14 Days in Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka) — Honeymoon for Anime & Gaming Lovers

Arrive Narita/Haneda & Transfer

Take Narita Express or Keikyu line directly to Shinjuku or your hotel.

Check In & Freshen Up

Drop bags, decompress; hotel is your base for the next several nights.

Kabukicho & Godzilla Head Wander

Walk Shinjuku's neon entertainment district; spot the Hotel Gracery Godzilla head.

Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane)

Duck into tiny yakitori alley for smoky skewers and cold Sapporo.

Super Potato Retro Gaming

Multi-floor retro game store with Famicom, SNES, and arcade cabinets to play.

Yodobashi Akiba — Gaming & Electronics

Massive electronics store with full Nintendo, anime merchandise, and import game floor.

Animate Akihabara

Japan's largest anime retail chain; great for Persona, Yakuza, and Ghibli merch.

Maid Café (e.g. @home café)

Classic Akiba maid café experience; staff perform welcome rituals and serve themed drinks.

Taito Station Arcade — Multi-Floor

Six floors of crane games, rhythm games, and classic arcade cabinets.

Shibuya Crossing at Morning Rush

The scramble is iconic; morning light and crowds make for great photos.

Shibuya 109 & Udagawacho Backstreets

Wander the exact streets that inspired Persona 5's Shibuya map tiles.

Tower Records Shibuya

Nine-floor music and pop culture store; anime soundtrack CDs, game OSTs, merch.

Takeshita Street, Harajuku

Hyper-colourful street with cosplay fashion, crepe stands, and anime boutiques.

Meiji Jingu Shrine

Forest shrine offering calm contrast to Harajuku; walk the cedar-lined gravel path.

Omotesando Hills & Cat Street Browse

Upscale avenue for window shopping and a coffee; good couple photo spots.

Shibuya Sky Observatory

Open-air rooftop on Scramble Square gives 360° Tokyo night panorama.

TeamLab Planets Toyosu

Immersive walk-through digital art installation — barefoot, water rooms, infinite mirrors.

Toyosu Market Outer Area

Grab ultra-fresh tuna don or sushi at the market's restaurant zone.

Odaiba Seaside Park & Gundam Statue

Walk the waterfront; the life-size Unicorn Gundam statue at DiverCity is free.

Round1 Arcade, Odaiba

Massive Round1 with sega arcade, bowling, and rhythm game cabinets.

Palette Town / Yakuza Kamurocho Comparison Walk

Kabukicho in Shinjuku is the real Kamurocho model; evening revisit for atmosphere.

Ghibli Museum, Mitaka

Intimate Miyazaki museum; explore film cells, the Catbus room, and rooftop Robot Soldier.

Inokashira Park Walk

Stroll the park surrounding the museum; rent a rowboat on the pond.

Shimokitazawa Neighbourhood Wander

Tokyo's indie hub — vintage shops, record stores, kissaten coffee, and small theatres.

Disc Union Shimokitazawa

Japan's best used-record chain; dig for game OSTs and anime soundtracks.

Evening Gaming Café — Apricot or Bagus

Book a couple's booth for console gaming, manga, or karaoke add-ons.

Pokémon Café, Nihonbashi

Theme café with Pokémon plated dishes; pre-booked slots fill months ahead.

Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo, Ikebukuro

Largest Pokémon Center in Japan; exclusive plushies and regional merchandise.

Nintendo Tokyo, Shibuya (PARCO 6F)

Official Nintendo store — exclusive Switch games, Zelda, Mario, and Kirby merch.

Shibuya PARCO Browse

Same building as Nintendo Tokyo; Capcom store and anime boutiques on other floors.

Yoyogi Park Evening Stroll

Wind down with a sunset walk; buskers and food carts on weekends.

Rent Bikes — Yanaka Area

Docomo bike-share stations throughout east Tokyo; ¥165/30min or day pass available.

Yanaka Ginza & Cemetery Loop

Ride old-town shopping street then wind through atmospheric Meiji-era cemetery paths.

Ueno Park & Shinobazu Pond

Ride the lakeside path around the lotus pond; museums line the west side.

Ameyoko Market Browse

Busy open-air market under the train tracks; nuts, dried seafood, street snacks.

Akihabara Revisit by Bike

Quick 15-minute ride from Ueno; grab anything you missed on Day 2.

Asakusa & Senso-ji Temple

Ride to Tokyo's oldest temple; Nakamise shopping street and the giant lantern gate.

