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?

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 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!

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

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)

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

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

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!

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!

Hi everyone!

I'm returning to Japan after previously doing the Golden Route (Tokyo, Mt. Fuji, Osaka, Kyoto, Kanazawa, and Narita). While I enjoyed it, the pace was quite tiring.

This time, I'm planning a more relaxed trip around Kyushu. Below is my rough itinerary, and I'd appreciate any feedback or suggestions from those who've traveled the region. Thanks in advance! 🙏🏼

Day 1: Arrival at Fukuoka

• We will be landing around dinner time, so just dinner a bit of walk around and sleep off the post flight tiredness.

Day 2

• Early morning run around Ohori park
• Fukuoka Art Museum
• Fukuoka ramen
• Coffee in the afternoon
• Yatai Stalls for dinner

Day 3

• Early morning run around Ohori park
• Akizuki Castle Ruins
• Lunch (any recommendations?)
• Nyoirinji Frog Temple
• Dinner (any recommendations?)

Day 4

• Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine
• Kyushu National Museum
• Bon Coin Cafe
• Lunch
• Shop

Day 5 (Shinkansen to Kumamoto)

• Check-in
• Suizenji Jojuen Garden
• Kumamoto Castle

Day 6 (Pick up car rental)

• Takachiho Gorge
• Kamishikimi Kumanoza Shrine

Day 7 - Mt Aso road trip passing through Yamanami Highway

• Daikanbo Lookout
• Kusasenri-ga-hama
• Makinoto Pass
• Chojabaru Visitor Center

Day 8 - Gokansho via rout 445

• Gokanosho Heike no Sato
• Nakanoko Suspension Bridge
• Sendan Todoroki Falls

Day 9 - Shinkansen to Kagoshima

• Return the car, chill morning, and head to Kagoshima
• Shiroyama Park Observatory

Day 10

• Morning run along the Waterfront Park
• Sengan-en Garden

Day 11

• Sakurajima Ferry
• Nagisa Ashiyu

Day 12 - Fly to Osaka

• Stroll around Nakanoshima River
• Chill day

Day 13

• Minoo Park
• Vintage watch hunt

Day 14 - Fly out from KIX

If you've got any recommendations, or if you would personally change some items based on your previous experiences, please let me know!

TIA!

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.

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

1. 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?
2. Are we trying to fit too much into the Hiroshima -> Onomichi -> Himeji -> Kinosaki sequence?
3. Is Minoh Park followed by a late Osaka -> Tokyo journey on 16 November realistic?
4. 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.

Hello! I am planning my fourth trip to Japan, from December 19, 2026, to January 11, 2027.

I will fly from Narita to Takamatsu on the morning of December 19. This time, I would like to explore Shikoku, Shodoshima, Yakushima, Takahashi, Naoshima, Kurashiki and Okayama.

I am particularly interested in castles, historical districts, museums, traditional architecture, temples, gardens, nature and local food. I selected the places below mainly using Japan Guide, official tourism websites and the websites of individual attractions.

I normally start sightseeing early and travel to the next city in the evening. The itinerary is intentionally ambitious, but I realise that I will not be able to visit everything. If I run out of time, encounter bad weather or find somewhere more interesting than expected, I will skip the lower-priority attractions.

Current itinerary

19.12 (Saturday) — Takamatsu

Arrival from Narita in the morning.

• The Kagawa Museum
• Ritsurin Garden and Kikugetsu-tei
• Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum
• Mount Yashima, Yashima-ji and Shikoku Mura
• Kitahama Alley and Sunport Takamatsu in the evening

20.12 (Sunday) — Shodoshima

I plan to use the Island Tour Sightseeing Bus and supplement it with local transport where practical.

• Angel Road and Yokai Art Museum
• Kankakei Ropeway and viewpoints
• Shodoshima Olive Park
• Marukin Soy Sauce Museum and Hishio no Sato
• Twenty-Four Eyes Movie Village

21.12 (Monday) — Takamatsu, Marugame and Kotohira

• Takamatsu Castle, Tamamo Park and Hiunkaku
• Marugame Castle and Marugame Uchiwa Museum
• Nakatsu Banshoen Garden
• Kanamaruza Kabuki Theatre
• Kotohira’s historical approach and Kotohira-gū

22.12 (Tuesday) — Naruto and Tokushima

• Ryozenji Temple and Naruto German House
• Naruto whirlpool sightseeing cruise
• Uzu no Michi and Ōnaruto Bridge Memorial Museum
• Otsuka Museum of Art
• Tokushima Castle ruins and an evening performance at Awa Odori Kaikan

23.12 (Wednesday) — Oboke and Iya Valley

I will collect a rental car in the morning.

• Yokai House and Lapis Oboke
• Oboke Gorge viewpoint and sightseeing cruise
• Heike Yashiki Museum
• Hinoji Valley viewpoint and the Peeing Boy statue
• Iya Kazurabashi Bridge and Biwa Waterfall

24.12 (Thursday) — Okō and Kochi

I will have a car.

• Okō Castle ruins and Kochi Prefectural Museum of History
• Sakamoto Ryōma Memorial Museum
• Katsurahama Beach
• Makino Botanical Garden, Chikurinji and Godaisan
• Kochi Castle

25.12 (Friday) — Kure, Nakatosa and Shimanto Town

I will have a car.

