Hi fellow travellers!
I am headed to Japan in a couple of weeks for two weeks. This will be my first time. I am going to Tokyo for 5 nights (staying in Shinjuku), Hakone for 2 nights, Kyoto for 3 nights and Hiroshima/Miyajima for 2 nights, with the last evening in Tokyo before flying out the next day.
Any suggestions on must-sees/do’s in these places? We have a JR pass and love food and museums! We also love having big days of exploring!

TeamLab Borderless... google it! Short train (subway) ride from Shinjuku and super cool.

I was there for two weeks last month — send me a msg if u want more recos.

Mary I regret missing that when I was last in Tokyo. It was totally off my radar.

Alison there’s always next time!!

Mary plan on going here for sure!

That is a pretty tight time line for the areas. We spent two weeks just in tokyo alone. What are your interests?

Please go have ramen every where you go. It’s so good there.

My daughter and I did almost this exact same trip in reverse last summer!
A couple of comments for different things:
Food: Tenkaippin Ramen (Ten-Ichi) is the best. They have them everywhere but the best version is in Kyoto, where they started. Get the Kotteri ramen. In Tokyo, near Kanda station, there is the best tempura you will ever eat at Kaneko Han’nosuke: Kaneko Han'nosuke
1-chōme-4-3 Nihonbashihonchō, Chuo City, Tōkyō-to 103-0023, Japan
+81 3-6262-3734 https://goo.gl/maps/66mXBUcv6TLpCFP79

Jessica Langer thank you for this info! I love tempura... I am definitely adding this place to my musts!

Go to Okonomi-Mura in Hiroshima. It’s a complex with many floors of stalls all dedicated to okonomiyaki.

Alison done and done! Can’t wait for foodie paradise

In Hakone, if you haven’t booked travel yet and you have the room in your budget to splurge, go to 箱根小涌園 天悠（Hakone Kowakien Ten-Yu）, either as a place to stay or to their restaurant for dinner. It’s amazing. If you want a cheap and cheerful option, try Fuji-Hakone Guest House / 富士箱根ゲストハウス; it’s really inexpensive but awesome, and they have their own natural onsen in the guesthouse that you can book! Museum-wise, the Hakone Open-Air Museum is wonderful, and there’s also a museum dedicated to The Little Prince that’s quite close to the Fuji-Hakone Guesthouse. There’s also the Hakone Round Course where you take the gondola to Owakudani and then down to Lake Ashinoko where you cross the lake on a big pirate ship... it’s touristy but fun.

Jessica Langer wow thank you so much for the info! I wasnt sure about what to do jn hakone other than enjoy our ryokan

In Kyoto, a trip to the Kiyomizu-dera is always worth it, in part because of all the traditional side streets surrounding the shrine; if you want a day of exploring, that’s a good area of Kyoto to do so. You can walk from there to Higashiyama. Walking along the Kamo River (Kamogawa) is also an amazing way to spend time in the city.

If you’re willing to take a small day trip from Hiroshima, you can pretty easily and quickly get to Matsuyama in Ehime Prefecture. Matsuyama Castle is SUPER interesting and cool, and the Dogo Onsen is I think the biggest onsen in Japan (?) - it’s the one on which the onsen in Spirited Away was based.

Jason Lim

Visit Rokurinsha in Tokyo station for the best tsukemen. Asakusa is a popular destination and you can find the 7 grade matcha there. There's also a tourist center that offers a free view of the city. From Kyoto we did a day trip to the bamboo forest, fushimi inari shrine and nara park.

If the Hiroshima Carp are playing a home game, I absolutely suggest checking out a game. Even if you’re not a baseball fan it’s an amazing experience. The food is great, beer is cheap, and the fans are crazy! It’s pretty close to the train station and you can get tickets for really reasonable prices.

Following

Following

Following

For everyone that wants to follow a thread, you just need to click the three dots in the top right corner of the post and choose " save".

Jaevy Lyn
Oh man! If you loved Food, Osaka shouldve been on your list. Nevertheless, food is great on other places as well. Tokyo - TeamLab Borderless, Mario Kart driving (note that you will need International Permit), imperial palace garden, harajuku (takeshita street), shibuya crossing for sure, samurai museum and tokyo national museum. Foodwise, dont miss these michelin stars: Tsuta Soba Noodles, Nakiryu, Nakajima, Soba Sasuga OR Kyourakutei.
Kyoto - Arashiyama, fushimi inari shrine and the UNESCO kiyomizudera. Take a day trip to Nara for those adorbs bowing deers,
For Hiroshima, note that there is a construction on the Torii gate so if you are looking for nice pics, well tough luck.

Jaevy Lyn we tried to fit Osaka in our route but it meant sacrificing from somewhere else. I’ll get there next time!

Do a Nagomi visit in someone's home and get to meet some locals!

We loved the kyoto train station (neat architecture), the Kinkakuji Temple kyoto japan on our very brief stay

If you are up for a little hike, I would recommend the Old Tokaido Road. You can walk for an hour to a traditional tea house for a cup of amazake. There is a very sweet and helpful woman who works there. The path starts steep but is rewarding. The entrance is a little difficult to find, it’s next to the grave yard in Motohakone. It’s a peaceful escape after the hustle and bustle of Tokyo

I'm not sure if you even need 2 nights in Hakone...

sake tour in Kyoto, bike tours in both Kyoto and Tokyo. Hit some of the big dept stores in Kyoto and have lunch there - cafes on every floor.

I would honestly cut down a day in Hakone and spend another day in Kyoto. There's so much more to see do and eat in Kyoto than Tokyo IMO