The trip that truly ignited my passion for travel was my first big overseas adventure with Jade back in 2018, exploring Japan (my first posts on this blog are from that trip). Fast forward five years and we found ourselves back in Tokyo for an exciting two week trip!
Over 14 days, we:
- saw Mount Fuji twice – once on a day trip and once on the Shinkansen,
- ate our body weight in ramen,
- clocked over 38hrs at theme parks within three days,
- cuddled hedgehogs, and
- shopped so much that we had to purchase another suitcase (oops).
Our time in Japan may have been short, but it was incredibly sweet, packed with unforgettable experiences.
So many people that I’ve spoken to have Japan on their bucket list – with good reason. Here’s a detailed breakdown of our itinerary along with some handy tips to make the most of your upcoming Japan adventure!
Please note: this post includes some affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you book through the link – at no cost to you! This helps me continue to provide free travel information to you <3
Cost Breakdown AUD
Flights: $1143 ($571pp) Sydney > Tokyo Narita return with Jetstar (return for free deal)
Travel Insurance: $290 (2 adults) through 1Cover
Accommodation: $2725 (2 adults for 15 nights)
JR Pass: $1002 ($501pp)* through Klook
Portable Wifi: $75 – 14 days unlimited through Klook
Activities: Prices throughout
*Do your research with the JR Pass to determine if the value for money is worth it. We took the time to break down all our planned train journeys and compared the total cost with and without the JR Pass. As there wasn’t a massive price difference, we opted for the convenience of the pass.
Itinerary Overview
Day 1: Fly into Tokyo
Day 2: Meiji Jingu Shrine & Street Kart Tokyo Bay
Day 3: teamLab Planets, Harajuku, Shibuya Crossing
Day 4: Ueno Zoo
Day 5: Mt Fuji Day Trip
Day 6: Asakusa (sushi making class, Tokyo Skytree, Sensoji Temple), Ginza
Day 7: Tokyo > Osaka, street food tour
Day 8: Nara Deer park, teamLab Botanical Garden Osaka
Day 9: Dotonbori
Day 10: Universal Studios
Day 11: Osaka > Tokyo > Maihama
Day 12: Tokyo DisneySea
Day 13: Tokyo Disneyland
Day 14: Fly home
Itinerary
Day 1 – Sydney to Tokyo
We kicked off our adventure flying from Sydney to Tokyo. The journey was divided into two legs: Sydney to Cairns (3 hours) and then Cairns to Tokyo Narita (7 hours).
There are two main international airports in Tokyo – Narita and Haneda. Haneda is closer to the city, but we found cheaper flights landing in Narita.
When we landed, we picked up our pre-ordered pocket wifi (an absolute lifesaver and must-have), exchanged our JR passes at the train station and booked seats on the Narita Express to Tokyo.
The train from Narita Airport takes an hour to Tokyo Station. If you’ve got smaller to medium sized suitcases, you can stow them in the overhead storage or keep them in front of your feet. Those with oversized suitcases need to reserve space for their luggage, which can be done at the ticket desk.
To save ourselves dragging our luggage all over the place, we decided to stay close to Tokyo Station. We loved Sotetsu Fresa Inn – Tokyo Kyobashi, just 500 metres from Tokyo Station and 100 metres from the nearest metro. It made hopping onto trains and exploring the city a whole lot easier!
Tokyo Station is more of a business district and takes half an hour on the train to get to Shibuya or Shinjuku. Depending on your plans, you may prefer to stay in the bustle of the city instead.
Day 2 – Harajuku & Tokyo Bay
Our first full day in Tokyo was extra special because it was Jade’s birthday! We had some free time before our afternoon plans, and decided to explore Harajuku. We had the ultimate birthday breakfast from the infamous Santa Monica Crepes, before taking a quick walk through Meiji Jingu Shrine.
Tip: Most of Harajuku’s stores open around 11am, making it better for an afternoon adventure.
Later on, we caught a train to Tokyo Bay for the Street Karts experience ($188pp). There are a few go kart operators, but we found Street Karts to be the best with two main routes: Rainbow Road, a scenic drive starting in an industrial area with minimal traffic, where you cruise along the twisty ‘rainbow road’ and catch glimpses of Tokyo Tower; and Shibuya Crossing, right through the heart of the city.
