigoya (¥600 each), tamagoyaki at Shouro, fresh sushi at the stalls.
Mixed seafood~¥5–8k family
B
Tsukiji Kagura Sushi Honten
If you need to sit. Traditional red vinegar (akazu) rice. Kagura set ¥4,800/person. Old-school wooden interior.
Edomae sushi~¥8–14k family
Watches · the first pass

Ginza, four stops

Grand Seiko Boutique (flagship), Seiko Premium Salon, Wako, Yodobashi/Bic duty-free. Look, take notes, don’t buy.

Round 2 Phase 6 · Ameyoko + Nakano
A grilled scallop at Kakigoya, the moment before you eat it.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
The watch you didn’t buy — the one you photographed at Grand Seiko.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Local transport (Yamanote + Ginza walk)~¥1,500
Tsukiji grazing~¥6,500
Ginza coffee / Itoya stops~¥3,000
Imperial Palace gardensfree
Farewell dinner — Onodera (target)~¥20,000
Total~¥31,000
Tomorrow brings

Phase Two — the Romancecar to Hakone.

Out of Tokyo on the Odakyu Romancecar. A ryokan above the lake, two onsen-soaked days, then Shinkansen to Kyoto.

→ continue

Phase 02

Hakone.

June 30 — July 2  ·  2 nights

Out of Tokyo on the Romancecar. A self-catering ryokan above Lake Ashi, a 24-hour kakenagashi onsen, a sculpture forest, a torii standing in the water, and a volcanic valley that turns eggs black.

Ashinoko Bikeikan  ·  ryokan · Motohakone · above the lake · Shinkansen out Jul 2
Day 08  /  Phase 2Today
Day 08 of 27 / Phase Two · arrival / Tokyo → Romancecar → Open-Air Museum → Lake Ashi
30th
June / Tuesday
Out of Tokyo on the Romancecar — a sculpture forest, a switchback railway, then a tatami room above the lake.
彫刻の森
SCULPTURE FOREST
Red torii archway framing Lake Ashi at golden hour, Hakone

First torii at Lake Ashi, the lake we wake to

Forward the main luggage to Kyoto at the Shiba Park front desk before checking out — Yamato delivers it to Candeo while you’re still in Hakone. Overnight bags only for the ryokan: yukata robes are provided.
The day’s shape
07:30→ 09:00

Wake, pack overnight bags, forward luggage

Yamato Transport at Shiba Park front desk — ~¥5,000 for 2 bags, delivered to Candeo Kyoto next day. Pack a small bag for 2 nights only.

Have the Kyoto hotel address ready in Japanese on your phone.
09:15

Walk to Daimon → Shinjuku

Oedo Line direct, 25 min. ¥280/adult. Tap Suica.

09:45→ 10:00

Collect Freepass + Romancecar ticket

Odakyu Sightseeing Service Center, Shinjuku West Exit. 3-day Hakone Freepass (essential — 2-day expires before departure) plus Romancecar supplement.

~¥19,750 family
10:00→ 11:20

Romancecar to Hakone-Yumoto

Odakyu Limited Express, reserved seats, big windows. Snack service on board. Book the 10:00 or 10:30 by May 30.

⬣ Reserved seats 80 min
11:20→ 11:35

Stash overnight bags + buy konbini supplies

Large coin lockers at Hakone-Yumoto (¥600–800). Buy dinner supplies at the convenience store before heading up — most restaurants near the ryokan close by 16:00–17:00.

Bento boxes, fruit, instant ramen, beer. Ryokan has microwave, toaster, kettle.
11:35→ 12:05

Hakone Tozan Railway → Chokoku-no-Mori

Scenic mountain railway with three switchbacks. Covered by Freepass. ~30 min.

12:10→ 12:50

Lunch near the museum

Gyoza Center (6 min walk, cash only, beloved local spot) or the museum cafeteria (convenient, scenic curry rice).

12:50→ 15:30

Hakone Open-Air Museum

Japan’s first open-air art museum — 70,000 m² of sculptures, Picasso Pavilion (319 works), Henry Moore collection. Toma anchor: the Forest of Nets — a giant crochet playground he can climb straight into. Foot spa for tired adults.

~¥3,500 family (Freepass discount) 2.5 hrs minimum
15:40→ 16:10

Return to Hakone-Yumoto

Hakone Tozan Railway back. Collect bags from coin lockers.

16:25→ 17:10

Tozan Bus (T Route) → Togendai

Direct bus, 46 min. Covered by Freepass. Scenic ride up toward Lake Ashi.

17:15→ 17:30

Taxi to Ashinoko Bikeikan

~5 min, ¥1,500–2,500. 60+ steps from Togendai Station, taxi recommended. Self-service check-in — show passport.

~¥2,000 Lake & Fuji views
17:30→ 18:30

First onsen soak

24-hour kakenagashi (continuous-flow) hot spring. Wash thoroughly before entering. Small towel for modesty — do not put it in the water.

Toma bathes with the same-gender parent. Ask at check-in about a kashikiri (private family bath) so all three can soak together.
18:30→ 19:30

Dinner — in-room with the supplies you bought

Bentos, microwave, kettle, Lake Ashi out the window. Cozy. Restaurants near the ryokan close by 16:00 — this is the move.

21:00→ 22:00

Second onsen — night soak

Steam, stars, silence. The best one of the day.

Cards & memories
⬣ 3-day Hakone Freepass

¥19,750 covers almost everything

Round-trip Odakyu line, unlimited Tozan railway + cable car + ropeway + pirate ship + Tozan bus, and discounts at 70+ attractions. The 2-day pass expires before departure on Jul 2 — the 3-day is the only sensible choice.

Adult ¥7,500 Child ~¥1,750 Romancecar +¥1,200/adult
⌖ Tonight’s base
Where you sleep · Phase 2

Ashinoko Bikeikan

A small self-catering ryokan on the hillside above Lake Ashi. Tatami rooms, a 24-hour hot spring, Mt. Fuji on a clear morning. 60-plus steps up from the road, so the taxi earns its fare.

The day’s long way in · ~4 hrs door to door →Oedo→→Romancecar→→Tozan Bus→→taxi→
Open ryokan in Google Maps
Lunch · Chokoku-no-Mori

Gyoza or the museum cafeteria

Quick stop before the museum — both walk-in.

A
Gyoza Center
6 min walk from the museum. Cash only. Non-smoking. Beloved local spot.
GyozaCash~¥3–4.5k family
B
Museum Cafeteria
Inside the museum grounds. Curry rice, pasta, sandwiches. Convenient, scenic.
YoshokuWalk-in~¥3–5k family
Recommended Gyoza Center
Onsen, first time

The five rules

Separate by gender. Wash before entering. Small towel out of the water. No swimwear. ~15–20 min max per soak, stay hydrated. Toma bathes with Vlad in the men’s side — or ask about a kashikiri for the family.

Water 40–45°C Cycle 24h
Lake Ashi out the ryokan window, first hour after check-in.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Toma inside the Forest of Nets at the Open-Air Museum.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Metro Daimon → Shinjuku~¥700
3-day Freepass + Romancecar~¥19,750
Coin lockers + konbini supplies~¥3,800
Lunch — Chokoku-no-Mori~¥4,000
Open-Air Museum (Freepass discount)~¥3,500
Taxi Togendai → ryokan~¥2,000
In-room dinner~¥2,500
Luggage forwarding to Kyoto~¥5,000
Total cash out~¥41,250
Tomorrow brings

The full Lake Ashi loop — shrine, ship, volcano, four soaks.

The torii in the water at sunrise, the pirate ship across the lake, kuro-tamago at Owakudani, and the slowest end-of-day in the trip.

→ continue

Day 09  /  Phase 2Today
Day 09 of 27 / Phase Two · the full day / Hakone Shrine → Pirate Ship → Owakudani
1st
July / Wednesday
The full loop — torii in the water, pirate ship across the lake, black eggs in the volcano, four onsens.
大涌谷
OWAKUDANI
Mount Fuji rising behind a red torii gate standing in Lake Ashi, Hakone

Fuji from Lake Ashi, weather permitting

Check the ropeway status before leaving the ryokan — Owakudani closes on high sulfur or strong wind. If it’s shut, swap to the Pola Museum of Art in Sengokuhara. Mt. Fuji visibility is never promised; if you get it, breathe.
The day’s shape
07:00→ 08:00

Morning onsen

Quietest, mistiest, best light. Fewer people than evening.

08:00→ 09:00

In-room breakfast

Bread in the toaster, instant coffee from the kettle, fruit, yogurt. Pack the day bag — overnight stuff stays at the ryokan.

09:30→ 10:00

Walk or taxi to Moto-Hakone

Downhill walk ~15–20 min, or taxi ~¥1,500. The walk is pretty in clear weather.

10:00→ 11:00

Hakone Shrine + Torii of Peace

Walk the ancient cedar forest path to the main hall, then descend to the lakeside Torii of Peace — the iconic red gate standing in Lake Ashi. Arrive early to beat the photo queue.

Free Treasure Hall ¥500
11:20→ 11:50

Pirate Ship: Moto-Hakone → Togendai 🚢

Replica galleon across Lake Ashi, ~30 min. Covered by Freepass. On clear days Fuji towers behind the torii as you depart.

Toma posts up at the bow. Don’t fight it.
12:00→ 12:20

Ropeway: Togendai → Owakudani

Aerial cable car over volcanic terrain. Lake Ashi behind, sulfur vents ahead. Covered by Freepass.

