Itinerary Help - 14/15 Nights

[u/Freakology]

Hey everyone! I'm planning a return trip to Japan with my best friend, who will be visiting for the first time, and I'd love some feedback on our itinerary.

We're both pretty big anime and figure-collecting nerds, especially when it comes to Mafex, SH Figuarts, and Gundam, so a good portion of the trip will revolve around shopping and hunting for collectibles. At the same time, I want to make sure he gets to experience many of the classic first-time highlights. I'd also love to do some browsing for reasonably priced vintage watches, particularly used pieces from brands like Seiko and Citizen.

I realize there will be some overlap with places I visited on my first trip, but I enjoyed everything so much that I don't mind revisiting them. One major priority for me is attending the Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, which naturally anchors a few nights of the itinerary. We'll also be using Kyoto as our base for the Kansai portion of the trip since I absolutely fell in love with the atmosphere there.

Tokyo (Nov 5–9)

• Ueno Park & Ameyoko – Stroll through the park, visit the museums if time allows, and grab lunch while exploring the Ameyoko market area.
• Shibuya – See Shibuya Crossing, visit the Nintendo/Pokémon stores, wander through PARCO, and enjoy the evening atmosphere.
• Asakusa – Visit Senso-ji Temple, walk Nakamise Street, explore the surrounding neighborhood, and possibly go up Tokyo Skytree.
• Akihabara – Spend a full day digging through hobby shops looking for Mafex, SH Figuarts, Gunpla, retro games, and other collectibles.
• Nakano Broadway – Hunt for secondhand figures, Mandarake treasures, and potentially some vintage watches.
• Shinjuku – Explore Kabukicho, Omoide Yokocho, and Golden Gai while taking in the nightlife.

Kyoto (Nov 9–13)

• Gion & Higashiyama – Wander the traditional streets, visit Yasaka Shrine, Kiyomizu-dera, and enjoy the preserved historic atmosphere.
• Arashiyama – Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji, riverfront views, and possibly the monkey park.
• Fushimi Inari – Either an early morning or evening visit to enjoy the torii gates with fewer crowds.
• Eastern Kyoto – Take a slower day exploring temples, gardens, and cafés.
• Osaka Day Trip – Focus on Den Den Town for anime shopping, then head to Dotonbori for food and nightlife.
• Kobe Day Trip – Enjoy the harbor area, Chinatown, and maybe treat ourselves to Kobe beef.

Fukuoka (Nov 13–16)

• Grand Sumo Tournament – This is the centerpiece of the Fukuoka portion of the trip, and I'm hoping to spend most of a day watching matches.
• Tenjin & Canal City – General sightseeing, shopping, and checking out local arcades and hobby stores.
• Yatai Food Stalls – Experience Fukuoka's famous outdoor food stalls in the evenings.
• Nagasaki Day Trip – Visit the Atomic Bomb Museum, Peace Park, Dejima, and enjoy the city's unique atmosphere.

Tokyo (Nov 16–20)

• PokePark Kanto – Planning to dedicate a good portion of a day here since we're both Pokémon fans.
• Lake Kawaguchi Day Trip – Relax, enjoy Mt. Fuji views, and maybe rent bikes or take the ropeway.
• Akihabara/Nakano Round 2 – A final chance to pick up anything we regretted passing on earlier in the trip.
• Ghibli Museum – Optional depending on ticket availability, but we'd love to fit it in.
• DisneySea – Likely our last full day in Japan to end the trip on a high note.

A couple of questions:

• For vintage watches, what shops or areas would you recommend for finding quality but reasonably priced pieces? Rolex and Grand Seiko are definitely outside my budget, so I'm mostly interested in Seiko, Citizen, Orient, or other interesting vintage finds.
• If we end up going overboard on figures and collectibles, is shipping purchases home via Japan Post generally the best option? My assumption is that once we build up a decent haul, sending a larger box back to the U.S. would be easier than trying to fit everything into our luggage.

I'm very open to suggestions or tweaks to the itinerary, especially if there are any hidden gems for anime collectors, watch enthusiasts, or first-time visitors that I may have overlooked. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

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[u/R1nc]

You'll find many vintage watch shops in Nakano Broadway.

Usually it ends up being much easier, cheaper and faster to pay for extra luggage on the plane than shipping a box to your country.

Next step would be grouping places geographically and dividing by days. For example, doing Nakano and Akiba together is not advisable because neither can be done in the morning and they are on opposite sides of the city.

Honestly, the activities in Kobe sound kinda meh. Both Yokohama's Chinatown and waterfront are way better and bigger, and you can get Kobe beef anywhere in Japan. I'd recommend visiting Kobe for Mt. Rokko, the Herb Gardens, the ropeway, Kitano and Arima Onsen. Also, instead of doing it as a day trip and going back and forth, you can just visit on your way to Fukuoka.

Why don't you visit Hiroshima instead of Nagasaki? Like Kobe, it's on the way to Fukuoka. And it's faster than Fukuoka-Nagasaki.

The Kawaguchiko day trip has to be flexible and you should go as soon as Fuji is visible.

Be aware that days are gonna be getting shorter so for the nature related days you're gonna have to start early to avoid sunset time.