As slightly nervous drivers (who wouldn’t be nervous in a foreign city??), we opted for Rainbow Road and had the best time! This tour is an absolute must do in Tokyo. You feel like a celebrity dressed up in a character onesie with pedestrians waving and taking photos of you! Total main character moment.
Keep in mind, you will need an International Driver’s Permit to join in the fun. For us Aussies, it’s a simple online application through Service NSW, costing around $49 AUD for a one-year licence translation.
Day 3 – TeamLab Planets
Another bucket list activity for this trip was the teamLab Planets exhibition ($39pp). Book your tickets in advance because slots fill up fast. Luckily we snagged a 10am spot the morning of!
Keep in mind: you’ll need to go barefoot for the exhibit, and there are water parts where it goes up to your knees. Opt for shorts and easy-to-remove shoes. I knew this before I went, but still chose to wear a maxi dress and converse, so take with that what you will.
Some say Planets is overhyped, but I personally adored it. It’s split into two parts: first the water section, then the garden.
My favourite was the garden – with these interactive (real) flowers that reacted to movement – a truly immersive experience.
After this, we trained it back over to Harajuku to play with hedgehogs at Harry’s Hedgehog Cafe! We opted for the 30min experience ($15pp) – which is more than enough time and includes a drink from a vending machine.
Warning: these little guys are so cute that you WILL want to bring one home. I’m still crying that we can’t have them in Australia.
We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering Takeshita Street, indulging in lots of shopping. My highlight was Fancy Pods, where I scored the most amazing strawberry milk bag.
As it got dark, we made our way over to Shibuya Crossing to experience the famous crossing at night time – a must-do experience!
Day 4 – Ueno Zoo or Shinjuku & Shibuya
This was a bit of a rainy filler day and we spent it at the Ueno Zoo (entry $6pp). This was our first time seeing Pandas in real life (still not convinced they’re not just people dressed up), toucans and the cutest little penguins.
Since we’d already explored Shibuya and Shinjuku on our previous trip, we decided to allocate less time there this time around. If it’s your first visit, use this day as an opportunity to discover Shinjuku National Park or shop your way through Shibuya.
Day 5 – Mt Fuji Day Trip
To maximise your chances of seeing the elusive Mt Fuji, be well prepared. We kept an eye on the weather all week and luckily there was one clear day without clouds. Keep your expectations low to avoid disappointment.
These days, it’s very easy to get to Mt Fuji by train. From Shinjuku, take the Fuji Excursion and change at Otsuki Station. While you can take this train the whole way from Shinjuku, only this first leg is included in your JR Pass.
The Fuji Excursion only runs a few times in the morning and afternoon. We tried to book seats an hour before departure, but they were all sold out. Instead, we had the option to stand in the aisle for the one hour journey.
Disembark at Otsuki and purchase a local train ticket to Shimoyoshida station. From here it’s a short walk to Arakurayama Sengen Park. Once at the Park, it’s a 10-15 minute walk up 400 steps to the famous Cheurito Pagoda. At the top, you can take some stunning photos!
After admiring the stunning views, we took the train to the end of the line at Lake Kawaguchiko. Here you can do water activities on the lake, explore the town, and ride the panoramic ropeway. Before taking the ropeway, be sure to check if the giant swing is open and whether you can actually see Fuji. Unfortunately by the time we got up, Fuji was hiding behind the clouds and the swing was closed.
In town, pick up some Fuji shaped cookies from Fujiyama Cookie – SO YUM!
At the end of the day, take the train back to Tokyo. It took us about 2.5hrs to get back as we weren’t lined up with the Fuji Excursion and just took local trains. Be sure to check the timetable in the morning and plan out your day.
