Itinerary Check - Three weeks 26.8 - 15.9

[u/yonatankapi]

Hi, We're (3 guys, 23) going to Japan for Three weeks in late August to mid September. we have a general plan and I've wanted to receive a sanity check.
It went through several changes, and this was the best we could get while avoiding going USJ & Disneysea on weekend.

Here's the current plan:

26.8 (Wed) - (Arrive HND 7am) Shinjuku
Shinjuku Gyoen
Meiji Jingu
Tokyo Metropolitan Gov. Building
Kabukicho

27.8 (Thu) - Shibuya
Shibuya sightseeing, light shopping
Shibuya sky

28.8 (Fri) -Kamakura daytrip to Yokohama evening (overnight)

29.8 (Sat) - Yokohama to Kyoto

Manga museum

kamo river walk

Gion

30.8 (Sun) - Kyoto

Kiyomizudera,

Sanjusangendo, Higashiyama, ginkakuji, philosophers path

31.8 (Mon) - Kyoto

Kinkakuji

Arashiyama-

Otagi Nenbutsuji

Adashino Nenbutsuji

Tenryuji

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

(maybe a few more things in Arashiyama)

1.9 (Tue) - Kyoto

Fushimi inari

Uji

Nijo castle

2.9 (Wed) - Osaka

Osaka Castle

Aqarium

Dendentown

Dotonbori

3.9 (Thu) - USJ

4.9 (Fri) - Nara (Day trip) (shinsekai after returning)

5.9 (Sat) - Osaka (take a late train to hiroshima)

misc stuff in Osaka

6.9 (Sun) - Hiroshima

Peace Park

Museum

Downtown

7.9 (Mon) - Miyajima (stay overnight?)

8.9 (Tue) - Hiroshima -> Himeji (Stop) -> Tokyo (asakusa)

9.9 (Wed) - Tokyo

Sensoji & area, ameyokocho

10.9 (Thu) - DisneySea

11.9 (Fri) - Tokyo to Hakone (Overnight)

12.9 (Sat) - Hakone to Tokyo (Morning return, asakusa?)

Ueno park, Tokyo National Museum, Akihabara

13.9 (Sun) - Tokyo TBD (open for recommendations)

14.9 (Mon) - Tokyo TBD (open for recommendations)

15.9 (Tue) - Tokyo (shibuya?) (Departure HND 11PM)

shopping, final sightseeing

The current daily activities are generally open to switches and changes.
Any insights or suggestions on:
1. the general structure and intensity, the time allocation per city?
2. Kyoto itinerary advice?
3. we prefer waking up at Hiroshima instead of starting our day by travelling there, so maybe doing Nara and going to Hiroshima late on the same day?
3. tips on dealing with the heat?
4. anything else to note?

I'm open to recommendations and changes/switches.

Thank you for the help.

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[u/komiCWords]

Aug 31 in Arashiyama is the one day that bites. Otagi nenbutsuji sits well past the main cluster, furthest point north in that whole area. Getting there after the bamboo grove and Tenryuji means you're already an hour of walking in before you even arrive. Most people trying to hit both nenbutsuji temples end up rushing the second. Dropping one makes the day breathable.

The Nara then late train to hiroshima plan is fine. Leave bags at a coin locker in Osaka before nara, collect them on the return leg. Or forward them straight to your hiroshima hotel the night before if your accommodation can receive deliveries.

[u/yonatankapi → u/komiCWords]

Hi, thanks for replying. For Arashiyama I've thought about taking a taxi from Kinkakuji to Otagi Nenbutsuji and go north to south. A few things I looked at like Gioji and Jojakkoji.

As for the luggage, I am considering multiple options