Hi all, My Wife and I (30F, 30M) are planning a trip to Japan in April 2024 for 21 days and would appreciate your review of our plans.
We usually like to trip at a “high pace” and make the most of the time we have, and this trip was designed the same way, I hope it is not too much though. If there is something that looks impossible even at a high pace please let me know.
We also like to taste a bit of everything: art, food, culture, nature…
Please feel free to comment on any part of the trip, I only booked the flights and hotels so far but everything except for the flights can still be changed.
Also if you have recommendations for the following stuff along our route:
* Vegan-friendly restaurants / food-tours
* Free walking tours
* Interesting Museums
So, here it is:
**Wednesday, April 10 – Tokyo**
Landing 08:50, Tokyo
1. Take the Narita Express to Shinjuku
2. Rest, Eat, Sleep-off the Jet Leg
Hotel: Hotel Gracery Shinjuku
**Thursday, April 11 – Tokyo – Shinjuku**
1. Gyoen National Garden
2. Eat Ramen somewhere
3. Tokyo Metropolitan Government Buildings – FREE observation deck
4. Kabukicho
5. Golden Gai
6. Omoide Yokocho
Hotel: Hotel Gracery Shinjuku
**Friday, April 12 – Tokyo – Asakusa and Ueno**
* Asakusa
* Senso-ji
* Nakamise Shopping Street
* Ueno Park
* Ameyoko
* Akihabara
* Tokyo Skytree Observation Deck?
Hotel: Hotel Gracery Shinjuku
**Saturday, April 13 – Tokyo – Tokyo station, Tokyo imperial palace, Ginza**
1. Tokyo Station
1. Tokyo Ramen Street
2. Tokyo Character Street
3. Tokyo Food Street.
2. Tokyo Imperial Palace
3. Ginza
Hotel: Hotel Gracery Shinjuku
**Sunday, April 14 – Tokyo – Tokyo Tower, Teamlab Borderless, Akasaka, Roppongi Hills**
1. Tokyo Tower
2. Shiba Park
1. Zojo-Ji Temple
3. Teamlab Borderless
4. Akasaka
5. Roppongi Hills
Hotel: Hotel Gracery Shinjuku
**Monday, April 15 – Tokyo – Shibuya & Harajuku**
* Yoyogi Park
* Meiji Shrine
* HARAJUKU
* Takeshita Dori
* Shibuya Station
* Shibuya Crossing
* Statue of Hachiko
* Shibuya Sky Observation Deck
Hotel: Hotel Gracery Shinjuku
**Tuesday, April 16 – Tokyo – Tsukiji Outer Market, TeamLab Planets, Odaiba**
1. Tukiji Outer Market
2. TeamLab Planets
3. Odaiba
1. Diver City
2. Rainbow Bridge
Hotel: Hotel Gracery Shinjuku
\*\* send luggage to Kyoto
**Wednesday, April 17 – Hakone**
* At Shinjuku station, purchase Hakone Freepass from the Odakyu Sightseeing Service Center
* Shinjuku Station->Hakone-Yumoto Station via Odakyu Limited Express Romancecar (80 minutes)
* Hakone Open Air Museum
* Go to the Fukuzumiro ryokan
Hotel: Fukuzumiro Ryokan
**Thursday, April 18 – Hakone LOOP**
Hakone loop:
* Take the bus to Gora station
* Cable Car and Ropeway to Owakudani
* Great Boiling Valley, Owakudani
* Ropeway to Togendai
* Pirate Ship Cruise Across Lake Ashi to Hakone-machi-ko
* Hakone Checkpoint on the Tokaido Road
* take the Old Tokaido Road to Moto-Hakone-ko
* Lunch near the Moto-Hakone pier
* Hakone Jinja Shrine
* Stone-Paved Road of the Old Hakone Highway
* Amazake Teahouse
* Go to kyoto (\~4h)
* Bus to hakone yumoto
* Hakonetozan Line to odawara
* Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen to kyoto (JR)