@flisstravel TIPS FOR A MT FUJI DAY TRIP 🌤️ Check the weather before you go. Choose a clear day for a chance to see Fuji and keep your expectations low to avoid disappointment. 🚆 If you have a JR pass, you can take the Fuji Excursion halfway to Otsuki. Be sure to make a seat reservation or you will have to stand for the 1hr trip. 🎟️ Change at Otsuki and purchase a local train ticket to Shimoyoshida station. Here it’s a short walk to Arakurayama Sengen Park – very well sign posted. ⛩️ The walk to the famous Cheurito Pagoda lookout is about 400 steps and takes 10-15mins. From here, you can take some stunning photos! 🚠 The train line ends at Lake Kawaguchiko, which is absolutely stunning. There is a ropeway over here, but be sure to check if the swing is open and whether you can actually see Fuji (otherwise I don’t think it’s worth it). 🗻 Pick up some Fuji shaped cookies from Fujiyama Cookie in Kawaguchiko – SO YUM! #japantravel #travelvlog #mtfuji #fujijapan #visitjapanau #mtfujijapan #tokyodaytrip #travelblogger ♬ Aesthetic – Tollan Kim
Day 6 – Asakusa, Tokyo Skytree & Ginza
For our last full day in Tokyo, we booked a nigiri sushi making class in Asakusa ($135pp). We had a small class of seven people and a talented chef took us through how to make several different types of nigiri. Set in a working sushi restaurant with views of the Sudima River, this is a fun and unique experience.
After class, we walked over to Sensoji Temple for a brief visit. There were lots of cool shops along the road – the perfect place for souvenir shopping and a refreshing matcha ice cream.
A few stations along the metro takes you to Tokyo Skytree. We decided to head up here to enjoy panoramic views of the city!
Tip: tickets booked in advance are much cheaper ranging from ¥1800 to ¥2700. On the day, expect to pay ¥2,100 to ¥3,100.
Within the Skytree building is a massive mall. We bought some cute things from Punyus, one of Japan’s few size inclusive stores.
In the evening, we walked from our hotel over to Ginza to do some stationary shopping at Itoya (INCREDIBLE) and Loft.
Day 7 – Tokyo > Osaka
With our first part of the trip over, it was time to take the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka. This trip is included in your JR Pass, but be sure to make a seat reservation, and if you have oversized baggage, you will need to register this too. The train is very comfortable and takes about two and a half hours.
From Osaka, we transferred trains to Namba to check in at Dotonbori Hotel. This was the perfect base with the main bustle of Osaka right at the end of the street!
Osaka is known as the food capital of Japan. To get our bearings, we booked this Osaka: Shinseka Food Tour for the evening ($132pp).
This was so much fun! We had a knowledgeable local guide, and got to chat to fellow tourists from across the world. We tried ten delicious dishes across five different local restaurants, including the infamous takoyaki (octopus), and got giggly after some lemon sours.
We’d been a little nervous to try out the restaurants in Tokyo, so this was a great way to try new authentic foods without the stress.
Day 8 – Nara Deer Park
We were up bright and early to catch the train to Nara Deer Park. Coming from Australia where you don’t see deer very often, this is such a surreal experience! After walking a few hundred metres up the road, you start running into lone deer walking around the streets. Eventually you make it to the park where there are hundreds of deer!
You can purchase packets of biscuits for the deer for ¥200 each and feed them. Fair warning: once you start feeding them, they will not leave you alone. One deer tried to eat my bag!
I would recommend getting to the park around 8:30am – 9am to avoid crowds. This way, you can feed the deer and then wander back down through the stores when they open later on.
Walking back towards the station, we stumbled across the most delicious melonpan store in Nara – one of my favourite sweet treats in Japan!
We headed back to Dotonbori for the afternoon to explore the streets near our hotel and ended up eating our way through the city. We tried the viral cheesy waffle shaped like a ¥10 coin (delicious!), candied strawberries and the best gyoza of my life.
In the evening we headed over to the Osaka Botanical Garden for another teamLab exhibition ($18pp). This was all outdoors and felt like a small version of Vivid Sydney. My favourite thing was these giant plastic egg shapes that changed colour. It was a very different experience to Planets in Tokyo, but equally impressive.
Day 9 – Dotonbori
We really loved Osaka. With it’s cool, fun vibe, it just feels less serious than Tokyo.
We decided to spent the day exploring Dotonbori. We spent hours trawling through the Don Quiote store, a multi storey shop selling absolutely everything you could think of! Prepare to be overwhelmed in the best way possible.
I was also mesmerised by the Wego store – think Cotton On vibes, but much cooler. This visual merchandising here was very gen Z, I wanted to buy everything for my house!
