Summer 28-day Itinerary

20 comments

1. Aoyama Flower Market is overrated imo. If you like cafes, you can find a bunch of amazing coffee shops in the Shibuya / Aoyama area. I love Mameya for hard core black coffee (nondairy on premises!) and Nozy the Roastery, both of which are in cool neighborhoods.

   You can’t beat just walking around that part of Tokyo. Especially compared to waiting in line for half an hour at the Flower Mart to have a nothing special tea set.

2. I lived in Japan for a couple years and did a 21-day trip similar to your route. The one thing I’d recommend adding is Hiroshima.

   It wasn’t entertaining like a lot of traditional tourist things, but we spent two days there and it was one of the most memorable events of my two years there. You simply won’t find anything else in the world like what they’ve done there.

3. If you ask me, this is the wrong day to go to Mori Art Museum, Tuesday is the only day it close at 5pm, in close at 8pm the other days. Also don’t miss the Sky Deck and rooftop observation deck.

   If your dates change, keep in mind that Borderless will close in august.

   I do not think it’s especially worth doing Akihabara twice and also keep in mind that any place that is centered around shopping is not really a morning destination as shop start to open around 10-11 am. Also make no sense to dedicate one more day to Ikebukuro if you do not really know what to do there.

   While it’s true that both Ghibli museum and Sanrio Puroland are on the west side of Tokyo, it will take at least 1h to move between the two locations. When returning from Ghibli, you should consider a stop by Nakano broadway.

   Nara, a bit like Kyoto does have many temples and shrines. You absolutely have to see Todai-ji.

   For me would make more sense to stop by Himeji on the way to Kurashiki as opposed to to it as a day trip from Osaka.

   Hokuei is not a day trip from Osaka.

   Okunoshima, I would skip it, there is much more interesting places, like Hiroshima, Miyajima and even Onomichi.

   While Yufuin and Beppu are nice places, I doubt that you can do both in a single day. Somehow it does not make that much sense for me to go all the way to Kyushu for a single day. If you want to go to a onsen town, then for example Kinosaki onsen would make much more sense as it have easy access to Kyoto, Osaka and Himeji, so could be easy to fit between the two.

   While the big festivals in Tohoku are likely worth seeing, you would want to fly to Tohoku from Kyushu, doing it by train would be super long.

   One thing you also possibly did not consider is that if you spend time shopping in Tokyo at the start of the trip, you will have to carry everything with you all around Japan after that.

   There is flowers blooming all year long, just not sakura. Japanese garden are also beautiful without flower, my personal favorite in Tokyo is Koishikawa Korakuen next to Tokyo Dome City. Substitute for the onsen theme park, well, go to a nice onsen town instead. Substitute for arcade that close (Sega in Ikebukuro and Akihabara ? ) … there is still many arcades all around Tokyo, should not be too hard to find many, of course Sega and Taito station are the big names you are likely to notice.

   ​

   What I would change :

   1- Land in Osaka

   2 – Change Yufuin/Beppu by Kinosaki onsen

   3 – To include Hokuei, would need to get both the Kansai Wide Area Pass and San’in – Okayama Area Pass. The Okayama Pass have to start on day 2. Here is the day by day use : 1 – Osaka-Kinosaki 2-Kinosaki-Hukuei (this is a 4h train ride) then Hokuei-Kurashiki (this is a 3 to 4 hour train ride) 3- Visit Kurashiki 4- Kurashiki stop by Himeji Kyoto. Bonus you have an extra day if you want to add something in the area, and it can cover Nara if there is nothing

   3.2 To include both Hokuei and Okunoshima, you would get the Sanyo – San’in Area Pass only, After Hokuei, stop in Okayama and do day trip to Kurashiki and Okunoshima. It will be an extra 5000 yen for this side trip. As a bonus (I guess) you have 2 extra days on the pass.

   Detail on the pass : [https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/](https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/)

   4. Fly from Osaka (ITM or KIX) to Aomori airport

   5. Get a [JR East Tohoku pass](https://www.jreast.co.jp/multi/en/pass/eastpass_t.html). Yes, it’s 20 000 yen, so each festival will cost you 10 000 yen in train fee, but still cheaper than individual tickets. You can also try to use it for something else, even if just going to Odawara by shinkansen.

