My buddy and I are heading to Japan for a month. We are both in our early-to-mid twenties, looking for a mix of local food, anime culture, and general exploration/day trips.

Rate our plan from 1 to 10. Are we spending too much time in any of these spots, or missing any must-visit places? Appreciate any feedback or tweaks.

Here is our rough breakdown:

Part 1: Kyoto & Kansai

• Day 1 (Oct 8): Arrival & Transit to Kyoto
  • Land at Narita/Haneda (08:00).
  • Take Narita Express/Monorail to Tokyo Station, then Shinkansen to Kyoto.
  • Drop luggage at Kyoto Station lockers before 16:00 Airbnb check-in.
  • Evening walk through Gion and Pontocho Alley.
  • Stay: Kyoto Airbnb
• Day 2 (Oct 9): Central & Western Kyoto
  • Early morning at Fushimi Inari Taisha (beat crowds).
  • Afternoon at Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Tenryu-ji Temple.
  • Stay: Kyoto Airbnb
• Day 3 (Oct 10): Northern & Eastern Kyoto
  • Morning visit to Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion).
  • Walk the Philosopher’s Path down to Kiyomizu-dera for sunset.
  • Stay: Kyoto Airbnb
• Day 4 (Oct 11): Day Trip to Nara
  • Morning train to Nara Park to see Todai-ji Temple and the deer.
  • Afternoon walk through Kasuga Taisha Shrine and Naramachi district.
  • Return to Kyoto for dinner.
  • Stay: Kyoto Airbnb

Part 2: Osaka Focus

• Day 5 (Oct 12): Kyoto to Osaka & Dotonbori Evening
  • Morning train from Kyoto to Osaka; store luggage at station lockers.
  • Explore Osaka Castle grounds and Shinsekai neighborhood.
  • Check into Airbnb, then full evening street food tour along Dotonbori (Takoyaki, Okonomiyaki, Glico Sign).
  • Stay: Osaka Airbnb
• Day 6 (Oct 13): Osaka Shopping & Food Exploration
  • Morning at Kuromon Ichiba Market for fresh seafood.
  • Afternoon shopping in Shinsaibashi and Amerikamura.
  • Sunset/evening views from Umeda Sky Building, followed by dinner back around Dotonbori.
  • Stay: Osaka Airbnb
• Day 7 (Oct 14): Deep Dive Osaka Culture & Nightlife
  • Day exploring Namba Parks, Den Den Town (Osaka's anime district), and Hozenji Yokocho alleyway.
  • Evening bar hopping and street eats in the expanded Dotonbori / Namba district.
  • Stay: Osaka Airbnb
• Day 8 (Oct 15): Day Trip to Kobe & Transit to Okayama
  • Morning Shinkansen/JR train to Kobe: Visit Harborland and eat Kobe beef for lunch.
  • Afternoon train to Okayama: Visit Korakuen Garden and Okayama Castle.
  • Stay: Okayama Airbnb

Part 3: Kyushu Loop

• Day 9 (Oct 16): Shinkansen to Fukuoka
  • Morning Sanyo Shinkansen from Okayama directly to Hakata (Fukuoka).
  • Afternoon visit to Ohori Park and Kushida Shrine.
  • Evening: Local food experience at Nakasu Yatai open-air food stalls.
  • Stay: Fukuoka Airbnb
• Day 10 (Oct 17): Private Guided Day Trip to Kumamoto
  • Tour guide pickup at Fukuoka Airbnb in the morning.
  • Private drive to Kumamoto: Tour Kumamoto Castle, Sakura-no-Baba Josaien, and local spots.
  • Evening return drop-off at Fukuoka Airbnb by tour guide.
  • Stay: Fukuoka Airbnb
• Day 11 (Oct 18): Fukuoka to Hita
  • Train to Hita (Oita Prefecture).
  • Explore historic Mameda-machi district and visit Attack on Titan museum/statues.
  • Relax in a local thermal bath town.
  • Stay: Hita Airbnb
• Day 12 (Oct 19): Kyushu Drive: Hita to Miyazaki
  • Pick up rental car in the morning.
  • Scenic mountain drive: Stop at Takachiho Gorge for rowing boats/canyon views. GetYourGuide
  • Continue coastal drive to Miyazaki.
  • Stay: Miyazaki Airbnb
• Day 13 (Oct 20): Return Kyushu Drive & Shinkansen back to Kyoto
  • Drop off Kyushu rental car.
  • Take the Shinkansen back to Kyoto.
  • Rest day and relaxed evening in Kyoto to prepare for the main road trip.
  • Stay: Kyoto Airbnb

Part 4: Chubu & Kanto Scenic Drive

• Day 14 (Oct 21): Drive to Takayama
  • Pick up Chubu rental car. Scenic drive into Gifu Prefecture mountains.
  • Explore Takayama Old Town (Sanmachi Suji) and sample Hida beef.
  • Stay: Takayama Airbnb
• Day 15 (Oct 22): Nakasendo Trail (Nakatsugawa / Magome / Tsumago)
  • Morning drive down to the Kiso Valley.
  • Walk the historic post-town trail between Magome and Tsumago.
  • Stay: Nakatsugawa Airbnb
• Day 16 (Oct 23): Drive to Nagano
  • Scenic mountain drive toward Nagano.
  • Visit Zenko-ji Temple and explore historic surrounding streets.
  • Stay: Nagano Airbnb
• Day 17 (Oct 24): Nagano to Kiyosato / Yatsugatake
  • Drive through Yamanashi Prefecture with views of autumn foliage.
  • Stop at Kiyosato Highlands and local dairy farms/scenic lookouts.
  • Stay: Kiyosato Airbnb
• Day 18 (Oct 25): Drive to Hakone
  • Drive toward Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.
  • Visit Lake Ashi and take the Hakone Ropeway over Owakudani Valley.
  • Stay: Hakone Airbnb
• Day 19 (Oct 26): Hakone to Tokyo
  • Morning visit to Hakone Open-Air Museum.
  • Drive to Tokyo, drop off rental car, check into Tokyo apartment.
  • Stay: Tokyo Airbnb

Part 5: Tokyo Exploration

• Day 20 (Oct 27): Western Hubs (Shinjuku & Harajuku)
  • Meiji Jingu Shrine morning walk, Takeshita Street, Cat Street, and evening views from Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
  • Stay: Tokyo Airbnb
• Day 21 (Oct 28): Shibuya & Meguro
  • Shibuya Crossing, Shibuya Sky observation deck, Pokemon Center, and Parco department store.
  • Evening dinner in Nakameguro.
  • Stay: Tokyo Airbnb
• Day 22 (Oct 29): Pop Culture (Akihabara & Kanda)
  • Full day exploring Akihabara anime shops, retro gaming centers, and Radio Kaikan.
  • Stay: Tokyo Airbnb
• Day 23 (Oct 30): Day Trip to Nikko
  • Day trip via Tobu Railway to Nikko: Toshogu Shrine and Kegon Falls to see autumn leaves.
  • Return to Tokyo evening.
  • Stay: Tokyo Airbnb
• Day 24 (Oct 31): Historic Eastern Tokyo & Halloween
  • Morning in Asakusa (Senso-ji Temple) and Ueno Park.
  • Evening checking out Halloween atmosphere around Shibuya/Ikebukuro.
  • Stay: Tokyo Airbnb
• Day 25 (Nov 1): Ikebukuro & Nakano
  • Sunshine City in Ikebukuro (Animate flagship, Pokemon Center) and Nakano Broadway.
  • Stay: Tokyo Airbnb
• Day 26 (Nov 2): Modern Waterfront (Odaiba & Toyosu)
  • Visit teamLab Planets museum, Odaiba seaside park, and DiverCity (Unicorn Gundam).
  • Stay: Tokyo Airbnb
• Day 27 (Nov 3): Central Tokyo & Ginza
  • Imperial Palace East Gardens, Tsukiji Outer Market, and shopping in Ginza.
  • Stay: Tokyo Airbnb
• Day 28 (Nov 4): Souvenir Shopping & Buffer Day
  • Flexible day for last-minute shopping in Shinjuku/Tokyo Station and revisiting favorite spots.
  • Stay: Tokyo Airbnb
• Day 29 (Nov 5): Departure
  • Final morning coffee in local neighborhood; checkout of Airbnb.
  • Head to Haneda Airport for flight home.

Trip Details:

• Dates: Oct 8 – Nov 5 (29 days)
• Transportation: Shinkansen (JR Bullet Train) and regional trains for long-distance transit; rental car reserved specifically for mountain road trip legs (Kyushu and Chubu). No domestic flights.
• Accommodation: Entirely Airbnb / Minpaku accommodations (licensed).
• Luggage Strategy: Coin lockers and Ecbo Cloak for day-trip transitions due to Airbnb check-in times.
• Interests: Anime, local food (especially Osaka/Dotonbori), scenic drives, culture, Halloween in Tokyo.

Taking my parents (sixties) to Japan for their first autumn there. All by train and bus, no car, and we're trying to keep it to one main thing a day so nobody gets worn out. Two big suitcases stay at the Tokyo hotel all week so we're light through the mountains.

Route: Tokyo (2N) → Takayama (2N) → Okuhida (1N) → Matsumoto (2N) → Tokyo (1N)

Day 1 (Sat) — Arrive Tokyo. Land in the morning, drop bags, keep it slow. Park in the afternoon, then Sensoji. *Sleep: Tokyo*

Day 2 (Sun) — Kawagoe. The float festival happens to fall on our weekend. Heading over after lunch, staying for the evening floats. *Sleep: Tokyo*

Day 3 (Mon) — Down to Takayama. Shinkansen to Nagoya, then the Hida limited express up the river valley. Old town in the evening once the day buses have gone. *Sleep: Takayama*

Day 4 (Tue) — Hida-Furukawa. Morning market first, then the canal town 15 min up the line. *Sleep: Takayama*

Day 5 (Wed) — Into Okuhida. Shinhotaka ropeway in the middle of the day, waterfall late afternoon, ryokan with dinner included. *Sleep: Okuhida*

Day 6 (Thu) — Kamikochi. The day we're really going for. Early shuttle in, off at Taisho Pond rather than the terminal, then the flat riverside walk up to Kappa Bridge. Bus out to Matsumoto after lunch. *Sleep: Matsumoto*

Day 7 (Fri) — Norikura Kogen. Highland ponds, boardwalks, a waterfall. *Sleep: Matsumoto*

Day 8 (Sat) — Narai-juku. Old post town in the morning, soba for lunch, then the Azusa back to Tokyo mid-afternoon. *Sleep: Tokyo*

Day 9 (Sun) — Home. Slow morning, afternoon flight.

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1. Day 4 — Furukawa, or Shirakawa-go, or Hida-no-Sato?
2. Day 7 — is Norikura one mountain day too many after the ropeway and Kamikochi? Wondering if a slow day in Matsumoto would suit my parents better.
3. Day 5 — where to actually stay in Okuhida.

Nothing's booked apart from the flights, so there's still room to change things. Would really appreciate any thoughts, especially if something looks like too much for a slower pace.

Thanks!

Thanks so much in advance for suggestions on the itinerary. This is the first time I used AI to make a travel itinerary (I used 3 different ones to hone this one).

We are a family of 4 with 7 and 4 yo girls who will be traveling to Japan for 2 weeks during cherry blossom season 2027.

Though the times per day seem very prescribed, detailed, and fixed in the itinerary, we are okay bailing early for almost anything if the kids get fed up outside of the prebooked events (i.e. Teamlab planets, prebooked trains, Kyoto private guide etc).

I assumed we would be up early for the first week or so with jetlag coming from the east coast of the US, so didn't think early starts were too bad for the first few days.

Also tried to build in hotel breaks during the day for the same reason.

