Hi! Posting here to do an itinerary check on the following trip through the Chuugoku area. I’ve already visited Kyoto, that’s why there is not that much time spent there. A friend of mine is likely to tag along who hasn’t been to Japan, though he’s ok with the trip being off the beaten track. If you have any suggestions on things to add on the area that are not here, I’m all ears. Mostly interested on the car section of the trip, if there are things that would require extending it by 1 – 2 days it’d try to shuffle things around, since I doubt it’ll be my last time visiting Japan, but it’s very unlikely I go renting a car around that place again.
Day 1
Arrival at Kansai Airport at 4pm. Go to Osaka, eat something in Dotonbori, and go to sleep
Day 2
Go from Osaka to Nara. Visit Nara: Todai-ji and the park. Go to Kyoto in the evening, and sleep there
Day 3 – 4
Visit Kyoto. Still TBD what to visit, other than for sure going to Kyomizu-dera and Fushimi Inari.
Day 5
Go from Kyoto to Himeji. There, visit the Castle and Engyoji. Stay in Himeji for the night. I’m quite uncertain about this day, if there will be much to do.
Day 6
Go from Himeji to Okayama, visit the Castle and neighboring garden, and then go to Hiroshima. There, visit the museum & view the neighboring monuments.
Day 7
Go from Hiroshima to Miyajima, and spend the day there. Visting both temples (Itsukushima, Daishoin) and then take the ropeway/hike to Shishiiwa Observatory. In the evening, go back to Hiroshima
Day 8
Pick up car rental in the morning. Go visit Akiyoshidai Cave, and then go to Tawarayama Onsen and spend the night there.
Day 9
Go visit Motonosumi Inari Shrine and Higashi Ushitobata Rice Terraces. After that, go to Hagi, visit it and stay there.
Day 10
Depending on the time of arrival to Hagi the day before, visit it a bit before going towards Urinji (cat temple which seemed neat) and Tsuwano. Stroll Tsuwano and spend the night there.
Day 11
Go to Masuda to leave the car, and pick a train to Izumo and visit it. Go spend the night at Yonago.
Day 12
Go to Mt Daisen. Visit the temple, do the hike up the mountain and get back. Sleep, if available on the buidst temple there.
Day 13
Go to Kurayoshi and visit the town – White wall warehouses, Higashiyama Shrine, maybe the Pear Museum (just because I find it quite an oddity). Stay either on Kurayoshi or in Misasa Onsen
Day 14
Go visit Nagereidou during the morning. Afterwards, go back to Kurayoshi and get on a train to Kinosaki Onsen. Visit the shrine (if still open by arrival), sleep on a ryokan and visit the 7 public onsens.
Day 15
Go to Amanohashidate and visit it. Afterwards, go to Kyoto
Day 16
There is nothing here at the moment. The options I’m considering are either visiting something else in Kyoto (since there are tons of things here, won’t be an issue) or going to visit Shirahige Shrine in lake Biwa, to see another Tori, this one on a lake instead of the sea.
Day 17
Flight back is at 4pm in Kansai, so buying some souvenirs or something and then the trip from Kyoto to Kansai airport.
by Lumbendil