Itinerary

Plans are good, right? Well this is mine. I’m aiming to put in more detail as I go but for now, this is the basic outline of where I’m going.

• • Tuesday 6th April 2010
  • PM: Fly from London Heathrow on Virgin Atlantic flight VS900.
  • Wednesday 7th April 2010
  • 9:30am (JST): Land at Narita International Airport.
  • Travel to Tokyo on the Limousine Bus.
  • PM: Check in at the Tokyo Hilton in Shinjuku.
  • PM: If not tired, go to Meiji Jinju.
  • Thursday 8th April 2010
  • Leave hotel, via pickup service, to Hamamatsucho Bus Terminal to join the Hato Bus Dynamic Tour of Tokyo.
  • 9:00am: Tour begins. Going to Tokyo Tower.
  • 10:00am: Tea at Happo-en.
  • 11:40am: Yakinuki lunch at Chinzan-so.
  • 1:50pm: Visit the Imperial Palace.
  • 3:00pm: Boat cruise on the Sumidagawa.
  • 3:50pm: Visit Asakusa’s Senso-ji temple and Nakamise Street.
  • 5:00pm – 6:30pm: Drive through Ginza before returning to the hotel.
  • Friday 9th April 2010
  • Check out of Tokyo Hilton.
  • Travel to Tokyo Station and travel to Shin-Osaka Station on the shinkansen.
  • Check into hotel in Osaka and meet up with the rest of the tour group.
  • Saturday 10th April 2010
  • Travel to Himeji on the shinkansen.
  • Visit Himeji Castle.
    PM: Check into the Toyoko Inn Himeji Ekimae hotel.
  • Sunday 11th April 2010
  • AM/PM: Sightseeing in Osaka.
    PM: Check into the Takatsuki W&M Hotel.
  • Monday 12th April 2010
  • AM/PM: Sightseeing in Nara.
  • Tuesday 13th April 2010
  • Sightseeing in Kyoto.
  • Wednesday 14th April 2010
  • Sightseeing in Kyoto.
  • Thursday 15th April 2010
  • AM: Visit Hiroshima and Miyajima.
    PM: Check into Toyoko Inn Hiroshima Eki Shinkansen Guchi hotel.
  • Friday 16th April 2010
  • Travel to Sendai and meet the host family.
  • Saturday 17th April 2010
  • Spending the day with host family.
    
  • Sunday 18th April 2010
  • Spending the day with host family.
  • Monday 19th April 2010
  • AM: Travel to Koya-san.
  • PM: Stay at a temple lodge (shukubo) on the mountain.
  • Tuesday 20th April 2010
  • AM: Try and attend the early morning service
  • PM: Travel to Tokyo.
  • Wednesday 21st April 2010
  • Free time in Tokyo and Narita.
    
  • Thursday 22nd April 2010
  • AM/PM: The group flies back to the UK from Narita. I head back to Kyoto.
  • Check into the Hotel Granvia Kyoto.
  • PM: Explore the Cube and Isetan.
  • Friday 23rd April 2010
  • Free day!
  • Saturday 24th April 2010
  • AM: After checking into the Karasuma Kyoto Hotel, head to Osaka with Eri.
  • AM/PM: Spa World!
  • PM: Tea Ceremony?
  • Sunday 25th April 2010
  • AM/PM: Go to Tenri.
  • Monday 26th April 2010
  • AM: Might go to Kamigamo Jinja.
  • PM: If weather is good go to Kurama and Kibune – in that order! Also visit Kurama Onsen.
  • Tuesday 27th April 2010
  • AM/PM: Free day. If sunny, go to Arashiyama, ideally via the Romance train and boat.
  • Wednesday 28th April 2010
  • AM: Check out of Karasuma Kyoto Hotel and check in at Ryokan Yachiyo.
  • Late AM/early PM: Explore Higashiyama and go to Nanzen-ji and Kiyomizudera.
  • PM: Enjoy kaiseki meal.
  • Thursday 29th April 2010
  • AM: Check out of ryokan Yachiyo and say goodbye to Kyoto.
  • 12:00pm: Meet Eri at Kyoto Station and travel to Tokyo on the shinkansen.
  • PM: Arrive in Tokyo and check in at ryokan Sadachiyo in Asakua.
  • PM: Explore Asakusa.
  • Friday 30th April 2010
  • Check out of ryokan and leave bags at hotel.
  • AM/PM: Explore Tokyo.
  • Saturday 1st May 2010
  • AM/PM: Explore Tokyo. Visit Odaiba and Oedo Onsen Monogatari?
  • PM: Go to the Tokyo Icebar.
  • Sunday 2nd May 2010
  • AM/PM: Explore Tokyo. Kamakura?
  • Monday 3rd May 2010
  • AM/PM: Explore Tokyo. Ghibli Museum?
  • Tuesday 4th May 2010
  • AM: Check out of hotel and – at some point during the day – take the Limousine Bus/NEX to Narita International Airport.
  • PM: Check into Hilton Narita.
  • PM: Explore Narita.
  • Wednesday 5th May 2010
  • Early AM: Check out and go to Narita International Airport, enjoy breakfast in the Clubhouse and look around the airport.
  • AM: Fly to London Heathrow on Virgin Atlantic flight VS901.
  • PM: 15:35pm (GMT): Land at Heathrow.