Crunch Time: Need help with Tokyo & Osaka Itinerary

[Pinoy]

Guys, I'm flying off to Japan tomorrow evening with my wife and 11 year old daughter. Unexpectedly became very busy the past few weeks that I missed giving detailed attention to our itinerary. Would like to seek your kind help in what I've come up with thus far:

Travel Dates: Dec 9 - 16
Destination: Tokyo
Hotel: Rose Garden Shinjuku Hotel

Travel Dates: Dec 16 - 20
Destination: Osaka
Hotel: Hotel Villa Fontaine Shinsaibashi

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Day 1 - 10 Dec - Thursday
- Arrive in Tokyo at 07.30 hrs
- Proceed to JR East Travel Service Center at either Terminal 1 or 2 to purchase N'EX & Suica Pass. Also purchase Shinkansen tickets to Osaka for Dec 16.
- Take Narita Express Train to Shinjuku
- Check in at Hotel
- Walk about in Shinjuku. Find Odakyu Department Store to purchase 2 Day Hakone Free Pass (5,000 Yen per Adult). Romance Car +870 yen
- Go to Takashimaya Disney Store (9th Floor) to purchase Disneyland tickets for Dec 14 & 15
- After dinner, return to hotel.

Day 2 - 11 Dec - Friday
- Wake up around 6am and catch the 07.28 hrs Romance Car to Hakone-Yumoto
- On the way to Shinjuku station, purchase packed meals for breakfast
- 1.5 hrs train ride to Hakone. Breakfast on board.
- Do the Hakone Round Course but in a reverse order:

> Hakone-Yumoto to Moto-Hakone by Hakone Tozan Bus (35 minutes, departures every 15-20 minutes)
> Moto-Hakone to Hakone-machi on foot
> Hakone-machi to Togendai by Hakone Sightseeing Boat (30 minutes, departures every 30-60 minutes)
> Togendai to Sounzan by Hakone Ropeway (30 minutes, constant departures)
> Sounzan to Gora by Hakone Tozan Cablecar (10 minutes, departures every 20 minutes)
> Gora to Hakone-Yumote by Hakone Tozan Railway (35 mins, departures every 10-20 mins)​

- Tour expected to be done around 1900 hrs.
- Return to hotel

Note: will be mostly soaking in the sights/scenery.

Day 3 - 12 Dec - Saturday
- Leave hotel for Asakusa around 0900hrs
- Take the orange JR Chuo Line to Kanda Station (10 minutes, 160 Yen) and transfer to the Ginza Subway Line for Asakusa (10 minutes, 160 Yen).
- Walk around Asakusa (sensoji temple etc)
- By 1500 hrs take the Sumida River Cruise from Asakusa Pier via Hama Rikyu Garden to Hinode Pier. Transfer to a ship to Odaiba. (Cost: 400 yen per adult)
Odaiba
- Around 2000 hrs, take Yurikamome unmanned monorail to Shiodome subway station. Shiodome is directly connected with Shimbashi Station on the JR Yamanote Line which covers Shinjuku.
- Return to hotel.

Day 4 - 13 Dec - Sunday
- Leave hotel at 0900 hrs. Buy packed breakfast meal.
- Go to Tokyo Station and walk to Tokyo Imperial Palace.
- At around 1200 hrs, return to Tokyo Station.
- Take JR Yamanote Line or JR Keihin-Tohoku to Akihabara. Spend about 3 - 4 hours walking around.
- At around 1700 hrs, go to Shibuya.
- Return to hotel around 2100 hrs.

Note: will be doing mostly window shopping and picture taking.

Day 5 - 14 Dec - Monday
- Leave hotel at 0800 hrs.
- Tokyo Station JR Keiyo Line or JR Musashino Line (about 15 minutes). Get off at JR Maihama Station (South Exit).
- Tokyo Disneyland the whole day

Day 6 - 15 Dec - Tuesday
- Leave hotel at 0800 hrs.
- Tokyo Station JR Keiyo Line or JR Musashino Line (about 15 minutes). Get off at JR Maihama Station (South Exit).
- Tokyo Disney Sea the whole day

Day 7 - 16 Dec - Wednesday
- Hotel Check Out
- Go to Tokyo Station and take Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka
- From Shin-Osaka Station take the Midousuji Subway Line to Shinsaibashi Station: 15 minutes
- Check in at the hotel.
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Will post the Osaka itinerary later today.

I appreciate any inputs/feedbacks/suggestions that you guys will give and I'd like to thank you in advance for that.

PS: I happen to be into photography as well, so any recommendation (good spot, nice sunset etc) will really really be appreciated. :-D

:Later,

 

[NemesisBlade]

hi there, jus got back frm japan yst. really missed alr haha.

anw jus a tip wld be tat take note of the daylight hours.. cos it isn't like sg

night falls at 5-5.30 which is like really early.. but tat wld oso mean more nite shots opportunity =]

oh, and oso, sensoji temple is havin some renovations on its outerwalls but it still looks cool haha

 

[barracuda]

As you have planned to visit the Imperial Palace, the Imperial Palace East Garden is worth mentioning. I was there yesterday, and they still have very nice foilage there, red/yellow/green, blending in nicely.

 

[keongology]

Do consider dropping by Harajuku on a sunday, from lunch till late, and head towards Meiji-Jingu, the area where people dress in cosplay is sure a great place to capture colorful and interesting images, and the stroll in the park towards the meiji-jingu temple is wonderful too. thats of course after a hearty meal at Jangara Ramen.. twice, i've been to japan.. and the place still serves the most delicious bowl of ramen.. in my opinion of course! and theres always a queue, but the turn over rate is really quick.. therefore both places would make a great day for people watching and portraiture shots! have a good trip.

p.s. [osaka's aquarium is awesome, but the town didn't give my kinda vibe, try spending a couple of days in kyoto, awesome old era vibe]