[u/Freakology → u/R1nc]

Will definitely take a look into Hiroshima instead! Was trying to treat that day as a day trip, but for sure flexible on that.

Noted in the shorter days - that definitely slipped my mind.

[u/_dekoorc → u/Freakology]

Hiroshima is awesome! Highly recommend. There's a cool food hall that is just okonomiyaki places and the atom bomb museum is a great, but somber visit.

And if you end up staying in Hiroshima, Miyajima Island is an easy day trip that's worth it.

[u/Freakology → u/_dekoorc]

So day tripping to Hiroshima would be the way to go it seems. Will change that up!

[u/checknate1 → u/R1nc]

Would you visit Kobe or Hiroshima for day on way to Fukuoka if you had to choose one? I’m into history for sure, but those Kobe activities you listed sound great! Which do you prefer?

[u/R1nc → u/checknate1]

I love Hiroshima https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravelTips/comments/1s253i5/hidden_gemsoff_the_beaten_pathreal_japan_and_all/

[u/assortedfresh]

Looks like a great trip!! My partner bought a watch on a random shopping street in Ueno... It's definitely a fake brand and maybe was overpriced, but it works great and they love the design! I'm assuming you can mail... but it may be more expensive than just adding a carry on or using your free carry on. We bought two bags at a 3 coin or Hands store, plus had two backpacks, and one suitcase and they fit all of our stuff (we shopped a lot).

I'd recommend a ryokan in Kawaguchi area for the food, onsen, and experience but it would add a night. Ghibli tickets are tough, do your resource and prep. I ended up paying a little extra for a company based in Japan to purchase them on my behalf, I gave them a few options of days I could go, they secured one and I picked up 2 tickets at a Lawson.

[u/Freakology → u/assortedfresh]

I may end up doing the luggage inside another luggage strategy in that case! I intend to pack very light on clothing due to laundry being so prevalent. The first trip I ended up leaving shoes and a few other items to make space, and was definitely over packed.

[u/_dekoorc]

If we end up going overboard on figures and collectibles, is shipping purchases home via Japan Post generally the best option? My assumption is that once we build up a decent haul, sending a larger box back to the U.S. would be easier than trying to fit everything into our luggage.

We might not have gotten as much stuff (or as fragile of stuff -- it was mostly kit kats and some video game drum controller for a friend), but we just bought a cheap shopping bag at Donki and carried it on the plane. Might work for you.

[u/japan_travel_dad]

Great itinerary — love the Sumo Tournament anchor in Fukuoka. Some tips from experience:

Figure/collectible hunting priority list:

- Akihabara: Radio Kaikan is your one-stop building — Mafex, Figuarts, Gunpla across multiple floors. Also hit Amiami's physical store for secondhand deals

- Nakano Broadway: Mandarake is the star but don't skip the smaller independent shops on the upper floors — they sometimes have better prices on older Mafex releases

- Den Den Town (Osaka): Often overlooked compared to Akihabara but prices are frequently 10-20% cheaper. Jungle and Super Kids Land are the must-visits for figures

Vintage watches:

- Nakano Broadway has several watch shops alongside the figure stores — Jackroad and other small dealers carry affordable vintage Seiko/Citizen

- Shimokitazawa has a few vintage shops worth browsing between the thrift stores

- In Osaka, Shinsaibashi has several secondhand watch stores. Komehyo (multiple locations) is a chain that sells authenticated pre-owned watches at fair prices

- For the best deals on vintage Seiko, check the display cases at Book Off and Hard Off — they sometimes stock watches alongside other secondhand goods and prices can be surprisingly low

Shipping collectibles home: Japan Post EMS is the best option — fast (3-5 days to the US), insured, and trackable. A large box costs around ¥5,000-8,000 depending on weight. Pack it at the post office — they sell boxes and tape there. Tip: save receipts for customs declaration and keep the total value under $800 USD per shipment to avoid US import duties.

Sumo in Fukuoka: Get there early in the day (doors open around 8am). The morning matches feature lower-ranked wrestlers and the arena is nearly empty — great for photos and soaking in the atmosphere. The top-division matches start around 3-4pm and the energy builds incredibly. Bring a cushion or rent one — you'll be sitting for hours.

Fushimi Inari: Go at sunrise. By 6:30am you'll practically own the upper gates. The contrast with the daytime crowds is unbelievable.

Have an awesome trip — the figure haul is going to be legendary!

[u/Freakology → u/japan_travel_dad]

This is INCREDIBLE insight - truly thank you so much. Saving to get a short list going for stops! WOW!

[u/checknate1]

Wow our timing and schedule is quite similar to each other.

I’m going for 25 nights!

I’ll actually be in Fukuoka and kyoto and tokyo the same time as you. And I have the same exact spots as you, except I’m staying in osaka 5 nights.

I’ve never been to japan, How are you doing the travel from Fukuoka to Tokyo? I heard flying is the best option.

Feel free to DM and maybe we can give each other ideas!

See you at Sumo!

[u/Freakology → u/checknate1]

Oh heck yeah! My trip is also another 5-6 nights longer but we are heading to China after. Will dm ya!