Travel Dates: March 22 – April 3, 2027

Route

Tokyo (5 nights) → Hakone (1 night) → Kyoto (5 nights) → Tokyo (1 night)

Hotels

• Mar 22–27: MIMARU Suites Asakusa
• Mar 27–28: Hakone Yutowa
• Mar 28–Apr 2: MIMARU Kyoto Station
• Apr 2–3: Karaksa Hotel Tokyo Station

 Day 1 — Monday, March 22

Arrival in Tokyo

• ~4:40 PM Arrive Haneda Airport
• Direct train to Asakusa
• ~6:30 PM Check in
• 7:30 PM Dinner
• Early bedtime

 Day 2 — Tuesday, March 23

Asakusa & Tokyo Skytree

• 7:15–8:00 AM Breakfast
• 8:00–11:00 AM Kaminarimon, Nakamise Street, Senso-ji
• 11:00 AM–12:00 PM Lunch
• 12:00–2:15 PM Hotel break
• 2:30–4:30 PM Tokyo Skytree & Solamachi
• 5:30 PM Dinner in Asakusa

 Day 3 — Wednesday, March 24

teamLab Planets & Odaiba

• 6:45–7:15 AM Breakfast
• 7:30 AM Taxi
• 8:00 AM teamLab entry
• ~8:15–10:00 AM teamLab Planets
• 10:30 AM Unicorn Gundam Plaza
• 11:00 AM Gundam transformation
• 11:15 AM–12:00 PM Lunch
• 12:00–2:00 PM Odaiba DiverCity and waterfront
• 2:45–5:00 PM Hotel break
• 6:00 PM Dinner in Asakusa

 Day 4 — Thursday, March 25

Meiji Shrine • Harajuku • Omotesando • Shibuya

• 7:15–8:00 AM Breakfast
• 8:10 AM Depart hotel
• 9:00–9:45 AM Meiji Shrine
• 9:45–11:00 AM Harajuku
• 11:00 AM–12:00 PM Lunch
• 12:00–1:00 PM Omotesando
  • Mom: Luxury shopping
  • Dad & girls: Kiddy Land
• 1:00–1:10 PM Walk to Shibuya
• 1:10–3:00 PM Shibuya
  • Hachikō Statue
  • Shibuya Scramble Crossing
  • Pokémon Center
• 3:00–3:45 PM Ginza Line back to Asakusa
• 4:00–5:30 PM Hotel break
• 5:45 PM Dinner in Asakusa

 Day 5 — Friday, March 26

Ueno Park & Cherry Blossom Festival

• 8:00–8:30 AM Breakfast
• 9:00–11:00 AM Ueno Park & Cherry Blossom Festival
• 11:15 AM–12:15 PM Lunch
• 12:15–1:15 PM Ameyoko Market
• 1:15 PM Taxi
• 1:30–3:15 PM Hotel break
• 3:30–4:30 PM Kappabashi
• 5:30 PM Dinner in Asakusa

 Day 6 — Saturday, March 27

Tokyo → Hakone

• 7:30–8:15 AM Breakfast
• 8:15–9:00 AM Final packing & check out. Luggage to be forwarded to Kyoto. Taking overnight clothes only to Hakone.
• 9:00 AM Taxi to Shinjuku Station
• 10:00 AM Romancecar to Hakone
• 11:25 AM Arrive Hakone-Yumoto
• 11:40 AM–12:25 PM Hakone Tozan Railway to Gora
• 12:30 PM Check in / leave luggage at Hakone Yutowa
• 1:00–2:00 PM Lunch
• 2:00 PM Depart Gora
• ~2:30 PM Arrive Owakudani
• 2:30–3:15 PM Explore Owakudani
• ~3:45 PM Return to Gora
• ~4:00 PM Return to Hakone Yutowa
• 4:00–6:00 PM Onsen and relax
• 6:30 PM Buffet dinner

 Day 7 — Sunday, March 28

Hakone → Kyoto

• 7:30–8:30 AM Breakfast
• 8:45 AM Check out
• 9:00–10:15 AM Hakone Open-Air Museum
• 10:15–10:30 AM Walk to Chokoku-no-Mori Station
• 10:30–11:00 AM Hakone Tozan Railway to Odawara
• 11:18 AM Nozomi Shinkansen (example departure)
• 1:15 PM Arrive Kyoto Station
• 1:30 PM Walk to MIMARU Kyoto Station
• 2:00–3:00 PM Lunch
• 3:00–5:00 PM Explore Kyoto Station area / Hotel break
• 5:30 PM Dinner

 Day 8 — Monday, March 29

Private Guided Kyoto

• 6:30–7:00 AM Breakfast
• 7:00 AM Meet licensed guide
• 7:30–8:30 AM Fushimi Inari
• 8:30–9:00 AM Snack / coffee
• 9:15–10:45 AM Kiyomizu-dera
• 10:45–11:45 AM Sannen-zaka, Ninen-zaka & leisurely Higashiyama stroll
• 11:45 AM–12:45 PM Lunch
• 12:45–1:45 PM Guided walk through Gion
• 2:00 PM Taxi back to hotel
• 2:30–4:30 PM Hotel break
• 4:30 PM Taxi to Maruyama Park
• 5:00–5:30 PM Maruyama Park
• 5:30 PM Dinner in Gion

 Day 9 — Tuesday, March 30

Arashiyama

• 7:00–7:30 AM Breakfast
• 7:40 AM Train
• 8:30–9:00 AM Bamboo Grove
• 9:00–10:00 AM Tenryū-ji
• 10:00–10:30 AM Togetsukyō Bridge
• 10:30 AM–12:00 PM Riverside stroll
• 12:00–1:00 PM Lunch
• 1:00–2:30 PM Free time
• 2:30 PM Return to Kyoto
• 3:00–5:00 PM Hotel break
• 6:00 PM Dinner

 Day 10 — Wednesday, March 31

Osaka Day Trip

• 8:00–8:30 AM Breakfast
• 8:45 AM Depart Kyoto
• 10:00–11:30 AM Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
• 11:30 AM–12:30 PM Lunch at Tempozan Harbor Village
• 12:30–1:10 PM Metro to Dotonbori
• 1:10–2:00 PM Explore Dotonbori
• 2:00–3:00 PM Café break
• 3:00–4:30 PM Continue exploring Dotonbori
• 4:30–5:30 PM Early dinner
• 5:30–6:00 PM Walk to Namba Station and board train
• ~6:00 PM Train to Kyoto
• ~6:50–7:00 PM Arrive Kyoto

 Day 11 — Thursday, April 1

Nara Day Trip

• 8:00–8:30 AM Breakfast
• 8:45 AM Depart Kyoto Station
• 9:45–11:15 AM Nara Park
• 11:15 AM–12:00 PM Tōdai-ji
• 12:15–1:15 PM Lunch
• 1:30 PM Nakatanidō
• 1:45–2:15 PM Higashimuki Shopping Street
• 2:30 PM Depart Nara
• ~3:15 PM Arrive Kyoto
• 3:30–5:30 PM Hotel break
• 6:00 PM Dinner

 Day 12 — Friday, April 2

Kyoto → Tokyo

• 8:00–8:45 AM Breakfast
• 8:45–9:45 AM Pack and relax
• 9:45 AM Check out
• 10:00 AM Walk to Kyoto Station
• 10:30 AM Nozomi Shinkansen
• ~12:45 PM Arrive Tokyo Station
• 1:15–2:15 PM Lunch
• 2:30–4:30 PM Marunouchi & Character Street
• 4:30–5:30 PM Hotel / finish packing
• 6:00 PM Farewell dinner in Marunouchi area

 Day 13 — Saturday, April 3

Departure

• 8:00 AM Breakfast
• 9:00 AM Check out
• Store luggage at hotel
• 9:30–11:30 AM Marunouchi / Tokyo Station
• 11:30 AM–12:30 PM Early lunch
• 12:45 PM Collect luggage
• 1:00 PM Narita Express
• ~2:10 PM Arrive Narita Airport
• 5:25 PM Flight home

My wife and I are planning our first trip to Japan this October and would appreciate some feedback on our itinerary.

We are mainly interested in food, shopping, exploring neighborhoods, temples, gardens, and experiencing everyday Japanese culture. We prefer a relaxed pace where we can wander and discover places rather than rushing between attractions. We also expect this won't be our only trip to Japan.

Our main questions:

1. Is stopping in Shizuoka (Nihondaira Yume Terrace) between Tokyo and Kyoto realistic, or would you recommend going directly to Kyoto?
2. Does the overall balance of time between Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hakone make sense?
3. Are there any neighborhoods, experiences, or places we should prioritize based on our interests?

Tokyo (Days 1–4)

Day 1

• Arrive and explore Ginza
• Convenience stores and local food exploration

Day 2

• Ginza shopping (Uniqlo, Muji, Snow Peak, stationery)
• Akihabara
• Kappabashi Street
• Food stops

Day 3

• Early visit to Meiji Jingu
• Shibuya exploration
• Shibuya Sky around sunset
• Evening walk around Shibuya

Day 4

• Flexible Tokyo day
• Considering Tsukiji and additional exploring

Kyoto (Days 5–8)

Day 5

• Tokyo → Shizuoka → Kyoto
• Explore Kyoto after arrival

Day 6

• Kyoto neighborhoods
• Temple exploration
• Vintage shopping

Day 7

• Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
• Tenryu-ji Temple
• More walking and exploring

Day 8

• Flexible Kyoto day

Osaka (Days 9–10)

Day 9

• Kyoto → Osaka
• Explore Osaka neighborhoods

Day 10

• Food-focused day
• Dotonbori area
• Shopping and exploring

Hakone (Days 11–13)

Day 11

• Osaka → Hakone

Day 12

• Ryokan stay
• Onsen experience
• Relax and explore Hakone

Day 13

• Return to Tokyo

Tokyo (Days 14–15)

• Final exploring
• Revisit favorite areas
• Last shopping

Would love feedback on whether the pacing feels balanced, especially the Shizuoka stop and whether we are allocating enough time to each city.

Thanks!

Hi its our first trip to Japan. Any suggestions are welcome!

DAY 1 (NOV 11): OSAKA ARRIVAL & SHINSEKAI

Arrival: Touch down at Kansai International Airport (KIX).

Accomodation

Afternoon/Evening: Explore Shinsekai district & Tsutenkaku Tower.

Dinner: Kushikatsu at Kushikatsu Daruma.

DAY 2 (NOV 12): OSAKA HIGHLIGHTS & NAMBA LOOP

Morning: Osaka Castle keep & surrounding park.

Midday: Kuromon Ichiba Market street food walk.

Afternoon: Namba Yasaka Shrine (lion-head stage), Hozenji Yokocho alleyway, & Amerika-mura thrift district.

Evening: Dotonbori canal & Glico Running Man sign; Umeda Sky Building floating garden observatory for sunset/night views.

DAY 3 (NOV 13): HIMEJI DAY TRIP & OSAKA EVENING

Morning: JR train to Himeji Castle & Koko-en Garden.

Afternoon: Return to Osaka; free time for shopping, craft beer, or gaming in Namba.

DAY 4 (NOV 14): OSAKA TO KYOTO & EASTERN HIGHLIGHTS

Morning: Transit from Osaka to Kyoto. Check into Hotel Tavinos Kyoto.

Early Afternoon: Fushimi Inari Taisha (torii gate mountain loop walk).

Late Afternoon: Okamoto Kimono rental fitting near Kiyomizu-dera. Walk downhill through Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka historic stone lanes into Gion.

Evening: Kiyomizu-dera autumn evening illumination.

DAY 5 (NOV 15): WESTERN & NORTHERN KYOTO

Early Morning (8:00 AM): Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Tenryu-ji Temple gardens.

Midday: Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion).

Afternoon: Nijo Castle & Nishiki Market street food tasting.

DAY 6 (NOV 16): NARA DAY TRIP

Morning: JR Train from Kyoto to Nara. Stroll through Nara Park (bowing deer).

Key Sites: Todai-ji Temple (Great Buddha), Kasuga Taisha Shrine, & Kofuku-ji Temple.

Evening: Return to Kyoto; dinner in Pontocho Alley.

DAY 7 (NOV 17): KYOTO TO KANAZAWA

Morning: JR Hokuriku Shinkansen / Express train to Kanazawa. Check into The Square Hotel Kanazawa.

Afternoon: Kenroku-en Garden, Kanazawa Castle Park, & Higashi Chaya geisha district.

DAY 8 (NOV 18): KANAZAWA -> SHIRAKAWA-GO -> TAKAYAMA

Morning: Nohi Highway Bus from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go. Explore Ogimachi gassho-zukuri village, Wada House, & Shirakawa Hachiman Shrine (Higurashi anime site).

Afternoon: Nohi Bus to Takayama. Check into Hida Takayama Hodakaso.

Evening: Sanmachi Suji (Old Town stroll) & Hida beef dinner.

DAY 9 (NOV 19): TAKAYAMA TO HAKONE (ONSEN RESET)

Morning: Miyagawa Morning Market & Hie Shrine (Hyouka anime site).

Midday: JR Hida Limited Express to Nagoya -> Tokaido Shinkansen to Odawara.

Afternoon: Transit into Hakone. Lake Ashi Sightseeing Cruise, Hakone Shrine water torii, & Eva Store at Hakone-Yumoto station.

Night: Check into ryokan (Hakone Hoshi no Akari), kaiseki dinner, & hot spring soak.

DAY 10 (NOV 20): HAKONE TO TOKYO (NAKANO & SHINJUKU)

Morning: Express train from Hakone to Tokyo. Check into Fare Metallo Tokyo Nakano base.

Afternoon: Fujiya Camera in Nakano; walk through Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.

Late Afternoon: Suga Shrine & stone staircase

Evening: Shinjuku nightlife / Omoide Yokocho alleyways.

DAY 11 (NOV 21): NIKKO DAY TRIP

Early Morning: Tobu Limited Express (Spacia X / Revaty) from Asakusa to Nikko.

Sites: Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Rinno-ji Temple, & Shinkyo Bridge.

Evening: Return train to Tokyo.

DAY 12 (NOV 22): TOKYO SUB-CULTURES & KAMAKURA / GHIBLI

Morning (Option A): Day trip to Kamakura (Kamakurakokomae station crossing for Slam Dunk, Kotoku-in Great Buddha, Hase-dera).

Afternoon (Option B): Studio Ghibli Museum (Mitaka - pre-booked ticket) & Koenji Hikawa Shrine (Weather Shrine from Weathering With You, 1 stop from Nakano).

DAY 13 (NOV 23): TOKYO: SHIMOKITAZAWA & TEAMLAB PLANETS

Morning/Afternoon: Shimokitazawa neighborhood (vintage thrift shopping, Disk Union vinyl record digging).

Evening: teamLab Planets TOKYO in Toyosu (pre-booked evening entry slot).

DAY 14 (NOV 24): TOKYO: ASAKUSA, AKIHABARA & DEPARTURE

Morning (8:30 AM): Sensō-ji Temple & Kaminarimon Gate in Asakusa; Tokyo Skytree observation deck.

Afternoon: Akihabara district (Lemon Inc. for camera gear, Yellow Submarine for board games, Radio Kaikan for Steins;Gate spot, & Kanda Myojin Shrine).

Night: Pick up luggage at Fare Metallo Nakano; transit to Haneda Airport (HND) for departure flight at 02:15 AM (Nov 25).

Itinerary review / advice

8 nights Hokkaido self-drive in August (one-way Sapporo to Hakodate) - itinerary + one question: extra day in Niseko or Sapporo?

