Hi all, it will be my (30F) first time solo travelling and first time visiting Japan for 19 days coming late Mar-early April. Just wanting to check if the itinerary is realistic and doable. My main interests are Japanese culture and traditional architecture, and the lovely nature of course.
Day 1: Arrive at Haneda Airport 5am
Shinkansen to Kyoto
Heian Jingu, Nijo Castle, Kyoto International Manga Museum, lunch at Nishiki Market, Harajuku Chicago store, Kiyomizu dera, dinner, Kyoto Tower
Day 2: Osaka day trip
Shitennoji, shinsekai, dotonbori museum namizaka, kamigata ukiyoe museum, hozenji, dotonbori, Osaka ukiyoe museum, loft umeda, kuchu teien observatory
Day 3: Himeji day trip
Himeji castle, koko en, Mt Shosha, Engyoji Shosha handicraft museum +/- Hyogo prefectural museum of history
Day 4: Arashiyama day trip
Bamboo grove, Okochi sanso, Adashino nenbutsuji, Otagi nenbutsuji, Iwatayama monkey park, Kimono forest, Gion at night/illuminations
Day 5: Nara day trip
Kasuga Taisha shrine, Todaiji, Kofuku ji, Gango ji, Tobihino, Mt Kasuga Primeval Forest
Day 6: Fushimi Inari day trip
Fushimi Inari hike
Day 7:
Kyoto imperial palace, Kurama-kifune hike, philosophers path, yasaka jinja, maruyama park, night bus to odawara
Day 8-9: 2D2N Hakone trip
Activate 2d hakone pass from odawara station
Drop luggage at Hakone Yumoto stn and visit local shrines before checking out Hakone town history museum, Ohiradai, Chisuji falls, Hakone Open Air Museum.
Next morning – Gora, ropeway, Sengokuhara, Hakone Cruise, Hakonemachi, Moto Hakone
Day 10: Kamakura from Hakone
Kamakura Hasedera, Kotoku in, tsurugaoka hachimangu, hokokuji, etc, head to Sumida
Day 11- Day 18: Base in Tokyo. The itinerary from here onwards is not yet finalised in terms of when things are happening, depending on when (if) I get a Ghibli Museum ticket.
Kawagoe day trip – Kawagoe castle honmaru palace, kurazukuri no machima, kawagoe matsuri kaikan, kashiya yokocho
3D2N Nikko trip – Nikko toshogu, shiraito falls, Edo Wonderland
Mitaka day trip – Inokashira park, Ghibli Museum
3 days in Tokyo shopping days – Asakusa, Akihabara, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Setagaya, Ueno
Day 19: 8am flight from Haneda
Any insights/advice are appreciated, thanks!
by OpposablethumbedCats