Hello everyone,
I hope you’re all well!
My wife and I are preparing our second trip to Japan, which will last 3 weeks in November 2024. We have already made our first trip in 2022 where we had the chance to visit Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka (as well as Nara, Kamakura, Yokohama).
We’d like to get your opinion on our program, and in particular on going to Hakone, given that we plan to visit Kawaguchiko during our week in Tokyo. The Kurashiki – Hakone route being rather long and above all constraining (several changes) we are looking for an alternative with another city that could be visited in 1-2 days on the Kurashiki – Tokyo axis. Or should we keep Hakone on our program despite the rather long journey between Kurashiki and Hakone? For the record, we’re looking to discover trails that are slightly less touristy than on our first trip, and looking for a more natural holiday, with more time away from the big cities, without going too far afield as we don’t speak the language.
For information, please see our program below:
\*\*Day 1 – Tokyo:\*\*
\- Asakusa
\- Omotesando and Shibuya
\- Miyashita Park
\- Ginza
\*\*Day 2 – Tokyo:\*\*
\- The Making of Harry Potter and Tokyo
\- Ikebukuro
\- Otome Road
\- Sunshine City
\*\*Day 3 – Kanazawa:\*\*
\- Morning departure for Kanazawa (3h train journey)
\- Hokuriku-Shinkansen to Kanazawa
\- Kanazawa (November 11-13)
\*\*Day 4 \*\*
\- Afternoon arrival in Kanazawa
\- Tsuzumi-mon Gate
\- Hotel check-in
\*\*Day 5:\*\*
\- Omicho Market
\- Nomura-ke Samurai Residence
\- Nagamachi District (Samurai District)
\- Kanazawa Castle Ruins
\- Kenroku-en
\- Higashi Chaya District
\*\*Day 6\*\*
\- Morning departure for Takayama (2h40 train journey)
\- Hokuriku-Shinkansen (Toyama) → Hida Train (Takayama)
\- Takayama (November 13-16)
\*\*Day 7\*\*
\- Afternoon arrival in Takayama
\- Hotel check-in
\- 3 PM – Hida no Sato Folk Village
\- Sanmachi Suji (Old Town)
\*\*Day 8:\*\*
\- Shirakawa-go (Ogimachi)
\- Bus to Ogimachi (50min)
\- Kanda House (closed on Tue/Wed)
\- Nagase House
\- Hachiman Shrine Shirakawa
\- Shirakawa-go Gassho-Zukuri Minka-en
\- Ogimachi Castle Observation Deck
\- Shiroyama Tenshukaku Observation Deck
\*\*Day 9:\*\*
\- Furukawa and Takayama
\- Miyagawa Morning Markets
\- Morning in Furukawa (15min train ride) – 1 to 2 hours recommended
\- Setogawa and Shirakabe Dozou Street in Furukawa
\- Takayama Jinya
\- Takayama Shōwa-kan Museum
\- Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine
\*\*Day 10\*\*
\- Morning departure for Hiroshima (5h15 train journey)
\- Hida Train (Nagoya) → Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen (Hiroshima)
\- Hiroshima (November 16-19)
\*\*Day 11\*\*
\- Mid-afternoon arrival in Hiroshima
\- Hotel check-in
\- Genbaku Dome
\- Hondori
\- Okonomi-mura
\*\*Day 12\*\*
\- Shukkei-en Garden
\- Hiroshima Castle
\- Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
\- Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall
\- Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
\- Children’s Peace Monument
\*\*Day 13\*\*
\- Miyajima (JR train and ferry – 1h)
\- Itsukushima Shrine
\- Senjōkaku
\- Miyajima Omotesandō Shopping Street
\- Kayatani Station (payable funicular)
\- Shishiiwa Observatory
\- Mount Misen Observatory
\- Daishō-in
\*\*Day 14\*\*
\- Morning departure for Kurashiki (1h train journey)
\- Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen (Okayama) → Limited Express Izumoshi (Kurashiki)
\- Kurashiki (November 19-20)
\*\*Day 15\*\*
\- Morning arrival in Kurashiki
\- Gangukan (Japanese Folk Toys Museum)
\- Momotaro’s Karakuri Museum
\- Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter
\- The Ohashis’ house
\- Achi Shrine
\- Shinkei-en Garden
\*\*Day 16\*\*
\- Morning departure for Hakone-Yumoto Station (5h15 train journey)
\- San-yo Line (Okayama) → Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen (Yokohama) → Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen (Odawara) → Hakonetozan Line (Hakone-Yumoto)
\- Hakone (November 20-22)
\*\*Day 17\*\*
\- Mid to late afternoon arrival in Hakone
\- Hotel check-in
\- Hakone Gōra Park
\- Hakone Open Air Museum
\*\*Day 18\*\*
\- Hakone Ropeway – Sōunzan Station
\- Hakone Visitor Center
\- Lake Cruise
\- Hakone Checkpoint
\- Onshi Hakone Park
\- Hakone-jinja Shrine
\- Torii Gate of Peace
\*\*Day 19\*\*
\- Midday departure for Tokyo (2h30 train journey)
\- Hakonetozan Line (Hakone-Yumoto Station) → Hakonetozan Line (Odawara Station) → Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen (Tokyo)
\- Tokyo (November 22-28)
\*\*Day20\*\*
\- Late afternoon arrival in Tokyo
\- Hotel check-in
\*\*Day 21\*\*
\- Tokyo – PUBLIC HOLIDAY IN JAPAN
\- Nakameguro
\*\*Day 22\*\*
\- Kichijoji (half-day)
\- Kichijoji SUNROAD shopping district
\- Harmonica Yokocho
\- Kichijoji Petit Mura
\- Inokashira Park
\- Gōtokuji Temple
\- Shimokatazawa
\*\*Day 23:\*\*
\- Kawaguchiko (1h35 bus ride)
\- Bus from Shinjuku to Chuo EXPWY Shimo Yoshida (1h35)
\- Arakurayama Sengen Park
\- Kawaguchiko (Fujikyuko Line)
\- Bike rental (#1 or #2) or electric scooter or Red Line bus to stop #14
\- Oishi Park
\- Bus from Kawaguchiko Station to Shinjuku
\*\*Day 24\*\*
\- Kawagoe (1h to 1h30 train journey)
\- Kawagoe Kumano Shrine
\- Renkeiji Temple
\- Kurazukuri no Machinami (Warehouse District)
\- Toki no Kane (Bell of Time)
\- Yoju-in Temple
\- Kashiya Yokochō (Candy Alley)
\*\*Day 25\*\*
\- Travel back to France
by RepresentativeLow773