Tokyo Skytree Twilight View

Walk over from Asakusa; Tower deck gives golden-hour and city-light views.

Shinkansen Tokyo → Kyoto

Nozomi takes 2h15m; grab ekiben (station bento) on board.

Check In Kyoto Hotel

Drop bags; Kyoto Station hotels give fastest access to south sights.

Fushimi Inari Taisha

Hike into the lower torii tunnels; fog in rainy season is genuinely ethereal.

Nishiki Market Walk

Kyoto's narrow covered food market; pickled vegetables, grilled mochi, matcha everything.

Gion District & Hanamikoji Street

Walk traditional machiya townhouse lane at dusk for highest chance of spotting geiko.

Yasaka Shrine Night Lanterns

Shrine is lit at night and free; beautiful in the rain with umbrellas.

Arashiyama Bike Rental

Rent from Sagano Cycling near the station; flat riverside routes are ideal.

Bamboo Grove (Early)

Go before 10 AM — genuinely quiet, mist-filtered morning light through the bamboo.

Tenryu-ji Temple & Garden

UNESCO Zen garden with koi pond; moss is especially vivid in rainy season.

Bike Ride Along Oi River

Ride the scenic riverside path north toward Kiyotaki; cormorant fishing boats visible.

Monkey Park Iwatayama

Short hike up the hill; 170+ wild Japanese macaques with Kyoto skyline below.

Private Onsen — Funaoka Onsen or Kurama Onsen Private Room

Book a kashikiri (private family bath) at Kurama Onsen for couples-only soak.

Philosopher's Path Walk

2km canal-side stone path linking Ginkaku-ji to Nanzen-ji; hydrangeas bloom in June.

Nanzen-ji Temple & Aqueduct

Meiji-era brick aqueduct cutting through a Zen temple is unexpectedly cinematic.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Iconic wooden stage temple on the hillside; rainy-season mist makes it dramatic.

Ninenzaka & Sannenzaka Cobblestone Lanes

Historic stone-paved shopping lanes below Kiyomizu; matcha soft serve mandatory stop.

Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)

Cross-city trip to Kyoto's most iconic site; late afternoon is slightly less crowded.

Shinkansen or Rapid Train Kyoto → Osaka

JR Shinkansen is 14 minutes; local express is 30 min and cheaper.

Check In Osaka Hotel

Namba-area hotels put you walking distance from every evening attraction.

Dotonbori Canal Walk

Glico Man sign, takoyaki, and canal-side energy — Osaka's personality in one street.

Den Den Town (Osaka's Akihabara)

Osaka's electronics and anime district; Volks, Jungle, and retro game shops clustered here.

Kuromon Ichiba Market

Osaka's 'kitchen' — fresh crab, wagyu skewers, and oysters on the grill.

Namba Parks & Hozenji Yokocho Night Walk

Moss-covered shrine tucked in an alley; lantern-lit tiny lane feels like old Osaka.

Arrive at USJ Early Entry

Early Park Entry lets you hit Nintendo World 30 min before general crowds.

Super Nintendo World

Mario Kart ride, Donkey Kong expansion, interactive wristband area — do this first.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Butterbeer, Hogwarts Castle ride, and Hogsmeade before lunch crowd hits.

Minion Park & Jaws Area

Afternoon rotation through remaining themed zones; pace yourself in rainy heat.

USJ Closing Time & Return

Head back to Namba via JR Yumesaki Line from Universal City Station.

Osaka Castle & Ninomaru Garden

Walk the moat path, then take the lift inside for city panorama and history exhibit.

Shinsekai & Tsutenkaku Tower

Retro 1950s district modelled on Paris/New York; kushikatsu is the local specialty.

Sotenbori Canal Walk — Yakuza Like A Dragon Location

Dotonbori's canal and neon are the direct inspiration for Yakuza's Sotenbori map.

Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade

Japan's longest covered shotengai; streetwear, cosmetics, and game shops under one roof.

Spa World Onsen — Private Couple Room

Book a kashikiri room in advance; massive theme onsen facility near Shinsekai.

Umeda Sky Building Floating Garden

Open-air circular observatory 170m up; dramatic escalator tunnel through the void.

HEP Five Ferris Wheel

Red Ferris wheel embedded in a shopping mall; skyline views and a relaxed goodbye.

Final Souvenir Run — Osaka Station

Isetan basement food hall and Yodobashi Camera for last-minute game and food gifts.

Airport Transfer — Haruka Express or Limousine Bus

Haruka Express to Kansai Airport takes 75 minutes from Osaka Station.