Day 1 (9/22): SFO --> TYO
Nothing planned on this day as it is a flight day.
Activities:
- n/a
- Dinner arrangements: n/a
Planner's Notes: This current schedule is based on you guys leaving on this day and arriving on the 23rd.
Day 2 (9/23): Tokyo
Nothing currently planned on this day.
Activities:
- n/a
- Dinner arrangements: TBD
Planner's Notes: If you take the ZipAir flight, you will arrive on this day in the evening.
Day 3 (9/24): Tokyo
Today is currently completely dedicated to being a rest day for possibly spending time with friends in Kichijoji.
Activities:
- n/a
- Dinner arrangements: TBD
Planner's Notes: n/a
Day 4 (9/25): Tokyo
As your father had two rest days in his itinerary, I also wanted to make sure that there was ample time for you all to meet with friends while here, so this day is also currently a last rest day for the first leg of the trip.
Activities:
- n/a
- Dinner arrangements: TBD
Planner's Notes: I currently have this in as a free day, however I would like for you guys to consider allowing us to make this into a day to travel to either Kamakura, Enoshima or even to Dogashima in the Izu Peninsula, where your father's extended family is residing. Perhaps this day could be dedicated to visiting them, after having spent time with your father's friends in Kichijoji for the first few days. Enoshima and Kamakura are some of the only things from your father's itinerary that I wasn't really able to find space for. I initially wanted to put it in the itinerary on Day 5, but I thought that having a day of activities that your son will enjoy was also a very important things to include, so I planned the Day 5 activities around that instead. The following day is still semi-free (only a food tour of your father's hometown is planned on that day), so there is still time to meet with your father's friends and family that are in the area. I've currently kept this day free simply because the outline your father presented requested two free days in the area.
The house that I have selected seems to have plenty of space for inviting people over. It is an AirBnb with a very spacious living room.
Day 5 (9/26): Tokyo
Today I wanted to focus on a few activities that I hope that everyone in your family will enjoy, however the focus is mostly on things that I think that your son will thoroughly enjoy! I thought it would be nice to start the day off with a traditional activity, kendo. Kendo is Japanese fencing and is a major sport in Japan. Visiting a dojo is also something that is in and of itself an experience. There are a lot of fighting etiquette traditions that I personally find very fascinating, and I hope that you guys would also find them interesting. This is also something that you rated quite highly on the phone during our initial call. The second activity is a visit to TeamLab exhibit. This is also something that you rated very highly when we spoke on the phone. There are a few of them scattered around the country, but this particular one is more "tactile" and interactive than the other exhibits. I'm going to include a video of it below. Lastly, since I know your father is an Edokko, I wanted to include a food experience that is very... Tokyo. It's dinner on a yakatabune boat on Tokyo Bay. It's something that is done a lot during the fireworks festivals that happen during the summertime, however it is also often enjoyed during the Autumn season as well. I will also include a video below to give you a better idea of what it is like. The food is usually traditional Japanese dishes like tempura, sashimi, and other dishes that are easier to eat. Drinking is usually a big thing during the boat ride as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaO980jNKNM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uJTk_mRmUY
Activities:
- Kendo martial arts lesson
- TeamLab Planets exhibit
- Dinner arrangements: Yakatabune dinner cruise (Tokyo Bay)
Planner's Notes: Please let me know what you think about the yakatabune. It can be changed (obviously), and is just one a suggestion that I think your dad may enjoy since he is originally from Tokyo. Also, the yakatabune video that I put in the description is cheesy as hell, but it is legitimately the only decent video that I could find on YT. It is a nice experience, regardless of how horribly that video was shot.
