Overview
Framework, flights, lodging, transfers
Framework
| Dates | Stage | Nights | Lodging |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24–29 Sep | Osaka (Kansai base) | 5 | Henn na Hotel Shinsaibashi ★★★ (Dotonbori) |
| 29 Sep–1 Oct | Ito, Izu (ryokan) | 2 | Ito Onsen Yokikan — onsen ryokan |
| 1–8 Oct | Tokyo (base) | 7 | Miyako City Takanawa ★★★★ (near Shinagawa) |
→ Outbound
- Wed 23 Sep · TLV → Dubai · EK2471 (flydubai, B737 MAX8)
depart ~19:45 (Ben Gurion, T3) · ~3h20 in air · arrive Dubai ~00:05 (T3) - Layover in Dubai · ~3h (overnight, T3)
- Thu 24 Sep · Dubai → Osaka KIX · EK316 (A380/B777)
depart 03:05 (T3) · ~9h00 in air · arrive Kansai ~17:05 (T1)
← Return
- 7→8 Oct · Haneda → Dubai
depart 00:05 (8 Oct) · ~11h30 in air · arrive Dubai ~05:35 — be at Haneda by ~21:00 (7 Oct) - Layover in Dubai · ~4h
- 8 Oct · Dubai → TLV
depart ~09:55 · ~3h50 in air · arrive Tel Aviv ~11:45
⚠ Times are approximate (per Emirates schedule); the return especially — confirm flight numbers and exact times on the ticket. Dubai UTC+4, Osaka/Tokyo UTC+9.
- KIX → hotel: private minivan (~) NOT booked yet
specify pickup ~18:00 when booking (arrival 17:05) - 29 Sep Osaka → Ito: Shin-Osaka → Atami (shinkansen) → JR to Ito (~3h)
- 1 Oct Ito → Tokyo: Atami → Shinagawa (~1.5–2h)
- Luggage: takkyubin Osaka→Tokyo on 29 Sep (travel light to the ryokan)
- eSIM: Yesim 15 days (~) · Insurance: PassportCard (~ for two)
Where we stay — addresses & check-in
Henn na Hotel Osaka Shinsaibashi ★★★
- Address: 3-5-2 Minamisenba, Chuo-ku, Osaka 542-0081
- Check-in 15:00 · check-out 11:00 · 24-hour front desk
- Metro: Shinsaibashi (Midosuji line) 4 min · Namba 6 min · Dotonbori nearby
- Highlight: robot hotel (check-in by dinosaur robots, a Guinness record) · breakfast · in-room robot concierge
- info-shinsaibashi@hennnahotel.com
Miyako City Tokyo Takanawa ★★★★
- Address: 3-19-17 Takanawa, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0074
- Check-in 15:00 · check-out 11:00 · 24-hour front desk
- Stations: Shinagawa ~600 m (8 min) · Sengakuji (Asakusa line) 7 min · Takanawa Gateway 4 min · Haneda ~12.5 km
- Buffet breakfast 06:30–10:00 (Western/Japanese, paid)
Ito Onsen Yokikan (陽気館) — onsen ryokan
- Where: Ito (Izu); ~3 min by taxi / ~12 min walk from JR Ito Station — no hotel shuttle
- Check-in after 15:00 · check-out by 10:00 (typical for a ryokan; exact times in the Rakuten booking)
- Half-board: in-room kaiseki + breakfast · own hot springs + hilltop rotenburo
- Onsen tax ¥300/person/night — paid on site · free cancellation until 26 Sep
Day-by-day
Kansai · ryokan · Tokyo
Kansai — Osaka base
- Arrive KIX 17:05 → Visit Japan Web → cash / 2× ICOCA / eSIM → transfer → hotel ~19:00
- Evening at Dotonbori (neon, street food) — easy
- Fushimi Inari — tunnels of thousands of red torii gates up the mountain (arrive early, before the crowds)
- Higashiyama — old wooden-street district → Kiyomizu-dera — hillside temple with a stilted terrace and a view, + Kiyomizu-yaki pottery shops
- Lunch Honke Owariya (soba since 1465) → evening Gion — geisha quarter with teahouses
- Castle → Kuromon market → Shinsekai/Tsutenkaku + kushikatsu Daruma
- Amerimura / Orange St (shopping) → Umeda Sky at sunset → Dotonbori
