I will be visiting Japan for the first time together with a friend on February 3. We’ll be arriving in Osaka’s Kansai Airport and will be staying for about 18 days (Feb 3 – Feb 20). We’ve done a bit of research but as this is our first time, we want to account for any potential issues (no train/bus seats available, activities that require booking and any overly crowded areas to avoid). We will be using a Japanese SIM card purchased in our home country and will also purchase the digital hakone pass for our 2 days in Hakone. There are a few questions we have about our itinerary:
\- We want to cycle around the Fujikawaguchiko lake area, either by normal or electric bike, but since it is winter and will be snowing, are the roads safe to cycle on?
\- We will be going to many different areas without a place to store our luggage, are the luggage storage facilities usually fully occupied or do we have to reserve them early?
Itinerary:
Day 1, February 3, Saturday
\- Arrive in Osaka
\- Dotonbori
Day 2, February 4, Sunday
\- Tenruji Temple and Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
\- Fushimi-Inari Shrine and Kiyomizudera temple
\- Gion Shimabshi district
Day 3, February 5, Monday
\- Depart Kyoto for Shirakawago through Nagoya Meitetsu bus centre
\- Whole day in Shirakawago
\- Head to Takayama to stay overnight
Day 4, February 6, Tuesday
\- Miyagawa morning markets
\- Depart for Nagoya in the afternoon
\- Nagoya castle in the evening
Day 5, February 7, Wednesday
\- Ghibli Park for the whole day
\- Depart Nagoya in the evening for Hakone
Day 6, February 8, Thursday
\- Hakone Shrine, Lake Ashinoko
\- Depart for Fujikawaguchiko
\- Rent a bike and ride around Fujikawaguchiko region
\- Onsen
Day 7, February 9, Friday
\- Mt Fuji Panoramic Ropeway
\- Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba
\- Oishi Park
\- Depart for Tokyo
\- Arrive in Shinjuku
Day 8, February 10, Saturday
\- Akihabara Electric Town
\- Asakusa
\- Tokyo Skytree
Day 9, February 11, Sunday
\- Shopping in Harajuku and Shibuya areas
Day 10, February 12, Monday
\- Shinjuku
\- Tokyo River Cruise
\- Roppongi
Day 11, February 13, Tuesday
\- Tsukiji fish markets
\- Flight from Haneda to Hakodate airport
\- Arrive in the evening
Day 12, February 14, Wednesday
\- Mt Hakodate Observatory
Day 13, February 15, Thursday
\- Rent car in Hakodate
\- Drive to Niseko
Day 14, February 16, Friday
\- Skiing in Niseko
Day 15, February 17, Saturday
\- Skiing for half the day
\- Depart for Noboribetsu
\- Jigokudani
Day 16, February 18, Friday
\- Depart for Otaru
\- Otaru Canal
Day 17, February 19, Saturday
\- Depart for Sapporo
\- Sapporo Beer Museum
\- Moiwa Observatory Deck
Day 18, February 20,
\- Leave from Sapporo Airport
by Dowiure