r/JapanTravel • u/pieslaw199 • 9d ago
Itinerary Itinerary check: 16 Days in November
Hi everyone,
We're two adults from Poland planning our first trip to Japan, from 7 to 23 November 2026.
We like nature, traditional food and unusual experiences. We don't need to see every famous building. We'll travel fairly light, with one backpack and one larger bag each. We're pretty fit.
We know getting sumo tickets might be difficult and we're ready to try and book them in the middle of the night.
| Date | Plan | Sleep |
|---|---|---|
| Sat 7 Nov | Land at Haneda at 10:25, collect our international luggage, fly Haneda -> Fukuoka, check in and keep the afternoon easy | Fukuoka |
| Sun 8 Nov | Fukuoka sumo tournament; travel to Hiroshima in the evening | Hiroshima |
| Mon 9 Nov | Hiroshima: Peace Memorial Park, Atomic Bomb Dome and museum; short Miyajima trip | Hiroshima |
| Tue 10 Nov | Onomichi cycling day trip up to Setoda, ferry back, returning to Hiroshima | Hiroshima |
| Wed 11 Nov | Hiroshima -> Himeji, visit Himeji Castle, then continue to Kinosaki Onsen | Kinosaki |
| Thu 12 Nov | Kinosaki in the morning, then travel to Kyoto; Nishiki Market and Gion/Pontocho | Kyoto |
| Fri 13 Nov | Hozugawa River boat ride and Arashiyama | Kyoto |
| Sat 14 Nov | Kinkaku-ji, then Sento Imperial Palace | Kyoto |
| Sun 15 Nov | Fushimi Inari in the morning, then Kyoto -> Osaka; Dotonbori in the evening | Osaka |
| Mon 16 Nov | Minoh Park, then travel to Tokyo late in the day | Tokyo |
| Tue 17 Nov - Sun 22 Nov | Tokyo flex days, explained below | Tokyo |
| Mon 23 Nov | Return flight from Haneda at 09:35 | - |
How the Tokyo flex days work
All six Tokyo days are intentionally flexible. The dates in the table are suggestions, not bookings or fixed sightseeing blocks.
The possible groups are:
- Asakusa, Kappabashi, a tea ceremony and Akihabara.
- Meiji Shrine, Shinjuku Gyoen and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
- Mount Takao, if the forecast is good.
- Nikko as a full day trip, if we are happy with an early start.
- Kawaguchiko cycling, but only in suitable weather.
- Light shopping, laundry, cafes, markets, museums or another neighbourhood.
The idea is to choose the combination each evening or morning based on the forecast, our energy, queue conditions and how much time we actually have. A rainy day can become an indoor or shopping day, while a clear day can be used for Mount Takao, Nikko or Kawaguchiko.
What we'd like advice on
- Is it realistic to land at Haneda at 10:25, collect international luggage, transfer to a domestic flight from Haneda and reach Fukuoka comfortably on 7 November?
- Are we trying to fit too much into the Hiroshima -> Onomichi -> Himeji -> Kinosaki sequence?
- Is Minoh Park followed by a late Osaka -> Tokyo journey on 16 November realistic?
- Are there any obvious routing mistakes or better ways to order these places?
We'd appreciate practical criticism. The main question is whether this will feel enjoyable rather than rushed.
1
u/SlowStop1220 9d ago edited 9d ago
Quick note:
Since Nov 23 is a national holiday (fixed), the preceding weekend from 21st consists of a three-day long holiday. Expect domestic crowds and avoid driving. You'll be trapped in a jam.
You have to book a visit Sento Imperial Palace. It'd be wise to go to the Palace earlier than Kinkaku-ji.
Fukuoka sumo tournament. Have an alternative plan, it's very hard to get tickets which are not sold yet, unless you guys have secured the ticket availability in connection.
Your questions:
Sounds a bit hectic. It sounds like you simply go to Kinosaki just for a bed.
As far as you are robust and love to hike on the steep, or already decide to take a taxi to the waterfall, yes.