Day 6 (9/27): Takayama
My suggestion for the morning of this day is a beautiful village that is called Hida no Sato. Shirakawa-go is very famous for preserving its traditional thatch-roof style houses (it's in the same area, but a bit more remote and it was also on the list of places your father wanted to visit), and for the most part the traditions of that period in Japan. Hiida no Sato is similar, however every house in this village has a different traditional Japanese craft that everyone can participate in. I've included a picture of the village in the gallery so that you can get an idea of what it looks like. The website for the village is here:
https://www.hidanosato-tpo.jp/english12.htm
The English site doesn't really do it justice (it also looks like it was built in the early 90's), however it is a very nice place to visit. Not only are their activities and crafts to experience, but the village itself serves as an open-air museum, and is really beautiful. I think that this is the perfect activity for both a few hands-on experiences (they have udon-making lessons here, along with many other traditional crafts lessons), and also just taking in the beauty of the picturesque countryside.
Activities (guided):
- Takayama Town Museum
- Takayama Matsuri Yatai Exhibit
- Sanmachi Suji
- Hiida Folk Village tour (time permitting)
Planner's Notes: Visiting the village and Takayama would require an earlier waking time. A car would be the best way to get around today.
Day 7 (9/28): Kanazawa
I want to base this day (almost) completely on the places that your father wishes to visit here as I think that they are really great stops (especially the Kenrokuen Garden visit), however I wanted to add one additional location for your son, the Ninja Temple. It's a spot that has become quite popular in the last few years. The name is kind of a touristy thing. It isn't necessarily a temple for ninja, but more so just a temple that was constructed in a very strange way with secret corridors, and it also has a maze-like structure. It's an interesting visit while here.
Activities (with a guide):
- Kenrokuen Gardens
- Nagamachi Samurai district
- Teahouse geisha districts
- Ninja Temple (tentative)
- Dinner arrangements: TBD
Planner's Notes: This day is definitely a day that would benefit from the knowledge of a guide. A couple things I'd like to mention. First, the ninja temple is quite strict. We'd have to book your visit in advance, and for some odd reason they don't like people translating what the temple's guide is saying into another language while on the tour. They also don't allow any pictures or videos to be taken while visiting. Your father mentioned a samurai district for Takayama, but I'm almost 100% certain that he meant the samurai district here in Kanazawa as there really isn't one in Takayama (although there is a merchant district there, which I've also added to the itinerary just to be safe).
Day 8 (9/29): Nakasendo Trail or Kamikochi Wetlands
My suggestion for this day is completely based on the spirit of what I think your father was wanting in his itinerary for this region. He mentioned both the Kamikochi Wetlands and also visiting areas that had well-preserved older towns. Either one of these locations will be a hike, but Kamikochi will be more nature-based surroundings, whereas doing a portion of the Nakasendo Trail will be based more in beautifully preserved small towns (but also in a very natural setting, relatively speaking). Neither choice is bad. They are both great options. I'm mostly trying to gauge whether you would like more nature spots in the itinerary for this day, or more historic spots.
Activities:
- TBD
- Dinner arrangements: TBD
Planner's Notes: I don't know your son's personality, however I do feel as though there will be more to 'see' on the Nakasendo Trail. Also, please keep in mind that once you've decided we'll get finer details from you for this day to customize the hike. Things like how far you wish to hike, which part of the trail may be most interesting for you, etc.
Day 9 (9/30): Takayama or Kyoto
For now, I would like to get your feedback on this day before planning whether you'll be in Kyoto or Takayama. I personally would like to make it a Kyoto day, however I know that you mentioned wanting to have as many days as possible at a decent ryokan, so an additional semi-planned day here in Takayama may be good for that, and would also give you guys the chance to do both of the hikes mentioned in Day 8. There are multiple things that I'd like to add to the itinerary in the Kyoto region, however. I also removed the Matsumoto trip from your father's itinerary (too much overlap with the Himeji visit, and Himeji is definitely a better choice), but we could put it back in on this day if you prefer.
Having said that, it may be good to keep this day in Takayama spending the day there, and then head to Kyoto at night so that you guys make it in time for the matsuri activities in the morning. There are a few activities that your father mentioned here that have yet to be added to the itinerary for Takayama. I'm going to tentatively list them in the activities section below.
