Japan 2026 — Trip Companion
Neil & Chris · May 27 – June 13 · 18 days
✈️ Flights at a Glance
| Flight | Route | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out | LO674 + LO79 | Malta → Warsaw → Tokyo Narita | Depart Tue 26 May 18:05 · Arrive Wed 27 May 18:30 |
| Home | LO80 + LO671 | Tokyo Narita → Warsaw → Malta | Depart Sat 13 Jun 22:50 · Arrive Sun 14 Jun 11:05 |
Booking ref: XDKPKA
⚠️ Don’t Forget
| What | When | |
|---|---|---|
| 🔴 | Ghibli Museum tickets — awaiting Airbnb host reply | Urgent |
| 🟡 | DisneySea Fantasy Springs timed entry — book in Tokyo Disney app | Before Jun 11 |
| 🟡 | Soki Kanazawa payment — ¥28,890 | May 31 |
| 🟡 | Japan SIM or Pocket WiFi — arrange before flying | Before May 26 |
| 🟡 | Travel adapter — Malta Type G → Japan Type A | Before May 26 |
📍 Week 1 — Tokyo
May 27–30 · 3 nights
Home: Japan House — 1-chōme-9-10 Kitashinjuku, Okachimachi, Tokyo Self check-in · One-Bedroom Apartment with Balcony · Check-in by 23:00 · Check-out 11:00
Day 1 — Wed May 27 · Arrival
Fly in, check in, rest
- Land Narita Airport 18:30 (LO79)
- Keisei Skyliner train → Keisei Ueno (~1h 10m · ~¥2,520/person)
- 10 min walk to Japan House — arrive ~19:50
- Easy dinner near the apartment
- Early night 🛏️
Day 2 — Thu May 28 · Anime + Workshop Day
Chopstick making · Akihabara · Ikebukuro
- 11:00am–12:00pm 🥢 Chopstick Making Workshop ✅ (booked by Chris)
- 1-chōme-7-1 Misuji, Taito City (10 min walk from home)
- Walk there via Ueno Park for a morning stroll
- Afternoon Akihabara — anime, figures, arcades, electronics
- Pokémon Center (Akihabara or Ikebukuro)
- Evening Ikebukuro anime district — dinner there
Day 3 — Fri May 29 · Postcard Tokyo
Temples · riverside · old neighbourhood
- Early morning Senso-ji Temple, Asakusa — get there before 8am to beat the crowds
- Nakamise shopping street (breakfast snacks 🍡)
- Sumida riverside walk
- Afternoon Ueno Park or Yanaka old neighbourhood wander
- Evening izakaya dinner in Ueno
Day 4 — Sat May 30 · Travel Day → Takayama
Shinkansen + mountain train · arrive Takayama
- Check out Japan House by 11:00
- JR from Ueno → Tokyo Station (5 min)
- Shinkansen Tokyo → Nagoya + Hida Ltd. Express → Takayama
- Total: ~2h 30m · ~¥14,000/person
- Check in to Hotel Around Takayama (from 15:00)
- Book private onsen slot at reception on arrival ♨️
🏔️ Week 2 Part 1 — Takayama (Japanese Alps)
May 30 – June 3 · 4 nights
Home: Hotel Around Takayama · Hanaoka-cho 1-42-7, Takayama Private reservable onsen · Bike rental · Farm-to-table restaurant · Check-out 11:00
Day 5 — Sun May 31 · Takayama Town
Markets · old streets · Hida beef · sake
- Morning Jinya-mae Market + Sanmachi-suji old merchant streets
- Hida beef food crawl 🥩 — gyū nigiri, croquettes, skewers
- Sake and whisky tasting at local breweries 🍶
- Evening Private onsen at hotel ♨️
Day 6 — Mon Jun 1 · Kamikochi Day Trip
Mountain valley · river walk · views
- Bus from Takayama → Kamikochi (~1h each way)
- No cars allowed in Kamikochi — bus only
- Kappa Bridge crossing
- Valley walk along the Azusa River
- Mountain panoramas — Hotaka peaks 🏔️
- Picnic lunch or café stop
- Return to Takayama by evening
Day 7 — Tue Jun 2 · Shirakawa-go Day Trip
UNESCO thatched-roof village
- Bus Takayama → Shirakawa-go (~50 min · ~¥2,500 return)
- Wander the gassho-zukuri farmhouses 🏡
- Shiroyama viewpoint for the panoramic shot 📸
- Lunch in the village
- Return mid-afternoon — free evening in Takayama
☔ If heavy rain: Skip Shirakawa-go — slow day in Takayama instead (markets, brewery tour, extra onsen). The village isn’t as nice in heavy rain.
🏯 Week 2 Part 2 — Kanazawa
June 3–5 · 2 nights
Home: Soki Kanazawa · 2-1 Fukuromachi, Kanazawa Design hotel with onsen · No breakfast included · Check-in 15:00 · Check-out 11:00 Omicho Market is a 2-min walk — perfect for breakfast!
