日本
Greg & Megan — 2026
May 20 — Jun 2, 2026
-- days to go
Japanese Survival Guide
Next Steps
Flights
Outbound Confirmed
JFK
New York
HND
Tokyo Haneda
Date
Wed, May 20
Arrives
Thu, May 21 1:55 PM
Flight
AA 167
Departs
10:35 AM
Class
Economy (Q)
Seats
31J, 31L
AA: FWKITE JAL: CA5ZIL
Return (2 legs) Confirmed
Leg 1 — Domestic
ITM
Osaka Itami
HND
Tokyo Haneda
Date
Tue, Jun 2
Flight
AA 8461 (JAL)
Departs
3:40 PM
Arrives
5:00 PM
Leg 2 — International
HND
Tokyo Haneda
JFK
New York
Date
Tue, Jun 2
Flight
AA 8496 (JAL)
Departs
7:30 PM
Arrives
7:30 PM same day
Seats
59C, 59A
AA: FWKITE JAL: CA5ZIL
Airline Apps
AA
American Airlines
Main booking & check-in. Mobile boarding pass for JFK→HND. Check in 24hrs before (May 19).
iOS Android
JAL
Japan Airlines
Operates return flights ITM→HND→JFK. Seat selection & boarding for Jun 2.
iOS Android
Accommodation
Tokyo — May 21-27 Confirmed
Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel
Newly Renovated Comfort Queen Room (Non-Smoking) — 6 nights, 2 adults
Address: Shibuya-ku, Sakuragaokacho 26-1, Tokyo
Check-in: Thu, May 21 — 3:00 PM
Check-out: Wed, May 27 — 12:00 PM
Phone: +81 3-3476-3000
Free cancellation until: May 19, 2026
Total: ¥359,993 (~$2,400)
Booking: 6414756066 Map
Kyoto — May 27-29 Confirmed
Hotel Yuraku Kyo-yasaka
Double Room TYPE B (Non-Smoking, 2nd-3rd Floor) — 2 nights, 2 adults
Address: 東山区鷲尾町528, Kyoto (Higashiyama district)
Check-in: Wed, May 27 — 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Check-out: Fri, May 29 — 11:00 AM
Phone: +81 75-525-4000
Free cancellation until: May 23, 2026
Total: ¥101,200 (~$675)
Booking: 5997267384 Map
Kyoto — May 29-30 Confirmed
HOTEL RINGS KYOTO
Standard Double Room — 1 night, 2 adults
Address: 393 Kabutoyacho, Sakaimachi-dori Rokkaku Sagaru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
Check-in: Fri, May 29 — 3:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Check-out: Sat, May 30 — 6:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Phone: +81 75-746-2920
Free cancellation until: May 25, 2026
Total: ¥28,080 (~$187)
Booking: 6249656476 Map
Osaka — May 30 - Jun 2 Confirmed
Centara Grand Hotel Osaka
Deluxe King Room (Standard Floor) — 3 nights, 2 adults
Address: 2-11-50 Nambanaka, Naniwa-ku, Osaka (Namba area)
Check-in: Sat, May 30 — 3:00 PM
Check-out: Tue, Jun 2 — 12:00 PM
Phone: +81 6-6616-9945
Free cancellation until: May 26, 2026
Total: ¥103,643 (~$691)
Booking: 5420458688 Map
Ground Transportation
Tokyo (May 21-27)
Tokyo has the best public transit on earth. The JR Yamanote Line is a loop that hits Shibuya, Shinjuku, Harajuku, Akihabara, Ueno, and Tokyo Station — this one line covers 80% of your trip. The Tokyo Metro fills in everything else. You will almost never need a taxi or bus in Tokyo.
IC Card (Suica or Pasmo)
What: Rechargeable transit card. Tap on, tap off at every gate. Also works at convenience stores, vending machines, and some restaurants.
Where to buy: Haneda Airport arrival hall — look for the ticket machines right after customs. Select "Suica" and load cash.
iPhone option: Add a Suica card directly in Apple Wallet (Settings → Wallet → Transit Card → Suica). Load from your Apple Pay. No physical card needed.
How much to load: Start with ¥5,000 (~$33). A typical day in Tokyo is ¥800-1,500 in transit. Reload at any station or konbini.