Activities:
- Asaichi morning market (either the Miyagawa or Jjinja-mae markets - mentioned by your father for this region)
- Old Town tour (wealthy merchant district - mentioned by your father for this region)
- Dinner arrangements: TBD
Planner's Notes:
Day 10 (10/1): Kyoto
This day will have less activities in it as I would like to focus solely on the Zuiki Matsuri event. Although the matsuri is several days long, I’ve chosen to focus on the first day as it has some of the event’s more memorable highlights including the mikoshi departure procession from Kitano Tenmangu in the morning, and the yaotome dance ceremony in the evening. You can expect the typical fare that comes along with a matsuri event as well (yatai street food stands, which are quite tasty), and the general atmosphere that accompanies a shinto spiritual event.
This day will have less activities in it as I would like to focus solely on the Zuiki Matsuri event. Although the matsuri is several days long, I’ve chosen to focus on the first day as it has some of the event’s more memorable highlights including the mikoshi departure procession from Kitano Tenmangu in the morning, and the yaotome dance ceremony in the evening. You can expect the typical fare that comes along with a matsuri event as well (yatai street food stands, which are quite tasty), and the general atmosphere that accompanies a shinto spiritual event.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWxV2UKPT50
Activities:
- Zuiki Matsuri
- Dinner arrangements: Zao
Planner's Notes: The matsuri events that I think would be best to experience on this day start at around 9:30AM and end at around 4:00PM. The festivities will carry on later into the day, but the most important activities are essentially within this time window.
Activities:
- Zuiki Matsuri
- Dinner arrangements: Zao
Planner's Notes: The matsuri events that I think would be best to experience on this day start at around 9:30AM and end at around 4:00PM. The festivities will carry on later into the day, but the most important activities are essentially within this time window.
Day 11 (10/2): Kyoto
This day is quite special, and perhaps a bit ambitious. I’d like to start the day off with a visit to the Daitokuji Temple complex that is famous for being the birthplace of the modern tea ceremony. It’s also beautifully manicured, and its famous zen gardens are an ideal setting for learning the basics of zen meditation with a monk. For the morning, I’d like to pair these two activities together. So a traditional tea that would be followed by a basic introduction to zen meditation.
In the afternoon and evening, I’d like to “rent” out a temple to bring the remaining activities and experience to you directly, rather than having you travel all around Kyoto to experience different things. The first experience I’d like to arrange is a Noh workshop. Noh is something that people rarely look into when visiting Japan, but the history, the symbolism, the technique and the artistry of the art form are amazing. For instance, knowing the meaning of the different masks, and what kinds of spirits they represent, or knowing the reason behind particular movement styles and why they are employed really make the experience of Noh theater fascinating. The Noh master that would operate this workshop has been practicing the art his whole life, as did his father, and the previous 9 generations before him. He embodies the art form, and his knowledge and passion are infectious. He would start by teaching you the basic meanings of the masks, and what type of spirit, ghost or oni they represent. Then he would teach you about the movements of Noh, and a few lyrics while also teaching you how to say the words from your diaphragm to project you voice. Lastly, he would perform a short act that shows you how to put all of the previously taught elements together. In addition to this, I would also like to arrange a maiko (geisha) performance while you are here as well as this is probably one of the things that you personally rated highest during our initial call.
Activities:
- Traditional tea ceremony
- Zen meditation lesson
- Temple rental for the afternoon and evening
- Private Noh theater workshop and performance
- Private geiko performance and Q&A
- Dinner arrangements: possibly a private chef at the temple
Planner's Notes: I planned this day to have as much actual first-hand experiences as possible. Kyoto can get boring if you spend each day here going to temples, and just looking at things, no matter how beautiful, fascinating or intriguing those things are. So I wanted to make sure that we had multiple 'hands-on' experiences built into this leg of the trip to go alongside the majestic temple and shrine visits. I think that this will be especially good for your son, as kids can get "temple'd" out quite quickly sometimes. I also thought that renting a temple would be a good way to have a semi-rest day as this day is close to the halfway point of the trip. It is possible to have a chef come in as well to prepare meals for you guys while you are there, but if you would prefer to eat somewhere else, then that is also possible.