- Optional Russian-speaking guide — best day for it
- Himeji Castle (UNESCO) → Kobe, wow-lunch wagyu (Mouriya/Wakkoqu)
- Kitano district (European mansions)
- Shopping Umeda (Grand Green, KITH) → art Nakanoshima → opt. evening teamLab Botanical → packing
- Morning takkyubin (suitcases → Tokyo) → travel to Ito (ryokan ~16:30)
Ryokan — Izu
- Onsen, hilltop rotenburo (funicular), 10-course in-room kaiseki, in-room breakfast
- Full relaxation. ✅ paid (free cancellation until 26 Sep)
Tokyo — Miyako Takanawa base
- Arrive ~13:00 → check in → Shibuya + Shibuya Sky at sunset
- Optional intro guide handy ~1–2 Oct
- Harajuku/Ura-Hara/Cat St (KITH, @Cosme) → Omotesando/Aoyama (architecture + flagships + jewelry Agete/ete) → Daikanyama/Nakameguro
- National Art Center · 21_21 Design Sight · Mori Art Museum · teamLab Borderless · Nose Shop
- Tsukiji market → wow-lunch omakase → DSM Ginza, Muji flagship → Tokyo Station
- Yayoi Kusama Museum → Kagurazaka → Gyoen garden, Tocho observatory, Isetan, Omoide Yokocho
- Kamakura: Great Buddha, Hase-dera, the sea, Enoden. Backup: Nikko. Kusama fallback: Matsumoto
- Asakusa (Senso-ji) + opt. Ueno (Le Corbusier museum) → Haneda, night flight 00:05
Sights
Priorities for our interests: art · architecture · food · design
Fushimi Inari · Kiyomizu + Higashiyama · Himeji Castle · Kobe wagyu · Yokikan onsen · Shibuya Sky · Roppongi art cluster (Mori + 21_21 + National Art Center + teamLab) · DSM Ginza · Tsukiji + omakase · Kusama Museum · Senso-ji · Le Corbusier museum · Kamakura Great Buddha.
Takeshita-dori (crowds) · inside Osaka Castle · inside Tsutenkaku tower · Tokyo Skytree · Odaiba · Kabukicho · Disney · far points of Izu.
Add to taste, on our theme: Nezu, Nakanoshima, Daikanyama T-Site, Azabudai Hills, Marunouchi/Station, Kitano.
What each place is — quick notes
Osaka
- ★★★ Dotonbori — the main neon street along the canal: the Glico sign, street food (takoyaki, okonomiyaki).
- ★★★ Kuromon Ichiba — covered food market, "Osaka's kitchen": seafood, wagyu skewers, fruit.
- ★★ Shinsekai / Tsutenkaku — retro 1950s district with a landmark tower; local kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers).
- ★★ Umeda Sky Building — skyscraper with an open rooftop "floating garden" ring observatory; bold architecture.
- ★★ Amerimura (American Village) — youth fashion and vintage district, Osaka's "Harajuku".
- ★ Osaka Castle — white landmark castle in a park (modern museum inside).
Kyoto
- ★★★ Fushimi Inari — Shinto shrine with tunnels of thousands of red torii gates climbing the mountain.
- ★★★ Higashiyama — Kyoto's old eastern district: wooden houses, stone lanes, pottery and sweets shops.
- ★★★ Kiyomizu-dera — wooden Buddhist temple on a slope with a large stilted terrace and a city view.
- ★★ Gion — historic geisha quarter with traditional teahouses; you may spot maiko in the evening.
- ★★ Nishiki — narrow covered market street, "Kyoto's kitchen": pickles, sweets, street snacks.
Himeji & Kobe
- ★★★ Himeji Castle — Japan's largest original samurai castle (17th c.), the "White Heron Castle", UNESCO.
- ★★ Kitano (Ijinkan) — district of late-19th-c. European mansions, rare Western architecture in Japan.