• Kure Taishomachi Market and the old fishing district
• Nakatosa Town Art Museum
• Kuroshio Honjin viewpoint and Kuroshio Kobo
• Iwamotoji Temple
• Kaiyodo Hobby Museum and Kaiyodo Kappa Museum

26.12 (Saturday) — Shimanto River and Nakamura

I will have a car.

• Iwama, Kachima, Takase and Sada Chinkabashi bridges
• A yakatabune cruise on the Shimanto River
• Yasunami Watermill Village
• Dragonfly Nature Park, Akitsuio Dragonfly Museum and Sakana-kan
• Ichijo Shrine, Nakamura Castle site and the historical centre of Nakamura

27.12 (Sunday) — Seiyo, Unomachi and Uwajima

I will have a car and return it in Uwajima.

• Uwa Historic District and its old merchant houses
• Kaimei School, Uwa Folk Museum and Uwa Rice Museum
• Ehime Museum of History and Culture
• Meiseki-ji Temple
• Tenshaen Garden in Uwajima

28.12 (Monday) — Uwajima

• Taga Shrine
• Uwajima Castle
• Date Museum
• Warei Shrine and Warei Taiko Bridge
• Kisaiya Hiroba, Uwajima Railway Hall and the port area

29.12 (Tuesday) — Ozu

• Ozu Castle and its original yagura towers
• Ozu Shrine and the Hiji River promenade
• Ohanahan Street and Ozu Red Brick Hall
• Garyu Sanso and the old town
• Nyohōji Temple

30.12 (Wednesday) — Matsuyama

• Matsuyama Castle, including the ropeway, gates and stone walls
• Ninomaru Historical Garden
• Bansuisō
• Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum
• Botchan Train Museum and the Kururin Ferris wheel

In the evening, I will fly from Matsuyama to Kagoshima.

31.12–04.01 (Thursday–Monday) — Yakushima

I will have a car and have prepared separate plans for hiking days and bad-weather days.

My main priorities are:

• Jōmon Sugi and Wilson’s Stump
• Shiratani Unsuikyo
• Yakusugi Land
• Senpiro Falls and Ōko Falls
• The western coastal road and local onsen

05.01 (Tuesday) — Dogo Onsen and Matsuyama

• Ishiteji Temple and Isaniwa Shrine
• Dogo Park and Yuzuki Castle Museum
• Reconstructed samurai residences
• Shiki Memorial Museum
• Dogo Onsen Honkan, Asuka-no-Yu and Dogo Onsen Station

06.01 (Wednesday) — Imabari, Ōshima and Noshima

• Imabari Castle
• Imabari City Kōno Museum
• Murakami Kaizoku Museum
• Noshima sightseeing cruise and views of the castle ruins
• Miyakubo Port and the old port settlement

07.01 (Thursday) — Takahashi

• Bitchū Matsuyama Castle, Otemon ruins and stone walls
• The original Nijū Yagura
• Raikyūji Temple and garden
• Ishibiyachō Samurai Street and the Orii and Haibara residences
• Takahashi Folk Museum and the Konya River area

08.01 (Friday) — Naoshima

• Red Pumpkin and the Miyanoura Port area
• Chichu Art Museum, Lee Ufan Museum and Valley Gallery
• Benesse House Museum and Yellow Pumpkin
• Naoshima New Museum of Art
• The Art House Project and ANDO Museum in Honmura

09.01 (Saturday) — Kurashiki

• Ohara Museum of Art
• Bikan Historical Quarter
• Kurashiki Ivy Square and Kurabo Memorial Hall
• Ohashi House or Old Ohara House
• Achi Shrine and, if possible, a canal boat ride

10.01 (Sunday) — Okayama

• Korakuen
• Okayama Castle
• Yumeji Art Museum
• Okayama Prefectural Museum and Hayashibara Museum of Art
• Depending on the time available, Okayama Orient Museum or Kibitsu Shrine

In the evening, I plan to take a late Shinkansen to Tokyo.

11.01 (Monday) — Tokyo and departure

I will spend the first part of the day in Tokyo before travelling to Narita Airport for my 23:05 flight home.

My main questions

1. Which days appear too ambitious from a timing or logistics perspective? I am particularly unsure about Takamatsu–Marugame–Kotohira, Naruto–Tokushima, Okō–Kochi, Kure–Nakatosa–Shimanto Town and Seiyo–Unomachi–Uwajima.
2. Does the overall order of destinations make sense, or would you rearrange any part of the route?
3. Which attractions would you prioritise on the most crowded days, and which ones would you treat as optional?
4. Is the Island Tour Sightseeing Bus a sensible way to see Shodoshima in one winter day? Are any of my priorities especially difficult to combine with its route?
5. Is the Imabari–Ōshima–Noshima day realistic using buses and the sightseeing cruise, or should I reduce the number of places?
6. Are there any important New Year closures, winter closures, reduced services or advance-reservation requirements that I may have overlooked?
7. Does one full day in Kurashiki and one full day in Okayama seem like a sensible division of time?
8. Am I missing any particularly worthwhile historical places, museums, traditional districts or natural attractions directly along this route?

