Hello! I will be visiting Japan with my mum later on this year, for 17 days from mid-November to early-December, and would really appreciate some feedback on our itinerary. This will be the first time in Japan for the both of us so we have decided to stick to the most popular destinations for this trip, especially as neither of us speak Japanese and my mum has coeliac disease and must follow a strict gluten free diet.
We would like to do a range of activities and have a well rounded trip, however we are primarily interested in visiting temples, shrines, gardens and getting out in nature, particularly given it’ll likely be a good time to view the autumn foliage. I’m also a massive foodie so that will be a big part of the trip for me. My mum is in her mid-60s, and whilst she is in good shape for her age, we don’t want to be rushing around.
In terms of feedback, I’d be interested to know whether any of our days are too full / empty, and whether we have perhaps overdone it on temples, shrines and gardens? I know Kyoto will be busy so any suggestions on quieter spots would also be welcome. We did originally plan to spend two nights in Osaka, but thought a day trip would be best to give us more time in Kyoto – thoughts on this would also be appreciated. So far I have put together the following itinerary:
Day 1: London > Tokyo
– Depart Heathrow in the evening
Day 2: Arrive in Tokyo
– Arrive at Haneda in the evening
– Get eSIM and Suica Card
– Check-in to hotel in Shinjuku
Day 3: Tokyo – Shinjuku
– Gyeon National Garden
– Golden Gai
– Kabukicho
Day 4: Tokyo – Shibuya
– Meji Jingu / Yoyogi Park
– Takeshita Street
– Scramble Crossing
– Shibuya Sky
Day 5: Tokyo > Hiroshima
– Depart Tokyo in the morning
– Shukkeien Garden
– Check-in to hotel in Naka
Day 6: Hiroshima
– Atomic Bomb Dome
– Peace Memorial Museum / Park
– Hiroshima Castle
Day 7: Hiroshima – day trip to Miyajima
– Itsukushima Jinja
– Daishoin
Day 8: Hiroshima > Kyoto
– Depart Hiroshima in the morning
– Stop at Himeji Castle
– Check-in to hotel in Gion
– Nishiki Market
Day 9: Kyoto – Higashiyama
– Kiyomizu-dera
– Sannenzaka / Ninenzaka / Hōkan-ji
– Kōdai-ji
– Maruyama Park / Yasaka Shrine
– Hanamikoji Street
Day 10: Kyoto – day trip to Nara
– Nara Park
– Tōdai-ji
Day 11: Kyoto – Fushimi
– Fushimi Inari Taisha
– Tōfuku-ji
– Chishaku-in
– Sanjūsangen-dō
Day 12: Kyoto – day trip to Osaka
– Shinsaibashisuji
– Dontonbori
– Kuromon Ichiba Market
– Namba Yasaka Shrine
– Shin Sekai and Tsūtenkaku
Day 13: Kyoto – Sakyo (Philosopher’s Path)
– Higashiyama Jisho-ji
– Shinnyo-dō
– Eikan-dō
– Nanzen-ji
Day 14: Kyoto – Ukyo
– Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
– Tenryu-ji
– Togetsukyo Bridge
– Myōshin-ji
– Ryoan-ji Hojo Teien
– Kinkaku-ji
Day 15: Kyoto > Hakone
– Depart Kyoto in the morning
– Check-in to ryokan in Gora
– Hakone Museum of Art
– Relax in onsen
Day 16: Hakone – Lake Ashi
– Hakone Ropeway to Togendai
– Sightseeing Boat to Hakone-machi
– Hakone Checkpoint
– Hakone Shrine / Heiwa no Torii
– Relax in onsen
Day 17: Hakone > Tokyo
– Tokyo National Museum / Ueno Park
– Check-in to hotel in Ueno
– Akihabara
Day 18: Tokyo – Asakusa
– Sensõ-ji
– Asakusa
– Tokyo Skytree
Day 19: Tokyo – Ginza
– Hamarikyu Gardens
– Tsukiji Outer Market
– Imperial Palace
– Koishikawa Korakuen Garden
Day 20: Tokyo > London
– Depart Narita at midday
We will be travelling between each city on the Shinkansen and plan to use luggage forwarding to make our lives easier. However, our luggage fits the regular luggage limit of 160cm should we have any issues arranging luggage forwarding. I am not sure whether to prebook Shinkansen tickets or buy on the day, so advice on this would also be welcome. Thank you in advance!
by hepzimu