Hey guys I hope you have some advice, tips and recommandations for my 3 weeks itinerary. I changed it three times already and there is no much time left before I go.
I will be in Japan from **17 May – 5 June**. Arriving in NRT and leaving from there. My first idea was like the classical itinerary with a relaxing end of trip on the beaches of okinawa island, but some friends suggested that i spent too much time in the same places and should make the 3 weeks worth it. During my research about how to travel around japan and best tickets/passes for my route I randomly came across the Hokuriko Arch Pass and with so a new route with interesting places to visit. Long story short I got inspired and cancelled Okinawa for some additional nature, rural and cultural experience.
First itinerary was like : **~~Tokyo 6 days – Osaka 4 days – Kyoto 4 days – Okinawa 4 days – Tokyo 2 days~~**
**Updated Itinerary:**
**Friday 17th Tokyo**
* arrive in NRT
* check in Hotel in Tokyo
* eat/explore/get some drinks near hotel in Shinjuku (before maybe Shinjuku Gyoen Garden)
My question here is should I already start going deep in Shinjuku since I’m arriving at 2pm at the airport or chill for the day and combine Shinjuku with Shibuya?
**Saturday 18th Tokyo**
This day is for getting a taste of modern Tokyo in Shibuya (and maybe Shinjuku) and enjoy the nightlife there afterwards
* Shibuya Crossing
* Shibuya Sky
* Hachiko Statue
* Tokyo Anime Center
* Meiji Shrine
* Harajuku
* Center Gai
* in the evening get something to eat and do a little bar hopping, maybe go to a local club
**Sunday 19th Tokyo**
* I want to take advantage of the closed traffic in Akihabara at sundays and start the day in this Anime/Gaming Heaven
* Kanda Myojin Shrine
* Imperial Palace
The rest of the day will be kinda freestyle since I dont know how much time I will spent shopping and exploring. Any other suggestions for the day for a gaming/retro nerd like me?
**Monday 20th Tokyo**
This day is for relaxing so I didnt pack it to much
* Asakusa
* Senso-Ji Temple
* Ueno Park
**Tuesday 21th Tokyo**
So for this day i need your help. I’m really into the modern lifestyle and popculture of Tokyo. The urban areas, the lights, the high-tech. I’m also into cars since i watched the F&F movies as a kid and like many other Tokyo Drift is one of my fav movies of the series. How can i get that feeling of this movie in real life? Any suggestions of how I can satisfy my needs? lol
* I’ll make a stop at the Daikoku Parkin Area for sure
**Wednesday 22th Kawaguchiko**
* Mt. Fuji
For this day I think I will **rent a car** to have a comfortable day trip to Mt. Fuji. And mainly in order to drive along the highways with some nice viewpoints of Mt. Fuji, be flexible and have the possibility to stop and rest anywhere I want. This Video was inspired me to make this decision: [https://youtu.be/naz\_RVh48vg](https://youtu.be/naz_RVh48vg)
So far so good, now the 1 day trips start where i will stay at least one night each:
**Thursday 23th Nagano/Matsumoto (still dont know where to stay)**
* Stop at Snow Monkeys on the way to Nagano
* Nagano – Zenko-Ji Temple – Togakushi Ninja Museum
* Matsumoto – Matsumoto Castle
**Friday 24th – Takayama**
* Sanmaji Suchi
* Shinhotaka Rope Way
**Saturday 25th Kanazawa**
* Kenro Kuen Garden
* Myoryuji Ninja Temple
* Nagamachi Samurai District
**Sunday 26th Fukui** (Maybe just visiting here on my way to Kyoto)
* Eihei-Ji Temple
Finally I will arrive in Kyoto and from now on return to the more classical itinerary
**Sunday 26th/Monday 27th – Wednesday 29th Kyoto**
There are so many things on my bucket list for this region but i couldn’t figure out the right order and time management
* Uji and the Byodo-In Temple
* Fushimi Inari
* Kyoto Station
* Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
* Kyoto Trail
* Adashino Nenbutsuji
* Tenryu-Ji Temple
* Togetsukyo Bridge
* Sagano Romantic Train
Since the first half of the next day will probably be spent with checking out from Kyoto and checking in in Osaka I dont really know how to plan this day, but i hope you can give me some advice for my Osaka Itinerary anyway since I feel its a little messy lol
**Thursday 30th Osaka**
* Kita Umeda
* Nakazakicho District
* Osaka Castle
* Get something to drink and relax for the rest of the day
**Friday 31th Osaka**
* Namba Yasaka Shrine
* Nipponbashi Denden Town
* Kitashinchi District in the evening
**Saturday 1st**
On this day i will link up with some friends, we will be very spontaneous and just try to have some good time
* Universal Studio
* Explore Dotonbori in the evening
Any other recommendations for this day?
**Sunday 2nd Osaka**
* Minoo Park
* Shitenno-ji Temple
* Shinsekai
* Sumiyoshi Taisha
**Monday 3rd – Wednesday 4th Tokyo**
I want to spend my last two days where everything started and just enjoy my last visit in Tokyo shopping and eating as much as I can lol
1. Do you think the day trips from Thursday 23th to Sunday 26th are worth cutting out okinawa or even doable? Would you swap things around, cut or extend?
2. Anything I totally missed and should do instead of something I planned?
3. How to travel this route? I was thinking about getting the JR pass for 2 weeks from the seventh day on. Would it be worth it?
4. I am trying to pack light but unsure about weather in the different regions and what to wear especially if I might do the alpine route between my day trips from Tokyo to Kyoto. Any tips?
If you read this far, you’re the best thank you!! I really appreciate any help 🙂
by SahinKx