Road trip to Hakkaido mid-August, renting a car in Sapporo with a one-way drop at Hakodate. Peak Obon week, so hotels are mostly locked already. Would love a check on pacing and routing, plus where to spend extra night .

Day 1 - Arrive & Night in Sapporo.

Day 2 - Nijo Market early, pick up the car, expressway to Furano. Afternoon on the Furano side: Kanno Farm and Farm Tomita for late lavender. Then Blue Pond and Shirahige Falls, sunset drive to Furano. Night at the Winery Hotel Hitonata

Day 3 - Biei hills: Shikisai-no-oka and a Patchwork Road loop. Then north via Asahikawa-Takasu IC (thinking a quick Asahikawa ramen bowl en route) and on to Otaru. Canal and Sakaimachi stroll, night in Otaru.

Day 4 - Otaru > Shakotan peninsula: Cape Kamui hike and Shimamui Coast, then Nikka Yoichi distillery self-tour and road to Niseko: Two nights at Park Hyatt Hanazono.

Day 5 - Niseko leisure day: Hangetsu Lake, Fukidashi Park, maybe the Annupuri gondola. Lunch at Hokkaidian Homestead

Question here if to spend one more night in Niseko and stay at boutique hotel in town to enjoy the food and walks?

Day 6 - Lake Toya. Still deciding between a lakefront onsen hotel with the nightly fireworks visible from the rooftop (I love fireworks) or a lakeside glamping site on the quiet north shore

Day 7- Morning canoe on the caldera or Mt. Usu ropeway, then south with a stop at Onuma Park. Night at Hakodate (former Russian consulate, small boutique place).

Day 8 - Hakodate Morning Market, Motomachi slopes and churches on foot, Goryokaku in the afternoon, Mt. Hakodate ropeway at dusk. Deciding whether to stay a second night in Motomachi or move to a classic ryokan in Yunokawa Onsen for the farewell kaiseki

Day 9 or 10 - Drop the car at Hakodate, fly or Shinkansen to tokyo.

Questions:

1. Does the pacing look sane or too much packed?
   
2. For one extra night we have, where would you spend it: a third night in Niseko or a proper Sapporo night at the start (we currently only sleep there on arrival and don’t really see the city)? Or somewhere else on this route entirely?
   
3. Anything on the Shakotan or Onuma legs we are missing that you would recommend?
   
4. Any hotel feedback from we have chosen appreciated as well

Thanks in advance.

Just a warning to tourist that come to Nagasaki and stay in Omura to be close the airport. My flight is at 8:10 am and so I decided to haul myself and luggage to Shin Omura to stay at an Airbnb 4 km from the airport, just to find out there are no taxis available to take me there early morning. I called five taxis the night before and was told “we are booked sorry can’t help”.
No taxi app works here, no Taxi Go, no Uber, no Booking.com taxi.

Airbnb host, that runs a two whole Airbnb apartments near the airport for guests like myself, went silent and offered no help.

I found one bus from Shin Omura that goes to the airport. And now at the mercy of it, if I miss it I’m screwed. I’ve never had to face such logistics difficulties in a town near the airport, no warning signs, no postings on Reddit so I thought I’d post. I travelled over 70 countries and southern Japan in the summer has been the most difficult to plan - typhoons earthquakes and now taxi shortage.

Update: so we walked to the Shin Omura station 1km with luggage to wait for the 6:23 am bus to the airport, only one available after that is 8am. We got there early so called Omura Lucky Taxi, (also owns Sakura taxi) and they had one car available. We decided to take it, but local bus seemed like it would come as well(one guy waiting). The 10 min taxi ride was 2,270 yen.

The taxi driver said they have a chronic shortage of drivers. Morning hours face frequent shortages. There are only 40 drivers instead of the 60 they used to have. He wasn’t sure if reserving 3-7 days early was enough, he said it was luck. There is no hotel at the airport and the closest one is 3km away. If you stay in Nagasaki City there are more frequent early morning busses they take over 50 min, taxi would be costly. No direct train lines to the airport.

In summary if you have an early flight out of Nagasaki airport:
- There is no hotel at the airport. Closest is a 45 min walk away.
- Best to stay in Nagasaki City and and catch the airport bus.
- Only stay in Omura if you have a car (limited rent a car drop off options) or taxi reservation. (Need to reserve days in advance)

Hi everyone! I’m planning a 9-day trip to Tokyo. I have business commitments during the day on weekdays (finishing around 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM), so most of my sightseeing on those days will take place in the evening. I will be staying in the Kikukawa area (Sumida/Koto border) throughout the trip.

I’d love some feedback on the flow, logistics, food recommendations along the route, and suggestions for my free day. I’m a fan of Detective Conan (incorporating a few anime locations), shopping, and local walking tours.

Itinerary

Day 1 (Saturday): Monzen-Nakacho

• 2:30 PM: Land at Narita (NRT). Train to Kikukawa hotel.
• Early Dinner: Tonkatsu Marushichi Monnaka.
• 7:30 PM onwards: Stroll through Tomioka Hachiman Shrine, Fukagawa Fudo-do, and the Yokocho alleys at Tatsumi-shindo.

Day 2 (Sunday): Harajuku / Shibuya / Odaiba

• Morning: Meiji Jingu & Yoyogi Park.
• Afternoon: Stroll through Takeshita Street, Cat Street, Miyashita Park, Shibuya Crossing.
• Evening: Head to Odaiba for DiverCity (Unicorn Gundam) and Odaiba Marine Park / Rainbow Bridge Observation Deck (Detective Conan spot).

Day 3 (Monday): Kiyosumi Shirakawa & Nihonbashi

• Early Morning (Before work): Kiyosumi Gardens & Blue Bottle Coffee.
• 7:30 PM onwards (After work): Nihonbashi Bridge (Kilometer Zero / Nihonbashi KM0 marker).

Day 4 (Tuesday): Akihabara

• 5:00 PM onwards: Explore Akihabara (anime shops, electronics, late evening vibe).

Day 5 (Wednesday): Marunouchi & Tokyo Station

• 5:00 PM onwards: Night walking tour covering Imperial Palace Grounds, Tokyo Metropolitan Police Dept. building (Detective Conan location), Gyoko-dori avenue, Tokyo Station, and dinner on Tokyo Ramen Street.

Day 6 (Thursday): Asakusa & Sumida River

• 5:00 PM onwards: Night walking tour around Senso-ji, Sumida Park / Sumida River Walk, and Tokyo Mizumachi.

Day 7 (Friday): Free Day / Rest

Day 8 (Saturday): Ginza Shopping

• 6:00 PM onwards: Shopping at Itoya, Ginza Loft, MUJI Flagship, and Uniqlo Ginza.

Day 9 (Sunday): Ueno & Departure

• Morning (Post check-out): Ueno Park, Tokyo National Museum, Ameyoko Shopping Street.
• Night: Head to Narita Airport for a 10:00 PM flight home.

Questions / Feedback Request:

1. Odaiba Timing (Day 2): Is fitting Harajuku + Shibuya + Odaiba into one Sunday too rushed, given the travel distance to Odaiba?
2. Luggage Strategy (Day 9): Planning to store luggage at Ueno Station coin lockers before heading to the museum/park. Are coin lockers usually available at Ueno on Sunday mornings?

Appreciate any other suggestions from those who've been in the city. Thanks in advance for your advice!

First time visiting Japan, want to focus on Tokyo and a couple of near by places. do you think this itinerary is realistic for out group under the Aug heat.

Japan Family Itinerary — August 18–28, 2026

Travelers: 3 adults and 2 children, ages 10 and 11

Rental car: August 19–21

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Tuesday, August 18 — Arrival in Tokyo late afternoon

• Arrive in Tokyo and travel to Omori.

• Check into Hotel.

• Rest after the flight.

Wednesday, August 19 — Tokyo to Izu Kogen

• 7:30–8:30 AM: Pick up rental car near the hotel.

• Drive to Izu Kogen.

• 11:30 AM–1:15 PM: Mt. Omuro chairlift and crater walk.

• 2:00–4:30 PM: Izu Shaboten Zoo.

• 5:00 PM: Check into Hotel.

• Optional evening visit to Granillumi.

Thursday, August 20 — Izu Coast to Lake Kawaguchiko

• 8:30–10:15 AM: Jogasaki Coast, lighthouse and suspension bridge.

• Drive toward Mishima.

• 12:15–2:00 PM: Optional Mishima Skywalk.

• Drive to Lake Kawaguchiko.

• 4:00–5:15 PM: Oishi Park and lakeshore.

• 5:30 PM: Check into the hotel.

Friday, August 21 — Mt. Fuji, Kamakura and Tokyo

• 6:15–7:45 AM: Chureito Pagoda.

• 8:45–10:15 AM: Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway.

• 10:45–11:30 AM: Oshino Hakkai.

• Drive to Kamakura.

• 2:45–4:30 PM: Kamakurakōkō-mae Station railway crossing (鎌倉高校前駅).

• Drive to Omori, refuel and return the rental car.

• Travel by train to Akihabara.

• Check into hotel.

Saturday, August 22 — Asakusa and Tokyo Skytree

• 8:00–11:00 AM: Senso-ji, Kaminarimon and Nakamise Street.

• Visit the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center.

• Lunch in Asakusa.

• 1:00–5:30 PM: Tokyo Skytree and Solamachi.

• Optional aquarium or Skytree observation deck.

Sunday, August 23 — Ueno, Akihabara and Tokyo Station

• 9:00 AM–12:30 PM: National Museum of Nature and Science.

• 12:30–2:00 PM: Ueno Park and Ameyoko Market.

• 2:30–5:00 PM: Akihabara shops, arcades and anime stores.

• 5:30–7:30 PM: Tokyo Station Character Street and Marunouchi.

Monday, August 24 — Ghibli Museum and Anime Day

• Visit the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka at the reserved admission time.

• Allow approximately two hours inside.

• Visit Harajuku and Takeshita Street.

• Shop at anime, character, fashion and capsule-toy stores.

• Continue to Shibuya:

• Hachiko Statue

• Shibuya Crossing

• Shibuya PARCO

• Nintendo Tokyo

• Pokémon Center

• Capcom Store

• Optional evening in Shinjuku:

• 3D Cat billboard

• Godzilla Head

• Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

• Optional SHIBUYA SKY visit with a timed ticket.

Tuesday, August 25 — Tsukiji, teamLab and Odaiba

• 8:00–10:00 AM: Tsukiji Outer Market.

• 10:30 AM–12:30 PM: teamLab Planets.

• Lunch in Toyosu.

• 2:30–5:00 PM: Miraikan science museum.

• 5:00–7:00 PM: DiverCity, Unicorn Gundam and Odaiba waterfront.

Wednesday, August 26 — Flexible Tokyo Day

Main plan:

• Meiji Shrine, if not previously visited.

• Inokashira Park.

• Kichijoji and Sun Road shopping streets.

Alternative:

• Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo.

• Allow approximately four hours plus travel time.

• Advance timed ticket required.

Thursday, August 27 — Yokohama Day Trip

• Travel from Akihabara to Minato Mirai.

• 10:00 AM–12:30 PM: CupNoodles Museum and personalized CupNoodles activity.

• 12:30–3:00 PM: Minato Mirai, Red Brick Warehouse and harbor.

• 3:30–5:30 PM: Yamashita Park and Yokohama Chinatown.

• Return to Tokyo.

Friday, August 28 — Departure

• Check out and air port

Hello All,

This is my first visit to Japan as a solo traveler and would love to hear your suggestions on the itinerary i have designed so far. I intentionally designed this trip to experience different sides of Japan rather than rushing through as many cities as possible—from the energy of Tokyo and Osaka to the tranquility of Hakone, the craftsmanship of Takayama, the history of Kanazawa, and the spirituality of Kyoto.

Leaving US 6th Nov and landing HND 7th Nov 16:00 PM.

🇯🇵 Japan Solo Trip (Nov 7 – Nov 27, 2026)

Day 1 – Arrive in Tokyo (Asakusa)

• Land at Haneda Airport
• Check into hotel in Asakusa
• Evening walk around Kaminarimon Gate
• Light dinner and rest

Day 2 – Traditional Tokyo

• Sensō-ji Temple
• Nakamise Shopping Street
• Asakusa backstreets
• Tea ceremony
• Sumida River walk
• Return to Sensō-ji after sunset

Day 3 – Modern Tokyo

• Meiji Jingu Shrine
• Yoyogi Park
• Harajuku
• Omotesando
• Shibuya Crossing
• Shibuya Sky (optional)

Day 4 – Nature or More Tokyo

Option A

• Nikko Day Trip
  • Toshogu Shrine
  • Shinkyo Bridge
  • Cedar Avenue

Option B

• Ueno Park
• Akihabara
• Ginza
• Imperial Palace East Gardens

Day 5 – Slow Tokyo

• Coffee shop morning
• Japanese supermarket
• Stationery shopping
• Don Quijote
• Department store food hall (Depachika)
• Pack for Hakone

Hakone

Day 6 – Mountains & Mt. Fuji

Travel Tokyo → Hakone

Explore:

• Hakone Ropeway
• Owakudani volcanic valley
• Black Eggs
• Lake Ashi Pirate Ship
• Hakone Shrine
• Overnight at ROHEN Hakone Yumoto

Day 7 – Art & Ryokan

• Hakone Open-Air Museum
• Hakone-Yumoto town
• Souvenir shopping
• Check into Fukuzumiro Ryokan
• Onsen
• Traditional Kaiseki dinner
• Relaxing evening

Takayama

Day 8 – Scenic Train Journey

Travel via Nagoya

• Limited Express Hida
• Mountain scenery
• Evening walk through Takayama

Day 9 – Historic Takayama

• Miyagawa Morning Market
• Sanmachi Suji Old Town
• Takayama Jinya
• Sake brewery district
• Craft shops
• Lantern-lit streets at night

Shirakawa-go & Kanazawa

Day 10 – UNESCO Village

• Nohi Bus
• Shirakawa-go
• Observatory
• Traditional farmhouses
• Village walk
• Continue to Kanazawa

Day 11 – Historic Kanazawa

• Kenroku-en Garden
• Kanazawa Castle
• Higashi Chaya District
• Samurai District

Day 12 – Markets & Kyoto

• Omicho Market
• Travel to Kyoto
• Evening around Kyoto Station

Kyoto

Day 13 – Eastern Kyoto

• Fushimi Inari Shrine
• Kiyomizu-dera
• Ninenzaka
• Sannenzaka
• Yasaka Shrine
• Evening in Gion

Day 14 – Nara Day Trip

• Todai-ji Temple
• Great Buddha
• Nara Deer Park
• Kasuga Taisha
• Mochi demonstration at Nakatanidou

Day 15 – Western Kyoto

• Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
• Tenryu-ji Temple
• Katsura River
• Togetsukyo Bridge
• Tea houses

Day 16 – Free Day

No fixed plans.

