Fri, Nov 6
Nothing booked — free day.
Sat, Nov 7
10:00
teamLab Planets
Digital art museum in Toyosu. Tickets booked — wear shorts, you wade through water in a couple of rooms.
Sun, Nov 8
19:00
Omakase dinner in Shinjuku
Counter seats for two — placeholder reservation, swap in the real restaurant once we book.
Mon, Nov 9
Nothing booked — free day.
While in Tokyo
Not tied to a day — slot in wherever they fit.
Open-air observation deck above the scramble. Book a sunset slot a few weeks out, or go at night if sold out.
Go early (before 9am) for tamagoyaki, fresh sushi, and street snacks. The inner wholesale market moved to Toyosu, but the outer market is still the best food crawl in Tokyo.
First leg. Base ourselves in Shinjuku, ride the Yamanote line everywhere, and keep evenings loose for izakaya wandering.
Tue, Nov 10
09:30
Romancecar to Hakone
Limited express from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto. Reserved seats on the right side for a shot at Fuji views.
18:30
Kaiseki dinner at the ryokan
Multi-course dinner included with the stay — they need our arrival time, so don’t linger too long around the lake.
Wed, Nov 11
Nothing booked — free day.
While in Hakone
Not tied to a day — slot in wherever they fit.
Sculpture park in the mountains with a Picasso pavilion and a foot bath. Easy stop on the Tozan railway loop.
One-night onsen reset between the two big cities. Luggage gets forwarded to Kyoto so we only carry overnight bags.
Thu, Nov 12
10:15
Shinkansen to Kyoto
Odawara → Kyoto on the Hikari. Grab ekiben and coffee on the platform before boarding.
Fri, Nov 13
Nothing booked — free day.
Sat, Nov 14
15:00
Tea ceremony near Kiyomizu-dera
Small-group tea ceremony, about an hour. Pairs well with a slow walk down Sannenzaka afterwards.
Sun, Nov 15
Nothing booked — free day.
Mon, Nov 16
Nothing booked — free day.
While in Kyoto
Not tied to a day — slot in wherever they fit.
The famous thousand torii gates. The full hike to the summit takes about 2 hours round trip — most crowds thin out past the first viewpoint. Best at sunrise or after dark.
Longest stay of the trip — mid-November should be peak momiji season. Alternate one big temple morning with one neighborhood afternoon.
Tue, Nov 17
Nothing booked — free day.
Wed, Nov 18
Nothing booked — free day.
Thu, Nov 19
Nothing booked — free day.
Fri, Nov 20
Nothing booked — free day.
While in Osaka
Not tied to a day — slot in wherever they fit.
Dotonbori food crawl
Takoyaki, kushikatsu, and a late-night ramen finish. No plan — just follow the queues along the canal.
Final leg. Osaka is the food finale, plus an easy train to the airport on the last morning.