8 day Tokyo Itinerary

We will be in Japan for 16 days, 8 of which we will be staying in Tokyo.

I would like some comments on the Tokyo based portion of our trip. We are staying in the Meguro area. Are any days too packed? Any ideas for days that may look like we don't have enough planned? Do you think we could squeeze a day trip to Nikko in?

Here is what I have planned so far:

16-Sep Sunday Arrive airport 2:10PM Meguro Local activities?, or maybe Shibuya/and/or Shinagawa - We may be tired from long flight so maybe keep it low key?

17-Sep Monday - Ikebukuru, Sunshine City, Marunuchi, ?

18-Sep Tuesday - Kamakura day trip

19-Sep Wednesday - Tsukiji market Morning, Ginza Afternoon, Odaiba evening/night

20-Sep Thursday - Hakone day trip

21-Sep - Friday - Ghibli Museum, Shinjuku

22-Sep - Saturday - Sumo-Basho at Ryogoku, Akihabara, Ueno, Asakusa at night

23-Sep - Sunday - Harajuku, Shibuya, Roppongi

24-Sep - we leave for Takayama...

Thanks for any comments!

22-Sep - Saturday - Sumo-Basho at Ryogoku, Akihabara, Ueno, Asakusa at night
There is not much to see in Asakusa at night. Most shops are closed at 6-7pm.

The Asakusa at night portion was to see the lanterns, is that worth seeing?

From here:
http://www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp/english/event/index.html

I would appreciate if anyone else had any comments, thanks!

Its going to be so much fun. Tokyo will kick your axx. Its so full of stuff to do that you have 10-12 hour days just taking it all in and by 7PM , [repared to feel worked. I hope you like to walk.

You have to navigate subways, tons of walking everywhere through crowds, excitement, endless visual barrage of neon and glass and concrete.

You cannot see all of Tokyo in that time, its impossible, but you can see the stuff thats most important to you.

You'll probably miss out on stuff in only 8 days, but its OK because you'll do your best , see dozens of attractions and, you'll sleep like a log because you'll be exhausted.

The first day if you get there at 2Pm, you will get to your hotel by 5PM, you can take a subway or train to asakusa THAT night to see the lanterns and have some dinner. Then go to sleep early. The first night is as a good night to pick 1 thing you want to do at night in Tokyo and do it, even if your tired, because on your last night in Tokyo.
Plan where you want to go and the subway/train route and do it.

Only go to Hakone on a sunny day, If its raining do Shinjuku on that day, or another place.

Go up in Tokyo Metropolitan Government building while in Shinjuku, its free and its a great viewing platform. SunshineCity viewing is good. Mori Toweri is excellent viewing in Roppongi.

Go to Marunouchi on the same day as
- Tsukiji ( go as early as possible)
-Then Ginza PLUS Marunouchi ( same area ) save Odaiba for a different day, or later in the day.

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Try to first go to Ikekbukuro Sunshine city Etc. in the morning, and then Shinjuku, becauseits only a few stops away on the Yamanote line; or Odaiba in the afternoon night would be good too. Stunning views from Odaiba at night. Don't bother with Asakusa at night, its better by day.

Kamakura is nice and it will be a full-day daytrip, take the local train to Enoshima island while your there. Dont go to Kamakura on a rainy day though.

TKeep in mind theres also Yokohama only 20 minutes from Tokyo, and tickets are inexpensive.

Wheres the rest of your trip? Takayama and where else?

Are you going to Kyoto?

While in Tokyo, keep your plans flexible so you can easily switch one days itinerary for anothers depending on weather and the way you feel that day.

Thanks Sh, I really appreciate the response.

Also, good idea about doing the lanterns the night we get there, and I will keep in mind doing Hakone only on a nice day.

I've been spending a lot of time on Hyperdia and this site figuring out the train routes etc so we will be prepared to get to anything we may want to do while there. We are also not afraid to walk quite a bit, and in fact prefer it sometimes to a shorter ride.

We may actually briefly stop in Yokohama on the way back from Kamakura to meet someone briefly, but I am not sure if we will see much of the city. Do you recommend it? It seemed like it might be just more city type sights, which we are already getting in Tokyo.

After Tokyo we are heading to Takayama, then Kyoto, then Miyajima, then Osaka. (We fly out of Osaka)

We will be in Japan for 16 days. I know many would recommend less time in Tokyo, and more time in more cultural areas, but we are really interested in city life as well as the more traditional sights.

i did the same, thing, flew into tokyo and out of osaka. it works well

Yokohama is kind of like tokyo so its not a shame to skip it with all other other stuff youre doing.

As for hyperdia; its great and i looked at it before i went too.

the thing i want to recommend is this...

The day before you leave for another city, to go to the next city in Japan, go to the JR Ticket office at a main station, and reserve your tickets for the next morning. You can get non-smoking window seats or whatever --- but its great to have that all done so the next morning is hassle free.

Also, when you get reserved seats ( its free, costs nothing extra) you can ask the friendly JR agent to write down the TRACK NUMBER on your ticket. This is a BIG HELP, ecause there are 30 or more Shinkansen tracks in each big station.
Its really worth 10 minutes out of the previous morning to take all worry and uncertainty out of the next morning when youre walking around in a hurry with your luggage.

Also, hyperdia isnt even neccessary because there is always another train wherever youre going in the next 30 minutes.

Thanks again for the advice!