Hello guys! Last minute itinerary check starting on 24th december – 14th January!
Some background about us: Swiss male couple, in the end of their twenties, we’ve been three times in Japan so far, never in Winter – we’re used to the colds and snow cause Switzerland. We are semi-semi-fluent in japanese (like N4 levelish). We are nerds for Anime/manga, temples, museums, food, culture in general. Everything expect Tokyo will be new areas for us. The pace we’re doing we are probably used to (doing a few short stops with a few longer in between).
**24th December (Staying in Akihabara):**
* Arriving at 10am at Narita, taking the N’EX for Tokyo and then leaving our luggage there.
* Going for Ramen @ Kyushu Jangara Ramen (one of the best we ever had!)
* Hanging around Akihabara & Checking out the new Azubudai Hills
* Pokémon Café at 7:50pm
* Checking out the Akihabara UDX Illumination
**25th December**
* In the morning nothing particular so far: Maybe checking out the surrounding area of Tokyo Tower as we’ve never been in this area
* At 3:20pm we have entrance for Shibuya Sky to see the Sunset and have our time
* Evening: Shibuya Blue Cave and some Kaiten Sushi
**26th December (Tokyo → Sendai)**
* Early start into the day. We want to arrive in Sendai between 9-10am
* Loople Bus tour to see the most important Sendai sights
* Evening: Going for some Guytan
**27th December (Sendai)**
Day trip to Matsushima
* Go to Hon-Shiogama, then take the Basho Cruise for Matsushima. Explore Matsushima and visit the Entsuin temple
* Food: Hunt for some good sea food (Oysters, Matsushima Fish Market)
**28th December (Sendai → Ginzan onsen region (Kansyokan)(by car))**
* Getting our car at Sendai Station at 9am
* Head for Ginzan Onsen
* Are there any recommendations for tattoo friendly Onsen at Ginzan? I have quite a few tattoos on my body.
* Spend the afternoon until early evening exploring Ginzan and (hopefully also going to a Onsen)
* Head to our Ryokan and eat Kaiseki dinner
**29th December (Kansyokan → Aomori)**
* After the breakfast we want to head to Yamadera and explore it’s area.
* If enough time: Maybe visit Zao Onsen in the afternoon.
* Give car back at 5:30pm and then take the Shinkansen to Aomori.
**30th December (Aomori)**
* Nebuta Warasse Museum
* A-Factor
**31th December (Aomori → Hakodate)**
* Not sure yet if we should move early to Hakodate or stay longer in Aomori. If we will stay in Aomori we will do probably do a daytrip to it’s surroundings. I was thinking about Lake Towada or Mount Iwaki.
* Visit a temple @ midnight. I found the Hachimangu Temple, which seems nice and popular – any recommendations for events for NYE in Hakodate for temple visit or just generally?
**1st January (Hakodate)**
* Go for a Hatsumode
* Chill day. Walk around Hakodate, wash some clothes.
* Maybe if we feel like it: Going to the Cinema to watch the new Spy x Family movie (will cinemas be open at January 1st?)
**2nd January (Hakodate → Niseko) (Car rental for 5 days from here on)**
* Grab our car at 11am and then head up to Niseko
* Walking around Niseko, explore it’s surroundings
**3rd January (Niseko → Lake Toya)**
* If we feel like it: Go skiing! (mabye snowshoeing or snowmobiling as an alternative)
* If not: Head to Lake Toya.
* Visit Lake Hill Farm (a friend recommended the Ice cream – best of his life – so gotta give it a shot!)
* Explore Nakajima / explore Toya Town
* Evening: We have a nice hotel at the sea with dinner and some Hotel activitites, so spend the evening there
**4th January (Lake Toya → Noboribetsu)**
* Head to Noboribetsu
* Morning: Jigokudani
* Afternoon: Noboribetsu Jidai Village (recommendation from a friend)
* Late afternoon/evening: Enjoy our Ryokan stay
**5th January (Noboribetsu → Sapporo)**
* Visit The Historic Village of Hokkaido
* Visit the Upopoy Nation Ainu Museum
* Evening: Give the car back at 5:30 in Sapporo, check in and explore Susukino
**6th – 8th January (Sapporo)**
* Day 1
* Sapporo Beer Brewery Museum
* Maybe: Botancial Garden (my boyfriend is a fan of botanical gardens)
* Mount Moiwa Ropeway
* Fushimi Inari Sapporo Shrine
* Evening: Drinking tour in Sapporo
* Day 2
* Visiting Yoichi (Nikka distilliry)
* Visit and explore Otaru (Temple Visit maybe)
* Day 3
* Sapporo Central Wholesale Market/Nijo Market
* Hokkaido Jingu
* Tanukikoji Shopping Street
In general: Try the local cuisine. Hokkaido Crab, Ramen, Jingisukan, Hokkaido dairy products
**9th January – 13th January (Tokyo)**
We’ve been twice so far in Tokyo, so we have done most of the big attractions – still open to new things
* Day 1
* Fly back to Tokyo, arrive late afternoon
* Explore our surroundings (Shinjuku) and then get some Korean BBQ in Shin-Okubo
* Day 2
* Morning: Kintsugi Course
* Afternoon: Explore Minato, maybe Nezu Museum.
* Day 3
* Do a random walking tour from a book we have with different walking routes that that take about 1/2 – 1 day and explore it’s surrounding
* Day 4
* Asakusa in the morning
* Kappabashi for kitchen goods
* Afternoon: Ginza shopping (mainly Uniqlo)
* Evening: Marunoichi Illumination/Roppongi Hills Keyakizaka Illumination
* Tokyo Nightlife
* Day 5
* Maybe do a daytrip to another place, so far the options are: Nikko, Hakone, Yokohama. We are mostly in between Nikko and Hakone though.
* Last full day, so do some last minute things like Shopping (Harajuku, Shibuya, Second Hand things), getting some Omiyage and then going out in the evening (mostly @ the evening)
**14th January (Tokyo → Switzerland)**
Flight around 12pm back home. So we will leave in the early hours for Narita and then say “Goodbye Japan” once again (i’m not crying…)
**So my general questions are:**
* Most important: Are we missing out on something/somewhere that I should know of?
* We are confliced about getting a JR PASS (Tohoku one) – I was calculating it and it seems not to be worth it? Will there be problems getting Shinkansen Tickets just at the day itself for this route (cause of the holidays?) As of my current informations are saying that the most popular route is Tokyo – Kyoto, which will be packed, the Tohoku Shinkansen should be (at least) better
* Is there anything we should consider/think about (not seeing?? something obvious idk) cause of the New Year’s holidays (from Japan)? Especially with the trains/transportation around this time? And anything in general?
Thank you every one who took the time for reading that and even more if you’re responding to that!
PS: We’re open to meet people to do something if you’re staying around the same area hit me up in the DMs- we’re always up to eat dinner together or do something!! We did that in 2019 and that was pretty fun.
by kayprel