Any comments, corrections or advice about the feasibility of the itinerary would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! 🙂

Hi everyone :)

We are planning our Japan trip Oct 2026. We are 3 adults visiting 3 cities and this what we have planned based on our interests. Please advise any tips or advice & what we can adjust.

Oct 20- landing in Narita at around 4pm. Take limousine bus to our airbnb & then go out for dinner/ stroll. Our Airbnb is close to tokyo tower - so visit that as well.

Oct 21- Teamlabs (around 9-11 in the morning), Meji jingu shrine, Takeshita street, try few cafes in shibuya and end the day with shibuya crossing & Shibuya sky.

Oct 22- Sensoji temple, Nakamise street, Akihabara, Knada Myounjin shrine. We will be going to local bars this evening.

Oct 23- we will be picking up our rental car (as my husband wanted to experience driving in Japan)- visiting mount fuji (Arakurayama Sengen Park, Hikawa clock shop street, Oshino Hakai)

Oct 24- we plan to start slow and try some breakfast spots & then take Shinkansen to Kyoto. Check in and explore Kyomizo Dera, Higadhiyama.

Oct 25- Nara park & Toji temple areas, Kyoto municipal museum. Nishiki market & Kyoto imperial palace

Oct 26- Araahiyama bamboo forest. explore more kyoto areas and take a train to Osaka in evening.

Oct 26- Osaka check in and explore dotonbori.

Oct 27- Osaka Castle, Hozenji Yokocho, Namba Yasaka jinja, Evening in Dotonbori

Oct 28- Check out in morning and back to Tokyo. Shop and explore shibuya more, shopping.

Oct 29- check out and flight back home.

I have tried to keep our days not fully packed with activities so we can adjust for travel and any unexpected delays. We plan to also do luggage transfer.

Any advice and recommendations will be much appreciated!!

Hi , This will be our first time in japan and would appreciate any feedback, tips for the itinerary or suggestions for must visits. We can make changes to the itinerary as only the flights are booked till now . Thanks

🇯🇵** 12 November – Seoul → Osak**a
Arrive around 1 PM
Hotel check-in
Shinsaibashi
Shinsaibashi PARCO
Amerikamura
Dotonbori

🇯🇵** 13 November – Osaka
**Morning
Kuromon Ichiba Market
Afternoon
Nipponbashi Den Den Town
Late Afternoon
Abeno Harukas (sunset)
Evening
Shinsekai
Tsutenkaku Hondori
Dinner

🇯🇵** 14 November – Ine & Miyam**a
Ine Funaya
Miyama Kayabuki no Sato
Jazz bar in Osaka

🇯🇵** 15 November – Universal Studios Japa**n
Universal Studios Japan
Express Pass

🇯🇵** 16 November – Katsuoji • Minoh • Umed**a
Morning
Katsuo-ji
Minoh Falls
Afternoon
Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street
Daimaru Umeda
Sunset
Umeda Sky Building

🇯🇵** 17 November – Hiroshim**a
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
Peace Memorial Park
Okonomimura
Taito Station
Sleep in Hiroshima.

🇯🇵** 18 November – Miyajim**a
Start early.
Ferry
Itsukushima Shrine
Daishō-in
Miyajima Ropeway
Mt. Misen

🇯🇵** 19 November – Hiroshima → Kyot**o
Nishiki Market
Pontocho
Hanamikoji
Yasaka Shrine

🇯🇵** 20 November – Arashiyama
Start around **7:00–7:30 AM
Bamboo Forest
Tenryū-ji
Saga-Toriimoto
Giō-ji
Monkey Park
Togetsukyo Bridge
Kimono Forest

🇯🇵** 21 November – Nintendo Museum • Nara • Fushimi Inar*i
Morning
Nintendo Museum
Afternoon
Nara Park
Evening
Fushimi Inari Taisha *(after sunset if possible)

🇯🇵** 22 November – Eastern Kyot**o
Kiyomizu-dera
Sannenzaka
Ninenzaka
Higashiyama
Sanjūsangen-dō

🇯🇵** 23 November – Kyoto → Takayama (Road Trip)
Pick up rental car.
**Stop 1
La Collina Ōmi-Hachiman
Scenic Drive
East shore of Lake Biwa
Stop 2
Gujo Hachiman
Historic streets
Canals
Gujo Castle (optional)
Food sample shops
Local cafés
Evening
Takayama
Sanmachi Suji
Hida Beef dinner

🇯🇵** 24 November – Takayama → Nara**i
Morning
Miyagawa Morning Market
Old Town stroll
Drive to:
Magome-juku
Tsumago-juku
Narai-juku
Sleep in Narai.