   6. Do Hakone as an overnight trip from Tokyo (and leave all your luggage in Tokyo while you go).

   7. Don’t worry about how much stuff you buy because you will only have to bring it to the airport.

4. >probably ramen and the **muscle girls bar** in ikebukuro as well

   If you didn’t hear about this from Sydsnap, I would be so curious to know about where you did hear about it haha

   ​

   >7/17-

   tsukiji fish market

   Are you looking for the outer market or the inner market? E.G. are you looking to buy food/eat there or are you looking for the actual auctions? This will change whether you’re actually looking for Tsukiji or if you’re better served checking out [Toyosu](https://tokyocheapo.com/entertainment/sightseeing/toyosu-fish-market-what-to-know/) when you’re at TeamLab Planets.

   ​

   >gundam factory (? maybe? I’m not super into the franchise)

   Alternatively you can scratch that itch of curiosity itch in Odaiba when you’re over at Teamlab anyways as you can see the giant [Unicorn Gundam](https://www.unicorn-gundam-statue.jp/) or when you’re in Akihabara (as there is a [Gundam cafe](https://g-cafe.jp/en/) there). If you do go – even just for a drink like I did – you have to check out the bathrooms (something somebody tipped me off to when I went). Obviously the cafe is a bit gimmicky (just in my opinion), but if you’re already going to Akiba anyways, it’s hardly out of the way (right outside one of the station exits). If you do go to Yokohama and have time to kill (which it seems like you will do based on your plans for the day), then it won’t be much of an issue to stop buy the Gundam Factory, but just thought I’d highlight that there are other options – like you won’t be able to miss the Unicorn Gundam in Odaiba given you more or less walk by it to get to TeamLab (depending on the direction you come from I guess). It doesn’t actually move like the Yokohama one – however. Don’t necessarily think you have to be a fan of the show/franchise though just to think it’s a bit cool 🙂

   ​

   >7/20-

   ikebukuro sunshine city

   unsure what to add nearby

   You’re better served moving the ikebukuro animate from the Akiba day and across to here or moving these across to Akiba day (as I do actually think you can do both in one day without much issue – obviously depending on how extensive you walk to walk around each area and what time you wake up). You could completely free up this day. Are you wanting to see anything else inside Sunshine City or just the Pokemon store? (there’s also a Pokemon Store at Yokohama – just FYI). I personally didn’t think there was thaaaaaaat much to explore inside Sunshine City itself, but that’s just personal preference and not sure if you have other things in mind already.

   ​

   >7/21- Hakone

   hakone open air museum

   hakone ropeway

   owakudani

   Personally, I would do as I mentioned above and move Sunshine City to Akiba day and use the 20th as an extra day in Hakone. I personally feel like 1 night in Hakone (especially when you have to travel there, check-in/settle in, and then head out) just isn’t enough. You probably can accomplish what you want in one day, but there is so much you *can* do out there that it’d be a shame to potentially be rushed doing what you want and not extending your stay an extra night, take your time, and leave room to maybe explore a bit more of the loop – for example – as well. The Open Air Museum is brilliant IMO. I easily killed numerous hours there and I probably could’ve stayed a bit longer as well but we arrived relatively later in the day.

   ​

   >7/22-

   I set this whole day aside for traveling to kyoto, but I’ll need something to do there for the rest of the day

   Either leave Hakone a bit later than you maybe would’ve or just wander around Kyoto and see what you happen to find?

   ​

   >7/31- Daytrip to Kobe

   Not sure what to do in Kobe besides eat and maybe stay at a ryokan?

   You can kind of stay in a ryokan more or less anywhere. As usual with my advice, I’ll say that I personally – unless you have a specific reason why not to – would pick either Kyoto or Osaka to set up base camp and just take the trains around for day trips – including Kobe. If admittedly there really isn’t much you’re looking to do other than eat beef (which you don’t necessarily *need* to go to Kobe for), You might just find you want to do a day trip and then you can leave at your own leisure if you aren’t finding much to do there.

   ​

   >8/2- Daytrip to nara

   Other than the deer at the park I’m not sure what else to do here

   Lots to do there really. Like with other places as well you mentioned, just do a search in this sub or even a quick google of “things to do in Nara” and I’m sure loads of suggestions will come up for you to wade through and see what gets your attention. Still definitely just a day trip – IMO – but a worthwhile one (it filled up 1 full day for me nicely).

   ​

   On the whole, I would say you have paced yourself more than reasonably (at least it would seem as such), so not too much worry there.

