Can’t miss spots

Hi everyone! So I'm getting frantic trying to plan places to visit... so little time! Here's our itinerary:
12/22 Arrive in Tokyo
12/23 Tokyo
12/24 AM Shinkansen to Nara
12/25 Nara to Kyoto
12/26 Kyoto
12/27 PM Kyoto to Tokyo
12/28 Tokyo
12/29 Leave for home!

As you can see, time is very short! We're planning on hitting the major spots (Tsukiji, Sensoji, Imperial Palace, Todaiji in Nara, Ryo-anji, golden temple and the bamboo grove in Kyoto) but what other spots should not be missed?

Looking forward to some constructive input! Thanks!

Since time is so short, I would skip the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. Unless you have reserved in advance to visit, there is little to see. You are lucky that in Nara all sights are all walking distance away from each other and therefore I would like to recommend Kasuga Taisha in Nara as well.
Unfortunately, in Kyoto things are a little more distributed throughout the town and if you have money to spare, I would like to recommend a taxi between some of the sights. For Tokyo I would like to add Kiyomizu temple to your list.

For Tokyo I would like to add Kiyomizu temple to your list

I think Kappa meant "for KYOTO," to which I agree :) You would also want to visit Sanjusangendo in Kyoto too.

By the way the Shinkansen doesn't go straight to Nara from Tokyo. It goes to Kyoto then Osaka (actually Shin-Osaka) and beyond all the way towards Fukuoka. You can go to Nara from Kyoto JR station. The bamboo grove is not in Kyoto but in Arashiyama --a suburb so to speak--so you will have to plan for the short journey to and from Arashiyama (about 30-40 minutes each way). There are quite a few things to see in Arashiyama but considering how limited your time in Kyoto is I would skip the bamboo grove. It is interesting but not an absolute must unless you have never seen bamboos in your life (we had a bamboo grove in our backyard in France --of all places--.so I am a bit jaded about bamboos) the grove is about 30 minutes one way from the rail station. Don't fret about so-called "can't miss" spots in Kyoto or Tokyo etc. There are hundreds of temples and shrines just as interesting as the so-called must see. The area near the JR Kyoto station (itself a fascinating sight) has quite a few of them and so do every neighbourhoods in Kyoto. . .

Cheers, AK-san, I indeed meant Kyoto.

FYI,
Tsukiji fish market will ban tourist from the tuna auction and the market floor during 15th Dec. to 17th Jan..
So there won't be a lot to see there.

You can still visit small restaurants outside the market, but I guess you'd better not go to Tsukiji, instead try sushi in some other area.

http://72.14.235.132/search?q=cache...

You can still visit small restaurants outside the market, but I guess you'd better not go to Tsukiji, instead try sushi in some other area.
I love that area outside the market with all the shops and restaurants, so refreshing from all the salarymen in suits.

However, most people would list Akihabara on the list of things to see in Tokyo.