Kia ora!
I’m going to Japan soon and have put together a rough itinerary based on here / other places around the web. I plan to travel light with just a backpack, don’t find check in / out to be onerous, and would be using a rail pass. I plan on going after Golden Week so it would be less touristic strain to find lodging.
I’m looking for input on how to make this itinerary better, especially timing wise as I can add days to make this a 2 week trip – I’m just not sure where to stay longer. Or if you feel I should go to a different city, I would appreciate input – such as I could see the benefit of spending a full day in Miyazaki for Takachiho or in a onsen resort that’s tattoo-friendly.
Day 1 – Fly into Tokyo and take train to Onomichi and rent a bicycle, bike to Setoda
Day 2 – Bike to Imabari
Day 3 – Take ferry back to Onomichi, return bike, and take train to Fukuoka + do walking tour to get acclimated to the area, catch baseball game if they’re playing at home
Day 4 – Explore other parts of Fukuoka like teamLAB, shrines, the canal, castle ruins, museum
Day 5 – Go to Yame and explore tea plantations + take a craft class
Day 6 – Go to Nagasaki, tour Gunjkanjima + atomic bomb museum, Chinatown
Day 7 – morning Nagasaki, afternoon train to Kumamoto and see the castle and try the local dango
Day 8 – do a day trip to Mt Aso and Takachiho
Day 9 – Train to Kagoshima and tour Sakurajima
Day 10 – Ibuski sand bath
Thank you in advance! It’s appreciated
by cruciferous_dino