Izu (ryokan)
- ★★★ Onsen — Japanese hot mineral springs; the ryokan has private and open-air baths.
- ★★★ Ryokan — traditional inn with tatami, a kaiseki dinner and onsen (ours is Yokikan).
Tokyo
- ★★★ Shibuya Sky — open rooftop observatory above Shibuya Crossing; the best sunsets.
- ★★ Shibuya Crossing — the world's busiest pedestrian crossing, a symbol of the metropolis.
- ★★★ Omotesando / Aoyama — the "architecture mile": global-brand boutiques in buildings by famous architects.
- ★★ Meiji Jingu — Tokyo's main Shinto shrine in a large forest park; quiet in the city center.
- ★★ Nezu Museum — collection of East Asian art + a famous Japanese garden with ponds.
- ★★ Daikanyama / T-Site — stylish district with the design-led Tsutaya bookstore and cafés.
- ★★★ National Art Center — exhibition museum in a wave-like glass building (arch. Kisho Kurokawa).
- ★★★ 21_21 Design Sight — design museum in a Tadao Ando building, founded by designer Issey Miyake.
- ★★★ Mori Art Museum — contemporary art on the 53rd floor + a Tokyo panorama.
- ★★★ teamLab Borderless — immersive digital-art museum: rooms of light, projections and mirrors.
- ★★ Azabudai Hills — new futuristic complex (arch. Heatherwick) with gardens and galleries.
- ★★★ Tsukiji (outer market) — streets by the former fish market: seafood and street food.
- ★★★ Omakase — "chef's choice" sushi: the chef selects and serves the best of the season.
- ★★★ Dover Street Market (DSM) — cult fashion concept store from the founders of Comme des Garçons.
- ★★ Tokyo Station / Marunouchi — restored early-20th-c. red-brick building and the business district.
- ★★★ Yayoi Kusama Museum — museum of the artist known for polka dots and "infinity rooms".
- ★★ Shinjuku Gyoen — large park with Japanese, English and French gardens.
- ★★ Tocho — free observatory on the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
- ★★ Omoide Yokocho — alleys of tiny yakitori bars under the railway; postwar atmosphere.
- ★★★ Senso-ji — Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple, in Asakusa, with the gate and the Nakamise shopping street.
- ★★★ National Museum of Western Art (Ueno) — Japan's only Le Corbusier building (UNESCO), European painting.
Kamakura
- ★★★ Great Buddha (Kotoku-in) — open-air bronze seated Buddha, 13th c., ~13 m.
- ★★ Hase-dera — hillside Buddhist temple with ocean views, a garden and grottoes.
- ★★ Enoden — vintage tram along the coast between Kamakura and Enoshima.
Food
Two "wow" lunches + key spots
A5 teppanyaki: Mouriya (since 1885) or Wakkoqu. book 1–2 weeks ahead
Ginza/Tsukiji via Pocket Concierge. Lunch is far cheaper than dinner. 3–4 weeks ahead
More food
- Osaka: kushikatsu Daruma (Shinsekai) · Kuromon market · takoyaki/okonomiyaki on Dotonbori
- Kyoto: Honke Owariya (soba, since 1465) · yudofu in Higashiyama
- Tokyo: Tsukiji street food · yakitori at Omoide Yokocho · depachika food halls in department stores
Shopping
Designers · vintage · denim · perfume · jewelry
- Japanese designers: CDG, Issey Miyake, Yohji, Sacai, Auralee, Graphpaper, Kapital, Hender Scheme
- Concept/select: Dover Street Market Ginza, Ginza Six, Beams, United Arrows
- Vintage: Shimokitazawa, Koenji, Ura-Hara, Nakameguro, Nakano
- Denim: Momotaro, Studio D'Artisan, Kapital (Okayama/Kojima)
- KITH: Osaka (Umekita) · Tokyo (Miyashita Park)
- Jewelry: Agete, ete, Star Jewelry (Japanese; check the branch on the official site)
APM Monaco — no Tokyo store (per the official locator): online jp.apm.mc or Okinawa DFS only - Perfume: Nose Shop (Takanawa — by the hotel / Azabudai / Grand Front Osaka)
- Uniqlo: Ginza flagship (12 floors), UT, collabs
- Louis Vuitton: Osaka — Maison Midosuji (2-8-16 Shinsaibashi-suji, ~11–20:30; "sail" façade + Le Café V, by the hotel); Tokyo — Ginza Namiki (7-6-1 Ginza, 11–20; mirrored façade + Le Café V)
- Tax-free with passport from (old system — until 1 Nov 2026)
Japanese designers — tiers & prices
Issey Miyake (pleats) · Yohji Yamamoto (drama; entry via Y's/Discord) · Comme des Garçons (entry via PLAY). Best tried on in person.