12:20→ 13:30

Owakudani — the Great Boiling Valley 🌋

Active volcanic zone at 1,040 m. Walk the viewing trail (10–15 min). Sulfur vents, steam, dramatic landscape. Must-do: kuro-tamago — black eggs boiled in the volcanic springs, ¥500/5 eggs. Each one is said to add 7 years to your life.

1,040 m elevation ⬣ Ropeway status
Strong sulfur smell. Skip if anyone has respiratory issues.
13:30→ 14:00

Lunch at Owakudani

Owakudani Station food court — the black-egg ramen is the local move. Or graze on kuro-tamago + station snacks.

14:00→ 14:30

Ropeway down → Togendai → Ryokan

Back to lake level. Taxi or walk to the ryokan.

14:45→ 16:00

Free time — rest, lake, room

Nap, read, breathe. Toma can explore the grounds. The slowest stretch of the trip on purpose.

16:00→ 17:00

Afternoon onsen (the third soak)

Different experience in daylight — watch the light change over Lake Ashi.

17:00→ 18:30

Dinner

Amimoto Oba for wakasagi tempura (if open — closes when fish runs out) or bento + lake view from the room.

21:00→ 22:00

Final evening onsen

Last full soak before Kyoto. Savor it.

Cards & memories
⌖ The Lake Ashi loop
Today’s ground · around the lake

Shrine, ship, volcano

The day is a loop you mostly travel by water and air — a torii standing in the lake, a replica galleon across it, a ropeway climbing into a steaming volcanic valley. You barely touch a road.

The circuit · Hakone Freepass →pirate ship→→ropeway→
Open loop in Google Maps
Weather caveat

Fuji visibility & the ropeway

Late June is tsuyu (rainy season). Fuji visibility is roughly 50/50; the ropeway can close on volcanic activity or strong wind. Check hakoneropeway.co.jp before leaving the ryokan. If the ropeway is shut, swap Owakudani for the Pola Museum of Art (Sengokuhara, ¥1,800/adult, Freepass discount).

Backup Pola Museum Status hakoneropeway.co.jp
Lunch · Owakudani

Black-egg ramen or graze

A
Owakudani Station food court
Hot meals, fast service. Black-egg ramen is the local move.
Ramen / curry~¥3–5k family
B
Kuro-tamago + stalls
¥500 for 5 black eggs plus whatever else looks good. Light, fun, perfect after a big breakfast.
Street~¥1.5–2.5k family
Dinner · Lake Ashi or in-room

Early or cozy

Restaurants up here close by 16:00–17:00 — so eat early sitting down, or buy bento during the day and eat in the room with the view.

A
Amimoto Oba
5 min from Togendai. Fresh wakasagi tempura from Lake Ashi. Opens 11:00, closes when fish runs out. Phone-check before going.
Lake fish~¥4–7k family
B
In-room with bought bento
Pick up bento at Togendai or Owakudani earlier. Eat with the lake at dusk. Microwave for hot dishes.
Cozy~¥2–4k family
The torii in Lake Ashi at 10:15. Fuji or no Fuji.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Toma cracking his first black egg at Owakudani.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Taxi/walk to Moto-Hakone~¥1,500
Pirate Ship + Ropeway (Freepass)included
Kuro-tamago + station snacks~¥1,500
Lunch — Owakudani ramen~¥3,500
Taxi back to ryokan~¥1,500
Dinner — Amimoto Oba or bento~¥4,500
Total~¥12,500
Tomorrow brings

The Hikari Shinkansen to Kyoto.

Last morning at the lake, then Tozan Bus to Odawara, ekiben for the train. Mt. Fuji on the right side after Mishima.

→ continue

Day 10  /  Phase 2Today
Day 10 of 27 / Phase Two · departure / Hakone → Odawara → Hikari → Kyoto
2nd
July / Thursday
Last morning at the lake, a reserved Hikari out of Odawara — then the first afternoon in Kyoto, a market kitchen and a rooftop onsen.
新幹線
SHINKANSEN
Mount Fuji seen through the window of a Shinkansen bullet train

Fuji from seat 2D, after Mishima

We’re skipping the JR Pass — for this trip’s route, individual reserved tickets work out cheaper. Book the Odawara → Kyoto Hikari in advance and the only job on the day is to board. Reserve seat E on the two-seat D–E side: that’s the right-hand window, and Mt. Fuji slides into it about 30 minutes out, just past Mishima.
The day’s shape
06:30→ 07:30

Final morning onsen

Last soak in the kakenagashi. Wake up with the lake.

07:30→ 09:00

Breakfast + pack + final views

In-room breakfast. Tidy the room (Japanese courtesy — leave it as you found it). Photos from the balcony.

09:30→ 09:45

Self checkout + taxi to Moto-Hakone

Or walk downhill if energy allows (~15–20 min). Taxi ~¥1,500.

09:45→ 10:35

Hakone Tozan Bus (H Route) → Odawara

~50 min, scenic descent through the mountains. Last leg covered by Freepass.

10:35→ 11:00

Confirm the Hikari at Odawara

Tickets are already booked (see the card). If you reserved through smartEX you can ride straight off your IC card; otherwise collect the paper tickets from a machine or the green window. A quiet 25 minutes before the train.

11:00→ 11:15

Ekiben at Odawara

Odawara station has excellent bento vendors. Kamaboko (fish cake) or seafood. Buy before boarding — eating ekiben on the Shinkansen is the move.

~¥3,500 family
11:20→ 13:20

Hikari Shinkansen → Kyoto

~2 hours, reserved seats. Fuji on the right after Mishima Station. Eat the ekiben. Watch Japan blur past.

⬣ Reserved · seat E right ~¥29,700 family
13:20→ 13:45

Arrive Kyoto — drop the bags

Karasuma Line subway two stops to Karasuma-Oike, five-minute walk to Candeo Karasuma Rokkaku. Check-in is 15:00, but the desk holds luggage — and the bags forwarded from Tokyo should already be there.

13:45→ 15:00

Nishiki Market — first browse

“Kyoto’s Kitchen” — a five-block covered market, 100+ stalls, nine minutes south of the hotel. Tamagoyaki, tsukemono, sesame ice cream, yuba croquettes, grilled skewers. Graze at the stalls, don’t walk-and-eat.

Just a first pass today — you come back to Nishiki properly later in the phase.
15:00→ 16:30

Check in · Sky Spa onsen

Settle into the room, then the rooftop Sky Spa — indoor and outdoor baths, tattoo-friendly. The right way to land after a travel day.

16:30→ 18:00

Rokkaku-do + the machiya streets

Five minutes from the hotel — a small hexagonal temple known as the “navel of Kyoto.” Free. Then a slow wander through the quiet machiya lanes around Karasuma.

18:00→ 19:30

First Kyoto dinner

Tiger Gyoza Hall near Karasuma — crispy pan-fried gyoza, lively, kid-easy — or Sumiburo Manto, charcoal robatayaki in a machiya building near Nishiki.

19:30→ 20:30

Evening stroll — Karasuma-dori

A low-key first evening. The covered Teramachi and Shinkyogoku arcades if there’s energy; a convenience-store haul for the room if there isn’t.

Cards & the train out
⬣ Book ahead · Shinkansen to Kyoto

Hikari — Odawara → Kyoto

No JR Pass this trip — for our route, three individual reserved tickets come out cheaper than the 14-day pass. This is the first of them. Reserve on smartEX when the window opens one month out (~Jun 2), or at any JR green window.

TrainHikari · reserved
RouteOdawara → Kyoto · ~2h10
SeatsE window · D–E side
Fare~¥29,700 family
Seat E on the two-seat D–E side is the right-hand window — Mt. Fuji fills it about 30 min out, past Mishima. Book it the day reservations open.
Hikari
11:20
JUL 2 THU
2A · 1C
Lunch · on the rails

Ekiben + the Shinkansen tray

Buy at Odawara before boarding. The first-bite-of-bento moment as the train pulls out of the station is the whole point.

A
Kamaboko ekiben
Odawara’s famous fish cake bento. Distinctive, regional, a story for later.
Regional~¥3.5k family
B
Seafood / mixed ekiben
Broader, more familiar for Toma. NewDays kiosk also good for backup snacks.
Mixed~¥3k family
Eat on the train Watch right side after Mishima
⌖ Next base · Kyoto
Where you sleep next · Phase 3

Candeo Karasuma Rokkaku

Phase Three’s base, in central Kyoto. Two stops on the Karasuma subway from Kyoto Station, then a five-minute walk. The luggage forwarded from Tokyo should be waiting at the desk.

The descent · ~3.5 hrs door to door →Tozan Bus→→Hikari→→Karasuma→
Open Kyoto hotel in Google Maps
Fuji through the Shinkansen window, the second after Mishima.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
First grazing at Nishiki Market, the Kyoto afternoon.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Taxi to Moto-Hakone~¥1,500
Tozan Bus to Odawara (Freepass)included
Ekiben at Odawara~¥3,500
Hikari reserved · Odawara → Kyoto~¥29,700
Karasuma subway + Nishiki grazing~¥3,200
First Kyoto dinner~¥5,000
Total cash out~¥42,900
Tomorrow brings

Fushimi Inari at dawn, the matcha town of Uji.

The first full Kyoto day — ten thousand torii up a mountain before the heat, then downriver to Uji.

→ continue

Phase 03

Kyoto.