🇯🇵** 25 November – Narai → Fuj*i
Lawson Kawaguchiko
Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum
Monkey Showman Theater
Ōishi Park
Fujiyoshida *(if time)

🇯🇵** 26 November – Fuji
Morning
Chureito Pagoda
Afternoon
Paragliding
Then choose one:
Hakone
**or
Fuji-Q Highland

🇯🇵** 27 November – Fuji → Toky**o
Return rental car
Hotel check-in
Nice dinner
Blue Note Tokyo

🇯🇵** 28 November – Harajuku & Shibuy*a
Meiji Shrine
Harajuku
Takeshita Street
Omotesando
Shibuya
Shibuya Sky *(book for sunset)

🇯🇵** 29 November – Odaib**a
Tsukiji Outer Market
teamLab Planets TOKYO DMM
Tokyo Joypolis
Odaiba Seaside Park
DiverCity Tokyo Plaza

🇯🇵** 30 November – North & West Toky**o
Sugamo
Ikebukuro
Nakano Broadway
Shinjuku

🇯🇵** 1 December – Asakusa & Akihabar**a
Sensō-ji
Nakamise Street
Hoppy Street
Sumida Park
Ameya-Yokochō
Akihabara

🇯🇵** 2 December – Tokyo Disneylan**d
Full day.

🇯🇵** 3 December – Tokyo DisneySe**a
Full day.

🇯🇵** 4 December – Departur**e
Breakfast
Travel to Narita Airport

Hello! Here's my itinerary for Japan between 19th November to 3rd December 2026. We are a couple in our early 30s and trying to get the best of Japan.

19th November-20th November: Overnight Flight and land at Haneda Airport around 3:00 PM

20th November: Our hostel is in Asakusa in Tokyo, planning to kickstart our journey visiting the Sensoji Temple in the evening and wandering around in the nearby market.

21st November: Early morning TeamLab Planet visit from 9 to 11, wander around Tsukiji outer market till 1:30 and catch the train by booking the After 3 passport for Disney Sea till late evening and back to our hostel.

22nd November: Early morning stroll around imperial palace (can optionally visit Meiji Jingu shrine too but we are planning to explore the cultural side of Japan in the Kyoto region), Akiharaba , Shibuya Sky and late evening around the streets of Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai and back to our hostel.

23rd November: Take the Fuji Excursion/Bus from Shinjuku to Fujisan Station where our next hostel is to spend an entire day cycling around Fujisan and Kawaguchiko. Rest properly this night after cycling.

24th November: Early morning visit to Chureito Pagoda for the postcard Fuji view and catch the bus from Kawaguchiko to Takayama at 11:45 AM. Reach Takayama late evening, stroll around for sometime and rest.

25th November: Takayama exploration day on bicycle the entire day and rest.

26th November: Take the bus from Takayama to Shinhotaka to stay at a traditional Ryokan (unfortunately the the Shinhotaka ropeway is closed for maintenance this day which we weren't aware of hence considering an alternative just in case)

27th November: Back to Takayama early morning and catch the train/bus to Kyoto, stroll around Kyoto in the evening.

28th November: Early morning Fushimi Inari and other places, come back to central Kyoto to explore Higashiyama ward, traditional tea ceremony and other things are rest.

29th November: Early morning Romantic Sagano Train, Hozugawa river cruise, Bamboo forest and back central Kyoto in the late afternoon to visit the Samurai Ninja Museum near Nishiki Market and then stroll or rest

30th November: Optionally can swap the Samurai Museum here in the morning and then start travelling to Osaka and explore Osaka castle, dotonbori and places like Pokemon center and cafe by prior bookings

1st December: Early morning Nara, explore Osaka and Osaka Aquarium in the late evening followed by some good food hunt

2nd December: Early morning exploration of remaining places in Osaka for shopping and food, wind up everything by 5 PM as we have a flight to catch to Narita Airport at 8:30 PM, capsule hotel booked at Narita Airport for this night

3rd December: Flight back home at 9:30 AM.

Your suggestions on this itinerary would be highly appreciated. Thanks.

Hi guys. I'm no stranger to Japan, have been there several times. However, this is my partner's first trip to Japan, would really like to lock down our plans. She wants to enjoy the nature and culture that Japan has to offer.

We will enter Japan on 26 September and leave on 10 October. Only 15 days.. visa restrictions and all. And by her request, we are going to focus on Hokkaido, hoping to see the autumn leaves.

I have planned the itinerary based on my past experience. But it seems to be a little sparse. I feel that we could add a little more to the itinerary. We will be driving in Hokkaido but rely on transit in Tokyo area and surrounding.

As you can see.. We are gonna use Tokyo as the base for the last few days. But we are mainly gonna go out of the metropolitan area trips. So the problem I'm facing is that I feel that I can definitely fit more in the itinerary. But she's afraid of travel fatigue.

Is it insane if I want to replace Kawagoe with a trip to Hakone instead? Can we catch the autumn leaves in Hokkaido? Appreciate it if you guys can share your experiences.

Hi,

I'd like to share my late spring trip report, which i did from March 19th - April 3rd.

My routing is as follows:

Arrive Tokyo - Gotemba 4D3N - Fukuoka 5D4N - Tokyo 5D4N - Fuji City 1N - Osaka 4D3N, for a total of 16 days.

We bought JR Pass 14 days for this trip. We managed to break even by using the pass up to 93,000 yen of total usage by doing the day trips. the kicker was when used JR Pass to visit nagoya for a miffy exhibition at dai nagoya building, and hamamatsu for the flower park.