5. Remember that july in Japan is super humid. Don’t schedule too much per day.

6. My only advice is to do everything in the same area on the same day (if time allows). Eg, do Akihabara 7/13 instead of going back on 7/15, do Ikebukuro sunshine city on 7/15 instead of going back on 7/20. And so on

7. What kind of stuff are you looking for on photo ops, if those cafes don’t appeal to you?

   Yunessun in Hakone is a good sub for Oedo Onsen Monogatari. I would recommend spending at two days in Hakone, there is a lot to do! And re: humidity, in summer it might be nicer to visit Enoshima than Yokohama. Spending some time near the sea breeze is a good break.

   In Kobe, I think Nunobiki Herb Garden might be up your alley.

   It seems a little strange that you’re going to Okunoshima and not Hiroshima or Onomichi. Completely agree with the other person saying to choose either Kyushu or Tohoku, or it will get rushed.

8. Sounds like an amazing trip! A couple things I noticed about traveling, though. You’ve listed a whole day for traveling from Kyoto to Osaka, but they’re only 15 minutes apart by Shinkansen, maybe 30 on a regular train. Definitely not taking a whole day. It’ll probably take 2 hours or less from your hotel in Kyoto to your hotel in Osaka. And I’m curious if you’re planning to fly from Beppu to Aomori, because Aomori is really far out there. For that matter, how are you getting to Sendai? A useful website is Hyperdia. You can check train times and routes in English. There’s better ones too if you know enough kanji.

   As for Kyoto, I’ve always enjoyed walking along Pontocho in the Gion area. If you go at night there’s lots of good, albeit expensive, restaurants. Might even see some maiko walking around.

   Kobe doesn’t have a whole lot, but the port area is nice. You can also visit a sake brewery and try freshly made sake. Chinatown is popular but it’s literally just a one block area. Still worth getting some food there, though.

   I think someone else mentioned Todai-ji in Nara and I definitely agree. You have to go in and see the giant Buddha statue.

   I will also second the people saying to skip Okunoshima and instead go to Hiroshima. I went to Okunoshima when I was living in Hiroshima and it was cute, but a little ways off the beaten path and not a place I would visit if I were merely on a short trip to Japan. It’s just a simple island with a ton of rabbits walking around. The Peace Memorial is a far more worthwhile place to visit, in my opinion.

   Anyway, I hope some of this is useful!

9. I went to Japan back in 2018 foe 17 days and it was bloody amazing – the route we took was:

   – Tokyo (day trip to Hakone & Mount Fuji)
   – Hakuba
   – Kyoto
   – Osaka (day trip to Nara)
   – Hiroshima (Miyajima Island)
   – Nagasaki (on the way back went to Himeji)
   – Tokyo (day trip to Nikko)

   I wish I went

   – Tokyo (Hakone, Mt Fuji & Nikko)
   – Hakuba
   – Kyoto (day trip to Nara)
   – Hiroshima (day trip to Miyajima Island)
   – Nagasaki (Himeji)
   – Osaka

   I feel like I wasted time taking the shinkansen back to Tokyo from Nagasaki, but you live and learn!

10. If you’re going to the arashiyama bamboo forest in Kyoto, make sure to go as early as possible. The place attracks a lot of tourists and it isn’t too big. So instead of the general images you find online with an empty walking path, it actually looks more like [this](https://www.travelcaffeine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/arashiyama-bamboo-grove-kyoto-japan-701.jpg). I have friends who went in the early morning and could make nice photos with the empty pathway.

    As some others has mentioned, visit the Hiroshima Peace Museum. You could even make it into a 2 day trip from Osaka. Where you spend the night on Miyajima island and have a nice walk to top of the mountain on the second day.

11. The largest music festival in Japan, Fuji Rock Festival, is held at the end of July if you’re interested. I get a group of people together to go every year (usually..). More info at /r/fujirock

12. Make sure to leave yourself rest days or days that aren’t as physically demanding because you will become exhausted quickly.

13. you’re doing too much in too little time imo. You’re going to be exhausted by the heat. You need some chill time/ rest days in there.

14. You can skip jigoku meguri, it’s not anything super special – plus you can’t get in them! You should spend time in only Beppu or Yufuin. If you’re older, I think I’d I prefer Beppu – it’s more of a laid back take a bathand take in the view/food (sand bath/jigoku mushi) kind of town. If not, I’d go to Yufuin but factor in travel time to get up the mountain to there and shopping time. IMO the onsen quantity and quality (nigori onsen, hidden mountain-side onsen, and public baths) are way better in Beppu than Yufuin (Yufuin is a catered to a younger, touristy crowd, whereas Beppu was the historical attraction throughout most of the prefecture’s history).