July 3 — July 7  ·  5 days

The long stay, and the trip’s heart. Ten thousand torii up a mountain, the matcha town of Uji, deer in Nara, bamboo in Arashiyama, gold leaf on a mirror pond. Six nights in a machiya-quiet hotel with a rooftop onsen.

Candeo Karasuma Rokkaku  ·  hotel · Nakagyo-ku · central Kyoto · Sky Spa onsen on the roof
Day 11  /  Phase 3Today
Day 11 of 27 / Phase Three / Fushimi Inari → Uji
3rd
July/ Friday
Ten thousand vermillion gates up a mountain at dawn — then downriver to the town that grows Japan’s matcha.
千本鳥居
A THOUSAND GATES
The vermillion torii gate tunnel at Fushimi Inari, Kyoto

The Senbon Torii — climb before the heat

Be on the 07:45 train. Fushimi Inari is free and never closes, and by 10:00 the gate tunnel is a slow shuffle. The early hour is the whole experience — quiet, cool, vermillion.
The day’s shape
07:30→ 07:45

Karasuma-Oike → Kyoto → Inari

Subway to Kyoto Station, then JR Nara Line two stops to Inari. Tap Suica/ICOCA. The shrine gate is 30 seconds from the platform.

08:00→ 10:30

Fushimi Inari Taisha

10,000+ torii up Mt. Inari. Senbon Torii tunnel first, then climb to the Yotsutsuji halfway point for the Kyoto panorama. Turn back there with Toma — the full summit loop is 2 hrs. Free.

Carry water. The climb is humid even at 9am.
10:30→ 11:00

Street stalls at the shrine gate

Inari sushi, grilled mochi, matcha soft serve. A second breakfast before the train.

11:15→ 11:35

JR Nara Line → Uji

~20 min direct. Suica tap.

11:35→ 12:30

Lunch in Uji

Nakamura Tokichi (matcha institution since 1859 — queue) or Tsuen, the oldest tea house in Japan, est. 1160.

12:30→ 13:30

Byodo-in — the Phoenix Hall

The temple on the ¥10 coin. Reflection in the pond, museum inside. UNESCO. ¥1,750 family.

13:30→ 15:00

Uji riverside + matcha

Walk the river. A proper matcha parfait or matcha soba in the matcha capital of Japan. Browse Omotesando’s tea shops.

15:00→ 17:00

JR back to Kyoto · rest + Sky Spa

Recharge at the hotel rooftop onsen after the morning climb.

17:30→ 19:00

Dinner near the hotel

Ippudo for tonkotsu ramen or Katsukura, where you grind your own sesame for the tonkatsu sauce.

Cards & memories
⌖ Today’s ground
Today’s ground · shrine & tea town

Fushimi → Uji

A mountain of gates in the morning, a slow tea town in the afternoon. All of it on the JR Nara Line, all of it a Suica tap.

Getting around · Suica · JR Nara Line →→→
Open route in Google Maps
Lunch · Uji

Two ways to drink matcha

A
Nakamura Tokichi Honten
Matcha institution since 1859. Matcha soba, the famous parfait. Expect a 30–60 min queue — go early or late.
Matcha sets~¥4–6k family
B
Tsuen Tea
The oldest tea house in Japan — est. 1160. Simpler menu, incredible matcha and dango, right by Uji Bridge. Less crowded.
Tea + sweets~¥2.5–4k family
Dinner · near the hotel

Ramen or tonkatsu

A
Ippudo Nishikikoji
Reliable tonkotsu ramen near Nishiki Market. Quick, filling, kid-easy.
Ramen~¥3.5–4.5k family
B
Katsukura Shijo Karasuma
Premium tonkatsu — you grind your own sesame for the dipping sauce. Set meals, family-friendly.
Tonkatsu~¥4.5–6.5k family
Inside the torii tunnel, the moment it empties out.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Toma’s first matcha parfait in Uji.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
JR + subway (Suica)~¥2,600
Shrine street food~¥1,500
Lunch — Uji matcha~¥5,000
Byodo-in admission¥1,750
Dinner — near hotel~¥4,500
Total~¥15,350
Tomorrow brings

Kiyomizu’s wooden stage, Gion at dusk.

Edo-stone lanes, the geisha district, and an omurice show on Pontocho if the same-day booking lands.

→ continue

Day 12  /  Phase 3Today
Day 12 of 27 / Phase Three / Kiyomizu → Higashiyama → Gion
4th
July/ Saturday
Down the Edo-stone lanes from a wooden stage, through the geisha district at dusk — and an omurice show, if the booking lands.
祇園
GION
The Yasaka Pagoda rising over the Higashiyama district of Kyoto

Yasaka Pagoda over Higashiyama

It’s a Saturday — start at Kiyomizu by 08:00 before the lanes fill. And the Gion rule: a geiko is at work, not on display. Photos from a distance, never block or chase.
The day’s shape
07:45→ 08:15

Bus to Kiyomizu-michi

Bus #207 from Shijo Karasuma, ~20 min. Or a taxi — faster, ~¥1,200, worth it with a family.

08:15→ 09:30

Kiyomizu-dera

Founded 778. The great wooden stage over the hillside, the Kyoto panorama, the Otowa waterfall — pick one stream only, drinking all three is greedy. ¥1,000 family.

09:30→ 10:30

Sannen-zaka & Ninen-zaka

Edo-period stone lanes descending the hill — pottery, cafés, the Yasaka Pagoda view. Walk slow, take the side alleys.

10:30→ 11:30

% Arabica + Yasaka Shrine

The minimalist coffee spot with the hillside view, then down to Yasaka Shrine — lanterns, free, the gateway to Gion.

11:30→ 13:30

Lunch + Gion — Hanamikoji

Lunch at Gion Kappa or Gion Tanto, then the famous geisha street. Kennin-ji, Kyoto’s oldest Zen temple, sits at the end — twin-dragon ceiling, rock garden.

14:00→ 16:30

Rest at the hotel

AC and the Sky Spa. Saturday afternoon heat is real — Toma needs the break before the evening.

12:55JST

Kichi Kichi alarm

If chasing the omurice show: open kichikichi.com at 13:00 JST sharp for a dinner slot. 9 seats, gone in seconds. See the card.

⬣ Same-day only
17:30→ 20:00

Pontocho dinner

The lantern-lit alley by the Kamo River. Kichi Kichi if the slot landed; otherwise walk Pontocho and pick a kawadoko riverside table.

Cards & the omurice gamble
⌖ Today’s ground
Today’s ground · the temple hill

Higashiyama on foot

Almost entirely walkable — you descend from the temple through stone lanes into Gion, and end the day on Pontocho by the river. A bus there, your feet for the rest.

Getting around · bus in · on foot after →→
Open route in Google Maps
⬣ Same-day booking · the omurice show

Kichi Kichi Omurice

Chef Motokichi’s theatrical egg-flip — 9 seats, no advance booking. Open kichikichi.com at 13:00 JST on the day for a dinner slot; set a phone alarm for 12:55. Slots vanish in seconds. Pontocho. The one Toma will replay for months.

Window 13:00 JST Budget ~¥4–5k family
Lunch · Gion

Two locals’ rooms

A
Gion Kappa
Beloved locals’ izakaya — skewers, tofu, sashimi. Cheap, fun, welcoming. Cash only.
Izakaya~¥4–6k family
B
Gion Tanto
Hole-in-the-wall okonomiyaki cooked in front of you. English menu, fun for Toma to watch.
Okonomiyaki~¥3–5k family
The view from Kiyomizu’s stage, first thing.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
The omurice landing on the plate — if the slot came through.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Bus + taxi~¥2,000
Kiyomizu-dera + Kennin-ji~¥2,500
% Arabica + lunch — Gion~¥6,000
Dinner — Pontocho / Kichi Kichi~¥6,000
Total~¥16,500
Tomorrow brings

Nara — 1,400 deer and a giant Buddha.

A day trip on the JR. Deer that bow for crackers, the largest wooden hall in the world, a pillar Toma can crawl through.

→ continue

Day 13  /  Phase 3Today
Day 13 of 27 / Phase Three · Day Trip / Nara · Todai-ji · Kasuga
5th
July/ Sunday
Fourteen hundred sacred deer, the largest wooden hall on earth, and a temple pillar you crawl through for luck.
奈良
NARA
Sacred deer in Nara Park

Nara’s deer — they bow for crackers

Buy the shika senbei (deer crackers) only when you’re ready to feed — the deer can smell them and get pushy. Keep bags closed; one will try the map in your back pocket.
The day’s shape
08:30→ 09:30

JR Miyakoji Rapid → Nara

Subway to Kyoto Station, then the JR Rapid ~45 min direct. Suica tap. A scenic, comfortable ride.

09:45→ 10:15

Nara Park — the deer

1,400+ sacred deer roaming free. Shika senbei ¥200/packet. The deer bow before they take one. Toma’s morning, entirely.

10:15→ 11:15

Todai-ji & the Great Buddha

The largest wooden building in the world, a 15m bronze Buddha inside. The pillar with a Buddha-nostril-sized hole — crawl through for enlightenment. ¥1,500 family.

11:15→ 12:30

Kasuga Taisha

Through the deer forest to the lantern shrine — 3,000 stone and bronze lanterns in a mossy wood. Free.

12:30→ 14:00

Lunch + Naramachi

Kakinoha-zushi — sushi wrapped in persimmon leaf — then the old merchant lanes of Naramachi.

14:45→ 17:00

JR back to Kyoto · rest

Back by mid-afternoon. Sky Spa and quiet before dinner.