Day 12 (10/3): Himeji + Osaka
Many of the days on this trip, you guys will be accompanied by a guide, but today is one of the days where it is most important. I'd like to start the day with a visit to Himeji Castle. This is one of the locations that was on your father's list, but to be 100% honest, even if he hadn't had it on the list, I would've added it as I do think it is the most beautiful castle in Japan. A proper guide makes the experience all the more special, as knowing the history of it helps you understand why it was chosen as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After visiting the castle, I think that lunch in Himeji would be a good decision. We would then arrange for a trip to Osaka before heading back to Kyoto. Keeping the same guide with you (or perhaps switching to a guide that is local to Osaka) will be helpful for navigating the city and the subsequent stops. I've based this time off of the places that your father wanted to visit in Osaka (Den Den Town, and The Expo Commemoration Park), but there are many other spots that are worth a visit in Osaka, and perhaps even a canal cruise around the Dotonbori area would be a nice addition.
Activities:
- Himeji Castle
- Osaka visit
- Expo Commemorative Park
- Den Den Town
- Dotonbori Canal Cruise
- Dinner arrangements: TBD
Planner's Notes: Dinner in Osaka is a must before returning to Kyoto on this day. Osaka's nickname is 'Japan's Kitchen', and it definitely earns the title. I initially wanted to put a street food tour in on this day, but it wasn't really something that you rated highly when we spoke, so I think that simply making a reservation at a good place, or playing it by ear with your guide is a good idea. I'm looking forward to discussing food spots more with you during our next phone call.
Day 13 (10/4): Kyoto
Of all of the days that I've planned, I'm kind of looking forward to hearing what you think about this day the most. I wanted to to include an activity or experience that has something to do with filmmaking when designing this itinerary (for you specifically Keiko). One of my friends in Kyoto works for the biggest props company in Japan, and so they get access to the Toei movie studio lot. I actually spent a day talking to her about this trip to see what kinds of experiences we could come up with, and we came up with a few different options. The first is a tour of the studio lot where they currently make films and TV shows. Exploring some of the sets (if they aren't being used), and the studio lots are adjacent to a semi-theme park which kind of serves as both an outdoor movie set, but also has all types of attractions that I think that your son would enjoy (live-action chambara fighting scenes, ninja trick houses, etc.)
The next experience is a prop-making experience. It is actually really fascinating how some studios in Japan make their props. I wanted to experience this before suggesting it to you, so I was taken to their studio warehouse where they store props that they've had for over a hundred years! There I sat with a guy who is responsible for maintaining and creating different weapon props for period films. He showed me how they design the weapons, and also the materials that they use to do so. They use a special type of foil called suzuhaku to give the wooden prop swords their sheen, and the only thing that they use to stick the foil onto the wood is egg whites. I'd like to plan either one of these activities as the experience for the first half of the day.
After this, Mr. Suda put Nara in his list of places to go, and so I think that a trip there in the latter half of the day would be perfect. Todaiji, and the Nara park where the deer roam freely would be the highlights of visiting here. Your father also stated that he wanted to have dinner here, so I think that this day would be an excellent opportunity to try a more traditional meal here in Nara before heading back to Kyoto for the night.
Activities:
- Toei movie studio lot tour + Eigamura theme park
- Movie prop warehouse tour + prop-making lesson (tentative)
- Nara day trip
- Todaiji Temple visit
- Nara Park visit
- Dinner arrangements: TBD (preferably somewhere in Nara though)
Planner's Notes: I think that it might be beneficial to consider leaving Kyoto on this night for Hiroshima. That way we can add a bit more into the itinerary for the next day. *Please also see notes on Day 18 regarding this day's activities*
Day 14 (10/5): Hiroshima
This day will be completely dedicated to the classic sites of Hiroshima. Your guide will take you to the locations below. As a side note, every child in Japan is required to visit either Hiroshima or Nagasaki as part of their education (I believe it is before they reach high school age). As such, you will most definitely be surrounded by children the entire time that you are there.