* Bus to hotel
Hotel: Hotel Gracery Kyoto Sanjo
**Friday, April 19 – Kyoto – Central Kyoto**
1. Nijo-jo (Castle)
2. Nishiki Market
3. Gion District
1. Shirakawa River
2. Hanami-koji
3. Pontocho Alley
Hotel: Hotel Gracery Kyoto Sanjo
**Saturday, April 20 – Kyoto – SOUTH KYOTO + NORTH HIGASHIYAMA**
1. Fushimi Inari Shrine
2. Nanzen-ji Temple
3. Philosopher’s Path
1. Eikan-do Temple
2. Ginkaku-ji
4. Geisha Show?
1. Miyako Odori
2. Gion Corner
Hotel: Hotel Gracery Kyoto Sanjo
**Sunday, April 21 – Kyoto – SOUTHERN HIGASHIYAMA**
1. Kiyomizudera Temple
2. Sannenzaka Street
1. Maccha House
3. Yasaka Pagoda at Honan-Ji Temple
4. Ninenzaka Street
1. Japanese-Style Starbucks
5. Ichibeikoji Street
6. Kodai-ji Temple
7. Maruyama Park
8. Yasaka Jinja Shrine
9. Chionin Temple
10. Shoren-in Temple and Garden
Hotel: Hotel Gracery Kyoto Sanjo
**Monday, April 22 – Kyoto – Arashiyama + Northen Temples**
\*send luggage to Osaka hotel\*
1. Arashiyama
1. The Bamboo Forest (Arashiyama Bamboo Grove) – Stat as ealy as possible!!
2. Okochi Sanso Garden (at the end of the bamboo grove)
3. Tenryu-ji (Zen Buddhist temple)
4. Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama
2. Northen Temples
1. Ryoan-ji (Zen Buddhist temple) (rock garden)
2. Kinkaku-ji (Zen Buddhist temple) (the Golden Pavilion)
Hotel: Hotel Gracery Kyoto Sanjo
**Tuesday, April 23 – Hiroshima**
1. Shinkansen to Hiroshima Station
2. Atomic Bomb Dome
1. the south exit and head to the street tram stop in front of the station, take tram #2 or #6
3. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (Skip the park, we will get there later!)
4. Peace Memorial Park
1. Cenotaph for A-Bomb Victims.
2. Children’s Peace Memorial.
5. Bonus if it’s still very early somehow – Shukkei-en Garden / Hiroshima Castle
6. Head to Miyajima (\~1:30h)
1. Train/Walk to Miyajimaguchi Station
2. Walk to the Miyajimaguchi pier
3. Ferry to Miyajima pier
4. Walk from there
7. Itsukushima Shrine
8. Iwaso Ryokan!
1. 300m from the shrine
Hotel: Iwaso Ryokan
**Wednesday, April 24 – Miyajima**
1. Daisho-in Temple
2. Momiji-dani-koen Park
3. Mt. Misen
1. via Miyajima Ropeway
2. From the top station, another 30-minute climb
4. If we have time and energy – hike down the mountain instead of ropeway
5. Head to Osaka (\~4h)
1. Walk to the pier
2. Take the ferry
3. Train to Hiroshima Station
4. Shinkansen to Osaka – Shin-Osaka Station
5. Train to hotel
6. If we have energy – hang out at Dotonbori area
Hotel: Cross Hotel Osaka
**Thursday, April 25 – Nara & Osaka**
1. Train to Kintetsu-Nara Station (\~40m)
2. Todai-ji Temple
1. Nigatsu-do and Sangatsu-do (February and March Hall)
2. Nandaimon (Great South Gate)
3. Nara (Deer) Park
1. Buy Shika-Senbei!
4. Kasuga Taisha Shrine
5. Naramachi
1. Higashimuki Shopping Street
2. mochi pounding at Nakatanidou
6. Back to Osaka
1. Train to Osaka-Namba Station (\~40m)
7. Explore Dotonbori
Hotel: Cross Hotel Osaka\*send luggage to Matsumoto\*
**Friday, April 26 – Kanazawa**
1. Travel to Kanazawa (\~3h)
1. Train to Osaka Station
2. Thunderbird Limited Express to Kanazawa
2. Kenrokuen Garden
3. Kanazawa Castle
4. A few options
1. Higashi Chaya-gai (Geisha District)
1. Ochaya Shima
2. Kaikaro
2. Omicho Ichiba Market
3. Nagamachi Samurai District
1. Nomura Clan House
2. Kanazawa Shinise Memorial Hall
4. 21st Century Museum
5. Evening options
1. Korinbo street
2. Higashi Chaya-gai
Hotel: Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kanazawa Eki Nishiguchi
**Saturday, April 27 – Alpine Route**
1. Kanazawa -> Toyama via train
2. Toyama -> Tateyama via train
1. Change station to Dentetsu Station
2. Get ticket at WEB ticket machine
3. Start alpine route
4. Shinano-Omachi -> Matsumoto via train
Hotel: Tabino Hotel lit Matsumoto
**Sunday, April 28 – Kamikochi**
1. Head to Kamikochi
1. Take the Matsumoto Dentetsu (Alpico Railway) from Matsumoto Station to Shin-Shimashima Station (30 min)
2. Transfer at Shin-Shimashima Station to a bus bound for Kamikōchi (About 60 min)
3. Get off K-29 Taisho Pond bus stop
2. Hike (\~9.2m, \~3-4h)
1. Taisho Pond
2. Tashiro Marsh
3. Hotaka/Tashiro Bridge
4. Kappa Bridge
5. Myojin Pond
6. Kappa Bridge
1. take a numbered ticket for the bus back at the Kamikochi station!!
7. Kamikochi Bus Terminal
3. Back to Matsumoto
1. Bus to Shin-Shimashima
2. Train to Matsumoto Station
Options for Plan B in case of bad weather in Kamikochi: \* Matsumoto Castle\* Kiso Valley\* Takeyama\* Snow Monkey Park\* Cut to TokyoHotel: Tabino Hotel lit Matsumoto
**Monday, April 29 – Tokyo**
1. Travel to Tokyo (\~3h)
2. Azusa Limited Express from Matsumoto Station
3. Time for Stuff we missed / want to come back to from the first part of Tokyo
Hotel: SHIBUYA STREAM HOTEL
**Tuesday, April 30 – Tokyo**
1. Shopping Day.
Hotel: SHIBUYA STREAM HOTEL
**Wednesday, May 1 – Home**
Flight From Tokyo 11:10
by Mucus323