17:30→ 19:00

Dinner — Kyoto Station or near hotel

Kyoto Ramen Koji (eight ramen shops on the station’s 10th floor) or conveyor sushi — easy after a day trip.

Cards & memories
⌖ Day trip · the route
Today’s ground · out to Nara

Kyoto → Nara, and a park on foot

Forty-five minutes on the JR Rapid, then everything in Nara is a walk through one enormous deer-filled park. The deer escort you between the temples.

Getting there · Suica · JR Miyakoji Rapid →→ deer park on foot
Open route in Google Maps
Lunch · Nara

Persimmon-leaf sushi or a set

A
Kakinoha-zushi shops
Nara’s signature — pressed sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves. Light, portable, unique. Several shops near Todai-ji.
Local sushi~¥2–3k family
B
Naramachi teishoku
Small family restaurants in the old merchant quarter. Look for the teishoku set-meal sign — rice, main, sides, soup.
Set meals~¥3–5k family
A deer bowing to Toma for a cracker.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Toma halfway through the Todai-ji pillar.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
JR Kyoto ↔ Nara + subway (Suica)~¥4,700
Deer crackers + Todai-ji~¥2,100
Lunch — Nara~¥3,500
Dinner — Kyoto Station~¥4,000
Total~¥14,300
Tomorrow brings

Arashiyama — bamboo, a Zen garden, monkeys.

An early train to beat the crowds in the bamboo grove, then a hundred wild macaques at the top of a hill.

→ continue

Day 14  /  Phase 3Today
Day 14 of 27 / Phase Three / Arashiyama · bamboo & monkeys
6th
July/ Monday
Bamboo before the crowds, a Zen garden laid out in 1339, and a hundred wild monkeys at the top of a hill.
嵐山
ARASHIYAMA
The Arashiyama bamboo grove path, Kyoto

The bamboo grove — before 08:00 or not at all

The bamboo grove is magical before 08:00 and a zoo after 10:00. A Monday morning is the quietest you’ll get it. The 07:45 train is non-negotiable.
The day’s shape
07:30→ 08:00

JR Sagano Line → Saga-Arashiyama

Subway to Kyoto Station, then ~15 min on the Sagano Line. Suica tap.

08:00→ 08:45

Bamboo Grove

The towering path, near-empty at this hour. Walk slowly. Listen to the bamboo creak. Free.

08:45→ 09:45

Tenryu-ji

UNESCO Zen temple. The garden was designed in 1339 and never redrawn — one of Kyoto’s finest. ¥1,300 family.

09:45→ 10:15

Togetsukyo Bridge

The iconic bridge over the Oi River, mountains behind. Snack stalls along the bank.

10:15→ 11:45

Iwatayama Monkey Park

A 20-min uphill hike — a fun climb for Toma — to ~120 wild macaques and a panorama of Kyoto. Feed them by hand from inside the hut. ¥1,350 family.

Bring water for the climb. The view at the top earns it.
12:00→ 13:30

Lunch + Arashiyama street

Soba with a river view, or temple vegetarian cuisine. Then matcha ice cream down the shopping street.

14:00→ 16:30

JR back · rest at the hotel

Serious rest after a morning outdoors in July heat.

17:00→ 19:30

Nijo Castle + dinner

If energy holds: Nijo Castle, 12 min from the hotel — the “nightingale floors” that chirp to betray intruders. Then dinner near Karasuma.

Cards & memories
⌖ Today’s ground
Today’s ground · the west hills

Arashiyama, all on foot

A short JR ride out west, then the whole morning is one walk — grove, garden, bridge, a hill of monkeys. Kyoto’s green edge.

Getting there · Suica · JR Sagano Line →→ on foot
Open route in Google Maps
Lunch · Arashiyama

Riverside soba or temple cuisine

A
Arashiyama Yoshimura
Hand-made soba with views of the Togetsukyo bridge and mountains. Arrive before noon to skip the queue.
Soba~¥3–4.5k family
B
Tenryuji Shigetsu
Shojin ryori — Buddhist temple cuisine inside Tenryu-ji’s grounds. Many small dishes, garden views. Reserve or arrive early.
Shojin ryori~¥4.5–7k family
The grove at 08:05, the light coming down through it.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Toma feeding a macaque from the hut window.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
JR + subway (Suica)~¥2,400
Tenryu-ji + Monkey Park~¥2,650
Lunch — Arashiyama~¥4,000
Nijo Castle~¥2,000
Dinner — near hotel~¥5,000
Total~¥16,050
Tomorrow brings

Gold leaf, a philosopher’s path, and farewell Kyoto.

The Golden Pavilion on its mirror pond, a canal walk, watch windows, and a last dinner along the Kamogawa.

→ continue

Day 15  /  Phase 3Today
Day 15 of 27 / Phase Three · Farewell / Kinkaku-ji → Philosopher’s Path
7th
July/ Tuesday
Gold leaf on a mirror pond, a canal a philosopher walked daily, watch windows, and a last evening on the Kamogawa.
金閣寺
GOLDEN PAVILION
Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, reflected in its pond

Kinkaku-ji on the mirror pond

Last full day in Kyoto. Watch shopping here is round two after Ginza — Kyoto’s pre-owned dealers often run cheaper than Tokyo. Photograph, compare, decide later.
The day’s shape
08:30→ 09:45

Kinkaku-ji — the Golden Pavilion

Bus from Shijo Karasuma. Opens 09:00 — two gold-leafed floors mirrored in the pond. The iconic Kyoto image. ¥1,300 family.

10:15→ 10:45

Ginkaku-ji — the Silver Pavilion

Never actually silvered. A quiet moss-and-sand garden, more contemplative than its golden twin. ¥1,300 family.

10:45→ 12:15

Philosopher’s Path → Nanzen-ji

A 2km canal path named for a philosopher who walked it daily to think. Ends at Nanzen-ji and its surprising brick aqueduct.

12:15→ 13:30

Lunch — the canal area

Yamamoto Menzou for famous hand-made udon (queue), or Omen near Ginkaku-ji.

14:00→ 17:00

Watch shopping — central Kyoto

Daimaru and Takashimaya for Grand Seiko and Seiko; the pre-owned dealers around Shijo-Karasuma. The hotel concierge can point to specific shops.

Round two of the watch hunt. Notebook out, sleep on anything serious.
18:00→ 20:00

Farewell Kyoto dinner

A Pontocho riverside table with a kawadoko platform over the water, or Gion Kappa for a relaxed last night.

20:00→ 21:00

Last walk — the Kamogawa

The river at night, people sitting along the bank in the summer warmth. The Kyoto goodbye.

Cards & the watch hunt
⌖ Today’s ground
Today’s ground · north-east Kyoto

Two pavilions, one path

A bus to the gold one, a hop to the silver one, then a slow canal walk between them. The afternoon comes back to the centre for the watch windows.

Getting around · bus + on foot →→
Open route in Google Maps
Watches · round two

Kyoto’s quieter windows

After Ginza and Nakano, Kyoto is the third look. Grand Seiko at Daimaru, the Seiko boutique, and the pre-owned dealers near Shijo — often gentler prices than Tokyo, less competition. The concierge knows the good ones.

Compare against Tokyo round 1 Decide before Osaka
Farewell dinner · Pontocho

A table over the river

A
Pontocho kawadoko
Pick a restaurant with a summer platform built out over the Kamo River. The most Kyoto way to say goodbye.
Riverside~¥8–12k family
B
Gion Kappa
If you skipped it on Day 12 — relaxed, cheap, genuinely good. An easy last night.
Izakaya~¥5–7k family
Kinkaku-ji doubled in the still pond.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
The Kamogawa at dusk, the last Kyoto night.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Bus + subway (Suica)~¥2,000
Kinkaku-ji + Ginkaku-ji~¥2,600
Lunch — canal area~¥3,500
Farewell dinner — Pontocho~¥10,000
Total~¥18,100
Tomorrow brings

Phase Four — Osaka, and a different volume.

Thirty minutes down the line to Osaka’s kuidaore — the city that eats until it drops. Dotonbori’s neon, then USJ.

→ continue

Phase 04

Osaka.

July 8 — July 11  ·  4 days

Kuidaore — the city that eats until it drops. Neon on the Dotonbori canal, takoyaki scalding from the griddle, the trip’s mega-park day at Universal, a white castle an hour west. Loud, warm, the opposite of Kyoto.

THE FLAG Shinsaibashi  ·  hotel · Chuo-ku · 10 min to Dotonbori · USJ Jul 9
Day 16  /  Phase 4Today
Day 16 of 27 / Phase Four · arrival / Kyoto → Osaka → Dotonbori
8th
July/ Wednesday
Thirty minutes down the line into a louder city — a market kitchen, a neon canal, the first scalding takoyaki.
道頓堀
DOTONBORI
The neon signs of Dotonbori reflected in the canal, Osaka

Dotonbori at dusk — the Glico runner

Forward the big bags from the Kyoto hotel to THE FLAG — or just carry them, it’s only 30 minutes. And the takoyaki rule: it is genuinely scalding inside. Wait five minutes. Every year someone forgets.
The day’s shape
09:30→ 11:00

Check out · JR to Osaka

Walk to Kyoto Station, JR Special Rapid ~30 min to Osaka, Midosuji subway to Shinsaibashi. Suica tap, ~¥2,400 family.