sacai (hybrid cuts) · Undercover (outerwear) · N.Hoolywood (often the best value).
CFCL (3D-knit) · Auralee (quiet luxury) · Stein · Graphpaper. Best price/design zone.
| Price band | ≈ ¥ · $ · ₪ | What fits |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | CDG PLAY, accessories, resale, single pieces from young labels | |
| Strong mid-range | Auralee, CFCL (entry), N.Hoolywood, Graphpaper | |
| Designer core | sacai, Yohji, Undercover, Issey mainline | |
| Collector top | from | CDG/Yohji mainline, runway, archive, limited collabs |
Select shop FASCINATE (Yohji, Margiela, Mihara Yasuhiro): Kyoto — near Hankyu-Kawaramachi (Gokomachi); Osaka — Nishishinsaibashi (verify on fascinate-online.com). Worth studying in advance via Japanese searches: 洋服 購入品 紹介 (haul), コーディネート (styling), 東京 デザイナーズ ブランド.
Souvenirs
Quirky · 18+ · gold art
Gachapon (Ikebukuro Sunshine, Akihabara, Namba Parks) · Don Quijote · Village Vanguard · regional Kit Kats · plastic food samples (Kappabashi / Doguyasuji) · mascots.
M's Pop Life — a 7-floor adult store in Akihabara (Sotokanda 1-15-13). In Osaka — Den-Den Town. Gag items , tax-free, discreet packaging.
"Prima Art 99.9" from your photos — a Thai décor item (not an investment). The authentic version: Hakuza kinpaku gold leaf (Nihonbashi, COREDO Muromachi) ; pure 99.9 gold — Tanaka (Shinsaibashi/Ginza).
Goshuin shrine stamps ( + book) and hanko seals (katakana, from at Don Quijote to from a craftsman) — details in souvenirs-goods.md.
Health
Pharmacies · emergency · PassportCard
OTC at ドラッグストア drugstores (Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Sundrug, Welcia, Daikoku). Prescription meds only via a clinic doctor. Convenience stores don't sell medicine. Many drugstores open until 22:00–24:00.
Products with pseudoephedrine and codeine (many Western cold meds), stimulants (Adderall). Limit without a certificate: prescription ≤1 month, OTC ≤2 months. Bring original packaging + a copy of the prescription in English.
Symptom → Japanese product
| Issue | Product | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Headache / fever | Loxonin S / Eve / Tylenol (Calonal) | loxoprofen / ibuprofen / paracetamol |
| Diarrhea | Seirogan / Stoppa + Biofermin | creosote / loperamide + probiotic |
| Heartburn / stomach | Gaster 10 / Ohta's Isan | famotidine / herbal antacid |
| Cold | Pabron / Lulu / Kakkonto | combination / herbal remedy |
| Allergy | Allegra FX | non-drowsy |
| Motion sickness | Anero | before and after symptoms |
| Dehydration | OS-1 | rehydration |
Russian-speaking guide
Optional · walking overview tour · budget for two
| Option | City | Format | ≈ ¥ · $ · ₪ for two | In budget? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Tokyo at 15:15" | Tokyo | mini-group, ~2.5h | yes | |
| "Tokyo on Polaroid" | Tokyo | private short (photo) | yes | |
| "Diverse Tokyo in 5h" (Elena 4.99) | Tokyo | private walking | slightly over | |
| Top Osaka guides (Ravil 5.0) | Osaka | private, full day | over |
When: Osaka — Sat 26 Sep (city day); Tokyo — ~1–2 Oct. The guide is optional. Details and review checks — in guides.md.
