Japan itinerary

With one week, I recommend going north of Tokyo to Nikko on a day trip.

After doing Tokyo and Nikko, take 3 day that included Kyoto. We did one that included the fast train and Kyoto and Nara.
Kyoto is the best site to visit in Japan in my opinion.

On our first trip to Japan we never stepped foot in Tokyo. On our second trip we returned immediately to Kyoto and ended with a few days in Tokyo. No regrets. Kyoto offers many historical sights and easy access to several. We stayed at the Miyako Westin both times…surrounded by restaurants and all basic needs, a two minute walk to a metro station that takes you to Fushimi Inari which was great. We also visited Nara …by train as I recall …and the bamboo forest and many other fascinating sights. The friendly folks at the front desk can suggest the best transport..metro, train or bus. Kyoto offered us tourists the Japanese cultural experience we imagined far more than Tokyo, which indeed is interesting in its own right, but Kyoto won hands down. I’d suggest you read up on Japanese customs which are in many aspects quite different than our own and unwavering in adherence. Your efforts will be well rewarded.

Thank you both! Very helpful!

I understand the desire to stay in one location, but doing so will chew up your valuable travel time on trains going round trip each day, in my opinion. Kyoto is not so close that it's a quick trip even on the Shinkansen train. There are luggage forwarding services available which might make your life easier if you did decide to stay outside of Tokyo. I did not travel there in May, but I have also read it is extremely crowded in May so Kyoto may not be an optimal choice. You didn't mention what cities you will be visiting on your cruise, so it is hard to recommend places to go that you have not already seen. I will say that I very much enjoyed the Tokyo National Museum in Tokyo and highly recommend that. You will love Japan!

If you have time in Tokyo you may enjoy Kabuki in the Ginza district. It is possible--and probably a good idea--to reserve a single act with translation devise.

If you choose not to visit Kyoto (we made this choice, because of the time it would take, and because it's not really close enough for a day trip), you might enjoy Kamakura. https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2166.html That's a very easy day trip. Even though it was pouring rain the day we visited, and we didn't explore as much of the town as we would have liked, we enjoyed the Great Buddha and trying both Kamakura and Kobe beef there.

I will second BB's recommendation to visit Kamakura. When I went to Tokyo many years ago for a very short (four night) visit, I did a day trip to Kamakura and it was a wonderful choice. There are so many things to see there and it is a short train ride from Tokyo. I am planning on finally returning to Japan (staying in Kyoto and in Yokohama) in May, and think I will make a return day trip visit to Kamakura.

Another question for you all- should we look into buying a JR pass since we are traveling by train?

Thank you,
Jo

The JR pass used to be a no-brainer, but the cost has gone up and it isn’t so clear anymore. If you are only in Tokyo, you’ll be using plenty of non-JR trains. Depending upon where you are staying in Tokyo, JR might not be your best choice to Nikko (I’ve always taken the Tobu line). I’d recommend comparing prices for the train trips you will actually take with the cost of the pass.

For comparison, I did a trip to Kyushu with 4 Shinkansen trips plus other JR lines and buying individual tickets was cheaper than the pass for my itinerary.

Very helpful! Thanks!

Jo

One last question (probably not):

We are leaving from Narita airport in the early evening and would like to not stay in Tokyo again the night before our flight at 6pm. Any suggestions on places to visit for one day close to the airport ( willing to travel 2-3 hours).

Thanks!

Narita City is actually quite nice. It's small but the shops and restaurants are friendly to international tourists.

The Naritasan Shinshoji temple is a great place to visit, as is the nearby National Museum of Japanese History in Sakura.