11:00→ 13:00

Drop bags · Kuromon Market

Bags at THE FLAG reception, then 10 min south to “Osaka’s Kitchen” — grilled seafood on sticks, tamagoyaki, fresh fruit juice. Touristy now, but the food still holds.

13:30→ 15:00

Den Den Town + check in

Osaka’s electronics-and-anime district, a quieter Akihabara — retro games, figures. Back to check in and rest.

16:00→ 17:30

Shinsaibashi-suji arcade

A 600m covered shopping street starting at the hotel door. Don Quijote, Daimaru, drugstores — restock here.

17:30→ 19:00

Dotonbori at dusk

The Glico Running Man, the giant crab, the neon doubling in the canal. Peak photo hour as the signs light. First takoyaki from a street griddle.

19:00→ 20:30

Dinner — Dotonbori

Okonomiyaki cooked on the table, or kushikatsu with the no-double-dipping rule. See the card.

20:30→ 21:00

Hozenji Yokocho

A stone-paved alley off the neon. Splash water on the moss-covered Mizukake Fudo statue for luck.

Cards & memories
⌖ Tonight’s base
Where you sleep · Phase 4

THE FLAG Shinsaibashi

Dead-centre Osaka. The covered shopping arcade starts at the front door, Dotonbori is ten minutes south, and a free coffee waits in the lobby library.

The hop from Kyoto · Suica · ~1 hr →JR Special Rapid→→Midosuji→
Open hotel in Google Maps
Dinner · Dotonbori

Okonomiyaki or kushikatsu

A
Mizuno
Okonomiyaki since 1945, cooked at your table. The mountain-yam batter is famously fluffy. 30–60 min queue — go early.
Okonomiyaki~¥4–6k family
B
Kushikatsu Daruma
Osaka institution since 1929. Deep-fried skewers, the strict no-double-dipping rule. Interactive and fun for Toma.
Kushikatsu~¥5–8k family
The Glico runner, neon doubled in the canal.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Toma’s face on the first too-hot takoyaki.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
JR + Midosuji (Suica)~¥2,400
Luggage forwarding (optional)~¥5,000
Kuromon Market lunch~¥4,000
Takoyaki + Dotonbori snacks~¥1,500
Dinner — Dotonbori~¥5,500
Total~¥18,400
Tomorrow brings

Universal Studios — the trip’s mega-park day.

Super Nintendo World, the Wizarding World, Minion Park. The biggest, loudest, most expensive day on the calendar.

→ continue

Day 17  /  Phase 4Today
Day 17 of 27 / Phase Four · the big one / Universal Studios Japan
9th
July/ Thursday
The trip’s one mega-park — Mario’s world built in brick and pipe, a wizard’s village, and a Power-Up Band on Toma’s wrist.
USJ
UNIVERSAL
Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan

Super Nintendo World — brick, pipe, coin

Save Super Nintendo World for last on your Express Pass timeline — once you leave you can’t re-enter, so going last means staying until you’re done. Download the USJ app on both phones the night before.
The day’s shape
07:30→ 08:15

Depart hotel → Universal City

Midosuji to Umeda, JR Loop to Nishikujo, JR Yumesaki to Universal City. ~35 min, Suica tap.

08:30→ 09:00

Gates — arrive before opening

Park opens 09:00, often earlier. Be in the queue by 08:30. Tickets and Express Passes are pre-bought (see the card).

⬣ Pre-booked tickets
09:00→ 12:00

Morning rides — the Express slots

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Flight of the Hippogriff. Follow your timed Express slots.

12:00→ 13:00

Lunch in the park

Three Broomsticks in the Wizarding World, or Kinopio’s Cafe in Nintendo World — book it in the app on entry.

13:00→ 15:00

Minion Park + the coasters

Minion Park for Toma; Jaws, Jurassic Park splash, Hollywood Dream if he clears the 132cm line.

15:00→ 18:00

Super Nintendo World

The main event. Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge (AR), Yoshi’s Adventure, Donkey Kong Mine Cart. A ¥4,200 Power-Up Band turns the whole land into a game.

⬣ Save for last — no re-entry
18:00→ 20:00

Evening park — Hogsmeade lit

Parades, shorter queues, the Wizarding World magical at dusk. Ride favourites again.

20:30→ 21:00

Back to the hotel — late, quick dinner

Ichiran ramen near the hotel (open late) or a konbini haul. Everyone is wrecked. That’s correct.

Cards & the big ticket
⬣ Book ahead · the trip’s biggest ticket

USJ — Studio Pass + Express Pass

The Studio Pass gets you in; the Express Pass guarantees Super Nintendo World entry and skips the long lines — strongly worth it with Toma on a summer Thursday. Tickets go on sale ~2 months ahead via usj.co.jp or Klook. Express 7 sells out first.

Studio Pass2A + 1C · ~¥47,600
ExpressPass 4 or 7 · ~¥30–60k
Power-Up Band¥4,200 · in-park
The single most expensive day of the trip. Buy the moment the Jul 9 date opens — summer Express Passes vanish fast.
Gates
09:00
JUL 9 THU
2A · 1C
⌖ Today’s ground
Today’s ground · the park

Universal City

Out on the bay, west of the centre. Three trains and a CityWalk to reach the gates — but once you’re in, you’re in for the whole day.

Getting there · Suica · ~35 min →→ JR Loop → Universal City
Open USJ in Google Maps
Toma scanning his Power-Up Band on the first block.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Hogsmeade lit up at dusk.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Trains to USJ (Suica)~¥1,800
Studio Pass + Express Pass~¥80,000
Power-Up Band (Toma)¥4,200
Food in the park~¥7,000
Late dinner near hotel~¥3,000
Total~¥96,000
Tomorrow brings

Osaka Castle, retro Shinsekai, America-mura.

A gentler day after the park — a castle museum, the kitschy old quarter, the city’s youth-culture corner.

→ continue

Day 18  /  Phase 4Today
Day 18 of 27 / Phase Four / Osaka Castle → Shinsekai → Amerikamura
10th
July/ Friday
A castle on its moat, the retro neon of Shinsekai, and the youth-culture corner of America-mura. The recovery day.
大阪城
OSAKA CASTLE
Osaka Castle and its moat

Osaka Castle on its green moat

A deliberately easy day after USJ — a castle museum with AC, a kitschy old quarter, a half-hour of street culture. Pace it. Toma’s legs are still recovering from the park.
The day’s shape
09:30→ 10:00

Metro to Osaka Castle

Midosuji + Tanimachi lines, ~20 min. Suica tap.

10:00→ 12:00

Osaka Castle + Nishinomaru Garden

The keep is a museum — elevator to the top-floor panorama. The moat and walls are the real spectacle. ¥600/adult, Toma free.

12:30→ 14:30

Shinsekai + Tsutenkaku

A retro quarter from 1912, all loud signage and game arcades. Lunch in the kushikatsu joints under Tsutenkaku Tower.

14:30→ 16:00

Tennoji Park (or Abeno Harukas)

Free park for Toma to run, or the observation deck of Japan’s tallest building. Skip the deck if everyone’s flagging.

16:30→ 17:30

Rest at the hotel

Free coffee in the lobby. Recharge.

17:30→ 18:30

Amerikamura

Five minutes west of the hotel. Street art, vintage shops, the Triangle Park. Rawer than Harajuku, more honest.

18:30→ 20:00

Dinner — Shinsaibashi

Conveyor-belt wagyu at Dotonbori Mitsuru, or premium tonkatsu at New Babe. See the card.

Cards & memories
⌖ Today’s ground
Today’s ground · the city loop

Castle → Shinsekai → Ame-mura

A loop south and back through the Osaka Metro — the historic keep, the retro quarter, the youth corner. None of it far, all of it a Suica tap.

Getting around · Suica · Osaka Metro →→
Open route in Google Maps
Lunch · Shinsekai

Kushikatsu, the original quarter

A
Kushikatsu Daruma Honten
The original 1929 location, under Tsutenkaku Tower. Rounds of deep-fried skewers from a huge menu.
Kushikatsu~¥4–6k family
B
Janjan Yokocho
The covered street through Shinsekai — cheap eats, old-school Osaka. Gyoza, takoyaki, yakisoba stands.
Street food~¥2–3.5k family
Dinner · Shinsaibashi

Conveyor wagyu or tonkatsu

A
Dotonbori Mitsuru
A5 wagyu delivered on a conveyor belt — rare cuts at good prices. Interactive, fun for Toma. Reservable via Tabelog.
Yakiniku~¥6–10k family
B
New Babe Shinsaibashi
Premium brand-pork tonkatsu, 5 min from the hotel. Hearty, satisfying, walk-in.
Tonkatsu~¥4–6k family
The castle keep above the moat wall.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Shinsekai’s neon — Tsutenkaku at the end of the street.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Osaka Metro (Suica)~¥1,400
Osaka Castle (2 adults, Toma free)¥1,200
Lunch — Shinsekai~¥4,500
Dinner — Shinsaibashi~¥7,000
Total~¥14,100
Tomorrow brings

Himeji — the white heron castle.

An hour west by JR to Japan’s most spectacular original castle. Six floors of steep stairs, a strolling garden, and the last Osaka night.

→ continue

Day 19  /  Phase 4Today
Day 19 of 27 / Phase Four · Day Trip / Himeji Castle
11th
July/ Saturday
An hour west to the white heron — Japan’s greatest surviving castle, six floors of steep stairs, then the last Osaka night.
姫路城
HIMEJI
Himeji Castle, the white heron castle

Himeji — the white heron castle

Himeji is the real thing — never destroyed, never rebuilt. Bring socks; you climb six floors of steep wooden stairs in bare feet. It gets hot inside in July, so go up early and carry water.
The day’s shape
08:15→ 10:00

JR Special Rapid → Himeji

Midosuji to Umeda, JR Special Rapid ~65 min. Suica tap. Departs every 15 min, no reservation.