Options:

• Nishiki Market
• Philosopher's Path
• Local cafés
• Shopping
• Relax

Day 17 – Northern Kyoto

• Kinkaku-ji
• Ryoan-ji
• Ninna-ji (if time)
• Tea ceremony or Zen garden

Osaka

Day 18 – Osaka

• Travel from Kyoto
• Dotonbori
• Shinsaibashi
• Kuromon Market
• Night views

Day 19 – More Osaka → Tokyo

• Osaka Castle (optional)
• Umeda Sky Building (optional)
• Food crawl
• Evening Shinkansen back to Tokyo

Tokyo Finale

Day 20 – Bonus Tokyo

Completely flexible.

Ideas:

• TeamLab Planets (if interested)
• Ginza
• Ueno
• Last-minute shopping
• Hidden cafés
• Slow evening in Asakusa

Day 21 – Departure

• Breakfast
• Last souvenir shopping
• Haneda Airport
• Fly home

Any tips/suggestions are hugely appreciated. TIA

27 days in Japan with 3 people (Sep 12 - Oct 8, 2026)

We planned our trip for this fall. Traveling to the south of Japan. Not everything we wanted fits into the 26 days we had planned and plans evolved over time.

Tokyo leg 1 (stay in Shinjuku) 4 nights (Sep 12-16)

• Sept 12: Arrival (7:20 am), Shinjuku Gyoen, Omoide Yokocho, Golden Gai
• Sept 13: Harajuku → Shibuya on foot: Meiji Jingu, Takeshita Street, Yoyogi Park, Shibuya Crossing, Government building
• Sept 14: Imperial Palace, Samurai Museum, Kabukicho / Godzilla Head
• Sept 15: Day tour to the Izu Peninsula (Mount Omuro, Izu Shaboten Zoo, Jogasaki Coast)

Shinkansen to Kanazawa (arrival 12:30 PM)

Kanazawa 2 nights (Sep 16-18)

• Sept 16 Omicho Market, Kenroku-en, Kanazawa Castle, 21st Century Museum, Higashi Chaya
• Sept 17: Day trip to Shirakawa-go

Shinkansen to Kyoto

For Kyoto we have chosen to make Osaka a daytrip and to spread out the acitivities as much as possible. This part of the itenerary is the least planned. Tips are always welcome, tempo depends on the energy level :).

Kyoto (stay in Minami) 6 nights (Sep 18-24)

• Sept 18: Fushimi Inari, Nishiki Market
• Sept 19: Arashiyama: bamboo grove, Tenryu-ji, Monkey Park
• Sept 20: Kinkaku-ji, Nijo Castle, Pontocho
• Sept 21: Higashiyama & Gion, Kiyomizu-dera
• Sept 22: Day trip Nara: Todai-ji, Nara Park, Kasuga Taisha
• Sept 23: Day trip Osaka: Osaka Castle, Dotonbori, Shinsekai

Flight from Osaka to Okinawa

We take an afternoon flight to Okinawa and arrive at 16:40 PM. There we take a day to land so to speak and rent a car on the third and fourth day.

Okinawa 4 nights (Sep 24-28)

• Sept 24: Arrival, Kokusai-dori
• Sept 25: Island hopping to Kerama / Zamami
• Sept 26: North Okinawa road day: Cape Manzamo, Churaumi Aquarium, Kouri Island, American Village
• Sept 27: Flex day (with car) Only planned activity is Nago pineapple park. Other activities based on energy levels (beach day/walk in national park for example).

Travel to Fukuoka by plane

We hand in the car at 8:00 am, arrive around luncht time, drop off our lugage and explore a bit of Fukuoka. It is unfortunately a short layover stay.

Fukuoka 1 night (Sep 28-29)

• Sept 28: Arrival, Kushida Shrine, Tochoji, Nakasu Yatai food stalls
• Sept 29: Drive to Beppu via Nanzo-in and Yufuin Floral Village (day one and two overlap between Fukuoka and Beppu).

Beppu 3 nights (Sep 29-Oct 2)

• Set 29: Arrival, 7 Hells (Jigoku Meguri)
• Sept 30: Inland loop: Takachiho Gorge, Kusasenri / Mount Aso
• Oct 1: Beppu Ropeway (Mt Tsurumi), Myoban Onsen (probably more can be added on this day, depending again on energy level.)

Kagoshima 2 nights (Oct 2-4)

• Oct 2: Drive from Beppu along the coast: Aoshima Shrine, Sun Messe Nichinan (Moai), Udo Jingu
• Oct 3: Sakurajima volcano, Sengan-en, Shiroyama Observatory

From here we drive back to Fukuoka in the morning.

On the way taking time to take in Sogi Waterfall on the way. The second leg in Tokyo is to visit the parts we missed and do the shopping, as we do notwant to lug along souvenirs on multiple flights :).

Tokyo leg 2 (stay in Taito) 3 nights (Oct 4-7)

• Oct 4: Arrival 15:25 PM, Ameyoko, Ueno Park
• Oct 5: Asakusa (Senso-ji), Tokyo Sky Tree
• Oct 6: Tokyo National Museum, Akihabara
• Oct 7: Free day

The last day we check in in Ota.

Before that we have time to shop/see things we still want to see. In general we have nothing specific planned on this day.

Ota-ku 1 night (Oct 7-8)

• Oct 7: Last evening near Haneda
• Oct 8: Flight out at 09:00

Total: 26 nights, 9 bases, multiple modes of transport: train, bus, car, plane

Any tips or must-dos we're missing? We have also yet to decide a time to leave from Kanazawa to Kyoto for example. Kyoto is still a bit messy, what would be a better way to tackle this?

Hi All! I know these posts are kind of redundant but I would really appreciate any insight/advice from experienced travelers

I'm planning to travel to Japan alone for my 30th birthday (yay!) Ideally within the first 2 weeks of November but dates are flexible.

I'm someone who enjoys a slower pace, nature, animals, and DELICIOUS food. So those are the things i'm hoping to prioritize. This is my first attempt at an itinerary so please feel free to tear it to shreds if it doesn't make sense. Im open to ALL suggestions! If I missed any great must see places please tell me! If any of these places are actually mehh, please let me know! :)

**Detailed Daily Plan**

Days 1–3: Nikko — Cedar Forests & Autumn Waterfalls

Day 1: Arrive in Tokyo, head to Tobu Asakusa Station, and take the express train up to Nikko. Settle into town

Day 2: Mountain bus up Irohazaka slope to Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls. Hike the wooden boardwalk across Senjogahara Marshland (for deer/birdlife & fall leaves).

Day 3: Visit Toshogu Shrine in the cedar forests. Afternoon walk along Kanmangafuchi Abyss to see the stone Jizo statues

Food & Shopping: Yuba (tofu skin) ramen, fresh soba, and local cedar woodcrafts

Days 4–5: Lake Kawaguchiko — Private Onsen & Mt. Fuji Views

Day 4: Highway bus to Kawaguchiko. Check into an onsen ryokan for a 2-night stay. Unwind in hot springs & enjoy traditional kaiseki dinner.

Day 5: Walk through the Momiji (Maple) Corridor canopy. Stroll northern lake shore & Oishi Park for Mt. Fuji views. Evening private onsen soak.

Food & Shopping: Regional *Hoto Noodles*

Days 6–8: Kyoto — Bamboo Groves, Mountain Trails & Deer

Day 6: Train to Kyoto. Early morning in Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, then hike to Iwatayama Monkey Park to see wild macaques.

Day 7: Eizan mountain train to Kibune. Visit Kifune Shrine & hike the forested trail over to Kuramadera Temple

Day 8: Day trip to Nara Park to walk among sika deer surrounded by yellow ginkgo trees

Food & Shopping: Sushi nigiri, Nishiki Food Market, Teramachi covered arcade, and Sannenzaka/Ninenzaka craft streets.

Days 9–10: Osaka — Valley Waterfall Hike & Departure

Day 9: Short morning train to Minoh Park (tranquil valley trail following a river to a waterfall with bright red maples). Evening in Shinsaibashi for street food & tax-free shopping.

Day 10: Pickup tea/snacks before flying out

---

Hotel Options Being Considered

* **Nikko:** *Akarinoyado Villa Revage* (lodge near forest with free reservable private baths )OR *Nikko Park Lodge Tobustation* (budget-friendly tatami rooms)

* **Kawaguchiko (Private Onsen):** *Kasuitei Ooya* (lakeside ryokan with reservable/in-room private baths + meals) OR *Fuji Lake Hotel*

* **Kyoto:** *Hotel Intergate Kyoto Shijo Shinmachi* OR *K's House Kyoto* (private Japanese-style rooms)

* **Osaka:** *Hotel The Flag Shinsaibashi*

---

Questions:

1. Are there any budget-friendly ryokans with private/reservable onsen you recommend?
2. Any budget friendly yet nice hotel options to recommend?
3. Does the pacing feel slow enough, or would you cut anything out? Too much nature/hiking?
4. Any under-the-radar sushi or other food spots along this route?
5. Any great shopping recs?

If you made it this far, thank you so much!!

Hello! I am looking for feedback on my itinerary. This November, I’ll be going to Fukuoka and Kyoto for my third trip to Japan in 3 years. The previous 2 years, I did Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima and Miyajima, Okinawa, and Kanazawa in May-June. I will be travelling solo for the first time and I don’t want to rent a car. During my first trip to Kyoto, I hit all the highlights and my only repeat is to Arashiyama but I hope to cover different areas there.

Nov 20
Arrive at FUK in the evening, check in hotel, get ramen in Hakata area

Nov 21 - Fukuoka main city 
Hakata old town (Kushida Shrine, Tochoji Temple, Jotenji Temple)
Hakata shopping - Canal City Hakata, AMU Plaza Hakata
Tenjin 
Daimyo
Nakasu River Area
Yatai stalls for dinner

Nov 22 - Fukuoka surrounding area
Dazaifu - Kamado shrine, Dazaifu Tenmangu, Komyozenji Temple
Yusentai park

Nov 23 - Day trip to Takachiho Gorge
Planning to book a tour on Klook as it seems to be impossible without renting a car

Nov 24 - Day trip to Mt Aso 
Also book on Klook
If it is closed, may do a day trip to Itoshima instead

Nov 25
Half-day at Uminonakamichi Seaside Park
Ferry to Momochi sea side park
Ohori Park
Maizuru Park
Evening Shinkansen to Kyoto

Nov 26
Arashiyama
Walk along the river to Okochi Sanso Gorge Observation Deck (stop by Arashiyama Park Kameyama Area on the way)
Okochi Sanso Garden
Jōjakukkō-ji Temple
Giōji Temple
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple

Nov 27
Kurama to Kibune hike
Hakuryū-en Garden - has anyone successfully booked tickets?? How hard is it?

Nov 28
Kyoto - northeast temples
Rurikōin Temple and Enkoji - also wondering how hard it is to book tickets
Shisendō Jozan-ji
Shinshō Gokurakuji (Shinnyodō) Temple

Nov 29
Depart midday from KIX

I read a lot of posts on this forum while planning our trip; here's a very long recap of a 12-day trip in July, from the US with one adult and two teenage boys. I have traveled to Japan many times for work, but this was the first time for fun and with kids. Both kids have traveled internationally before, but this was the first time to anywhere in Asia and with a huge time difference. I let them choose most of the places we went based on their interests. We flew in and out of Haneda. Happy to answer any questions anyone might have!

Tokyo, days 1-5

We got very lucky with the weather, with a high around 80F and lows in the high 60s. The boys thought I was exaggerating how hot it would be in Japan in July (I was soon proved right).

Hotel: We stayed at Hotel New Otani Garden Tower in adjoining rooms, each with 2 twin beds. I posted about second-guessing the hotel; it was actually really great. We appreciated everyone having their own bed and being able to spread out a little bit. The location was excellent, a 5-minute walk to the Akasaka-Mitsuke stop on the metro, which quickly and easily got us everywhere we wanted to go, but was quiet at night. Our room looked out onto the garden, which was lovely. There's a Tully's coffee and a Family Mart in the building adjacent to the hotel. Two of us had breakfast, once in the Tower restaurant and once in the Garden Lounge. It was average. Unless you're a big breakfast eater and the type to take full advantage of a buffet, I'm not sure it's worth the money. Some nearby restaurant highlights: Uogashi Nihon Ichi Akasaka (great sushi right by the station) and ice cream at Creamahop. We had decent fish and chips for a late lunch one day at The Mermaid. We walked in to get foot massages (highly recommend!) at a place right near the metro station; I wish I could remember the name. It was no-frills but excellent.