Cost per ride: ¥170-400 depending on distance (~$1-3).
Your itinerary: Cerulean Tower is in Shibuya. You’ll use Yamanote Line to Harajuku (2 min), Shinjuku (5 min), Akihabara (25 min), Ueno (30 min). Metro to Asakusa, Roppongi, Ginza. All IC card.
Getting from Haneda to Cerulean Tower
Best route: Keikyu Line from Haneda → Shinagawa Station (~20 min, ¥300), transfer to JR Yamanote Line → Shibuya Station (~12 min, ¥200). Walk 5 min to hotel.
Alternative: Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsucho → JR Yamanote to Shibuya. Same price, slightly longer.
Taxi option: ~¥6,000-8,000 ($40-53), 40-60 min depending on traffic. Not worth it unless you’re exhausted.
Pro tip: Download the Navitime or Japan Travel by NAVITIME app — it gives exact train times, platform numbers, and transfer walking directions. Better than Google Maps for Tokyo trains.
Tokyo → Kyoto Shinkansen (May 27)
The Shinkansen (bullet train) is the fastest way between Tokyo and Kyoto. Trains run every 10-15 minutes from Tokyo Station. No need to book weeks ahead — you can buy same-day, but reserved seats are recommended for comfort.
Option A: Buy Individual Ticket (recommended)
Train: Nozomi (fastest, ~2h 15m) or Hikari (~2h 40m)
Cost: ~¥14,000 per person one-way (~$93) for reserved seat
How to buy online: SmartEX App — register, link a credit card, book your specific train and seats. Show QR code at the gate. No paper ticket needed.
How to buy at station: JR Ticket Office (Midori-no-Madoguchi) at Tokyo Station. Say "Kyoto, Nozomi, reserved seat, two people." They handle it.
Your plan: Check out of Cerulean Tower by noon May 27, walk to Shibuya Station, take Yamanote to Tokyo Station (~25 min), board Shinkansen. Arrive Kyoto ~3 PM.
JR Pass: Skipping it. Individual Shinkansen tickets + IC card is cheaper and lets you ride the faster Nozomi.
Ekiben tip: Before boarding, grab an ekiben (train bento box) at Tokyo Station. The Gransta underground mall has 100+ options. It’s a whole experience — eating a curated bento while watching Japan fly by at 300 km/h.
Kyoto (May 27-30)
Kyoto is the opposite of Tokyo — the train system is limited and most temples aren’t near stations. Buses are king here. Kyoto has a massive city bus network that hits every major temple and shrine. You’ll be riding buses 3-5 times a day.
Kyoto Bus Day Pass
What: Unlimited city bus rides for one day. Kyoto buses cost ¥230 per ride — the day pass pays for itself after 3 rides.
Cost: ¥700/day (~$4.70)
Where to buy: Kyoto Station Bus Terminal (ground floor, information counter) or from the bus driver on your first ride. Also available at major hotel front desks.
How it works: First ride — insert the pass into the machine by the driver. It stamps the date. After that, just flash it when you get off.
Your itinerary: Day 1 (Fushimi Inari → Nishiki Market → Kinkaku-ji → Pontocho) = 4+ bus rides. Day 2 (Arashiyama → Kiyomizu-dera → Higashiyama) = 3+ rides. Pass is essential both days.
IC Card (same Suica from Tokyo)
Works on: JR Nara Line (to Fushimi Inari), Hankyu Line, Keihan Line, and city buses if you don’t get the day pass.
Fushimi Inari: Take JR Nara Line from Kyoto Station to Inari Station (2 stops, 5 min, ¥150). The shrine is right at the station exit.
Hotel Yuraku is in Higashiyama — walkable to Gion, Kiyomizu-dera, and Pontocho. You won’t need transit for evening plans in that area.
Pro tip: Kyoto buses get PACKED with tourists, especially routes to Kinkaku-ji and Arashiyama. Leave early (before 9 AM) to beat the crowds. Alternatively, rent bikes — Kyoto is flat and very bikeable.
Kyoto → Osaka (May 30)
JR Special Rapid or Hankyu Line
Time: ~15 minutes. Kyoto and Osaka are absurdly close.