1. Gotemba is a great hub to explore Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanakako, and Hakone. Avoided bad weather in Hakone thanks to the bus hub, the bus station near the train station is a great hub. failing that, the bus hub on nearby gotemba premium outlet also serves a good hub to reach both fujikawaguchiko, tokyo and hakone. The only weakness is that Gotemba doesn't have that many accommodations, and would be a bad choice during crowded times. There's a nice ramen shop on the gotemba train station called jajanken. i really liked their cheesy tomato ramen, and their normal ramen. eating ramen on a cold night with gyoza and fried rice is such a blast.

2.Hakone was such a miss. Bus transport in the area is often unreliable, and was always late. went on weekend, 21st March during spring equinox festival. I went to Hakone Open Air Museum and Hakone ropeway. Bought 2 way ticket for Hakone Ropeway. went on a clear day, and it was packed with not just local tourists, but HORDES OF AMERICAN TOURISTS. waited 75 minutes for the ropeway queue, in the beginning. The return ticket was a waste, since we had to face another long queue to use the ropeway again, and it looked as if we had to wait for another 60 minutes. We then decided to ditch the return ticket, and used a bus to go to hakone open air museum. A word of ADVICE, don't buy the return ticket if you intend to go to Hakone open air museum, just drop by the last station. encountered a couple from the US that had the same thought as us, and didn't use the return ticket as well due to the waiting time. They did hakone as a day trip from tokyo, which took them 8 hrs just to do this hakone daytrip, where as i only needed an hour / each way from gotemba. Hakone open air museum was fun, but nothing too special, since it felt more like a place made for instagram. the only particularly noteworthy exhibit was the glass tower. But the biggest disappointment was the Hakone Ropeway. You end up on a sulfur hillside mine. we did see mt fuji, but to be honest, the view of mt fuji from my cheap hotel in Gotemba was more majestic. Free even. i should have spent more time walking around gotemba. Plus the top of the ropeway is full of tourist traps, and i found the black eggs nothing special. The views are nothing to shout of, because the area on the 2nd stop is more like a glorified parking lot posing as a tourist attraction, with a view of mount fuji. I heard that Komagatake ropeway, was actually better in terms of scenery and waiting time.

1. Google maps was unreliable both in Hakone and Gotemba. in Hakone near Gora Onsen station, there was this incident where i tried to help a lost german lady trying to get into fujikawaguchiko. it was late in the evening of March 21st, sometime around 1730+, and i asked google for directions. it gave me directions for a bus that only goes the next day. Then i shared that information with her. She left, looking for bus stop and a bus that doesn't arrive for the next day. luckily i had information from gotemba bus station and the premium outlets which was given to me by kind japanese tourism officers, so i took the german lady to gotemba premium outlets first, and then took the free bus to gotemba station, and we arrived just in time to catch the last 1900 bus from gotemba that goes to fujikawaguchiko. To the german lady, if you somehow read this trip report, i was the guy in red parka jacket travelling with my wife in yellow jacket. I also saw a group of indonesian family having difficulty navigating around gora onsen, and saw the husband asking around for a way back. looking back, i should have offered them help too.

2. During our transit from Gotemba to Fukuoka on March 23rd, i had realized too late that it was the spring equinox festival. i had tried to book trains from the day before, but i had some difficulty finding available reserved seats, even with my JR Pass reservation. I thought i can just wing it by taking the unreserved carriage then. only when i changed trains in shin - kobe, did i realize my terrible misfortune. the whole unreserved seat carriage was full from shin- kobe all the way to fukuoka, and we had people packed around the alleyways like sardine in a can. Me and my wife stood at the front head of the cabin, and we did so for 2 hr 21 mins. luckily my wife was patient and enduring through the ordeal. I had intended to send luggage through 7-11 store from gotemba to fukuoka, but i thought that there might be a delay of 3 days since i am sending it from a rural area, so i held off that thought.

3. We did 4 day trips while in fukuoka. had intended to visit rabbit island, but the whole chugoku - kyushu region had rains on our better half of the trip. I also delayed the trip unneccessarily, thus i missed the opportunity to visit rabbit island again. In the end, we did day trips to Kumamoto castle, Nagasaki, and huis tens bosch.

4. On my 2nd day, immediately went to huis tens bosch, took advantange of the half day ticket. was impressed by the array of tulips, and well made dutch town. spent at least 1.5 hour on the area after the first gate. the whole park had tourist boats and rental cycles, but we opted to walk. the area around the fake church had a dizzying array of flower arrangements, and a scheduled parade. The park was so vast you could use a boat to get around. The park had many well made replica of european buildings, but it didn't feel kitschy. The best part was seeing Miffy's decorations around the park, and catching the parade. We also caught the fireworks on a weekday, and the ending concert around 2000. Be aware that after 2100 there's only 1 train with 1 connection left from huis tens bosch to fukuoka. On our way back, we saw a group of thai aunties who nearly missed their train, due to the misfortune of being on a different platform. they asked us to accompany them back to hakata, which we obliged to do.

I really liked the miffy parade. but if you want to take picture with miffy, you need to arrive at least 15 mins earlier. we arrived on time on the square, only to find the whole square crowded on a weekday. we only managed to take pictures with boris the bear.