10:00→ 10:20

The walk up Otemae-dori

A straight, flat 15-min walk from the station — the white castle filling the view the whole way.

10:20→ 12:30

Himeji Castle

UNESCO, and Japan’s finest original castle. Six floors of steep narrow stairs — exciting for Toma. Tickets on-site, no advance booking. ¥2,500/adult, under-18 free.

⬣ Tickets at the gate 2 adults ~¥5,000
12:30→ 13:00

Kokoen Garden

Nine connected Edo-style gardens beside the castle. Calm, beautiful, a combo ticket with the castle.

13:00→ 14:00

Lunch near the castle

Hand-made udon at Menme, or a Himeji anago (conger eel) ekiben to eat on the train back.

14:30→ 16:00

JR back to Osaka · rest

Back to Shinsaibashi by mid-afternoon. Last rest before the final Osaka night.

18:30→ 21:00

Farewell Osaka dinner

A “greatest hits” spread, or aged yakitori. A last Dotonbori walk; the Namba Parks rooftop garden if there’s energy.

Cards & memories
⌖ Day trip · the route
Today’s ground · out west

Osaka → Himeji

An hour on the JR Special Rapid, then a straight walk up one boulevard with the castle in front of you the whole way. Simple, and worth it.

Getting there · Suica · JR Special Rapid → JR Special Rapid →
Open route in Google Maps
Dinner · final Osaka night

Greatest hits or yakitori

A
Creo-ru Dotonbori
Okonomiyaki, takoyaki, kushikatsu and steak under one roof — a one-stop farewell to Osaka’s food.
Osaka mix~¥5–7k family
B
Kitashinchi Toriya
A 20-year yakitori izakaya near Namba — famous aged grilled chicken skin. Private rooms.
Yakitori~¥4–6k family
The castle from the top of Otemae-dori.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Toma on the steep top-floor stairs.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Metro + JR Osaka ↔ Himeji (Suica)~¥4,300
Himeji Castle + Kokoen (2 adults)~¥5,200
Lunch — Himeji~¥3,500
Farewell dinner — Osaka~¥6,000
Total~¥19,000
Tomorrow brings

Phase Five — the slow beat in the Izu hills.

A Shinkansen east to Mishima, then a small line into the mountains. A resort ryokan with a private open-air onsen, and nothing to rush.

→ continue

Phase 05

Shuzenji.

July 12 — July 14  ·  2 nights

The recovery beat, written into the trip on purpose. A resort ryokan in the Izu hills, a private open-air onsen on every room, a 1,200-year-old temple in a town with a bamboo grove and no crowds. Three weeks of momentum, set down for a moment.

Laforet Shuzenji Sanshisuimei  ·  ryokan · Izu Peninsula · half-board · Private onsen on the room
Day 20  /  Phase 5Today
Day 20 of 27 / Phase Five · arrival / Osaka → Mishima → the Izu hills
12th
July/ Sunday
A Shinkansen east, a small line into the mountains, and a ryokan where the onsen is on your own room’s balcony.
温泉
HOT SPRING
A quiet river town in the Izu countryside

Into the Izu countryside

Forward the big bags from Osaka straight to the Asakusa hotel — travel into Shuzenji with overnight bags only. The resort is remote and the dinner is half-board, so there’s nothing to carry and nowhere to be.
The day’s shape
09:00→ 10:00

Breakfast · pack · forward luggage

Send the main suitcases to the Asakusa Tobu Hotel via Yamato. Overnight bags only from here — the ryokan provides yukata.

10:00→ 11:00

Midosuji → Shin-Osaka · ekiben

Subway to Shin-Osaka, ~12 min. Buy ekiben on the Shinkansen concourse for the ride.

11:00→ 13:10

Hikari Shinkansen → Mishima

~2h10, reserved. Sit on the left — seat A, the A–B–C side — for Mt. Fuji after Shizuoka, growing as you near Mishima.

⬣ Reserved · seat A left ~¥37,530 family
13:20→ 13:55

Izuhakone Railway → Shuzenji

A small private line, ~35 min through Izu countryside. Not a JR line — pay by Suica or a paper ticket, ~¥1,380 family.

14:15→ 14:40

Resort shuttle to Laforet

Free shuttle from Shuzenji Station, ~25 min through the resort grounds. Confirm the timing with the front desk in advance.

15:00→ 17:30

Check in · first private onsen

Change into yukata. Every room has its own open-air hot-spring bath. The first soak, with the Izu hills in front of you.

Toma can hit the indoor pool or playground while the bath is yours.
18:00→ 19:30

Resort dinner — the MIYABI course

Multi-course Japanese-Western fusion, seasonal Izu ingredients, glass walls. Half-board — arrive by 19:30 for service.

⬣ Half-board · included
21:00→ 22:00

Night soak

The private bath again, in the dark. Stars, if the sky is clear. The quietest hour of the trip.

Cards & the train east
⬣ Book ahead · Shinkansen to Izu

Hikari — Shin-Osaka → Mishima

The second of the trip’s three reserved Shinkansen tickets. Book on smartEX a month out, or at a JR green window. Not all Hikari stop at Mishima — check the timetable when you reserve.

TrainHikari · reserved
RouteShin-Osaka → Mishima · ~2h10
SeatsA window · A–B–C side
Fare~¥37,530 family
Heading east toward Tokyo, Mt. Fuji is on the left — seat A. It builds for ten minutes as you approach Mishima.
Hikari
11:00
JUL 12 SUN
2A · 1C
⌖ Tonight’s base
Where you sleep · Phase 5

Laforet Sanshisuimei

A vast resort in the Izu hills, every room with its own open-air onsen. Remote enough that the shuttle and the half-board dinner are the plan — which is the point.

The way in · ~3.5 hrs door to door →Hikari→→Izuhakone→→shuttle
Open resort in Google Maps
Fuji from the Shinkansen window, seat A.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
The private onsen at dusk, the first soak.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Luggage forwarding to Asakusa~¥5,000
Osaka Metro + ekiben~¥4,500
Hikari reserved · Shin-Osaka → Mishima~¥37,530
Izuhakone Railway + shuttle~¥1,380
Resort dinner (half-board)included
Total cash out~¥48,410
Tomorrow brings

Shuzenji onsen town — a mini-Kyoto, no crowds.

A 1,200-year-old temple, a bamboo path along the river, a red bridge, and an afternoon of pool and onsen for Toma.

→ continue

Day 21  /  Phase 5Today
Day 21 of 27 / Phase Five / Shuzenji Onsen town
13th
July/ Monday
A mini-Kyoto without the crowds — a temple from 807, a bamboo path along the river, a red bridge, a footbath.
修善寺
SHUZENJI
The red Katsura Bridge over the river in Shuzenji onsen town

Katsura Bridge over the Katsura River

It’s a Monday — a few town restaurants are closed, but Kominka Café Amane, Amago Chaya and the soba shops are open. The whole town walk is barely two hours, so the afternoon goes back to the resort for Toma’s pool and a long soak.
The day’s shape
07:00→ 09:00

Dawn onsen · breakfast buffet

The private bath at first light — Fuji is clearest early. Then the Japanese-Western buffet at the resort.

09:30→ 10:15

Shuttle + bus to the onsen town

Resort shuttle to Shuzenji Station, then the Tokai Bus ~8 min into the old town.

10:15→ 11:00

Shuzenji Temple + Hie Shrine

Founded 807 by Kobo Daishi — the oldest temple on the Izu Peninsula. Across the way, the cedar trees of Hie Shrine.

11:00→ 11:45

Bamboo Grove Path + Katsura Bridge

Shuzenji’s answer to Arashiyama, along the river — there’s a bench in the middle, lie back and look up. Then the red Katsura Bridge and the free Kawarayu footbath.

11:45→ 13:00

Pudding + lunch in town

Shuzenji Pudding Kobo for Toma, then lunch. Wasabi is grown here — the soba shops let you grate your own.

13:30→ 14:45

Bus + shuttle back to the resort

An easy return through the Izu hills.

14:45→ 17:00

Resort afternoon — Toma’s hours

Indoor pool, table tennis, mini golf, the playground, ziplining. Or everyone naps. No agenda.

18:00→ 19:30

Resort dinner — second course menu

A different multi-course menu from the first night. Half-board.

⬣ Half-board · included
21:00→ 22:00

Final Shuzenji soak

The last night in the private bath. Stargazing from the water.

Cards & memories
⌖ Today’s ground
Today’s ground · the old town

Shuzenji Onsen

A tiny town along the Katsura River — temple, shrine, bamboo, bridge, footbath, all within a couple of hours’ slow walk. The shuttle and a short bus get you in.

Getting in · shuttle + Tokai Bus Resort→→ bus → onsen town
Open the town in Google Maps
Lunch · Shuzenji town

Old house café or river fish

A
Kominka Café Amane
A beautifully restored old farmhouse — retro-modern, spacious, a kids’ menu. Open Mondays.
Café~¥3–4.5k family
B
Amago Chaya
Shuzenji’s river-fish specialist — grilled amago, tempura, set meals. Cozy, on the main road.
River fish~¥4.5–7.5k family
Looking up through the bamboo from the bench.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Toma’s Shuzenji pudding.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Tokai Bus, town round trip~¥1,500
Pudding + footbath + omiyage~¥2,000
Lunch — Shuzenji town~¥4,000
Resort dinner (half-board)included
Total cash out~¥7,500
Tomorrow brings

Back to Tokyo — Asakusa, and the last chapter.

