Hello everyone, I am trying to plan my trip to Japan in January-February and I would like your advice on my plan. It will be my first time in Japan and I would like to make sure I am not missing anything that could fit during my stay. I have tried to cover all four main islands.
I will arrive and leave Japan via Tokyo. I am also planning to take a flight from Takamatsu to Sapporo. The rest of the journeys between cities will be made via train, buses or ferries. Please let me know what you think about it. Thank you so much!
Total: 17+10+3+10+3=43 days
**Honshu Part 1 (17 days):**
\- Tokyo: 4 days
*Day 1:* Shibuya, Harajuku, Meiji Shrine, Shinjuku
*Day 2:* Ghibli Museum, Asakusa, Tokyo Skytree, Shimbashi
*Day 3:* Ueno, Akihabara, Ginza, Roppongi
*Day 4:* Tsukiji Fish Market and Local Neighborhoods
\- Takayama+Shirakawa-gô: 2 days
*Day 5:* Takayama Jinya, Higashiyama Walking Course, Takayama Castle, Hida no Sato village
*Day 6:* Day trip to Shirakawa-gô – Shiroyama, Ogimachi castle
\- Kanazawa: 1 day
*Day 7:* Kenroku-en garden, Kanazawa castle, Contemporary museum
\- Kyoto: 3 days
*Day 8:* Southern Higashiyama, Downtown and Fushimi-Inari
*Day 9:* Arashiyama, Kinkaku-ji and Daitoku-ji
*Day 10:* Kurama/Kibune and Northern Higashiyama
\- Osaka: 4 jours
*Day 11:* Osaka Bay Area and Kita District
*Day 12:* Minami District and Tennoji
*Day 13:* Universal Studios Japan theme park
*Day 14:* Day trip to Nara – Parks, temples and shika 🙂
\- Himeji: 1 day
*Day 15:* Himeji-jo castle, Miyuki Dori shops, Koko-en park, Shosha mount
\- Hiroshima: 2 days
*Day 16:* Genbaku memorial, Castle
*Day 17:* Day trip to Miyajima – Itsukushima torii, Misen mount, Momijidani park
​
**Kyushu (10 days):**
\- Fukuoka: 1 day
*Day 18:* Ohori Park and Fukuoka Castle Ruins, Fukuoka Tower, Tenjin area, Tochoji temple, Kushida Shrine
\- Dazaifu: 1 day
*Day 19:* Komyozen-ji temple, Dazaifu Tenman-gu sanctuary, Kyushu museum
\- Nagasaki: 1 day
*Day 20:* Nagasaki Peace Park and Museum, Meganebashi Bridge, Kofuku-ji Temple, Dejima island, Glover Garden, Mount Inasa.
\- Kagoshima: 1 day
*Day 21:* Sakurajima
\- Kirishima: 1 day
*Day 22:* Hiking
\- Kumamoto: 1 day
*Day 23:* Suizenji Jojuen garden, Kumamoto Castle, Honmyo-ji temple
\- Takachiho: 1day
*Day 24:* Takachiho Gorge and Takachiho sanctuary
\- Mont Aso: 1 day
*Day 25:* Full day on Mount Aso, time buffer to catch buses
\- Kurokawa: 1 day
*Day 26:* Onsen hopping
\- Beppu: 1 day
*Day 27:* Seven Hells of Beppu
​
**Shikoku (3 days):**
\- Matsuyama: 1 day
*Day 28:* Matsuyama Castle, Ishite-ji Temple, Dogo Onsen
\- Kotohira: 1 day
*Day 29:* Kotohira-gu
\- Takamatsu: 1 day
*Day 30:* Ritsurin garden, Tamamo Park, Takamatsu castle
​
**Hokkaido (10 days):**
\- Sapporo: 1 day
*Day 31:* Sapporo-Yoichi
\- Otaru: 1 day
*Day 32:* Otaru canal, whisky tasting, Tenguyama mount
\- Asahikawa: 1 day
*Day 33:* Asahiyama Dobutsuen zoo, Ramen village
\- Furano and Biei: 1 day
*Day 34:* Aoi-ike lake in Biei
\- Sounkyo: 1 day
*Day 35:* Kurodake mount, Ginga no Taki and Ryusei no Taki
\- Akankohan/Lake Alan: 1 day
*Day 36:* Cruise on the lake, Ainu Kotan street, Oakan and Meakan mountains
\- Abashiri: 1 day
*Day 37:* Cruise on Aurora ship, Tento mount, Abashiri jail, hiking around the lakes
\- Shiretoko: 1 day
*Day 38:* Hiking around the lakes, Cruise from Utoro
\- Noboribetsu: 1 day
*Day 39:* Oyunuma lake, Jigokudani park, Tessen-ike et Taishi Jigoku, Noboribetsu Park
\- Hakodate: 1 day
*Day 40:* Mount Hakodate, Goryōkaku tower, Esan mount
​
**Honshu Part 2 (3 days):**
\- Nikko: 2 days
*Day 41:* Shinkyo Bridge, Toshogu and Futarasan-jinja Shrine, Rinno-ji Temple
*Day 42:* Kegon Falls, Lake Chuzenji, Senjogahara Moor
\- Tokyo: 1 day
*Day 43:* Last minute shopping and flight back.
by viewtylan