For lunch, we had our first Japanese ramen experience at Kinryu Ramen – and slapped ourselves for waiting this far into the trip to eat it. It was ridiculously good!
Then, in a food coma from the ramen, we decided to purchase a third suitcase to fit all the shopping we’d done over the past few days – oops.
Day 10 – Universal Studios
Easily accessible on the train line, Universal Studios Japan is another must do in Osaka ($88pp). Super Nintendo World has recently opened, and is currently the park’s most popular spot. You can purchase timed entry to Nintendo World through your park tickets (a more expensive option). Otherwise, you can apply for timed entry through the app once you’re inside the gates.
When our designated time of 1:30pm rolled around, the place was buzzing! While entry times are staggered, you’re free to stay as long as you like once inside. Despite the crowds, we had a blast.
We splurged on wristbands which let us collect coins and participate in mini games. The whole setup was mind-blowing; it felt like we’d stepped right into a Mario game!
Since we’d already visited Universal Studios during our last visit to Osaka, we mainly focused on exploring Nintendo World this time.
In the rest of the park, some other rides we loved were Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, – a 3D experience hailed one of the best rides in the world – along with the Flight of the Hippogriff and Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem.
Day 11 – Osaka > Tokyo
This morning we took the shinkansen back to Tokyo for a few days at Disneyland. On the way, we were blessed with a perfect view of Mt Fuji! It was wild how much snow covered the peak compared to when we visited a few days prior.
From Tokyo Station, we took the train to Maihama, the gateway to Disney. Last time we were here, we splurged and stayed at the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay, which is on the Disney Resort train line. This time we stayed a 15min walk from Maihama station at Hotel MyStays because it was much cheaper. This hotel had shuttle buses to the theme parks, which was handy.
For dinner, we walked back over to Maihama to eat at the Rainforest Cafe. This was such a fun and immersive experience and the cocktails were delicious!
Day 12 – Tokyo DisneySea
After visiting Disney theme parks in Japan, it’s impossible to go back. Tokyo gets it so right.
Tokyo DisneySea was a ten minute walk from our hotel and by 9am we were through the gates. It’s definitely worth getting in as early as possible to do a bunch of rides before the lines get too long.
After a few rides, we headed over to ‘Agra’ for a late breakfast of chicken curry and naan (delicious).
The best ride of the day was Indiana Jones – while it wasn’t signposted, we knew from our last visit that this ride had a single rider line. We walked straight on to the ride! The Raging Spirits 360 degree roller coaster also had a single rider line so we did this a few times too.
One of the most popular rides at DisneySea is Toy Story Mania. After lunch we decided to bite the bullet and wait in line for 110mins. It was a long wait, but well worth it for the interactive ride.
We finished off the day with dinner at the Italian restaurant in ‘Venice’ and reflected on what a fun day it had been.
Price: We paid $194 per person for 2 day passes.
Day 13 – Tokyo Disneyland
What better way to spend our last full day in Japan than at Disneyland!? I would definitely recommend doing your research and making a plan of attack before you arrive. We found it best to do the most popular rides first thing in the morning before the lines got too long. We started with Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain and got through fairly quickly.
We also didn’t realise until the second Disney day that you could still get standby passes, but it was all through the app! So as soon as you get through the gates, enter the fast pass draw. We ended up with fast passes for our second Space Mountain ride and for the Nightmare Before Christmas at the end of the day.
My absolute favourite ride was Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters – this was another interactive shooting game like Toy Story Mania at DisneySea.
We had an absolute blast and it was such a fun way to wrap up our time in Japan.
Day 14 – Fly Home
As we had an 8pm flight home, the final day was a bit of a time kill. We packed our suitcases and took the hotel shuttle to Maihama Station to transfer back to Tokyo Station.
At Tokyo Station, we hired lockers to store our luggage. This costs around ¥500-¥800 depending on the size. We also booked seats on the Narita Express back to the airport.
We had lunch at a delicious vegan ramen place near the Keiyo line before taking the train to Shibuya to do some final souvenir shopping for our families.
Finally it was time to take the train to the airport and catch our flight home!
I hope you enjoyed this post and that it inspired you to visit Japan! You can follow my adventures on Instagram, Tik Tok & YouTube. Share the love – pin these images to Pinterest.
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