Day 8 — Wed Jun 3 · Takayama → Kanazawa + Culture
Travel morning · cultural afternoon
- Check out Hotel Around Takayama by 11:00
- Nohi Bus Takayama → Kanazawa (~2.5h with Shirakawa-go stop · ~¥4,000)
- Arrive Kanazawa · Check in to Soki Kanazawa (from 15:00)
- Kenrokuen Garden — one of Japan’s three great gardens 🌿
- Higashi Chaya geisha district — traditional teahouse streets, gold leaf shops
- Seafood dinner — fresh from the Sea of Japan 🦀
Day 9 — Thu Jun 4 · Kanazawa Culture + Food
Markets · art · ninja temple
- 7:30am Omicho Market — seafood breakfast (uni, crab, sashimi) 🦞
- 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art
- Ninja Temple (Myoryuji) — book in advance! Fascinating hidden rooms and traps 🥷
- Higashi Chaya afternoon wander
- Seafood dinner or Katamachi bar district 🍻
♨️ Week 2 Part 3 — Kaga Onsen
June 5–8 · 3 nights
Home: Shirasagiyu Tawaraya · Yamanakaonsen Higashimachi 2-1, Kaga ✅ Standard Japanese-Style Room with Mountain View Check-in Fri 5 Jun from 15:00 · Check-out Mon 8 Jun by 11:00 Breakfast available at ¥12/person · Conf: 12572461424756353006
Day 10 — Fri Jun 5 · Kanazawa → Kaga Onsen
Shinkansen · ryokan check-in · first kaiseki
- Check out Soki Kanazawa by 11:00
- Hokuriku Shinkansen Kanazawa → Kaga Onsen (18 min direct · ~¥2,500) 🚅
- Check in to Shirasagiyu Tawaraya (from 15:00)
- Change into yukata 👘
- Onsen — river and mountain views ♨️
- Kaiseki dinner 🍱
Day 11 — Sat Jun 6 · Kaga Onsen Day
Full ryokan experience
- Traditional Japanese breakfast
- Morning onsen ♨️
- Walk Yamanaka Onsen town:
- Kakusenkei Gorge riverside path (cedar forest 🌲)
- Tea houses + wagashi sweets 🍵
- Kutani pottery browsing
- Afternoon onsen again
- Kaiseki dinner
Day 12 — Sun Jun 7 · Slow Day
The most relaxed day of the trip — on purpose
- No alarm 😴
- Onsen at leisure ♨️
- Optional: walk Yamashiro Onsen town (15 min away)
- Afternoon reading, relaxing, optional massage
- Final kaiseki dinner at ryokan
- Evening onsen
Day 13 — Mon Jun 8 · Kaga Onsen → Tokyo
Check out · Shinkansen home · Tokyo arrival
- Check-out by 11:00
- Final morning soak ♨️
- Hokuriku Shinkansen Kaga Onsen → Tokyo direct (~3h · ~¥15,000) 🚅
- Evening arrival — check in to Kitashinjuku Airbnb
- Easy ramen dinner near home 🍜
🗼 Week 3 — Tokyo (Finale)
June 9–13 · 4 nights
Home: Airbnb · 1-chōme-9-10 Kitashinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo Self check-in with lockbox · Check-in after 16:00 · Check-out by 11:00 10 min walk to Shinjuku Station
Day 14 — Tue Jun 9 · Tsukiji + Yanesen
Market breakfast · old neighbourhood afternoon
| Time | What |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Tsukiji Outer Market 🦪 — arrive early! |
| 7:30–9:30am | Food crawl: scallops, uni on rice, tamagoyaki, tuna sashimi |
| 9:30am | Hamarikyu Gardens 🌿 (¥300 — tidal garden + tea house) |
| 11:00am | Metro to Yanesen (Chiyoda line → Nezu/Sendagi, ~40 min) |
| 11:30am | Yanaka Ginza shopping street — snacks, crafts, cat shops 🐱 |
| 1:00pm | Lunch — Kayaba Coffee (1938 café) or local ramen |
| 2:00pm | Yanaka Cemetery + Nezu Shrine (beautiful, quiet) ⛩️ |
| 4:00pm | Ueno Park → Ameyoko market (street food under the tracks) |
| 7:00pm | Izakaya dinner in Ueno or Akihabara |
Day 15 — Wed Jun 10 · Ghibli Museum (pending)
Ghibli Museum — awaiting ticket confirmation
- Morning Ghibli Museum, Mitaka (Kichijoji area) 🎬
- ⚠️ Tickets: awaiting Airbnb host response
- Timed entry — arrive exactly on time
- No photography inside — just enjoy it 🎞️
- Afternoon Kichijoji neighbourhood
- Inokashira Park — rowing boats on the lake 🚣
- Kichijoji shopping street + Harmonica Alley (tiny bar street)
- Dinner in Kichijoji