Cost: ¥570 per person (~$3.80) — IC card
Best route for you: Hotel Rings is in central Kyoto (Nakagyo). Walk to Karasuma Station, take Hankyu Line direct to Osaka-Umeda, transfer to Midosuji Metro Line to Namba (4 stops). Total: ~30 min door to door. Centara Grand is right by Namba Station.
Alternative: JR Special Rapid from Kyoto Station to Osaka Station. Same time, slightly more walking on the Osaka end to get to Namba.
Osaka (May 30 - Jun 2)
Osaka is easy. The Osaka Metro covers everything and your Centara Grand hotel is right next to Namba Station — the biggest hub in south Osaka. Most of the places you’re hitting (Dotonbori, Shinsekai, Shinsaibashi, Amerikamura) are walkable from the hotel. You’ll use the metro less here than anywhere else.
IC Card (same Suica from Tokyo)
Works on: All Osaka Metro lines, JR lines, and buses. Same card, same tap on/off.
Key line: Midosuji Line (red line) — hits Umeda, Shinsaibashi, Namba, Tennoji. This one line covers 90% of your Osaka travel.
Cost per ride: ¥190-280 (~$1.25-1.85)
Your itinerary: Dotonbori and Namba are walking distance from the hotel. Shinsekai/Tsutenkaku is 2 metro stops south (Midosuji to Dobutsuen-mae). Osaka Castle is Tanimachi Line to Tanimachi-Yonchome or Morinomiya. Sumiyoshi Taisha is Nankai Line from Namba.
How much to load: You probably still have money on your card from Tokyo. If not, reload ¥2,000-3,000 — you won’t need much since so much is walkable.
Getting to Itami Airport (Jun 2)
Best option: Airport Limousine Bus from Namba OCAT (Osaka City Air Terminal) — it’s a 5 min walk from your hotel. Direct to Itami, ~30 min, ¥660.
Where to buy: OCAT ticket counter or pay with IC card on the bus.
Timing: Flight is 3:40 PM. Domestic flight so aim for airport by 2 PM. Leave hotel by 1:15 PM latest.
Alternative: Osaka Metro to Senri-Chuo, transfer to Osaka Monorail to Itami. More transfers but same price.
Pro tip: Osaka is the most walkable city of the three for your itinerary. Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi, Amerikamura, and Namba are all within a 10-15 min walk of each other and your hotel. Save the metro for Osaka Castle, Shinsekai, and the airport.
Day-by-Day Planner
Pre-Trip Checklist
Finding Restaurants
Restaurant Apps & Resources
食べ
Tabelog (食べログ)
Japan's #1 restaurant review site. 3.5+ is good, 3.7+ is excellent. Ratings are harsh — a 3.5 here is a 4.5 on Google.
iOS Android
G
Google Maps
English reviews, "Popular times" to avoid lines, photos. Good for spontaneous nearby finds. Ratings are inflated vs Tabelog.
iOS Android
R
Retty
Japanese review site, more casual than Tabelog. Where locals actually eat — less tourist-heavy.
iOS Android
ぐる
Gurunavi
Restaurant search + reservations. Has English version. Some spots only take bookings through here.
iOS Android
HP
Hot Pepper Gourmet
Coupons + reservations. Great for deals on izakayas and mid-range spots.
iOS Android
Pro tip: Use Tabelog as your primary, cross-reference with Google Maps for convenience, and check Instagram location tags for the neighborhood you're in that day. The best spots are often tiny 8-seat counters with a line outside — Tabelog surfaces those.
Planning Docs
📊 Japan Trip 2026 — Google Sheets 📄 Japan Trip 2026 Itinerary — Google Docs
Trip Cost So Far
ItemYenUSD
Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel — Tokyo (6 nights)¥359,993$2,400
Hotel Yuraku Kyo-yasaka — Kyoto (2 nights)¥101,200$675
HOTEL RINGS KYOTO — Kyoto (1 night)¥28,080$187
Centara Grand Hotel — Osaka (3 nights)¥103,643$691
Accommodation Total ¥592,916 $3,953
Not yet included: Flights (booked through Megan’s AA account), Shinkansen tickets (~¥28,000 for 2), JR Pass (if purchasing), activities (teamLab, kimono rental, Giants tickets), food & drinks, shopping, transport (IC card loads). Update this section as costs are confirmed.
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