Hi Reddit!
Hoping to get some advice on my itinerary. Is this realistic? Are we doing too much/too little? Also sorry for long post!
Background: Family of four, first time visitors. My parents M66, F68, me F34 and my wife F32 (both women). We’re flying from Paris (France). At every hotel we have booked 2 rooms apart from Takayama, where we are staying in ryokan in family room.
I speak a small amount of Japanese and English. As for everyone else, their English is passable.
Family gets along great and my parents are very active and healthy for their age. Wife is overweight (210lbs).
Specific questions. Will my wife struggle with regards to seats in restaurants, trains, etc?
Also how worried should we be about – excuse the TMI – body hair on adults? My dad is a hairy half Middle Eastern, half Frenchman, and my wife doesn’t shave legs or pits. Will this be a problem in onsen? If so, my wife is willing to pick up the razor but I really don’t see my dad doing a full back, sack and crack wax.
Also any tips for a couple of gay women to be socially accepted. We know to keep PDA to minimum, but anything else to be wary of?
My dad’s dream for a long time is to visit Japan, and Mt Fuji in particular, we came up with our plan together.
Me and my wife are into anime, manga, history and culture. My mum loves gardens, dad loves mountains, history and geography. We are all excited about the food.
Anway, onto the itinerary:
DAY ONE
• land at Narita airport
• Check in to hotel in Shinjuku
• Shower, eat, sleep – no specific activity planned
DAY TWO
• Visit Hachiko Statue and Shibuya Crossing
• Walk up to Harajuku via Cat Street
• Explore Harajuku
• Visit Meiji-Jingu Shrine
• Spend evening relaxing to recover jet lag
DAY THREE
• Visit the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace
• Visit the National Museum of Modern Art (MOMAT).
• Visit Senso-ji temple and observation deck
• Take a stroll down Nakamise Street, Kappa-Bashi Street and Asakusa Hoppy Street
• Have Hanami in Ueno Park!
• Walk from Ueno Park to Yanaka Cemetery. See last Shogun’s grave, Tenno-ji temple, and cats
• Visit Animate Shinjuku to buy anime merch
• Visit Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building’s 45th floor observation deck for nighttime skyline views
DAY FOUR
• Morning train to Takayama
• Wander Takayama exploring Sanmachi area, Hirase sake brewery, and Shiroyama Park
• Have street food in Takayama Old Town
• Return to ryokan to bathe in onsen
DAY FIVE
• Visit Miyagawa Morning Market
• Catch the bus to Hida Folk Village open air museum
• Explore Takayama / relax at ryokan
• Return to ryokan for special meal (kaiseki ryori)
DAY SIX
• Head to Takayama Nohi Bus terminal
• Bus to Shirakawa-go villages
• Explore the charming villages and thatched houses
• Bus to Kanazawa
• Visit Nagamachi Samurai Quarter
• Evening free for dinner, further exploring, bathing in hotel baths, relaxing
DAY SEVEN
• Place leisure sheet in Kanazawa Castle Park
• If visit to Ninja-dera temple is possible, visit the temple. If not, disregard this step
• Enter Kenroku-en gardens and visit them
• Visit Seisonkaku Villa (located within Kenroku-en)
• Exit Kenroku-en via Katsurazaka gate, leading into Kanazawa Castle Park
• Visit Kanazawa Castle and ruins, then find tarpaulin
• Have Hanami!
DAY EIGHT
• Morning train to Kyoto
• Explore Higashiyama
• Visit Yasaka Shrine, Maruyama Park, Sorin-ji temple, Kodai-ji temple, Ryozen Kannon, Yasaka Pagoda, Ishibe Alley, and Kiyomizu-dera temple
DAY NINE
• Visit Nijo Castle
• Visit Manga Museum
• Visit any temples or shrines etc we didn’t manage visit the previous day
• Visit Fushimi-Inari Shrine by night
DAY TEN
• Visit Arashiyama
• Visit Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji)
• Visit Ryoan-ji Zen Garden
DAY ELEVEN
• Morning train to Shin-Fuji Station
• Visit Mt Fuji World Heritage Centre
• Then take the bus to Shira-ito Falls
• Visit Shira-ito and Otodome Waterfalls
• Spend the evening relaxing at hotel, enjoying views of Fuji or catching up with sleep
DAY TWELVE
• 10.30 meet guide in hotel lobby for Fujinomiya Ecotour (full day). Bring water botte to refill with fresh spring water from Mt. Fuji
DAY THIRTEEN
• Back to Tokyo, Shinjuku
• Visit Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden (Hanami optional!)
• Explore Shinjuku skyscraper district
• Visit Metropolitan Government Building’s observation deck on 45th floor if not done earlier
DAY FOURTEEN
• Option to visit Tsukiji Fish Market
• Visit Hamarikyu Gardens
• Explore Shimbashi and Ginza
• OR visit Akihabara Electric Town (I don’t know which is best?)
Thank you, thank you for reading all that! Any tips? Does this sound reasonable?
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by Fluffy_Basis3072