Tokyo/Kyoto Itinerary Check (mom + kid, Sept. 30 - Oct. 12)
My kiddo and I are headed to Tokyo at the end of the month. He is 7 years old and it will be just the two of us. We have traveled internationally together before so this is not first long haul flight etc, but we have never been to Japan before. I'm worried our itinerary is too full or missing this we will be sad we missed (even though I am trying to remember that we can't see it all in 10 days!).We are starting in Tokyo then going to Kyoto. I have intentionally not included Disney (which would be cool, but just doesn't rank given everything else there is to do) or Kidzania (days don't work). We also could not get Ghibli tickets (womp womp) so that is not on the itinerary. In Tokyo we are staying in an Airbnb and in Kyoto a Holiday Inn (not because it is awesome, because we had a discount). If anyone has feedback, it would be greatly appreciated! I want to make the trip fun, memorable, and avoid having it be miserable because I am rushing him around shouting WE ARE LATE FOR FUN GODDAMIT!
# Wed Sept 30 — Travel
* **1:20 PM —** Depart Seattle * **Overnight —** Flight to Tokyo
# Thu Oct 1 — Arrive Tokyo (staying in Asakusa)
* **4:00 PM —** Land Narita; immigration and customs * **\~6:00–7:30 PM —** Train to Asakusa apartment * **\~7:30 PM —** Easy dinner near the apartment
# Fri Oct 2 — Asakusa
* **7:00 AM —** Senso-ji at dawn; start a goshuincho (temple stamp book) * **7:00–10:30 AM —** Nakamise-dori, Denbouin-dori, Hikan Inari Shrine * **11:00–11:30 AM —** Food sample (wax) making workshop, Kappabashi * **11:30 AM–12:15 PM —** Kappabashi Dougu-gai browsing * **\~12:30 PM —** Quick lunch * **1:00–3:00 PM —** Asakusa Hanayashiki (amusement park) * **\~3:00–4:00 PM —** Hat Coffee Latte Art Club if done at park * **\~4:30–5:00 PM —** Free Skytree viewpoint (Asakusa Culture Tourism Information Center) * **\~6:00–6:30 PM —** Dinner, Hoppy Street * **7:30 PM —** Evening "proof of mom" photo shoot (booked)
# Sat Oct 3 — Ueno and Akihabara
* **10:00 AM–12:00 PM —** Family Samurai Sword Experience * **\~12:15–2:30 PM —** Ueno: Ameyoko market, Ueno Toshogu, National Museum of Nature and Science, Saigo Takamori statue * **\~2:30–6:00 PM —** Akihabara: claw machines, Pokémon cards (Hareruya 2), Yodobashi Camera, gachapon, Cat Cafe MOFF * **Evening —** Dinner in Akihabara or Asakusa
# Sun Oct 4 — Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, Shibuya
* **9:00 AM —** Meiji Jingu and Yoyogi Park * **\~12:00–1:00 PM —** Takeshita-dori * **\~1:00–1:30 PM —** Cat Street * **\~1:30–2:30 PM —** Lunch, Shibuya (Genki Sushi) * **\~2:30–4:00 PM —** Pokémon Center Shibuya, Hachiko, the Scramble crossing * **4:25–4:30 PM entry —** Shibuya Sky at sunset * **\~6:00 PM onward —** Evening in Center Gai
# Mon Oct 5 — Capybara Cafe, Ikebukuro, and Sunshine City
* **7:00–7:30 AM —** Morning photo shoot * **\~9:30–10:15 AM —** Cafe Capyba (capybara cafe), Sumida * **\~11:15 AM–2:00 PM —** Sunshine Aquarium, Ikebukuro * **\~2:00–3:30 PM —** Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo; Namja Town (optional) * **Evening —** Dinner near the apartment
# Tue Oct 6 — teamLab Planets, Small Worlds, Odaiba
* **\~5:00–7:00 AM (optional) —** Toyosu Market, if up early with jet lag * **8:00–11:00 AM —** teamLab Planets * **\~11:00–11:30 AM —** Lunch, Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai * **\~12:00–1:30 PM —** Small Worlds Miniature Museum * **\~1:30–5:00 PM —** Odaiba: Gundam statue, Statue of Liberty replica, Fuji TV Building * **Evening —** Yurikamome back at dusk; dinner; send luggage ahead to Kyoto
# Wed Oct 7 — Yanaka, then Shinkansen to Kyoto (staying near Kyoto Station, Gojo)
* **Morning —** Check out of the Asakusa apartment * **\~9:00–11:30 AM —** Yanaka: Yanaka Ginza, cat statues, Yanaka Cemetery * **\~12:00–1:00 PM —** Tokyo Station: ekiben, LEGO Store stamp, Tokyo Character Street * **\~1:00 PM —** Shinkansen departs for Kyoto * **\~3:15 PM —** Arrive Kyoto * **\~3:30–4:00 PM —** Check into Kyoto hotel
# Thu Oct 8 — Fushimi Inari, Nishiki Market, Nijo Castle
* **7:00–9:30 AM —** Fushimi Inari * **\~10:00 AM–12:00 PM —** Nishiki Market and Pokémon Center Kyoto * **\~1:00–3:30 PM —** Nijo Castle * **\~5:00–6:00 PM —** Evening walk along the Kamogawa river
# Fri Oct 9 — Toei Kyoto Studio Park and Arashiyama
* **\~10:00 AM–1:00 PM —** Toei Kyoto Studio Park (samurai/ninja film sets) * **\~1:00–5:00 PM —** Arashiyama: Kimono Forest, Bamboo Grove, Iwatayama Monkey Park, Togetsukyo Bridge
# Sat Oct 10 — Kyoto Railway Museum and Kyoto Aquarium
* **\~10:00 AM–1:00 PM —** Kyoto Railway Museum * **\~1:00–3:30 PM —** Kyoto Aquarium
# Sun Oct 11 — Higashiyama and Gion
* **\~8:00–9:30 AM —** Kiyomizu-dera, early morning * **\~9:30–10:30 AM —** Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka streets, Yasaka Koshindo * **\~11:00 AM–1:00 PM —** Kyoto City Zoo * **\~5:00–6:30 PM —** Gion, evening walk
# Mon Oct 12 — Departure
* **\~9:30 AM —** Check out of the Kyoto hotel (ahead of the 11:00 AM deadline, to catch the morning train) * **\~10:00–10:30 AM —** Shinkansen departs Kyoto for Tokyo * **\~12:45 PM —** Narita Express departs Tokyo Station * **\~1:45 PM —** Arrive Narita * **6:00 PM —** Flight departs