I want to quickly make mention of my dinner suggestion for this night. It is a bit "touristy" but pretty good nonetheless, and I also think that it is a place your father will really enjoy. It's called Okonomimura. Okonomiyaki is a dish that is hard to explain in "Western terms", but I'm sure you've had it before. Is it a pancake? Is it a Japanese pizza? Is it a savory cake? Whenever I take people there these are the most common comparisons I get. Whatever you want to call it, it is delicious. Hiroshima people do their okonomiyaki totally different from everyone else in the country. Typical okonomiyaki places outside of Hiroshima mix all of the ingredients into the batter and them cook everything together, whereas people in Hiroshima cook the bater and all of the ingredients separately then layer them on top of one another. Ingredients for okonomiyaki are usually: the base (crepe-esque), an egg (to sandwich all of the ingredients into with the base), meat, shredded lettuce, onions, and "sauce" (which is close to a BBQ sauce). But 'okonomi' roughly means 'what you like', and so they can top the dish with the ingredients you prefer. Okonomimura is a giant 5-story building where every single restaurant inside has their own take on the dish. They all also use a teppan grill to cook it right in front of you. I love this place, and so I'm going to put a video of what the experience is link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ6o8zqEWTs
Activities (guided):
- Peace Memorial Park
- A-Bomb Dome
- Peace Memorial Museum
- Ferry to Miyajima
- Itsukushima Shrine
- Daihouji Temple
- Mt. Misen Ropeway (time pending)
- Dinner suggestion: Okonomimura
Planner's Notes: I did not include it in this iteration of the itinerary, however I really wanted to include sea kayaking in the morning here. It would be around the Miyajima island area only, but when done in the morning (when the tide is high enough), you can take your kayak directly through the massive floating torii gate that Miyajima is famous for. I prioritized the Mt. Misen hike for this day over the sea kayaking experience, and I've also prioritized the overall pace of the day as it would be quite rushed if we were to attempt sea kayaking early in the morning, then go to Miyajima, visit the amazing shrines and temples there, enjoy the very cute deer that roam the island freely, hike Mt. Misen, and then also try to rush back to Hiroshima proper to visit the Peace Memorial Park and Museum. It is definitely possible, but it may not be very relaxing as it would be a lot of movement in a single day. Also, as a side note, if you elect to stay in Kyoto on the night of Day 13, and then depart for Hiroshima on the morning of this day, then sea kayaking would not be possible, unfortunately.
Day 15 (10/6): Hiroshima + Kurashiki
Kurashiki is a beautifully preserved town in Okayama. There is a very picturesque canal that goes through the Bikan historical area that the town is known for (I'll include a picture of this canal in your gallery below). The reason for stopping here is multi-fold. The first reason is that it is an excellent place for your ryokan stay. There are buildings in the area that are hundreds of years old, and the town has preserved its "old world" charm and character. The second reason is its proximity to the Seto Inland Sea for the activities that are planned for the following day. Your guide will take you to the places below.
Activities:
- Big merchant Ohashi House
- Kurashiki Folk Crafts Museum
- Lunch in Ivy Square which was a cotton spinning company
- Restaurant Suggestion: Homestyle recommendation or kaiseki meal at the ryokan
Planner's Notes: Kurashiki is a beautiful place, and although I would very much like to keep this leg of the trip, if you guys are not feeling the activities planned on Day 9, then the days for this small leg of the trip could be allocated to Tokyo and its surrounding areas, so that you guys could have more time there.
Day 16 (10/7): Tokyo
This day will be completely dedicated to the sumo tournament. I think that this is also a good day to arrange a dinner reservation for your family as well. As it is the first full day in Japan, I don’t want to bombard you with activities or experiences while you’re still adjusting, so I’ve currently only planned for your attendance at the sumo tournament.
Activities:
- Sumo stable visit (if possible a visit to Tokitsukaze)
- Dinner arrangements: TBD
Planner's Notes: As this is the final day of the tournament, getting tickets may be tough. As an alternative, I want to keep a sumo stable visit as a plan B. Truthfully, a stable visit is probably a better experience overall if we cannot secure good seats for the tournament. I have already asked one of our partners to be aware that we may ask them to help us secure these seats for the 24th, so we are hopeful! Tickets go on sale from the 5th of August, so that is the day we will know if we can secure them. We would like to splurge a bit on good seats for this event. The alternative dates for the sumo stable visit will be at the end of the trip after the 6th of October. We would like to look at alternatives to this event, after the 5th of August, if we are unable to secure the tickets.