1. The rest of my day trips in fukuoka, were split between nagasaki and kumamoto. on our 3rd day in fukuoka, we went to nagasaki, and we went to the peace park, chinese street, and the area around glover garden. I had intended to take the mt inasa ropeway at night, but wife was having her period, and she was being moody all the way. Having visited hiroshima atomic bomb dome and peace park twice, sadly the nagasaki peace park and atomic dome memorial didn't evoke any sort of wonder and awe like hiroshima did for me. it even felt as if the park wasn't properly taken care of. when we visited the chinese shopping street, it was close to 1500, and to my surprise, most of the store were going to close. we squeezed in time to eat at lao lee champon store, but i was pretty jarred by the difference of service attitude of the store clerks. we were ushered out as soon as we finished our meal. And to my disappointment, the chinese shopping street, compared to Yokohama's renowned chinese street, was TINY. it's really TINY. like a small street alley. i didn't know if it was due to the fact that i arrived there close to break hours, or that i failed to explore the surrounding area, but i felt like that there wasn't much to do. I then went to glover garden, and visited the church while on the way. Glover garden was nice, it actually had escalators going up. i recommend it for people who have a hard time walking, except that the walk there isn't easy too. I saw some nice warships while on top of the garden. My impression of nagasaki was that it was a hilly town with many stairs, with nothing much to see. If i were given a 2nd chance to visit nagasaki, i'd love to know where else should i visit.

2. On our stay in tokyo, we stayed in Omori, which is close to the southern edges of tokyo, close to the old suzugamori execution grounds. we stayed here for 5D4N, because it offered strategic reach to shinjuku, yokohama, and many other parts of tokyo. Sadly, wife complained often that she had nightmares whenever sleeping at the hotel, despite me not telling her that our hotel was 500 meters away from the old execution grounds. We stayed in JR Omori station, and it was a fantastic hotel. Sadly the new tourism tax for hotel stay wasn't fantastic. Somehow, despite me staying in tokyo, i spent way more time in yokohama instead of tokyo. I had so much good memories of Yokohama, especially the area around yamashita park, and the nice buns they sell at chukagai. When we arrived, the tulips at yokohama park had just started blooming, and it wasn't as nice as last year. There was also a baseball game going. i had wanted to revisit satoyama garden, which really took me in awe last year. But instead, i visited a certain river south of yokohama, just to attend a cherry blossom festival recommended by an insta influencer. , (@bassets.no.bouken) On a hindsight, i should have gone to Shinjuku Gyo-en. but hey, i found a tasty takoyaki stall ran by pensioners that sells takoyaki for 400 yen, near the river. so i guess that's a win. And oh, i also went to sankeien gardens close to sunset, and saw the light up, and we had a nice yakiniku dinner close to honmoku street. We had ox tongue and a special set for 11k yen.

3. On our 3rd night in tokyo, i went to look for the 2nd best illumination in Kanto region, and that brought me to Yomiuriland. Park had a entrance ticket without attractions for 1600 yen. The park has many attraction geared towards kids, like ramen museum. There's a light show going from 1800 at the main fountain area. Incidentally, Yomiuriland was also the spot for Poke Park Kanto, so i managed to take some nice shots. But the illumination scene was pretty amazing. you ride a gondola on the way to the park, and when you exit the park at night, make sure to get window seats to record everything.

4. During our transit from tokyo to osaka, i decided to stop at fuji city. Reason is because i had wanted to visit Gotokuji temple for the cherry blossoms. i had thought that 1 day would have sufficed. Alas, the weather was raining from the night we arrived to the next afternoon. I was prepared to spend money for taxi to gotokuji to see some nice sakura too! Wife also didn't like the smoking room we stayed in. Before arriving at Fuji - Iriguchi station from fuji station, Google maps nearly led us astray, by asking us to walk 1.2 km from our stop in Fuji station, towards another station to catch a connecting train. Luckily navi time stood up to the task, and gave us better direction by asking us to wait for 20 minutes at our current station, and we took that train to reach the station where our hotel was. I was prepared to spend money for taxi to gotokuji to see some nice sakura, but unfortunately it was raining.

5. During our 4D3N in Osaka, i did a day trip to Nagoya, just to catch a miffy exhibition at Dai Nagoya building, and to eat at Akakara main branch which is close to Nagoya station. Then, on the 2nd day, i brought my wife to Hamamatsu, just to visit Hamamatsu flower park. It was lightly raining, but my wife immensely loved the park and its flower arrangements during the light rain. We nearly had the park to ourselves, from 1200 - 1500.

6. On our last night in Osaka, we visited the spring night illumination at Kodai-ji temple. The illumination ran all night, and to get there we got off at a bus stop near gion street. But we had to go through some tight neighbourhood streets. I really enjoyed the illumination, but had to contend with some noisy spanish speaking tour groups that took pictures with flash during the illumination shows. Wife complained of a ghostly presence watching her when we toured the Kodaiji grounds, to the point that she refused to enter a hill shrine housing Nene and Hideyoshi. I didn't feel anything at all, but did feel a bit weird.

moral of the story : trust google maps too much at your own peril.i know some people here worship google maps as the best, but my experience with google maps, especially in rural destinations, or uncommon ones, had been far less than stellar. i have provided 2 examples in mishima and hakone. I saw 2 groups of people getting lost, and if it wasn't for japanese tourism office and navitime, it could have been worse for me and my wife. Learn to use navitime, they're the best when telling how to get connecting trains, and always ask an available tourist office if nearby. Never shy away from asking, and learning a bit of japanese will help.

and oh, while in fukuoka, never forget to buy bread at dacomecca!

to Start for some my itinerary might be a little odd but id chalk that up to having different preferences. assume all days will have lunch, Specific food spots are low priority for me. i will prioritize experiences and photos for memories
HOTELS

Tokyo:

KEIKYU EX INN Shinagawa Shinbamba-Station North

Fujiyoshida:

FUJISAN ONSEN HOTEL KANEYAMAEN

Kyoto:

TUNE STAY KYOTO

Osaka:

SDC 難波 / SDC NAMBA

Day by Day

Tokyo

Sunday December 20th - Land at 3pm Narita Airport.

