Enchanting Japan 09 Days with Cherry Blossom April 2019
From the shiny bright lights of Tokyo s Akihabara District to the serene temples and gardens in Kyoto, Japan is a country where the past and the future collide more than you initially realize. If you can visit during cherry blossom season, you re in for a real treat the streets will be lined with the most beautiful bunches of white and pale pink flowers, which in turn makes the country smell absolutely phenomenal. This Japan itinerary starts in Tokyo, making a day trip to Nikko and Hakone and then venture to Osaka and make day trips to Kyoto, Nara and Hiroshima and Miyajima Island.
DAY 1: ARRIVE IN TOKYO! You ll be flying into Narita Airport and will need a little over an hour to get into the city center via the Narita Express. Today s all about modern Tokyo! You ll be exploring the western districts of the city, including Shibuya, Harajuku, and Shinjuku Shibuya is Tokyo s version of Times Square, and with all the bright lights and massive amounts of people, it s easy to see why. Check out the world-famous Shibuya Crossing, where 100 s of people scramble across the street at once. Also say Hello or Konichiwa to Hachiko (the most loyal dog in the world statue) at Shibuya Crossing and do some shopping at Tokyu Hands. Meiji Shrine is the Shinto shrine that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken. You ll be seeing lots of shrines and temples during your time in Japan, and Meiji is a great one to start with! If you re lucky, you may even witness a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony! Get a taste for Japanese street style at Harajuku. On Sundays, you can see traditional Harajuku Girls dressed in elaborate costumes and anime so fun! Walk down the famous shopping street of Takeshita Dori, where you ll find a whole mess of fun stores and fun cafes. Shinjuku is the largest neighbourhood in Tokyo (dubbed the crazy entertainment district), and you ll find thousands of restaurants, shops, entertainment, and other attractions that you could easily spend all day here. Consider the free observation deck on the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, visit Shinjuku Gyoen (a large public park near Shinjuku Station being a perfect cherry blossom spot.
DAY 2: FULL DAY IN TOKYO: EAST SIDE Now it s time to experience the more traditional side of Tokyo, including Sensoji Temple and Ueno Gardens. Another bird s eye view can be seen at nearby Tokyo Skytree. Asakusa is the spiritual heart of Tokyo and a good place to start your day! Sensoji Temple is the main attraction here, and you ll start your morning journey at the Kaminarimon Gate. As you walk toward the temple buildings, check out the historic Nakamise Dori shopping street, pick out some souvenirs and grab a Japanese snack (or two!) before exploring Sensoji Temple. Consider drawing Omikuji (written fortunes) while here. If you re up for it and are interested, check out the surrounding old-fashioned neighbourhoods around Asakusa. Sumida Park during cherry blossom is a must visit. It is a wonderful spot to see the flowers in bloom! Next up Tokyo SkyTree, the tallest tower in not only Japan, but the entire world! At 634m (2,080 feet), the complex has two observation decks with great views over the city. There s even a glass floor for any of you brave souls! End the afternoon at Ueno Park, another large public space located in central Tokyo and another lively cherry blossom spot. There are more than 1000 cherry trees of multiple varieties lining its central pathway and lots of temples and shrines here to check out. Spend the evening perusing the many electronic shops, including Yodobashi Akiba the world s largest with nine stories stuffed with hi tech equipment for geeks with money. You ll also find Japan s diehard fan anime culture here, with stores devoted to anime and manga.
DAY 4: DAY TRIP FROM TOKYO Hakone Get spectacular views of Mt. Fuji and its surrounding mountains on a day trip from Tokyo. Cruise across Lake Ashi by boat and take the ropeway up Mt. Komagatake. Relax in the hot springs resort of Hakone, and then catch the bullet train back to Tokyo. Late evening train to Osaka
DAY 5: DAY TRIP TO NARA Head to Nara from Osaka Get ready to interact with some deer in Nara Park, which can be found all throughout the area and are literally impossible to miss! And oh yea, those crackers you see being sold on the street? Those are for the deer, not us hungry humans! A few temples to see: Todaiji (must visit Unesco World Heritage Site with super tall Buddha), Kasaguga Taisha Shrine (the most important shrine in Nara), Kofukuiji Temple, and Gangou-ji Temple.
DAY 6: DAY TRIP TO KYOTO Take a train to Kyoto from Osaka Visit the beautiful Tenyru-Ji Shrine and its accompanying zen garden. Once you exit the garden, you ll come across the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove/Forest. Walking through the Bamboo Grove is definitely one of the essential experiences to have in Kyoto Golden Pavilion or Kinkakuji, is super impressive and made entirely of gold! Reflected in the lake, it s no wonder this is one of the top things to do in Kyoto. Fushimi Inari Shrine (Taisha): The shrine is comprised of over 10,000 beautiful orange-y red tori gates arching over a scenic, possible 2-hourlong walking trail. Kyomizu-dera Temple, a listed UNESCO site is quite busy, but the view out over a sea of trees is hard to beat just imagine this during cherry blossom season (absolutely to die for!) Thereafter walk on over to Gion, Kyotos famous geisha district. If you re lucky you may spot a real true-life geisha, although they tend to walk fast to their destination and don t like to show their face.
DAY 7: DAY TRIP TO MIYAJIMA AND HIROSHIMA Take an early morning bullet train to Hiroshima and ferry to Miyajima. Head straight to the tori gate (after some deer interaction of course, yes there s deer here and they re SUPER friendly, just watch your food). You ll want to snap a million photos because this place is just so damn beautiful. Also visit the floating shrine Take the Miyajima Ropeway for betterthan-great views of the whole area from the top of Mt. Misen. Post lunch do the Hiroshima Sightseeing on Hop-On, Hop-Off Loop Bus Meipuru-pu and visit the Hiroshima Castle, A-Bomb Dome, Children s Peace Monument, and Peace Memorial Museum and Park. Back to Osaka late evening
DAY 8: OSAKA Start the day with a visit to the ever-sobeautiful Osaka Castle, one of Japan s most famous landmarks! Next up, Dotonbori Street! It s an absolute madhouse full of people, shops, and eateries, and an absolute mustdo while in Osaka. Be sure to look up and admire the moving animal billboards found on the buildings. Osaka is the food capitol not just of Japan, but of the entire world. Then whole of afternoon can be spent for shopping at Shinsaibashi, the city s premier shopping district. Take the evening train back to Tokyo and night stay in Tokyo DAY 9: BACK TO DELHI
DAY 9: BACK TO DELHI