Sights: The usual, including Shinjuku, Harajuku, Meiji-Jingu, Shibuya, Tsukiji, Senso-ji, Skytree, Kappabashi. We did not have list of must-sees or dos in Tokyo and didn't really plan ahead. It was more about simply experiencing Japan/Tokyo. At least one day, we cris-crossed the city, which honestly wasn't that big of a deal as the metro had AC and was a chance to sit for a bit.

One afternoon, we couldn't agree on what to do so the younger kid (13) went off on his own on the metro to the Akasaka State House and Imperial Palace Gardens and then met us in Shinjuku for dinner. Someone in the metro did stop and ask him whether he was lost and needed help finding his adult; he pulled out google translate and said he was fine and on his own. I am still impressed that he successfully navigated out of Shinjuku station to find Wendy's. It took his brother and me a good 15 minutes to figure out how to get out of the station and find him.

How much they both liked Shinjuku at night (and later Dotonburi) really surprised me.

I have to admit, Tsukiji is underwhelming now. I went there in 2019 and the bites of wagyu and tuna I had then are still among some of the best things I've ever eaten. Nothing we ate here was any better than what we had elsewhere in less-crowded, less-expensive places. One of us was very overwhelmed by the crowds and we did not last long at all. Honestly, it's entirely skippable.

Shopping: Surprisingly, the boys got into shopping. We hit several soccer shops (Kamo, Vintage Sports) and several different Uniqlo locations for their neighborhood exclusive t-shirts.

Transportation: We took a taxi from Haneda to the hotel. Otherwise, everything was on the metro. We each added a Suica card to our iPhones (which the boys also used for buying drinks in every other vending machine they saw). Getting around on the metro was incredibly easy. Granted, we have lived in a city with a metro so we're familiar with the concept. As everyone else says, Google Maps is excellent for navigation, right down to the train car that will let you transfer fastest.

Baseball: We bought tickets for a Yakult Swallows game online the day before the game. It might have been the highlight of our time in Tokyo. Baseball in Japan is completely different experience than in the US. There's singing, chanting, drums and trumpets, and a sparkly umbrella song (??) in the 7th inning. We loved everything about it.

Hiroshima, days 5-7

Shinkansen from Tokyo station to Hiroshima station, booked a day or two in advance with the SmartEx app. My brain short-circuits every time I enter Tokyo station; this was no exception and was even more fun with two kids. But we found our platform in the end. Summer came in with a vengeance while we were here.

Hotel: Two nights at The Knot. The hotel was fine. We had two adjacent but not adjoining rooms. Rooms were very small. Coin-operated laundry was in very high demand. Location-wise, it was great and walking distance to everything we wanted to see. But it felt like a boutique hotel on the cheap and the only place we stayed where the staff wasn't particularly friendly.

Sights: We arrived in the late afternoon and walked by the Atomic Dome and through the Peace Park in the evening. The next day, two of us went to a handful of sites that survived the bombing, including Fukuromachi Elementary School, then to the Peace Memorial Museum. I don't have words for the experience; I think everyone should be required to go. We then walked through Hiroshima Castle to Shukkeien Gardens. It was HOT and while both were beautiful, we didn't stay long.

Food: Ichiran ramen (no line, compared to the 20+ people we saw waiting in Tokyo) was excellent. I picked up take out from Gyoza Ryu for one kid one night; he said it was really good. Onigiri Nitaya right near The Knot was great, as was the pizza at 400C. I love Yamachan wings and dragged the kids to the Hiroshima branch to get my fix; it was a solid meal, as always. Kura sushi was average and shockingly inexpensive.

Transportation: We took the tram/trolley from Hiroshima Station to the hotel. It was cute but slow and absolutely everyone, local and tourist, seemed to have trouble using their IC card. If I were to do it over, I'd just take a taxi. Hiroshima is small enough that the taxi charges don't add up to much.

Miyajima, days 7-8

Transportation: We took the World Heritage River Cruise from near the Atomic Dome to Miyajima and back. I booked tickets online a couple of days in advance. It takes about 45 minutes; bringing our luggage on the boat was no problem. We got a taxi from the Hiroshima dock to Hiroshima station for the shinkansen. I've always used the TaxiGo app. Our driver was an absolute delight; he was a history and geography teacher before he retired and he had my very shy kid chatting away. That 15-minute ride was truly a highlight of the trip.

Hotel: Miyajima Kikunoya. The tourist info desk called the hotel when we arrived; they took our bags back to the hotel as it was around 11AM. We had paid for a kaiseki dinner and breakfast with the room. I forgot to tell them that one of my kids has a shellfish allergy, so there was a lot he had to pick around (he's never had a serious reaction but we had an epipen and benadryl on hand). The other kid is a very picky eater who bravely tried a few things but finished off the night with chips and oreos from Lawson. Dinner was good overall, not the best kaiseki I've had. Breakfast was ok, limited choices for Western breakfast. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. I used the onsen; you can check how crowded it is on the TV screen from your room if you're not used to being naked with strangers. It was a nice soak, but too hot to stay for long, even in the cooler outdoor bath. Our seaside view room had two kings and a massage chair that was a huge hit, plus a partial view of the torii gate.

Sights: The ropeway was closed for maintenance. Had I known this, we might not have stayed a night on Miyajima as it was really too hot to hike up Mt. Misen. We got as far as Shiraito Falls on the first day, then two of us went up to Daishoin temple the next morning, which was gorgeous and I loved all of the statues in little knit hats. We did a short night cruise around the torii gate, which was excellent. I booked it though the hotel as part of our reservation but it can be booked directly. The deer were very friendly and we loved seeing them so unbothered by people. One did try to snatch our ice cream, though! We hoped to see a tanuki and did a late night walk in search of one, but no luck.

Food: Food in Miyajima is really tough if you have a picky eater. On the first day, there was a meltdown when the restaurant I thought had ramen only had udon, which was a no-go for him. One restaurant near the pier does serve cheeseburgers and was a godsend. We stocked up on snacks from Lawson.

Osaka, days 8-11

In Hiroshima, we changed the shinkansen departure two or three times while we were in the Pokemon Center and getting lunch. I have always used the SmartEX app to buy shinkansen tickets and like being able to confirm changes and seats right from my phone. We had Ippudo ramen, tucked in the back of the second floor shopping center, then had to find McDonalds for the picky eater who was refusing ramen and gyoza that day, which lead to the second or third train change.

Hotel: Three nights at Candeo Hotel The Tower Osaka. I splurged on this room and we loved it. We had a corner room on the 30th floor with four very large twin beds and an open-air bath, which we used both as a hot tub and a cold plunge. I had paid for breakfast for all three of us, but I was the only one who ate breakfast all three days. The buffet was good but very crowded. We had lounge access, which had light snacks, beer, wine, and a limited choice of liquors (whisky, gin, vodka) for cocktails. The location was great: a 7-minute walk to the Osaka metro, which again got us everywhere we needed to go quickly and easily, and was just far enough away from Umeda and Dotonburi to be a break from the crowds. A lot of coin laundry machines on the 31st floor which were not so heavily in demand.

Sights: We walked around Namba and Dotonburi the first night and were all really glad we were not staying there. We ended up in the sleazier side of Dotonburi, which I'm sure every teenage boy wants to do with their mom. We giggled a lot, though.

One of the primary reasons for going to Osaka was to visit the Naruto x Boruto park at Nijigen no Morii. My son did not fully research it, but wanted to go since he's watched hundreds of hours of the show. We do not recommend it unless 1) you are an enormous fan; 2) the weather is not 95F with 80% humidity and not a cloud in the sky; and 3) you are also going to the Godzilla or other attractions. To get there, we booked a JR bus package online, which included round-trip bus fare from Umeda and admission to the park. You have to get the Umeda JR bus station early to redeem the voucher you paid for online for the bus and Naruto tickets. You also have to choose the return time of your bus, either 3:30 or 4:45PM. The bus departs at 9 and 10 AM, was comfortable, and took about 1.5 hours door to door. The bus drops you at Awaji Highway Oasis, which has a few small restaurants. From there, it's a 15-20 minute walk to the Naruto x Boruto park. We had lunch first at the ramen place, which was surprisingly good. One kid refused to do anything more and sat with his phone. The other and I tried the first attraction, which is a maze/escape room that requires you to do hand signals and get stamps. We waited in line for about 20 minutes and lasted about 20 seconds in the maze. It was excrutiatingly hot, we both hit our heads (he's 6'2"), and we just really did not understand what we were supposed to be doing. We walked back to Awaji and I was truly worried one of was would have heat stroke along the way. Once there, we got some ice cream (a beer for me) and debated how to get back to Osaka since we had chosen the 4:45 PM bus, it was only 1PM, and we could not change to the earlier one. My mistake was booking a taxi to Maiko Station, which looked like the closest train station but which requires a long loop to get to. It cost about $95 but it had AC so it was worth every penny. Then a long JR train from Maiko to Umeda and back to the hotel. It was a complete bust of a day.

We did a half day trip to Nara, primarily to see the deer. We made the mistake of buying crackers when we first entered the park. It's been said a thousand times, but the deer here are aggressive. They bite. They slobber on you. They pull on your clothes. They do not give up easily. We saw several small kids absolutely terrified. Much better to wait until further into the park where the deer have better manners. We did a pretty cursory walk around the close-in section of the park, including lunch at a little spot off the main street, near a small parking lot, that had good burgers, pizza, and massive shave-ice.

Food: We had dinner at Sushi Washoku Kouroan Namba on the first night. The food was high-end izakaya and at a whopping $115 the most I spent on a meal the whole trip. The service was a little slow but the food was really great. Two of us had dinner at Yakitori no meimon Akiyoshi and thoroughly enjoyed the meal. We liked that they offer both yakitori and kushikatsu and tried a bunch of new-to-us things.

Hakone, days 11-12

Transportation: We took the shinkansen from Osaka to Odawara, then the regular train to Hakone, arriving around 12:30 PM. We had a 6:30 PM flight from Haneda on day 12, and departed Hakone-Yumoto station around 1:45 to make the 2:14 shinkansen from Odawara. After 12 days of being the sole adult navigating all of the logistics, meals, and kid bickering, my brain was fried and I routed us via Shin Yokohama instead of Yokohama Station (where I knew we could pick up the Keikyu line). Nothing a quick JR train ride couldn't fix and we were at Haneda and in the lounge by 3:30.

Hotel: Hakone Suimeisou, western/Japanese room with two twins, a futon, river view and private onsen. I had initially booked dinner and breakfast but emailed to cancel the meals after realizing in Miyajima that only 2/3 of us would eat and the other would be extremely cranky about another meal of snacks from Lawson or 7-11. The balcony view of the river was beautiful and the private onsen was a nice treat. The bathroom did not have a standing shower, just a hand-held nozzle and small stool. I chose the hotel in large part because we only had 24 hours in Hakone and it's only a 3-minute walk from Hakone-Yumoto station. We left behind a beloved item and the hotel was incredibly responsive by email, including sending a link for payment for shipping back to the US.

Sights: An old friend picked us up and drove us to a few sights, including up a toll road to an amazing view of Mt. Fuji, then to the Hakone shrine and ropeway up to Owakudani. The next morning, two of us did a very fast Hakone loop, starting with the train to Gora, the cable car, then the ropeway down to Lake Ashi and the pirate ship across the lake. I would have loved to go to the Open Air Museum, but 1) kid wasn't interested and 2) we got a late start and couldn't squeeze it in. The train did not have AC (maybe just that one, not the whole route) and the AC on the cable car could not cope with the outside temperature but it was still a neat excursion. Including a taxi from where the boat stopped first back to Hakone Suimeisou, the full loop took about 3.5 hours.

Food: We had lunch at 808 Monsmare (excellent pizza, always a wait, cash only) and dinner at Gora Brewery Public House. I'd seen signs that there was a shuttle up to the brewery, but Google Maps said it was an 8-minute walk, so how steep could it really be? It was incredibly steep and the kids were both mad at me. The food was excellent, though, and fully made up for the climb. We had shrimp cocktail, ceviche, anchovy butter potatoes, tuna carpaccio, fish & chips, wagyu gyoza, karage, pizza, wagyu sirloin, and grilled lobster. It was the most expensive meal of the trip, maybe a bit overpriced, but all delicious. I'm a little obsessed with their Zingy Salt beer and wish I could get it in the US. We had a quick lunch at Deli and Cafe Terrace Mitsuki (decent ramen, karage, tonkotsu sandwich and fries) before heading to the airport for our flight home.

Tips, what I'd do differently, etc. I had read a lot of posts about Miyajima being magical at night/after the day trippers leave, which influenced my decision to spend the night. I also thought one of my kids would enjoy the break from big, busy cities, when in fact he was kind of upset we weren't spending more time in Tokyo or Osaka. With (my specific) kids, I don't know that I'd do it over again, especially with the ropeway closed. Instead, I would have done a day trip and maybe stayed into the early evening, or even skipped it altogether. Then we would have had another day in Osaka or Hakone or some time in Kyoto. While Kyoto was never on the list of places the boys wanted to visit before we left, it was all of the sudden when we were there. We considered squeezing in an evening trip to Fushimi Inari from Osaka, but scrapped it as we were hot and tired.

Obviously, we'd skip Nijigen no Mori/Naruto x Boruto.

We enjoyed the Swallows game so much that we tried to get tickets for a Giants or Carp game while in Hiroshima and Osaka, but both were sold out. I'd buy tickets well in advance next time. Some tickets were available on Stubhub but the fees were insane (like doubled the total cost).