15. >muscle girls bar

    I’ll be taking this

16. I’m not sure the day in Kyushu is worth it personally, Beppu and Yufuin are both nice but they seem incredibly out of the way if you’re heading up to Aomori, and I don’t think they’re worth going massively out of the way for.

    You can streamline some of the daytrips around Kansai too I think, I visited Himeji in the morning and then Kobe on the way back in the afternoon.

    It also seems weird to miss out Hiroshima in your itinerary too, so definitely consider visiting there!

17. For July 22, consider taking the shinkansen from Tokyo to Kanazawa and then down to Kyoto. Don’t remember the exact route, but the Tokyo-Kanazawa line goes north and then west, so you see Niigata, Toyama area. Regular trains used to take forever, but now it is only a couple of hours from Tokyo to Kanazawa. Not sure how convenient Hakone is to that line, though.

    With a short stop over in Kanazawa, you could see the station, Omicho Market, the castle, Kenrokuen, the Samurai District, the 21st Century Museum, and get some excellent lunch or early dinner.

    It isn’t far at all from Kanazawa down to Kyoto – maybe 3 hours, iirc.

    BUT, as others have said, remember that it is going to be summer and probably very hot. And (assuming you are coming from roughly a 12-hour plane ride away) you are going to be plenty jet-lagged.

18. Also – I know I already commented, but just wanted to say as a sidebar:

    >I’d like to be able to do things at my own pace and leave time for happy accidents, but I also don’t want to be sitting around looking for something to do

    First: I love that you’ve mentioned allowing time for “happy accidents” (and that you’ve called them happy accidents hahah). So many people forget that and Japan is one of the places where you can stumble upon so many “happy accidents”.

    Secondly: (Don’t think I already mentioned it but apologies if I repeated this). One top tip from me (that I learned from this sub when I first joined and planned my trip to Japan and carry on doing even for smaller trips) is to make an itinerary in google maps/docs (either/or or both really). For Japan, my husband and I make a google doc spreadsheet covering that we would add to any time we heard about or found somewhere we wanted to visit that was on our destination list. We’d make a note of stuff like “name/city location/category (e.g. entertainment, food, drinks, nightlife, temple, etc. etc.)/opening hours/link to website” and also had a prioritisation level like “Must see” vs. “if there’s time” and “filler if needed. We then plot it all out onto a google map as a specific category – let’s use food as an example – so if we’re ever just stuck in the moment, we can stop and say “okay, what places did we know we wanted to go to to eat that are closest to us” and then check on google maps. We use the google map thing even when traveling to less complicated places just because it saves us having to stop and think and google where we want to go/what we want to do and definitely helps avoid the whole “sitting around looking for something” aspect that you mentioned. Just one of my top tips and I don’t think you have to be the type of person who follows a rigid itinerary with no room for exploration and happy accidents to find use in that approach (we are the type that go with the flow and will change course if something more interesting pops up, but just removing the time wasted finding what’s around you in the moment is useful for us).

19. OP, that’s a solid itinerary. Not too busy, but not hard to achieve either and building in flex-time for discovery is very smart. If you haven’t been before, you could consider getting a guide for the first day or two- really helped orient my spouse and I. Also, it looks like you don’t visit Hiroshima at all, so if you’ve never been there I’d highly recommend it for a day trip at least. We visited the A-Bomb dome and Peace Park and affiliated museum as well as a restaurant at the train station. My wife and I found the reception in we got in Hiroshima as the friendliest in all of Japan and the most memorable cultural experiences. And you can hit Miyajima Island particularly if the big torii is re-opened and not under a tarp the summer you go.

20. IMO, I would add disneysea somewhere there. It is for young adult and very beautiful and fun, it is called one of the best if not the best theme parks in the world for a reason

    If you go to kobe, you can pick 2 ways, to mountain, or to harbour. IMO, got to mountain in the morning and then go down to harbour for dinner and shopping

    Hakone IMO is a 2 days trip, don’t think you can do all in 1 day, all transport stops working at 6 in the afternoon there

    Don’t forget dotonbori for osaka. You might think it is a tourist trap, but they have good food there (and shopping)

    Gundam factory sadly will be closed on march this year. If you wanna see gundam, then you need to go to odaiba for unicorn gundam or yokohama for nu gundam