-
TOKYO東京3 nights
- Day 1 — Land, check in, don't overdo it. Shibuya Crossing and Shibuya Sky at sunset. Book that months ahead; sunset slots sell out.
- Day 2 — Sensō-ji and Nakamise Street early, Imperial Palace East Gardens, Tokyo Tower or Skytree. Split-group day: teamLab for some, Harajuku for others. Street karts slot in here if that wins the vote.
- Day 3 — Tokyo DisneySea, full day. DisneySea over Disneyland: it exists nowhere else and it suits adults better.
Base: Shinjuku or Shibuya. Central, well-connected, easy to peel off and regroup.
-
KAWAGUCHIKO河口湖1 night
- Chūreitō Pagoda for the postcard shot of Fuji — about 400 steps up.
- Lake Kawaguchi shoreline, then a ryokan with an onsen.
- Fuji is shy. Mornings are the best odds. Set an alarm.
Fuji Excursion express, Shinjuku → Kawaguchiko, about 1h50. All seats reserved — book ahead.
-
KYOTO京都3–4 nights
- Arrival evening — walk Gion and Pontochō.
- East Kyoto — Fushimi Inari at 6:30am, and yes, really 6:30. Then Kiyomizu-dera and down through Sannenzaka.
- Free day — only if we vote nine nights. No plan, no meeting time. Sleep in, or go do the thing you wrote in on Question 6.
- West Kyoto — Arashiyama bamboo grove before 8am, Tenryū-ji, the monkey park, Kinkaku-ji. Swap for a Nara day trip if we'd rather have deer.
photos/kyoto.jpgKawaguchiko → Mishima → Shinkansen to Kyoto. About 3h30 door to door.
-
OSAKA大阪1 night
- If Mario Kart wins: full day at Universal Studios Japan and Super Nintendo World, then Dotonbori at night.
- If not: Osaka Castle grounds, Kuromon Market for lunch, Dotonbori after dark.
- Fly home from Kansai the next morning.
Kyoto → Osaka is 15 minutes. The easiest travel day of the trip.
Somebody asked for this
Mario Kart
There are two completely different things called Mario Kart in Japan, in two different cities, and they have nothing to do with each other. Question 3 decides which one we do.
The ride — Universal Studios, Osaka
Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge in Super Nintendo World. An augmented-reality dark ride through Bowser's Castle where you race in teams, throw shells, and drive Rainbow Road. No licence, no paperwork, everyone can ride.
It eats the whole Osaka day and needs an Express Pass that specifically lists Koopa's Challenge — not every pass includes the Nintendo area, and those that do sell out. Passes go on sale exactly 60 days ahead. Without one, waits run 90 minutes to two hours.
The street karts — Tokyo
Real go-karts on real Tokyo streets — Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo Tower, Roppongi. Costumes included, about 1.5–2 hours, fits into a Tokyo afternoon instead of eating a whole day.
- Every driver needs an International Driving Permit under the 1949 Geneva Convention, plus their physical home licence and passport. You cannot get one in Japan. Turn up without it and you're refused, no refund.
- The permit is valid one year from the date it's issued, so we do these together in summer 2028. Getting one now is useless.
- These are real vehicles in real traffic alongside taxis and buses. Riders who don't drive can't take part.
- Not affiliated with Nintendo. The costumes aren't Mario characters.
Handled, but you should know
The onsen question
photos/onsen.jpgMost of us have tattoos. That's handled.
Roughly half of Japanese hot springs still turn away tattooed guests, so we're not leaving this to chance. Two things solve it, and we're using both.
- Fully tattoo-friendly properties — tattooed guests use the communal baths openly, no covering. Hotel Kōryū and Ōike Hotel on Lake Kawaguchi both qualify.
- Kashikiri (private reserved baths) — you book the whole bath for 45 minutes. No policy applies when you bathe alone.
Question 4 decides which way we lean. Either way, the policy gets confirmed in writing with the property before anyone pays.
7 questions · about two minutes