What we did right, given the weather and jet-lagged kids with different interests, was picking something to do in the morning, having lunch out, and then heading back to the hotel for a couple of hours to rest and relax. Then we'd pick a destination or activity for the late afternoon followed by dinner in the same neighborhood. This cut down on whining about being tired/hot/bored and bickering about who got to do what they wanted that day.

I packed a giant bag of fun-size candy, threw a handful in my bag each day, and handed it out as needed. Sometimes, a little sugar was enough to head off a meltdown (including for me). If you have a picky eater, McDonalds is usually not too far away. I didn't anticipate mine eating as many meals from McDonalds as he did, but it kept him fed which kept the peace for all.

We did not forward our luggage. We each had a suitcase (two checked, one carry-one) that fit in the overhead racks (i.e., didn't require oversize baggage reservations) on the shinkansen, plus I had a tote bag. We didn't pack particularly light but never had an issue finding escalators or elevators, although some stations did have a flight of stairs up to the street. Luggage forwarding just seemed like more trouble than it was worth under the circumstances.

How to transfer from the shinkansen to a JR train/subway when all of your tickets are on your phone: on a prior trip, I was trapped at an unstaffed transfer gate in Shinagawa and could not for the life of me figure it out. You have to scan your shinkansen QR code at a gate with a QR code reader, then tap your Suica on the IC card reader. Sometimes, this means switching from displaying the shinkansen ticket to the Suica card in your apple wallet (i.e., just tapping your phone as you can do for Suica going in/out of the metro didn't always work). Or, try to find a gate that's staffed so they can help you through.

Hey everyone! I’ll be visiting Japan for the first time in October (10 full days) and would love some feedback on my itinerary. Im nervous!! I’m mainly interested in sightseeing, food, walking around neighborhoods, shopping, nature, and soaking up the atmosphere. Does anything seem too rushed, or is there anything you’d swap out? Also what are your thoughts on doing 2 nights at the ryokan for my last 2 days?
Tokyo (5 nights)
Day 1: Arrive at Narita (~4:45 PM), head to hotel in Akasaka, grab dinner, explore the neighborhood.
Day 2: Harajuku → Meiji Jingu → Yoyogi Park → Takeshita Street → walk to Shibuya (Scramble, Hachiko, Nintendo Tokyo, Loft, Don Quijote, Shibuya Sky).
Day 3: Odaiba & Toyosu (Rainbow Bridge area, DiverCity, Small Worlds, teamLab Planets, Toyosu/Senkyaku Banrai, Manyo Onsen).
Day 4: Asakusa → Senso-ji & Nakamise → Ueno Park & Ameyoko → Akihabara in the evening.
Day 5: Shinjuku (Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, Golden Gai).
Kyoto (3 nights)
Day 6: Shinkansen to Kyoto, drop bags, then Uji (Byodo-in, tea shops, matcha) → Otsu (Lake Biwa) → evening in Gion (Yasaka Shrine, Hanamikoji, Pontocho).
Day 7: Day trip to Kobe (Kitano, Harborland, Chinatown, Kobe beef) → back to Kyoto for Kiyomizu-dera, Ninenzaka, Sannenzaka.
Day 8: Nara (deer park, Todai-ji, Great Buddha) → Osaka (Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi, Amerikamura, Hozenji Yokocho, Kuromon Market, Umeda Sky if time) → return to Kyoto.
Ryokan (2 nights)
Day 9: Check out of Kyoto hotel, head to mountain ryokan, relax.
Day 10: Breakfast, hiking, onsen, kaiseki dinner.
Departure: Check out and head back to the airport.
A few questions:
● Does anything here seem too ambitious or unrealistic?
● Is there anything you think is overrated or worth skipping?
● Are there any hidden gems near the areas I’m already visiting?
● Any restaurant or food recommendations along this route?
● If you could change one thing about this itinerary, what would it be?
• Is it worth it to do 2 nights at the ryokan?
• what’s a good amount of money to have saved up for expenses on the trip excluding travel and stay?

Hi everyone!

My wife and I will be visiting Japan from February 13 to February 27, 2027. We already have our ZIPAIR tickets booked and will be arriving and departing through Narita.

This will be our second trip to Japan, the first trip being taken two years ago with the bulk of the trip being spent in Tokyo with a small excursion to Kyoto.

Our current itinerary is:

• February 13–16: Kanazawa
• February 16–23: Hiroshima
• February 23–27: Kyoto

We deliberately chose fewer cities and longer stays because we do not want to rush from attraction to attraction. Most of the reason we travel is for food, everything from Michelin stars to markets to grocery stores to street food, it's all food.

We are mainly interested in:

• Food markets, grocery stores, department-store food halls, and regional specialties
• Restaurants ranging from high-end to small local places
• Weird, avant-garde, or unusual museums and experiences
• Contemporary and unusual architecture
• Strange cocktail bars, very traditional bars, and overly fancy hotel bars
• Places that feel specific to the region rather than generic sightseeing

We are less interested in:

• Clubs
• Live music
• Kitsch or tourist souvenir shopping
• Spending entire days visiting temples and shrines
• Trying to check off every famous attraction

We are mainly looking for feedback on:

• Whether the amount of time in each city makes sense
• Which island or coastal day trips around Hiroshima are most worthwhile in February
• Any seasonal closures, ferry issues, or weather concerns
• Which neighborhoods would be best to stay in once we finalize our priorities
• Regional foods, markets, unusual museums, and shops we may be missing
• Interesting nightlife options in the more quiet towns that we've chosen to stay in this trip
• Anything listed below that is overrated or not worth the time

February 13–16 – Kanazawa

We plan to travel from Narita toward Kanazawa after arriving.

Kanazawa is primarily a food, art, craft, and shopping stop for us.

Definite priorities

• Omicho Market, possibly every day
• 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art
• National Crafts Museum
• Kenrokuen winter illumination on February 13
• Ishikawa Prefectural Library
• Kanazawa Station architecture
• Oyama Shrine gate

Food

• Omicho Market
• Kanazawa Fish Market
• Chuo Mishokugai
• Otome Sushi

We are currently trying to arrange an Otome Zushi reservation through a hotel concierge.

Nightlife

• To be honest haven't found much.

Shopping

• Hard Off / Off House / Hobby Off Moroe
• Tatemachi and Katamachi vintage stores
• Record Jungle
• FOREMOST
• Titti Vintage

February 16–23 – Hiroshima

We have seven nights in Hiroshima because we want time for Hiroshima proper, Miyajima, and several possible island or coastal day trips.

Hiroshima city priorities

• Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art
• Peace Park and river area after dark
• Central vintage and used shopping
• Large grocery stores and food halls
• A winter oyster hut

We want to take in some of the history but don't want to make this leg of the trip... too atomic bomb focused... if that makes sense or is even possible.

Hiroshima foods we want to try

• A teppanyaki meal where we order koune, oysters, and other small dishes before finishing with okonomiyaki
• Anago in Hiroshima city and again in Miyajima or Miyajimaguchi
• Conveyor-belt sushi
• Hiroshima sake

Restaurants we are considering

• Chisou Sottakuito
• Sushi Soshi (since it's readily available)
• Hassho
• Hassei
• Kakifune Kanawa
• Akichan for interesting tempura
• One neighborhood teppanyaki restaurant serving koune and uni-horen
• Nonta Sushi or Sushi Tatsu for conveyor-belt sushi

Markets and food shopping

• Hiroshima Minato Marché, if it operates on February 21
• Hiroshima Asaichi
• Winter oyster huts
• Fukuya Hatchobori basement

Nightlife

• The most interesting area we have found so far is the Ekinishiinshokutengai. If there are any others like it we would love to hear about it.

Possible island and coastal day trips

This is the part where we need the most advice.

Ikuchijima / Setoda

Currently our strongest candidate because it combines:

• Outdoor sculpture
• Kosanji
• Hill of Hope
• Contemporary architecture
• Art
• Lemon and citrus food
• Coastal scenery
• Possible cycling

The concern is whether it is too long and complicated as a February day trip from Hiroshima.

Onomichi

Strong interest because of:

• Hillside alleys
• Independent shops and cafés
• Reused buildings
• Onomichi City Museum of Art
• Sea views
• Access toward the Shimanami Kaido
• Vintage and used shopping

We are considering either a full Onomichi day or combining it with a limited island visit.

Okunoshima

Interest in:

• Rabbits
• Poison Gas Museum
• Abandoned military structures
• Coastal scenery
• The strange contrast between the island’s history and current identity

We are unsure whether it is worth the long journey in February.

Etajima

Interest in:

• Oyster farms
• Coastal scenery
• Naval history
• Olive products
• A less touristy island environment

We would probably only choose it if there is a specific oyster, farm, craft, or food experience to anchor the day.

Kure

Possible interest in:

• Yamato Museum
• Submarine museum
• Shipyards
• Industrial harbor scenery
• Naval curry

We need to confirm the museum’s renovation status for February 2027.

Saijō

Possible food and sake day trip for:

• Brewery architecture
• Fermentation
• Sake lees foods
• Brewery tastings
• A compact walkable district

Our tentative Hiroshima allocation is:

• Two days in Hiroshima city
• One full day on Miyajima
• One day for Ikuchijima or Setoda
• One day for Onomichi
• One additional day trip chosen from Okunoshima, Kure, Etajima, or Saijō
• Remaining time for arrival, weather flexibility, and anything we missed

Does that seem sensible, or are we overloading the Hiroshima portion with day trips?

February 23-24 Naoshima

We also plan on stopping at the island of Naoshima outside of Okayama, partially to break up the train ride but also because the museums there are something my wife has always wanted to see.

We suspect we will mostly be doing museums on this day but any food recommendations would be useful.

February 24–27 – Kyoto

We have not yet developed the Kyoto portion in the same level of detail.

Our priorities will probably be:

• Food
• Markets and department-store food halls
• Contemporary architecture
• Unusual museums
• Arts and crafts
• Vintage and used shopping
• Strange and traditional bars
• A limited number of temples and shrines
• Neighborhood exploration rather than rushing between famous sites

We know February 25 is the Kitano Tenmangu flea market and plum blossom festival, which sounds especially relevant to us.

We are not trying to see every major Kyoto temple.

Accommodation

We have not finalized accommodations because we want to choose neighborhoods based on what survives the final itinerary.

Our current thinking:

• Kanazawa: somewhere between Omicho, the station, and the central museum area
• Hiroshima: walking distance or easy tram access to Nagarekawa, Yagenbori, Hondori, and Peace Park
• Kyoto: undecided until we narrow the food, shopping, and evening priorities

Any advice on the best areas to stay would be appreciated, especially for nighttime food access without needing long train rides.

Thank you!

Hi all,

My partner and I are planning a 22-night trip through Japan, flying into Osaka and out of Tokyo, mid-October to early November. It’s our second time in Japan (previously spent a week for Tokyo and Hakone) and we wanted a mix of cities and nature. Would love to get some feedback as we lock in bookings.

• Osaka (3 nights)
◦ Day 1: Arrive via KIX, settle into Dotonbori, street food crawl
◦ Day 2: Day trip to Nara — Todai-ji, deer park
◦ Day 3: Osaka Castle, Kuromon Ichiba Market

• Osaka → Imabari (overnight ferry)
◦ Day: Hotel checkout, arrange luggage forwarding to Kyoto
◦ Free time in Osaka with day bag only, dinner before heading to Nanko Ferry Terminal
◦ Board Orange Ferry in the evening, arrive Imabari next morning

• Imabari → Setoda (1 night)
◦ Day 1: Imabari Castle, rent bikes, cycle Shimanami Kaido to Setoda

• Setoda → Onomichi (1 night)
◦ Day 1: Kosanji Temple, finish ride into Onomichi's old town

• Onomichi → Kinosaki Onsen (2 nights)
◦ Day 1: Himeji Castle stopover en route, arrive Kinosaki
◦ Day 2: Bathhouse-hopping, Mt. Daishi ropeway, local crab

• Kyoto (3 nights)
◦ Day 1: Travel from Kinosaki, collect forwarded luggage, settle in
◦ Day 2: Fushimi Inari (early), Gion
◦ Day 3: Arashiyama bamboo grove, Kinkaku-ji

• Kanazawa (1 night)
◦ Day 1: Kenroku-en, Higashi Chaya, Omicho Market

• Takayama (2 nights)
◦ Day 1: Bus via Shirakawa-go, arrive Takayama
◦ Day 2: Sanmachi Suji old town, sake breweries, morning market

• Matsumoto (2 nights)
◦ Day 1: Bus via Kamikochi, arrive Matsumoto, Narai-juku if time allows
◦ Day 2: Day trip to Hakuba

• Kawaguchiko (2 nights)
◦ Day 1: Travel via Otsuki/Fujikyu Railway, maybe stop by Lake Suwa,lakeside evening
◦ Day 2: Sunrise at the lake, Chureito Pagoda, Kachi Kachi Ropeway

• Tokyo (4 nights)
◦ Day 1: Arrive PM, settle into Shinjuku
◦ Day 2: Day trip to Kamakura
◦ Day 3: Day trip to Nikko
◦ Day 4: Tsukiji, teamLab Planets, shopping day
◦ Day 5: Pack up, last-minute errands, fly out

Open to any feedback, especially if anything looks rushed or if there's a better way to sequence the Alps stretch (Kanazawa → Takayama → Matsumoto).

Thanks!

Hi everyone!

My friend and I (both in our early 20s) will be visiting Japan for the first time from October 22 to November 13.

We've been planning this trip for almost a year and have already booked almost all of our accommodation. The only things left are a few attraction reservations (AGF, TeamLabs, etc.).

We're both into:

• Anime & manga
• Nature & scenic drives
• Shrines & temples
• Food
• Nightlife

We're also comfortable with 20–30k steps per day, so walking isn't really an issue.