A small line down to Mishima, a short Shinkansen to Tokyo, and an Asakusa hotel five minutes from Sensoji. Phase Six opens.

→ continue

Day 22  /  Phase 5Today
Day 22 of 27 / Phase Five · departure / Shuzenji → Tokyo → Asakusa
14th
July/ Tuesday
Down out of the hills and back into Tokyo — an Asakusa hotel, and Sensoji glowing at dusk five minutes from the door.
浅草
ASAKUSA
The five-storey pagoda of Sensoji Temple, Asakusa

Sensoji’s pagoda — the last base

The forwarded luggage from Osaka should be at the Asakusa hotel waiting. Sensoji is five minutes from the door — and it’s best after 17:00, when the day-trippers leave and the lanterns come on.
The day’s shape
07:00→ 10:30

Final soak · breakfast · check out

Last morning in the private onsen. Buffet, pack, a final stroll of the resort grounds, check out by 11:00.

11:15→ 12:35

Shuttle + Izuhakone Railway → Mishima

Resort shuttle to Shuzenji Station, then the small line back down to Mishima. Suica tap, ~¥1,380 family.

12:50→ 13:45

Hikari Shinkansen → Tokyo

A short ~55 min run, reserved. Sit left — seat A — for a last look at Mt. Fuji over your shoulder. The third and final Shinkansen ticket; book it with the others on smartEX.

⬣ Reserved · seat A left ~¥11,300 family
14:00→ 14:30

Ginza Line → Asakusa · check in

Tokyo Station to Asakusa on the Ginza Line, ~15 min. Five-minute walk to the Asakusa Tobu Hotel.

15:30→ 17:00

First Asakusa walk — Nakamise

The Nakamise shopping street up to the temple gate. Get your bearings, light exploration, a melon-pan somewhere.

17:00→ 18:30

Sensoji at dusk

The crowds thin after 17:00 and the temple lights up. The best hour to stand under the great Kaminarimon lantern.

18:30→ 20:00

Dinner — Asakusa

Hoppy Street’s open-air izakayas, or cook-your-own monjayaki in a 100-year-old wooden house at Sometaro.

Cards & memories
⌖ Next base · Asakusa
Where you sleep · Phase 6

Asakusa Tobu Hotel

The trip’s final base, in old-Tokyo Asakusa. Sensoji and the Nakamise street are a five-minute walk; the Keisei line runs straight from here to Narita for the flight home.

The way back · ~2.5 hrs door to door →→Hikari→→Ginza Line→
Open hotel in Google Maps
Dinner · Asakusa

Hoppy Street or Sometaro

A
Hoppy Street
A whole lane of open-air izakayas — grilled skewers, beef-tendon stew. Kid-friendly early evening, five minutes from Sensoji.
Izakaya~¥5–8k family
B
Sometaro
Cook-your-own okonomiyaki and monjayaki in a 100-year-old wooden house. Tatami seating, cash only.
Monjayaki~¥4–6k family
A last look at Fuji from the Shinkansen.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Under the Kaminarimon lantern at dusk.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Izuhakone Railway + Tokyo metro (Suica)~¥1,830
Hikari reserved · Mishima → Tokyo~¥11,300
Lunch — ekiben / Tokyo Station~¥3,500
Dinner — Asakusa~¥6,000
Total cash out~¥22,630
Tomorrow brings

Phase Six — the last five days, in old Tokyo.

Sensoji at dawn, the Skytree, Ueno’s lotus, the Ghibli battle, and one last farewell dinner before the flight home.

→ continue

Phase 06

Tokyo.

July 15 — July 19  ·  5 days

The last chapter, in the old east of the city. Sensoji at dawn, the Skytree, Ueno’s lotus pond and the Ameyoko market, the Ghibli ticket battle, and a sukiyaki farewell before the flight home. Twenty-seven days closing where they have to.

Asakusa Tobu Hotel  ·  hotel · Asakusa · old Tokyo · QR 807 home Jul 19
Day 23  /  Phase 6Today
Day 23 of 27 / Phase Six / Sensoji dawn → Skytree → Sumida
15th
July/ Wednesday
The temple empty at dawn, the tallest tower in Japan by afternoon, the Sumida River at sunset.
晴空塔
SKYTREE
Tokyo Skytree rising over the city

Tokyo Skytree — 634 metres

Sensoji belongs to whoever gets there first. At 07:00 it’s near-empty and meditative; by 10:00 it’s a river of people. The hotel is five minutes away — there’s no excuse not to do it at dawn.
The day’s shape
07:00→ 08:30

Sensoji at dawn

The temple empty and quiet. Walk it slowly before the day arrives.

08:30→ 10:30

Nakamise Street as it opens

The shops rolling up their shutters along Nakamise and Denboin-dori. Traditional crafts, fresh ningyo-yaki.

12:00→ 13:00

Lunch in Asakusa

Daikokuya for 130-year-old tendon, or Asakusa Gyukatsu — deep-fried beef you finish on a hot stone.

14:00→ 16:30

Tokyo Skytree

15-min walk. Tembo Deck at 350m, ¥3,050 family; Galleria at 450m, extra. Book timed tickets ahead at tokyo-skytree.jp.

⬣ Timed tickets
16:30→ 17:30

Solamachi mall

At the foot of the tower. The Pokemon Center Skytree Town, the Kirby Cafe if seats are going.

17:30→ 18:30

Sumida River at sunset

Walk the river back toward Asakusa, the Skytree lighting up behind you.

19:00→ 20:30

Dinner — Asakusa

Komagata Dozeu, since 1801 — loach hot pot, and gentler dishes for Toma. Or unagi over rice with a Skytree view.

Cards & memories
⌖ Today’s ground
Today’s ground · old east Tokyo

Sensoji → Skytree

The whole day is a walk along the Sumida — temple, market, the tower, the river back. The hotel sits in the middle of it; you barely need a train.

Getting around · on foot · ~15 min →→
Open route in Google Maps
Lunch · Asakusa

Tendon or beef on a stone

A
Daikokuya Tempura
130+ years old. Classic Asakusa tendon, dark sesame-oil shrimp on rice. Queue early.
Tendon~¥4–6k family
B
Asakusa Gyukatsu
Deep-fried wagyu cutlet, served rare — you finish each slice on a hot stone at the table. Fun for Toma.
Gyukatsu~¥5–7k family
Sensoji empty at 07:00.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Tokyo from the Skytree deck.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Local transport (Suica)~¥1,200
Lunch — Asakusa~¥5,000
Tokyo Skytree (Tembo Deck)~¥3,050
Solamachi + Pokemon Center~¥3,000
Dinner — Asakusa~¥7,000
Total~¥19,250
Tomorrow brings

Ueno’s lotus, Ameyoko, old Yanaka.

The Shinobazu lotus in full July bloom, a loud market under the rail tracks, and the narrow lanes of old Tokyo.

→ continue

Day 24  /  Phase 6Today
Day 24 of 27 / Phase Six / Ueno → Ameyoko → Yanaka
16th
July/ Thursday
Lotus in full July bloom, a market crammed under the rail tracks, and the quiet old lanes of Yanaka.
上野
UENO
Ueno Park, Tokyo

Ueno Park — Shinobazu in July bloom

Mid-July is exactly when the Shinobazu lotus pond is at its peak — the reason this day stayed in Phase 6 rather than moving earlier. Ameyoko is the trip’s last serious watch window: pre-owned dealers, bargaining acceptable.
The day’s shape
09:30→ 11:00

Ueno Park & Shinobazu Pond

The lotus pond at its July peak, the Tosho-gu shrine. Optional: the National Museum of Nature and Science.

12:00→ 13:00

Lunch at Ameyoko

The market under the train tracks — grilled seafood, kebabs, dried fruit. The street is the lunch.

13:00→ 16:00

Ameyoko watch shopping

Pre-owned dealers, Seiko and Casio, the occasional vintage find. The last and least polished of the watch windows — bargaining is fair game here.

If the watch from Ginza or Kyoto has stayed on your mind — this is the deciding day.
16:30→ 18:00

Yanaka old-town walk

Narrow lanes, temples, cats, artisan shops. Yanaka Ginza, the retro shopping street. The Tokyo that survived.

18:00→ 19:30

Dinner — Yanaka

The Yanaka Beer Hall, or a walk-and-pick along Yanaka Ginza — try the menchi-katsu from Niku no Suzuki.

Cards & memories
⌖ Today’s ground
Today’s ground · north-east Tokyo

Ueno → Yanaka

A park, a market, and an old neighbourhood that the war and the developers both somehow missed. A short metro hop from Asakusa, then mostly on foot.

Getting around · Suica + on foot →→
Open route in Google Maps
Watches · the last window

Ameyoko, pre-owned floors

Four windows across the trip — Nakano, Ginza, Kyoto, and now Ameyoko. This is the rawest of them: pre-owned dealers crammed under the tracks, prices negotiable. If a watch has followed you the whole trip, today is when it gets decided.