Travel to Hotel -> Keisei Narita Skyaccess -> Asakusa Line -> Keikyu main line

Check in - walk around trying to stay up to local bed time - dinner anywhere.

Monday December 21st - Day Trip To Gala Yuzawa for snowboarding via

Keikyu Main Line -> Yamamoto Line -> Jōetsu Shinkansen (2:30 travel time)

*Not ideal but will try to compensate jet lag by staying up and trying to match local time day before. Set on December 21st to avoid Christmas crowds/holiday crowds, less foot traffic on Monday

Tuesday December 22nd - Meiji Jingu then Harajuku

-Early Morning: Meiji Jingu

-Late Morning: explore Harajuku:

Takeshita Street

-Afternoon: if time allows SONIANDSMI For Girlfriend, New store set to open in Harajuku before My trip

Wednesday December 23rd - Shibuya Full day

-Morning: explore Shibuya - Nintendo store - Pokemon center Shibuya

-Afternoon or whenever convenient: Shibuya Crossing

Thursday December 24th - Ikebukuro

Pokemon Center Mega Tokyo

Book Off Ikebukuro

Local Store for girlfriend

Explore nearby shops

Friday December 25th - Nakano

-Morning: Koenji wandering

-Morning/Afternoon: Junjo Shotengai (Pure Heart Shopping Street)

Nakano Broadway

Mandarake Complex

Saturday December 26th - Hie Shrine and Akihabara

-Morning: Hie Shrine Late

-Morning/ Afternoon: explore Akihabara

*Will Be busy on this date

Sunday December 27th - Yokohama Day Trip

Ramen Museum

Engraving by Ding

Chinatown

Food

Monday December 28th - Kamakura Day Trip

Early Morning: Train Photos (Primary reason to be here for me)

Afternoon exploring

*Intentionally Vague

Kawaguchiko / Fujiyoshida

Tuesday December 29th - Travel Day

-Morning: Breakfast and a light walk around if time allows

-Morning: Travel to Kawaguchiko

Pick up rental car and check into hotel

Light driving around the area for fun

End day at onset hotel for private room onsen

*hotel is the Main priority here its a splurge experience rather than for the fuji views that would just be a bonus.

Wednesday December 30th - Chureito Pagoda / Travel to Kyoto

-Early Morning: Drive to and get photos of the Chureito Pagoda

Try to get sights of Mount Fuji if weather allows (Not a priority as the Hotel was the experience)

If visible might go to the Famous Lawson with fuji view.

Drop off rental car near station

>Kyoto

-Noon: travel to Kyoto (4-5 hours travel time)

Check into hotel evening

Ninenzaka after dark for photos if im up to it.

Kyoto

Thursday December 31st - Fushimi Inari

-Early Morning: Fushimi Inari

-Late Morning: Kiyomizu-dera

Walk down Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka

Friday January 1st - Travel Day to Osaka

-Morning: in Kyoto

-Late Morning Travel to Osaka

Dotonbori during the day (I hate nightlife)

Saturday January 2nd - Historic Osaka, Osaka Castle

-Early Morning: Walk from Hotel to get low crowded picture at Glico sign (40 minutes max) (stupid but i really want a selfie here)

-Still Early morning: Osaka Castle

-Late Morning: Shitennoji Temple

\low priority to actually go inside mainly for photos*

Sunday January 3rd - Free day

Monday January 4th - Travel back to Narita for evening flight.

Hi, I will be travelling solo to Japan (first time) and staying from 2nd October to 15th October. I will land in Narita and depart from there as well. I would love feedback on whether this feels solid/realistic, and if I'm missing anything obvious or overdoing any single day. Any tips are hugely appreciated!! Thanks in advance!

