9 days trip to Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka

A group of five of us are planning on the following itinerary:
Arrive 17Apr17 morning - stay at Shinjuku
Visit Tsukiji Market, Shibuya Crossing, Hachiko Statue, Senso-jo Temple (is this the same is the Asakusa Temple?)

18Apr17
Visit Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum. Shopping at Harajuku, Shibuya.

19Apr17
One full day at Disney Sea

20Apr17
Mount Fuji. Then depart Tokyo for Kyoto in the evening.

21Apr17
Go to Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Togetsukyo Bridge. Maybe an Onsen visit. (Any suggestions on Onsen?)

22Apr17
Visit Gion, Golden Pavilion.

23Apr17
Train to Osaka. Visit Osaka castle and Nara

24Apr17
Universal Studios

25Apr17
ShinsaibashiStreet shopping street.

Is the itinerary too ambitious? Is it worth it to get a 7 day JR pass and activate it on 19Apr17. While in Tokyo we will use the metro pass Icuco. Please provide any feedback. Thanks in advance.

It seems that you are in a hurry just so see as much as possible. Personally, I would skip Osaka as you are already seeing Tokyo. I would just spend that time in Kyoto and honestly skipping also Nara.

You are missing some really nice sighs in Kyoto, such as Fushimi Inari?

For me, travelling is not just seeing as many sights as possible but also seeing the city itself by just walking, exploring, not in a hurry.

I disagree with the comment above. I think Nara is worth a visit. I would lump Harajuku and Shibuya on the same day though since they're close to one another. Also, I think you meant to say Senso-ji temple, and yes it's the one in Asakusa. The Shin-Yokohama Ramen museum in Yokohama isn't really a museum. It's more of a big building housing multiple ramen shops. Not much in the way of history or information there. Alternatively, you can go to Ramen street underneath Tokyo Station if you want to visit a place with ramen shops next to one another.

Your itinerary looks reasonable, except perhaps on 4/23: it might work better if you go to Nara first (from Kyoto), then to Osaka.

The Cup Noodle Museum (Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum) does show the history of instant ramen invention in video presentation. I cannot remember if there were subtitles in other languages. It also displays every instant ramen ever made (and the collection is growing), and it also lets you make your own cup noodle.

浅草=Asakusa
浅草寺=Senso-ji;
same place, but reads differently.

Here's a website for the MOMOFUKU ANDO INSTANT RAMEN MUSEUM as below:
http://www.instantramen-museum.jp/en/index.html

It looks like this is mostly a photo tour and kids amusement park trip that just happens to be in Japan. It's very doable, with what it is you are doing and you will get to see the highlights. The JR pass won't help much if you are going to use an IC card in Tokyo, you will essentially be paying twice for the same benefit.

It does look like a bit ambitious itinerary; maybe some of you wanted more traditional side of Japan, while others wanted more theme parks? (Personally I would skip both Disney and Universal Studios, but I guess this is not really possible :))

On Apri 20, are you trying to do a day trip from Tokyo to Mt. Fuji (Lake Kawaguchi area?), return to Tokyo once, then travel to Kyoto? You would want to start very early.

I would also suggest keeping Nara in your itinerary, but going there from Kyoto before you go to Osaka (and skip seeing Osaka on 23rd).

7-Day JR Pass does not pay off for your itinerary if you are not returning to Tokyo at the end.

Will you travel to Yokohama only to visit Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum then back to Tokyo?
That does not sound best timewise….

Please make sure not to confuse the following three facilities each related to noodles and called as museum.
: Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum, which is located in Yokohama City in Kanagawa Prefecture, near Shin-Yokohama Station, where ramen is cooked then served in bowls.
: Cupnoodles Museum, a corporate museum of Nissin Foods Group, which is located in Yokohama City in Kanagawa Prefecture, near Bashamichi Station.
: The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum, a corporate museum of Nissin Foods Group, which is located in Ikeda City in Osaka Prefecture, near Ikeda Station.

A group of five of us are planning on the following itinerary:

Will there be a kid among the five travelers?

Arrive 17Apr17 morning

Which airport(s) will you fly into and fly out from?

stay at Shinjuku
Visit Tsukiji Market, Shibuya Crossing, Hachiko Statue

An area in Tokyo which may be called as Shinjuku is wide.
What station on which line is close to your Shinjuku accommodation?

I recommend that you check in advance your routes in Tokyo, so that you would not lose your ways or get dispersed.

What would you do at Tsukiji Market?

I made a mistake on the Ramen Museum. Will not go to Yokohama but will try to fit in
: The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum, a corporate museum of Nissin Foods Group, which is located in Ikeda City in Osaka Prefecture, near Ikeda Station.

A group of five of us are planning on the following itinerary:

Will there be a kid among the five travelers? 2 teenagers will be in the group. The rest are above 40.

Arrive 17Apr17 morning

Which airport(s) will you fly into and fly out from? Flying in to Haneda Airport and out from Kansai Airport

stay at Shinjuku
Visit Tsukiji Market, Shibuya Crossing, Hachiko Statue

An area in Tokyo which may be called as Shinjuku is wide.
What station on which line is close to your Shinjuku accommodation?
Shinjuku Station

I recommend that you check in advance your routes in Tokyo, so that you would not lose your ways or get dispersed.
I agree. We plan to visit Tsujiki market, Shibuya crossing and Hachiko Statue in the morning, then head to Senso-ji Temple in the afternoon, then walk along Nakamise street in the afternoon of 17Apr.

What would you do at Tsukiji Market? Just check it out and then eat at the Sushi Daiwa or Sushi Dai nearby. That was recommended in a blog I saw.

We will change to visit:
17Apr-Tsujiki market, lunch nearby then Shibuya Crossing and Hachiko Statue, Senso-ji Temple and Nakamise Street
18Arpr-Oshino Hakkai at Mount Fuji.
19Apr-Disney Sea (cant be avoided as the teenagers want to go)
20Apr-Shop at Shibuya and Harajuku then travel to Kyoto
21Apr-Visit Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Golden Pavilion, maybe Onsen at night?
22Apr-Visit Fushimi Inari Shrine and Gion (night tour)
23Apr-Train to Osaka early morning. Visit Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum or Nara or Osaka Castle
24Apr-Universal Studios
25Apr-Shopping at Shinsaibashi Street. Fly off from Kansai airport.
will not take the JR pass as recommended.

Any tips on travel and which trains to use would be helpful. We are taking the limousine bus from airport to hotel. Our base is Shinjuku Station.

Thank you all so much for the feedback. We are all looking forward o having a great time in Japan. :)