Bargaining fair game Last call before home
The Shinobazu lotus, wide open.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
A Yanaka cat on a wall, late afternoon.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Metro (Suica)~¥1,200
Lunch — Ameyoko~¥4,500
Museum / sundries~¥2,000
Dinner — Yanaka~¥5,500
Total~¥13,200
Tomorrow brings

The Ghibli day — if the tickets landed.

If the July ticket battle on Jun 10 came through: Mitaka, the museum, Inokashira Park. If not, a flex day with good fallbacks.

→ continue

Day 25  /  Phase 6Today
Day 25 of 27 / Phase Six · the reserved slot / Ghibli Museum → Inokashira → Kichijoji
17th
July/ Friday
The day held open for the Ghibli Museum — if the July ticket battle landed. If not, a good flex day in west Tokyo.
ジブリ
GHIBLI
Inokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo

Inokashira Park — the walk out of Ghibli

This whole day exists because the June Ghibli tickets were missed. The July battle is Jun 10 at 04:00 Bucharest time on Lawson Ticket — it sells out in minutes. By the time this day arrives you’ll know: museum, or flex.
The day’s shape
08:30→ 10:00

Asakusa → Mitaka

Ginza Line and JR Chuo across the city to Mitaka. Suica tap. The museum is a short walk or the community bus.

10:00→ 12:00

Ghibli Museum

If the tickets landed: the Mitaka forest museum, the rooftop robot, the small Saturn Theatre short film. No photos inside. Entry by timed ticket only.

⬣ Lawson Ticket · if secured
12:00→ 13:00

Inokashira Park

Walk out of the museum into the park — the pond, the swan boats, the long green walk toward Kichijoji.

13:00→ 14:30

Lunch in Kichijoji

Iseya for cheap, smoky yakitori since 1928, or the famous ¥240 menchi-katsu from Kichijoji Satou.

14:30→ 17:00

Kichijoji shopping district

The Sun Road arcade, the Harmonica Yokocho lanes, vintage and record shops. An easy, likeable neighbourhood.

17:30→ 19:30

Back to Asakusa · dinner

Across the city again. Dinner in Asakusa — Hoppy Street, or somewhere quiet near the hotel.

If the tickets didn’t land: swap the museum for Roppongi and the Mori Art Museum, an early Toyosu fish-market morning, or a Yokohama half-day — the Cup Noodles Museum and Chinatown. The rest of the day’s shape still works.
Cards & memories
 
⌖ Today’s ground
Today’s ground · west Tokyo

Mitaka & Kichijoji

Out to the green west of the city — the museum sits at the edge of Inokashira Park, and the park walks you straight into Kichijoji, one of Tokyo’s most liveable corners.

Getting there · Suica · Ginza + JR Chuo →→ park →
Open route in Google Maps
⬣ The ticket battle · Jun 10

Ghibli Museum — July release

June tickets sold out before we reached them. July tickets release on Jun 10 at 04:00 Bucharest time via Lawson Ticket — gone in minutes. Set the alarm. If it lands, this day is the museum; if not, it’s a flex day.

Release Jun 10 · 04:00 BUC Fallback Roppongi / Yokohama
Lunch · Kichijoji

Yakitori or menchi-katsu

A
Iseya Sohonten
Cheap, smoky, old-school yakitori since 1928 — ¥90 a skewer. The walk out of Inokashira Park leads right to it.
Yakitori~¥3–5k family
B
Kichijoji Satou
The famous ¥240 menchi-katsu, often a queue for the takeaway window. Eat it in the park.
Menchi-katsu~¥2–3k family
Toma at the Ghibli rooftop robot — if the tickets came through.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
A swan boat on Inokashira pond.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Trains across the city (Suica)~¥2,400
Ghibli Museum (if secured)~¥2,700
Lunch — Kichijoji~¥4,000
Dinner — Asakusa~¥6,000
Total~¥15,100
Tomorrow brings

Ikebukuro, free time, and the farewell sukiyaki.

The biggest Pokemon Center, the last souvenir run, and a 130-year-old sukiyaki house for the final dinner.

→ continue

Day 26  /  Phase 6Today
Day 26 of 27 / Phase Six · last full day / Ikebukuro → free time → farewell dinner
18th
July/ Saturday
The last full day — the biggest Pokemon Center, the final souvenir run, and a 130-year-old sukiyaki house to close it.
今半
IMAHAN
Tokyo cityscape at night

Tokyo at night — the last full evening

Book Asakusa Imahan about a week ahead — the farewell dinner shouldn’t be left to chance. Keep the afternoon loose: this is the day to circle back to whatever you didn’t finish, and to buy the omiyage.
The day’s shape
10:00→ 12:00

Ikebukuro — Sunshine City

The Pokemon Center Mega Tokyo — the biggest one, and less of a crush than Shibuya. Optional: the Sunshine Aquarium, Namjatown.

12:00→ 13:00

Lunch in Ikebukuro

Mutekiya for iconic Ikebukuro tonkotsu ramen, or the Gyoza Stadium at Namjatown.

14:00→ 17:00

Free time — the loose afternoon

Circle back to a favourite, finish the souvenir shopping, or the vermillion torii tunnel of Nezu Shrine near Ueno. Whatever the trip still owes you.

19:00→ 20:30

Farewell dinner — Asakusa Imahan

Sukiyaki since 1895 — wagyu in a sweet soy broth, the egg dip, a beautiful traditional room. The trip’s last proper dinner. See the card.

⬣ Reserve ~1 week ahead
21:00

Final packing

Back at the hotel. Bags more or less closed. Tomorrow is mostly the airport.

Cards & the last reservation
⬣ Farewell dinner · the third reservation

Asakusa Imahan

Sukiyaki since 1895 — thin wagyu cooked at the table in sweet soy, dipped in raw egg, in a quiet tatami room. After TeamLab and Onodera, the trip’s third and last booked table. Reserve by phone or Tabelog about a week out.

CuisineSukiyaki · since 1895
BookingTabelog / phone · ~1wk
Budget~¥12–18k family
The last real dinner of twenty-seven days. Don’t leave it to a walk-in — book it from Asakusa once Phase 6 begins.
Dinner
19:00
JUL 18 SAT
2A · 1C
⌖ Today’s ground
Today’s ground · the loose day

Ikebukuro & back

A morning out at Sunshine City, then the afternoon left deliberately open — the day to finish whatever the trip didn’t. Dinner back home in Asakusa.

Getting around · Suica · metro →→ free time →
Open the area in Google Maps
Toma at the Pokemon Center Mega Tokyo.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
The sukiyaki pot at Imahan, the last dinner.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Metro (Suica)~¥1,400
Lunch — Ikebukuro~¥4,000
Souvenirs / omiyage~¥8,000
Farewell dinner — Asakusa Imahan~¥15,000
Total~¥28,400
Tomorrow brings

The last morning, and the flight home.

A final Nakamise stroll, a last lunch, then the Keisei line to Narita and QR 807 to Doha.

→ continue

Day 27  /  Phase 6Today
Day 27 of 27 / Phase Six · departure / Asakusa → Narita → home
19th
July/ Sunday
A slow last morning, a final melon-pan on Nakamise, then the Keisei line to Narita and the long flight home.
さよなら
SAYONARA
View of clouds from an airplane window

From the window — somewhere over the Sea of Japan

No rushing this one. The flight is late — QR 807 leaves Narita at 22:25 — so the morning is genuinely free. One last walk through the streets that started the trip, then the easy Keisei line straight from Asakusa to the airport.
The day’s shape
09:00→ 10:00

Sleep in · final pack

No alarm. A slow breakfast. Close the bags properly.

10:00→ 12:00

Last Asakusa stroll · Nakamise

The Nakamise street one more time — last-minute souvenirs, a final melon-pan, ningyo-yaki, kibi dango. The streets the trip opened on.

12:00→ 13:00

Final lunch in Japan

Quick soba and Nakamise snacks, or beautiful bento boxes to carry — ekiben on the Keisei train is a fitting last meal.

13:00→ 16:30

Relax · last checks

Hotel checkout and luggage hold. A quiet afternoon — nothing left on the list.

17:30→ 19:00

Keisei Access Express → Narita

Straight from Asakusa to Narita Terminal 2, ~75–85 min. ¥3,180 family. Suica tap.

22:25JST

QR 807 departs Narita

Qatar Airways, Narita → Doha → Bucharest. Twenty-seven days fold up and fit into the overhead bin.

⬣ Booking 945L4H Terminal 2
Cards & the way out
⌖ The way home
The way out · Asakusa → Narita

Keisei Access Express

The simplest possible exit — one train, no transfers. The Keisei line runs direct from Asakusa Station to Narita Terminal 2. The trip ends the way it began, on this line.

Departure run · Suica · ~80 min → Keisei Access Express → Narita T2
Open route in Google Maps
The flight home

QR 807 — Narita → Bucharest

Qatar Airways via Doha, departing 22:25. The return half of booking 945L4H. The same airline, the same routing, the mirror of Day 1 — only this time the overhead bins are full of Japan.

Depart 22:25 JST Terminal NRT T2
The last melon-pan on Nakamise.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
The three of you at the gate — tired, done, full.
Memory slot  ·  paste later
Day's estimate (family of 3)
Asakusa → Narita (Keisei, Suica)~¥3,180
Final lunch + Nakamise snacks~¥4,000
Last souvenirs~¥3,000
Flight QR 807prepaid
Total cash out~¥10,180
And that’s the trip

Twenty-seven days, six phases, one notebook.

Now it waits for the photos — every memory slot above is an empty frame until you fill it. Welcome home.

❦