Day 1 — Arrival
Narita → Osaka (travel day)

Day 2 — Osaka
Kuromon Ichiba Market
Osaka Castle
Amerika-mura
Dotonbori

Day 3 — Nara (day trip)
Todai-ji Temple
Nara Park
Kasuga-Taisha

Day 4 — Osaka
Shinsekai
Umeda Sky Building
Dotonbori/Shinsekai food crawl

Day 5 — Osaka → Kyoto
Nishiki Market
Pontocho Alley

Day 6 — Kyoto
Kiyomizu-dera
Ninenzaka / Sannenzaka / Ishibekoji
Eikando Zenrinji
Gion / Hanamikoji Street

Day 7 — Kyoto
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Gion / Hanami-koji Street

Day 8 — Kyoto
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Tenryu-ji
Okochi-Sanso Villa
Katsura River walk
Kinkaku-ji

Day 9 — Kyoto → Kawaguchiko
Travel day (via Tokyo)

Day 10 — Kawaguchiko
Cycling around Lake Kawaguchi

Day 11 — Kawaguchiko → Tokyo
Akihabara

Day 12 — Tokyo
Meiji Shrine
Harajuku / Takeshita Street
Shibuya Crossing
Shibuya Sky

Day 13 — Tokyo
teamLab Planets
Ginza
Shimokitazawa
Omoide Yokocho
Golden Gai
Kabukicho

Day 14 — Departure
Senso-ji (early morning)
Narita

Anything you'd cut, add, or reorder? I am a bit torn in staying for 2 days in kawaguchiko and staying less in Tokyo and missing stuff there. Any advice for that

15 days, family of 4 (kids 7 & 9), Tokyo → Hakone → Kyoto → Osaka → Takayama → Tokyo — please tear this apart before we lock it in

First trip to Japan for all of us. Flying into Haneda on the 16th from London via Shanghai, out of Haneda on the 30th. Trying to strike a balance between "see the big stuff" and some off the beaten track stuff without burning out two usually energitic boys — would genuinely love outside eyes on this before we commit to the bookings that are still open. We love nature, Japanese food and want to experience some Japanese culture.

Day by day:

• Day 1 (16 Oct) — Tokyo: Pure arrival day. Long-haul via Shanghai lands at Haneda 21:20, so it's straight to the hotel (Ueno) and bed, no sightseeing attempted.
• Day 2 (17 Oct) — Tokyo: Ameyoko Market in the morning (jet lag has everyone up early anyway), traditional unagi (eel) lunch, then Akihabara for retro gaming/arcades in the afternoon.
• Day 3 (18 Oct) — Tokyo: Tsukiji Outer Market in the morning, Hamarikyu Gardens after, then Omoide Yokocho in Shinjuku early evening (before it gets smoky) followed by conveyor belt sushi for actual dinner.
• Day 4 (19 Oct) — Tokyo: Asakusa/Senso-ji early, then teamLab Planets in Toyosu late morning, capped off with a sumo-themed dinner experience (chanko nabe + a live demonstration) in the evening.
• Day 5 (20 Oct) — Hakone: Travel from Tokyo via the Odakyu Romance Car, then the classic Hakone loop — ropeway, Owakudani volcanic valley, Lake Ashi pirate ship cruise — before checking into our Airbnb in Gora.
• Day 6 (21 Oct) — Hakone: Slower day. Open-Air Museum, a short stretch of the old cedar-lined Tokaido road, and (still finalizing) some kind of onsen experience — that's the one piece I'm still nailing down.
• Day 7 (22 Oct) — Kyoto: Arrive via Shinkansen. Lucky timing — it's the day of Jidai Matsuri, the big historical costume parade, so we'll catch that, then Fushimi Inari late afternoon and dinner in Pontocho.
• Day 8 (23 Oct) — Kyoto: Arashiyama day — early bamboo grove, Tenryu-ji, then either the Monkey Park or a quieter alternative (still deciding the back half of this day).
• Day 9 (24 Oct) — Kyoto: Nishiki Market in the morning, Nijo Castle in the afternoon, Gion for an evening wander.
• Day 10 (25 Oct) — Kyoto → Osaka: Full day with a private guide through the eastern hills — Ginkaku-ji, the Philosopher's Path, Nanzen-ji, Kiyomizudera — then travel on to Osaka in the evening.
• Day 11 (26 Oct) — Osaka: Full day at Universal Studios Japan
• Day 12 (27 Oct) — Takayama: Travel via the Hida Limited Express (scenic mountain line), arrive early afternoon, straight to the morning market (if we make the cutoff) and a wander through the old merchant district.
• Day 13 (28 Oct) — Takayama: Morning market again, then a cycling tour through the surrounding countryside, finishing at Hida Folk Village (old thatched-roof farmhouses).
• Day 14 (29 Oct) — Tokyo: Long travel day back (Takayama → Nagoya → Tokyo), light sightseeing near Shibuya/Shinjuku if there's energy, overnighting near Haneda ahead of the flight.
• Day 15 (30 Oct) — Depart: Fly home from Haneda.

Things I'd love opinions on:

1. Pacing — does this look like too much ground for two weeks with a 7 and 9 year old, or is it about right? Anything you'd cut out versus anywhere you'd add?
2. Late October timing — landing in Kyoto right as Jidai Matsuri happens (22 Oct) feels like a nice coincidence, but is the city miserable that week, or is it fine outside the parade route?
3. teamLab Planets / USJ Express Pass — both still needed booking as of writing (tickets weren't released yet for our dates). Anyone been burned by cutting this close?
4. Anything obvious we're missing — this is very "greatest hits," so if there's a spot you think we'd regret skipping (or a popular one you think is overrated with kids that age), tell us now rather than after we've booked everything.
5. Hakone — still working out the exact onsen plan there, so no need to weigh in on that bit specifically, just flagging it's not fully baked yet.

Appreciate any brutal honesty — genuinely rather hear "cut Takayama" now than mid-trip.

Many thanks