Transport & money
IC cards · trains · taxis · cash · exchange
2× ICOCA for everything (metro/JR/buses/konbini). Just tap. You can add Suica/ICOCA to Apple Wallet (iPhone) and top up by card in the app.
Shinkansen via smartEX. Schedules — Google Maps / Navitime (not HyperDia). Watch the last train (~00:00–01:00).
GO / S.RIDE / Uber apps. Doors open by themselves, no tipping. Night +20–30% (22:00–05:00).
A physical card is topped up with cash only — at machines and fare counters in stations/metro and at convenience stores (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson), from . Card top-up works only for the Apple/Google Wallet version. The balance shows when you tap and on the machine.
Best rate — withdraw yen at 7-Eleven (Seven Bank) and Japan Post ATMs (24/7, English menu, accept foreign cards). Airport exchange counters are handy but worse; hotels are poor value. Cards and QR (PayPay) are increasingly accepted, but small shops, temples and markets are cash. Withdraw ~ to start.
Atami quirk: a JR fare-zone boundary on the way to Izu — details in transport.md.
Budget
Interactive · drag the slider · ₪ from the Bank of Israel
A · Fixed / committed
Flights, lodging and logistics — paid or due before the trip.
| Item | ≈ ¥ · $ · ₪ |
|---|---|
| Emirates flights (2 people) | |
| Osaka hotel — Henn na (5 nights) | |
| Tokyo hotel — Miyako (7 nights) | |
| Ito ryokan (2 nights, paid) | |
| Transfer KIX → hotel | |
| Shinkansen Osaka↔Ito↔Tokyo (2 people) | |
| Luggage takkyubin (2 suitcases, Osaka→Tokyo) | |
| eSIM Yesim | |
| PassportCard insurance (2 people) | |
| Accommodation tax (on site) | |
| Subtotal A |
B · Daily budget
Food + museums + city transport + extras. Drag the slider.
Total for the days:
C · Optional / add-ons
Tick what you'll take — it adds to the total.
⚠ Israel's duty-free threshold is back to $75 (≈ ; above that — VAT ~18% on the full amount). Reference rates: $1≈¥155, €1≈$1.08; ₪ — live Bank of Israel rate.
Bookings — by urgency
What to book and when
| What | When | Where | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kusama Museum (window 1–7 Oct) | 1 Aug, 10:00 JST | yayoikusamamuseum.jp | ⚠ check if open |
| teamLab Borderless (3 Oct) | weeks ahead | teamlab.art | book |
| teamLab Botanical Osaka (28 Sep) | weeks ahead | teamlab.art | book |
| Shibuya Sky (1 Oct, sunset) | weeks ahead | official site | book |
| Omakase lunch (4 Oct) | 3–4 weeks ahead | Pocket Concierge | book |
| Kobe wagyu (27 Sep) | 1–2 weeks ahead | site / TableCheck | book |
| Shinkansen (29 Sep, 1 Oct) | can be early | smartEX | optional |
| Visit Japan Web (both) | ≤2 weeks before flight | digital.go.jp | do |
| Yokikan ryokan | — | Rakuten | paid |
| Osaka + Tokyo hotels | — | — | done |
| Transfer KIX → hotel | 1–2 weeks ahead; pickup ~18:00 | Booking / GetTransfer | not booked |
Also: withdraw ~¥30,000 cash · confirm Miyako accepts takkyubin · keep all confirmations as offline screenshots.
"Map" app project
A PWA: shareable artifact + offline companion
Vite + React + TypeScript + Tailwind + MapLibre GL JS (no key) + deck.gl (flight arcs) + vite-plugin-pwa → Cloudflare Pages. Data — a single trip.json (44 points, ready).
Claude Code (in Antigravity) writes the code. Claude Design (opt.) draws the UI before code — manual handoff (Export → Handoff). Preview in the browser at localhost:5173.
Phases
Map with markers and route → deploy, public link.
Tabs (Map/Days/Timeline/Bookings) + animated flight arcs.
PWA offline + presentation mode + export to video/GIF.
A private side-project of Konstantin's; not part of what needs reviewing.
Key warnings
Don't miss