If Ghibli doesn’t work out: Mt. Fuji + Hakone Ropeway Bus Tour (departs Shinjuku 8:10am) is the top alternative — Lake Ashi pirate ship, Owakudani volcanic valley, Hakone Shrine. Book at: https://www.sunrise-tours.jp/en/
Day 16 — Thu Jun 11 · DisneySea ✅
One of the best theme parks in the world
- Full day Tokyo DisneySea 🎢
- Booked · Ref: A00565512147 · ¥18,800
- ~30 min from Shinjuku by train
- ⚠️ Book Fantasy Springs timed entry in the Tokyo Disney app before you go
- Highlights: Tower of Terror · Journey to the Centre of the Earth · evening show 🌊
- Food + drinks (including alcohol!) available all day 🍺
Day 17 — Fri Jun 12 · Free Day
Choose your adventure
Option A — Kamakura (recommended) 🌸 JR Yokosuka line (~1h · ~¥950) → Great Buddha · hydrangeas at Meigetsu-in (peak June bloom!) · Enoshima island
Option B — Shimokitazawa Indie/vintage/live music · record shops · great cafés and bars 🎸
Option C — Harajuku + Omotesando Takeshita Street · fashion · architecture · Meiji Shrine nearby ⛩️
Day 18 — Sat Jun 13 · Last Day + Departure ✈️
LO80 departs Narita 22:50
- Morning free — last breakfast, souvenir shopping 🛍️
- ⚠️ Leave Airbnb by 18:20 at latest
- N’EX (Narita Express) from Shinjuku → Narita T1 (~1h 20m)
- Arrive airport by 19:50 — check in, dinner at airport
- LO80 Narita → Warsaw departs 22:50 🛫
- Arrive Warsaw 06:05 → LO671 → Malta 11:05 Sun Jun 14 🏠
🏨 Accommodation Summary
| Where | When | Home | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Week 1 | May 27–30 | Japan House Okachimachi | ✅ Booked by Chris |
| Takayama | May 30–Jun 3 | Hotel Around Takayama | ✅ Booked · private onsen available |
| Kanazawa | Jun 3–5 | Soki Kanazawa | ✅ Booked · pay ¥28,890 by May 31 |
| Kaga Onsen | Jun 5–8 | Shirasagiyu Tawaraya | ✅ Booked · Conf: 12572461424756353006 |
| Tokyo Week 3 | Jun 9–13 | Airbnb Kitashinjuku | ✅ Booked by Neil |
🎟️ Tickets & Activities Summary
| Activity | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Chopstick Making Workshop | May 28 · 11:00am | ✅ Booked by Chris |
| Ghibli Museum | Jun 10 | ⏳ Awaiting host reply |
| Tokyo DisneySea | Jun 11 | ✅ Booked · Ref: A00565512147 |
| DisneySea Fantasy Springs entry | Jun 11 | ⚠️ Book in Disney app |
| Ninja Temple, Kanazawa | Jun 4 | ⚠️ Book in advance |
🚅 Getting Around — Quick Reference
| Journey | How | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narita → Tokyo (arrival) | Keisei Skyliner | ~1h 10m | ~¥2,520/person |
| Tokyo → Takayama | Shinkansen + Hida Express | ~2h 30m | ~¥14,000/person |
| Takayama → Kanazawa | Nohi Bus | ~2.5h | ~¥4,000/person |
| Kamikochi day trip | Bus from Takayama | ~1h each way | ~¥2,500 return |
| Shirakawa-go day trip | Bus from Takayama | ~50 min each way | ~¥2,500 return |
| Kanazawa → Kaga Onsen | Hokuriku Shinkansen | 18 min | ~¥2,500/person |
| Kaga Onsen → Tokyo | Hokuriku Shinkansen | ~3h | ~¥15,000/person |
| Tokyo → Narita (departure) | N’EX from Shinjuku | ~1h 20m | ~¥3,070/person |
| Daily Tokyo travel | Suica IC card | — | Buy at Narita on arrival |
💡 A Few Handy Tips
- Cash is king in Japan — always carry ¥5,000–10,000 on you. 7-Eleven ATMs take foreign cards.
- Shoes off — at ryokans, many restaurants, and temples. Slip-ons are your friend.
- Always pay in JPY — never accept EUR conversion on card machines. Say no to DCC.
- Convenience stores are amazing — Lawson and 7-Eleven have great food, ATMs, umbrellas, everything.
- Umbrellas — pack a compact one. Kanazawa and Tokyo Week 3 will need it.
- Travel adapter — Malta Type G plug → Japan Type A (two flat pins). Buy before you fly.
- Quiet in ryokans — onsen areas are silent zones, especially evenings. Pure bliss. 🤫
For full booking details, transport notes, packing list and decisions log — see the Master Plan.