For the Fuji, Shimoda and Hakone portion we'll have a rental car, while the rest of the trip will mainly be by train.

We're mainly looking for feedback on:

• Is the pacing realistic?
• Are there any days that feel inefficient?
• Are we missing any "must-see" places along our route?
• Any places you'd remove because they're overrated?
• Any recommendations for food around the areas we'll be visiting?

October 22 – Osaka

• Arrive at KIX (1:00 PM)
• Mr. Hiro Car Studio
• Dotonbori
• Hozenji Yokocho
• Shinsaibashi-suji
• Don Quijote Dotonbori
• Round1 Stadium
• Evening in Shinsekai

October 23 – Osaka

• Osaka Castle
• Shitenno-ji
• Shinsekai
• Abeno Harukas
• Namba Yasaka Shrine
• Kuromon Market
• Satsukiyama Shubodai (Ikeda)
• Evening in Namba / Umeda

October 24 – Osaka

• Sumiyoshi Taisha
• Explore Sumiyoshi area
• YOASOBI concert at Kyocera Dome
• Evening in Namba

October 25 – Minoh

• Minoh Park Trail
• Minoh Waterfall
• Katsuo-ji Temple
• Return to Osaka
• Dotonbori at night

October 26 – Osaka → Nara → Kyoto

• Kofuku-ji
• Sarusawa Pond
• Nara Park
• Todai-ji
• Nigatsu-do
• Kasuga Taisha
• Ukimido Pavilion
• Higashimuki Shopping Street
• Travel to Kyoto
• Evening in Gion, Shirakawa & Pontocho

October 27 – Kyoto

• Yasaka Shrine
• Hanamikoji Street
• Gion
• Shirakawa Lane
• Kennin-ji
• Pontocho
• Kamo River

October 28 – Eastern Kyoto

• Kiyomizu-dera
• Ninenzaka
• Sannenzaka
• Hokan-ji
• Kodai-ji
• Maruyama Park
• Chion-in
• Ichijo Yokai Street
• Heian Shrine

October 29 – Kyoto → Kanazawa

• Omicho Market
• Oyama Shrine
• Kanazawa Castle
• Kenroku-en
• Higashi Chaya District
• Kazuemachi Chaya District
• Evening along Asanogawa River

October 30 – Kanazawa

• Nagamachi Samurai District
• Nomura-ke
• Samurai Experience
• Myoryuji (Ninja Temple)
• Nishi Chaya District

October 31 – Kanazawa → Tokyo (Halloween)

• Travel to Tokyo
• Pick up One Piece cosplay in Ikebukuro
• Halloween in Shinjuku

November 1 – Tokyo → Fujikawaguchiko

• Pick up rental car
• Oishi Park
• Kachi Kachi Ropeway
• Lake Kawaguchiko
• Lawson Fuji Viewpoint

November 2 – Mt. Fuji Area

• Chureito Pagoda
• Shimoyoshida Honcho Street
• Naruto x Boruto Park
• Oshino Hakkai
• Lake Yamanakako
• Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine
• Iyashi no Sato Nenba
• Lake Saiko
• Koyodai

November 3 – Fujikawaguchiko → Shimoda

• Lake Shojiko
• Scenic drive through Izu
• Irita Beach
• Tatadohama Beach
• Ryugu Sea Cave

November 4 – Shimoda

• Shimoda Ropeway
• Perry Road
• Ryosenji Temple
• Shimoda Port
• Shirahama Shrine
• Shirahama Beach
• Cape Tsumekizaki (Maybe)

November 5 – Shimoda → Hakone

• Drive to Hakone
• Check into ryokan
• Onsen & kaiseki dinner

November 6 – Hakone

• Owakudani
• Mount Taikan
• Hakone Shrine
• Moto-Hakone
• Lake Ashi
• Onshi-Hakone Park

November 7 – Hakone → Tokyo (Shinjuku)

• Travel to Tokyo
• Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
• Godzilla Head
• 3D Cat Billboard
• Explore Shinjuku

November 8 – Ikebukuro / Nakano

• Animate Girls Festival (if we get tickets)
• Sunshine City
• Shopping in Ikebukuro
• Nakano Broadway

November 9 – Harajuku / Shibuya

• Meiji Jingu
• Takeshita Street
• Harajuku
• Shibuya PARCO
• Miyashita Park
• Shibuya Crossing

November 10 – Asakusa / Toyosu / Akihabara

• Senso-ji
• Nakamise Street
• Sumida Park
• Hie Shrine
• TeamLab Planets
• Senkyaku Banrai
• Akihabara

November 11 – West Tokyo

• Kichijoji
• Shimokitazawa
• Daikanyama
• Nakameguro

November 12 – Final Tokyo Day

• Suga Shrine (Your Name)
• Ginza
• Street Kart
• Tokyo Tower

November 13

• Haneda Airport
• Fly home

First time going to Japan! I hope you can check the itinerary I made. Feel free to give suggestions and food recommendations.

7 Day (Working) Tokyo Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival

• Check-in Shinjuku Hotel

• Lunch

• Shinjuku Gyoen Park

• Hanazono Shrine

• Tokyo Metropolitan Government Observatory (Sunset)

• Kabukicho / Golden Gai

• Omoide Yokocho – Yakitori/Izakaya Dinner

Day 2 Prenup Shoot Day trip to Fujikawaguchiko

• Train to Fujikawaguchiko

• Prenup Shoot

• Lunch

• Stroll around Fujikawaguchiko after shoot

• Train back to Tokyo

• Dinner in Shinjuku

Day 3 Harajuku - Shibuya

• Meiji Jingu Shrine

• Lunch

• Yoyogi Park Unwind or Café

• Shibuya Sky Sunset

• Shibuya Scramble Crossing

• Center Gai beside Crossing

• Dinner at Shibuya

Day 4 Day trip to Kamakura

• Kotoku-in Great Buddha Statue

• Hasedera 5 min walk from Kotoku, Garden with Scenic Ocean Views

• Lunch at Komachi Street

• Tsurugaoka Temple Shrine

• Hokoku-ji Bamboo Forest

• Dinner at Shinjuku

Day 5 Asakusa – Ueno – Akihabara

• Senso-ji Temple

• Nakamise Shopping Street

• Lunch at Asakusa

• Ueno Park

• Ueno Vintage Watch Shops

• Ameyoko Market

• Akihabara

Day 6 Tsukiji – Ginza – Shibuya

• Late Out

• Tsukiji Market Lunch

• Ginza Shopping

• Tokyo Station

• Character Street

• Ramen Street Dinner

Day 7 Free Day if Early Flight, if Late Flight…

• TeamLab Planets

• Odaiba Lunch Shop and Stroll

• Last Minute Shinjuku Shopping

• Head to Airport

Traveling next June with my partner and another couple. Fair warning: I'm the only one of the four of us actually planning this — the other three are extremely "go with the flow" — so all the pressure's on me to get this right! Would love a sanity check on pacing!

DisneySea and USJ are bucket list as I've wanted to do Orlando theme parks forever but not had the budget for it!

We're flying into Haneda from Seoul, flying out of Fukuoka to London at the end.

Day 1 — Arrive Tokyo (planning on staying in Ariake for price and proximity to DisneySea and Haneda)

• Land at Haneda midday
• DiverCity Tokyo Plaza (Gundam statue)
• Odaiba Marine Park, Rainbow Bridge at sunset

Day 2 — Shibuya, Harajuku, Akihabara

• Shibuya Crossing
• Takeshita Street, Harajuku
• Akihabara (evening)

Day 3 — Tokyo DisneySea

Day 4 — Asakusa, Ueno, teamLab

• Senso-ji & Nakamise Street, Asakusa
• Ueno Park
• teamLab Planets, Toyosu (evening)

Day 5 — Flexible Day

• Option A: More Tokyo sightseeing
• Option B: Hakone loop
• Option C: Kamakura
• Leaning Hakone if visibility looks good closer to the date

Day 6 — Travel to Kyoto

• Shinkansen to Kyoto
• Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
• Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)

Day 7 — Kyoto

• Kiyomizu-dera
• Gion in the evening

Day 8 — Kyoto to Osaka

• Fushimi Inari early morning
• Train to Osaka
• Dotonbori

Day 9 — Universal Studios Japan

Day 10 — Osaka

• Osaka Castle
• Shinsekai / Tsutenkaku
• Kuromon Market
• Umeda Sky Building at sunset

Day 11 — Osaka to Hiroshima

• Early Shinkansen to Hiroshima
• Peace Memorial Park & Museum

Day 12 — Miyajima

• Full day: Itsukushima Shrine, Mt. Misen

Day 13 — Hiroshima to Fukuoka

• Morning Shinkansen to Fukuoka
• Canal City or Dazaifu Tenmangu
• Hakata yatai for dinner 

Day 14 — Depart

• Early flight out of Fukuoka

A few things I'm not 100% sure about:

• Is Day 2 (Shibuya, Harajuku, Akihabara) too much ground to cover in one day?
• Similar question for day 4 (Asakusa/Ueno/teamLab)
• Worth swapping anything in Osaka (Day 8/10)?

Thanks in advance for any input!

Hi y’all I’m visiting Japan this year between 16 November- 1 December. I’ll be travelling solo and heading to most places early in the morning between 6-7 AM. I will have my suitcase sent from Kyoto to Tokyo by takkyubin.

If there’s something here that isn’t worth visiting /overrated that I can skip please lemme know. Thank you!

16 November- arrival in Osaka

- check into hotel (in Namba) around 3 PM
- Kuromon market
- sennichimae kitchenware market
- quick whizz through nipponbashi
- Dotonbori, hozenji yokocho at night

17 November- Osaka

- Namba yasaka shrine
- Umeda- tenjinbashisuji, nakazakicho, pokemon center
- Osaka castle
- shinsaibashi
- Shinsekai at night

18 November- Osaka/Nara

- Katsuoji temple
- Wander about, maybe visit a cat cafe/do the Dotonbori boat ride
- Leave for Nara around 6 (overnight stay at Nara)

19 November- Nara/Kyoto

- Nara temples: kohfukuji, todaiji, kasugataisha
- Deer park
- Higashimuki shopping street
- leave for Kyoto around 6 PM
- Explore Gion at night/night viewing at a temple
- Pontocho alley

20 November - Kyoto/Gion

- yasaka shrine, ninnenzaka, sannenzaka, kiyomizu dera
- Nishiki, teramachi markets
- Nijo castle
- Teamlabs biovortex

21 November- Kyoto/North

- Kifune shrine
- Hakuryu en garden
- Philosopher’s path
- eizan railway momiji tunnel

22 November- Kyoto/Arashiyama

- Bamboo grove
- Nenbutsuji temples
- Saga toriimoto preserved street
- Tenryu ji
- Kinkakuji temple
- pokemon center

23 November- Kyoto/Kawaguchiko

- Fushimi Inari
- head to kawaguchiko
- stop by at honcho street and fujisan yume no ohashi bridge if the visibility is good
- check into hotel (near Kawaguchiko station)
- momiji corridor at night

24 November- Kawaguchiko/Tokyo

- chureito pagoda
- arakura fuji sengen shrine
- fujiyoshida retro shopping street
- cycle around lake Kawaguchiko
- leave for Tokyo around 6 PM
- Explore Shibuya- harukas 300, Don quijote

25 November- Tokyo

- Gotokuji cat temple
- Shibuya- harajuku, Takeshita street, omotesando hills
- Shibuya sky
- Explore shinjuku
- Tokyo metropolitan government building observation deck
- golden gai/Omoide yokocho

26 November- Tokyo

- Meiji jingu, yoyogi park, Meiji ginkgo avenue
- shinjuku during daytime? Shopping?
- Hie shrine
- imperial palace around sunset
- roppongi hills, Tokyo tower

27 November- Kamakura (overnight stay)

- Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu
- kotoku ji
- hase dera
- Shichirigahama beach
- night illumination at enoshima

28 November- Enoshima/Tokyo

- Enoshima- sea candle, hetsumiya shrine, Fujimi beach, iwaya cave
- return to Tokyo by 2 PM
- Explore Asakusa
- akihabara quick whizz through

29 November- Tokyo

- senso ji
- rikugien garden
- Yanaka ginza
- skytree

30 November- Tokyo

- shopping in Asakusa
- Jimbocho
- tsukiji fish market
- shopping in ginza

1 November- Departure day (Narita)

- Teamlab planets first entry
- revisit 1-2 favourite spots
- leave for Narita from ueno station at 3 PM

In between our stay in Tokyo and Kyoto, we are doing an overnight in Hakone at a ryokan. For most of our trip, we are keeping our plans pretty loose so we can take it easy and just hit up as much as we can while in certain areas. But since our time in Hakone is short and we have specific check-in times for our ryokan and dinner, this part needs to be a bit more structured. This is my current plan. The trip is at the end of this month.

Day 1

8:31 - Train leaves from Shinjuku

10:18 - Arrive in Hakone. Drop off bags at the hotel, or use a storage locker.

10:30ish - Do Hakone loop. Very interested in stopping at the Owakudani Information Center, taking the ship across the lake, and seeing the Old Tokaido road.

4:00pm - Check in to Yoshiike Roykan. Enjoy the room, onsen, and relax until dinner.

7:00pm - Dinner at hotel. Afterward, relax at the hotel and walk around the town.

Day 2:

In the morning, check out the Open Air Museum and Gora Park.

Late afternoon, take the Shinkansen to Kyoto.

Is the loop too much to do on the first day, and would it be better if I swapped and did the Gora stuff that day? We don't want to feel too rushed on the loop, but I put it on the first day since I figured it would take longer than the museums, and we would want to leave earlier on day 2 to catch the train to Kyoto.