Day 17 (10/8): Tokyo
I wanted to use this day as a chance for everyone to “see” Tokyo from a few different angles. Starting with the best view of the city, we plan for a trip to Tokyo SkyTree, which is the tallest structure in Japan. It is the best way to also get an idea of just how massive Tokyo is as from this high up the area around you is never-ending city in every direction. From there, I wanted to show your family a few of Tokyo’s historical locations. Sensouji, the Imperial Palace, and Meiji Jingu Shrine are the main locations I’d like to arrange visits to, with Meiji Jingu being the final stop. This day would be a perfect day to make dinner arrangements, and also I would like to arrange all transportation on this day to be done via a private car as you guys would be traveling all across Tokyo, and it could get tiring.
Activities:
- Tokyo SkyTree
- Sensouji Temple visit
- Imperial Palace visit
- Meiji Jingu visit
- Dinner arrangements: TBD
Planner's Notes: This is kind of the 'historic' day in Tokyo. Sensouji is one of the absolute best places in Tokyo for traditional sweets, and "street food". It's also a great place to get gifts to take home. The Imperial Palace and Meiji Jingu Shrines are both places that are deeply connected to both shintoism and the Imperial Family of Japan. The right guide will either make or break this day. For days like this, it is extremely important to have a guide that knows the more interesting facts about the location that you are visiting, so that the views and locations don't all just start to blend together.
Day 18 (10/9): Nikko (day trip from Tokyo)
Nikko is just north of Tokyo, and the best way to get there is by train. There is a train that actually has a private cabin (which is pretty rare for Japan), and it's the most enjoyable way to watch the landscape change from modern, to countryside. However, regardless of whether you guys decide to take the train or not, a private car is an absolute must for today after arrival. Nikko is the resting place for the shogun who unified Japan. There is a shrine there in his honor, and it by far the most ornate of any shrine I've seen in the country. The first half of this day is best spent with a knowledgeable guide who can give you all of the history of Nikko, and the shrines so that you can best appreciate it. The shrine itself is planted right in the middle of a large cedar forest, which only adds to its majesty.
When we initially spoke, I mentioned trying to limit the temple/shrine visits to only the ones that were absolutely a must-see. This shrine is absolutely one of them.
After that, one of the options for the next stop is something more lighthearted. The Edo-era theme park isn't located too far from the shrine. I love visiting here, and they usually have to kick us out, because we typically stay until closing hours. There is so much to do, see and learn while visiting. There are impromptu sword fights, hidden ninjas in the streets, and theatrical performances that are actually amazing, and even stations where you can try your hand at creating your own daruma dolls. It is a lot of light-hearted fun, but I can definitely understand if it isn't exactly what you're looking for with this itinerary. Please let me know what you think about it, and we can replace this with something else (Nikko has some amazing onsen spots nearby that we could put into this day).
Activities (guided):
- Visit to Toshogu Shrine (guided)
- Tentative - Visit to Edo open-air museum/theme park (or onsen visit)
- Restaurant Suggestion: TBD
Planner's Notes: Toshogu Shrine is indeed a shrine, but it isn't like any other shrine in Japan. I know that people can easily get tired of shrine/temple visits when visiting here, but if I could only plan a single shrine/temple visit, it would definitely be this one. In addition to that, we have Edo Wonderland planned, to kind of "counter-balance" the visit, however if you guys decide that you do want to visit the movie studio theme park on day 13, then there may be some overlap here as they are a bit similar (Edo Wonderland is better though). Alternatively as the itinerary doesn't really have a lot of free days in it outside of Tokyo, we could have a half-planned day on Day 13 to give you guys a chance to do a bit of self-exploration on that day. Private car is an a must on this day.
Day 19 (10/10): Tokyo
Flight out of Japan, returning back to the US.
Activities:
- n/a
- Dinner arrangements: TBD
Planner's Notes: n/a