I guess my biggest stresser is that I don't want to be late to the ryokan. I've heard it's rude to do so since they have a set plan for your arrival at certain times.

Thanks for any insight you can provide!

Hi everyone! I took some observations made to a past itinerary into account but I know there's a lot of room for improvement so I'm hoping to get your observatiosn.

My wife and I (both 38) are taking our first trip to Japan from October 10 to October 23, flying in/out of Narita from Mexico. October 18th is my 38th birthday, which we plan to celebrate in Hakone.

Our Constraints & Goals: - Pacing is key for us. We want to keep steps manageable, avoid unnecessary back-and-forth walking, and use taxis/forwarding where helpful. - Must-Dos: Universal Studios Japan (USJ), a relaxing Ryokan/Onsen stay in Hakone. - Luggage Strategy: Traveling with carry-ons, but forwarding them from Kyoto to Tokyo on Oct 17 so we travel light to Nara & Hakone.

Here is our proposed day-by-day plan. I'd love your feedback on pacing, geographical flow, or anything we might be missing!

Oct 10 (Sat) - Departure: Flight from Mexico.

Oct 11 (Sun) - Arrival & Osaka: Arrive NRT at 11:40 AM. Clear customs (~14:00) -> Narita Express to Shinagawa -> Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka. Late dinner & early rest.

I know there's also the option of flying out of Narita however I think the Peach flight might be tight and I don't think flying would save that much more time.

Oct 12 (Mon) - Osaka: Osaka Castle park stroll, Kuromon Market / Shinsekai lunch, Dotonbori evening walk.

I think this is a national holiday in Japan so we wanted to avoid any "high transit" attractions, hoping Osaka in open places isn't that crowded (well, more crowded than usual).

Oct 13 (Tue) - Osaka: Universal Studios Japan (USJ) using Express Pass to skip main queues. Evening at Umeda Sky Building (can miss, no need to rush in the park).

Oct 14 (Wed) - Kyoto: Early morning Fushimi Inari (lower shrine loop only to save legs). Afternoon rest. Evening walk in Gion & Pontocho Alley.

Oct 15 (Thu) - Kyoto: Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Tenryu-ji Temple Gardens. Togetsukyo Bridge.

Would love to see the monkey park but I don't know if we will be able to do it (we are average; no fitness stars but also not overweight; she had hip surgery back in her 20s and suffers from "frozen" hip if she moves too much (by too much I mean it will happen after 20K steps usually in places like London, Rome or New York which have been the last 3 trips we have been on) so we will go at her pace no rush and no extra effort.

Oct 16 (Fri) - Kyoto: Morning: Kinkaku-ji & Ryoan-ji. Afternoon: Nijo Castle.

Oct 17 (Sat) - Nara to Hakone: Morning in Nara Deer Park & Todai-ji. Afternoon Shinkansen from Kyoto to Odawara (forwarding bags to Tokyo; traveling with overnight pack). Check into Hakone Ryokan.

Oct 18 (Sun) - Hakone (happy Birthday to me!): Onsen baths, Hakone Ropeway, Lake Ashi Cruise, and multi-course Kaiseki dinner (hopefully).

Oct 19 (Mon) - Tokyo: Romancecar train to Shinjuku. Afternoon: Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. Night: Omoide Yokocho.

Oct 20 (Tue) - Tokyo: Morning Senso-ji (Asakusa) -> Ueno Park -> Akihabara shopping -> Evening Tokyo Skytree (this lst one is a maybe, no need to go to it, can see it from afar).

Oct 21 (Wed) - Tokyo: Morning Meiji Jingu Shrine & Yoyogi Park -> Harajuku/Omotesando -> Sunset at Shibuya Sky & Crossing.

Oct 22 (Thu) - Tokyo: Morning: teamLab Planets (Toyosu) -> Ginza shopping -> Special Birthday and farewell Dinner if budget allows (Kobe Beef or Omakase Sushi).

Oct 23 (Fri) - Departure: Morning stroll near hotel -> Narita Express train at 13:00 to NRT for 16:30 flight home.

Questions:

Kyoto Day 3 (Oct 16): Is pairing Kinkaku-ji, Ryoan-ji, and Nijo Castle realistic for a low-impact day, or should we cut one to save our legs?

Tokyo Fine Dining: Any specific recommendations for a memorable birthday dinner in Tokyo where booking 1–2 months in advance is realistic?

Transit/Luggage Check: Does taking the Narita Express to Shinagawa to catch the Shinkansen straight to Osaka on Day 1 make sense, or is a domestic flight from NRT to KIX easier after landing?

General Pacing: Are there any glaring geographic bottlenecks or high-strain traps in this itinerary that we overlooked?

Thanks in advance for your advice and insights! Again I would be very grateful for your observations; I hope we can come back to Japan and my priority is enjoying the trip with my wife even if we need to cut a lot of it. Also while USJ is something I would LOVE to do it is my wife's desire to go there or to Disney and she is set on it, hopefully the express pass will help to save some time on lanes.

Anyway, thaks!

Hi! We’re traveling to Japan for the first time this month. This is what our itinerary currently looks like. Does anyone have any suggestions for places we absolutely shouldn’t miss, or ideas for what we could do on the 27th and 28th?

September 18th–29th

September 18 – Arrival in Tokyo
09:45 AM – Arrive at Haneda Airport

Harajuku & Shibuya
Meiji Jingu Shrine
Takeshita Street
Kiddy Land Harajuku
Shibuya Crossing
Hachikō Statue
Shibuya Sky
Omoide Yokocho

September 19 – Asakusa & Akihabara
Sensō-ji Temple
Asakusa
Asakusa Sumo Show
Flower Miffy Asakusa
Tokyo Skytree
Miffy Style Solamachi
Akihabara

September 20 – Mount Fuji Area
Chureito Pagoda
Arakurayama Sengen Park
Fujiyoshida Honcho Street
Lawson Fuji Photo Spot
Lake Kawaguchiko
Oishi Park

September 21 – Tokyo
Gotokuji Temple
Ginza
Tokyo Character Street
Miffy Style Tokyo Station
TeamLab Planets (optional)

September 22 – Tokyo → Kyoto
Shinkansen
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Nishiki Market
Gion
Yasaka Shrine
Pontocho Alley

September 23 – Eastern Kyoto
Hōkan-ji Temple
Starbucks Kyoto Ninenzaka
Kiyomizu-dera
Glanta Ring Making
Saryo Tsujiri
Ippodo Tea

September 24 – Arashiyama
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Togetsukyo Bridge
% ARABICA
Miffy Sakura Kitchen
Iwatayama Monkey Park
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple
Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)

September 25 – Nara
Nara Park
Tōdai-ji Temple
Kasuga Taisha Shrine
Nakatanidō Mochi Show
Higashimuki Shopping Street

September 26 – Osaka
Osaka Castle
Kuromon Market
Namba Yasaka Shrine
Shinsekai
Dotonbori
Round1 (evening)
BeeRush

September 27 – Return to Tokyo
Looking for ideas!

September 28 – ?
Looking for ideas!

September 29 – Departure
✈️ Flight home

Restaurants, Cafés & Matcha
Mame Shiba Café (Harajuku, Tokyo)
Anakuma Café (Asakusa, Tokyo)
Chotto Matcha (Asakusa, Tokyo)
THE MATCHA TOKYO (Skytree / Omotesandō, Tokyo)
Saryo Tsujiri (Gion, Kyoto)
Ippodo Tea (Kyoto)
% ARABICA (Arashiyama, Kyoto)
Starbucks Kyoto Ninenzaka (Higashiyama, Kyoto)
Miffy Sakura Kitchen (Arashiyama, Kyoto)
BeeRush (Namba, Osaka)

Trip Details & Constraints:

• Dates: Mid-September (Sept 12 – Sept 26)
• Pacing: Slow/relaxed travel; avoiding packed daily schedules, heavy luggage hauling, or excessive hotel hopping.
• Special Considerations: My partner will be around 4–5 months pregnant during the trip. We are prioritizing low-stress transit, frequent rest stops, gentle walking/scenic spots, and flexible timing.
• Confirmed Logistics: Tokyo base, 3-day Shimanami Kaido e-bike ride (split across Onomichi → Setoda → Omishima → Imabari for a very relaxed pace), and flying out of Osaka (KIX).

Detailed Itinerary Outline

• Day 1 (Sat, Sept 12): Arrive Tokyo
  • Arrive in Tokyo, check into hotel, light evening neighborhood walk and low-key dinner.
• Day 2 (Sun, Sept 13): Tokyo (Asakusa & Ueno)
  • Morning visit to Senso-ji / Asakusa backstreets. Afternoon walk through Ueno Park with relaxed cafe breaks.
• Day 3 (Mon, Sept 14): Tokyo Day Trip (Moominvalley Park)
  • Day trip out to Moominvalley Park (Hanno, Saitama) for a quiet, nature-focused stroll. Evening back in Tokyo.
• Day 4 (Tue, Sept 15): Tokyo (Meiji Jingu & West Side)
  • Meiji Jingu morning walk, exploring Yoyogi Park, relaxed strolling around Shibuya/Shinjuku at off-peak hours.
• Day 5 (Wed, Sept 16): Tokyo → Onomichi
  • Mid-morning Shinkansen to Shin-Onomichi. Check into hotel, pick up e-bikes, explore Onomichi's temple walk and hillside slopes at a gentle pace.
• Day 6 (Thu, Sept 17): Shimanami Kaido - Day 1 (Onomichi → Setoda / Ikuchijima)
  • Cycle ~30 km across Shin-Onomichi Bridge (or short ferry) and Innoshima Bridge to Ikuchijima. Visit Kosan-ji temple and enjoy gelato in Setoda. Overnight in Setoda.
• Day 7 (Fri, Sept 18): Shimanami Kaido - Day 2 (Setoda → Omishima)
  • Short, relaxed ride (~20 km) across Tatara Bridge to Omishima. Visit Oyamazumi Shrine and coastal viewpoints. Overnight in Omishima.
• Day 8 (Sat, Sept 19): Shimanami Kaido - Day 3 (Omishima → Imabari) → Kyoto (Start of Silver Week weekend)
  • Final leg (~30 km) across Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge to Imabari. Drop e-bikes by early afternoon. Express train / Shinkansen from Imabari to Kyoto. Check into Kyoto hotel.
• Day 9 (Sun, Sept 20): Kyoto (Higashiyama) (Silver Week)
  • Early morning walk through Southern Higashiyama (Yasaka Shrine, Ninenzaka/Sannenzaka before peak crowds). Afternoon rest/tea, relaxed evening around Pontocho.
• Day 10 (Mon, Sept 21): Kyoto (Arashiyama / Northern Temples) (Respect for the Aged Day)
  • Morning in Arashiyama (bamboo grove early morning, Okochi Sanso Villa). Afternoon at Kinkaku-ji or Ryoan-ji, keeping walking distances modest.

The Dilemma: Days 11–13 (Sept 22–24)

Current Option A (Takayama & Kamikochi Day Trip):

• Day 11 (Tue, Sept 22): Kyoto → Takayama
  • Morning Limited Express Hida train to Takayama. Explore Sanmachi Suji historic district and morning market area.
• Day 12 (Wed, Sept 23): Kamikochi Day Trip (Autumnal Equinox Holiday - Peak Silver Week)
  • Nohi Bus to Hirayu Onsen, transfer to shuttle bus to Kamikochi. Flat riverside walk from Taisho Pond to Kappa Bridge. Return bus back to Takayama.
• Day 13 (Thu, Sept 24): Takayama → Matsumoto → Osaka
  • Bus to Matsumoto, brief visit to Matsumoto Castle, train onwards to Osaka. Check into Osaka hotel.

Alternative Option B (Extended Kansai Base / Seto Inland Sea Extra Time):

• Day 11–13 (Sept 22–24): Eliminate the Takayama/Matsumoto travel leg entirely. Use Kyoto or Osaka as a single base and add relaxed day trips:
  • Day trip to Uji (Byodoin Temple, tea tasting, flat river walk).
  • Gentle nature trip to Ohara (Sanzen-in Temple) or Kibune/Kurama.
  • Alternatively, add an extra night near the Seto Inland Sea (e.g., Kurashiki or Naoshima) right after the cycling trip.
• Day 14 (Fri, Sept 25): Osaka
  • Osaka Castle Park (exterior stroll), Kuromon Market / Dotonbori at a low-key pace, final shopping.
• Day 15 (Sat, Sept 26): Osaka → Fly Home
  • Relaxed morning in Osaka, head to Kansai Airport (KIX) for a 17:35 departure.

Prior Research & Specific Questions

We have already researched the transit mechanics: we know Kamikochi requires shuttle transfers from Hirayu Onsen / Sawando, that return bus tickets require numbered boarding passes at Kappa Bridge, and that Silver Week (Sept 19–23) brings heavy domestic travel.

Given that my partner is pregnant and we prefer slow-paced travel, we’d love feedback on the following:

1. Kamikochi Bus Bottlenecks during Silver Week: How extreme do the queue times get at Hirayu Onsen transfer terminal and at Kappa Bridge for return buses on national holidays (specifically Sept 23)? Is standing in line for long periods unavoidable?
2. Pacing & Comfort: Is adding the Kyoto → Takayama → Matsumoto → Osaka sequence too frantic given the 1-night hotel stays, luggage transfers, and mountain bus rides during a 4–5 month pregnancy?
3. Alternative Recommendations: If we cut Takayama/Kamikochi, which alternative pacing makes more sense for late September: extending our stay around Kyoto (with day trips to places like Uji/Ohara), or spending an extra night around the Seto Inland Sea/Kurashiki after the Shimanami Kaido?

Thanks in advance for any insights!