One of the hardest questions to answer on this subreddit is when people ask what their **itinerary** should be, followed by questions on what an appropriate **budget** would be, and then suggestions on **hidden gems.**
**The TL;DR is that all three questions need more details if you want them to be answered.**
“But kmrbtravel!” you say, “I need an itinerary if I want a budget, and a budget if I want to make an itinerary! It’s all so overwhelming, and I don’t know where to start! Oh but I also want to find places that have little to no tourists and are your secret hidden gems, just for that variety!”
I’m hoping this post will be a good starting point for the people above but also to let people know that for the vast majority of us, the ‘basic’ things recommended on Google and YouTube will be perfect! Travelling Japan is fun because there are *so* many things to be distracted by, and you will be spending a lot of your time wandering and trying things out, even without a detailed itinerary.
# About Me
I write this spiel every time, but I’m a 25F solo traveller with friends I stay with in Japan. Played a Japanese martial art for years, and I visit Japan 3-4x every year (usually 1-2 weeks in April, 1 week in September, 1-2 weeks in late Oct/early Nov, and 1 month in December).
I’m currently on a mission to visit all 47 prefectures across Japan, and I’m at 9 right now (Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo, Shimane, Mie, Hiroshima, Okayama, Hyogo, and most recently Nagoya). You can read about [my biggest and craziest trip here](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/1c487er/trip_megareview_mie_shimane_hiroshima_okayama/) (especially if you’re looking for suggestions outside of Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka!)
I speak and understand very basic and noob Japanese. Enough for me to get around, barely enough for me to talk to random obaasans in the onsen who are curious about my travels. I can read hiragana/katakana, and kanji still eludes me (but we’ll get there!)
One thing to note about me is that **I’m mostly temple/shrine** oriented when I travel Japan, so I personally cannot answer questions regarding things like museums/amusement parks/etc.
# What Makes Planning a Japan Trip So Hard? (And why is it harder for us to answer your questions?)
Out of any other country that I’ve visited, I genuinely believe that **Japan has the most variety** in terms of what you can do and see and can cater *wildly* to different kinds of people, which sometimes makes it **very difficult for us to give you detailed answers.** While we all have the same goal of ‘exploring Japan,’ I personally want to give the best answers possible. I will have different suggestions (and routes!) depending on if you can walk 30,000 steps/day, if you have young kids, if you like anime, if you like martial arts, if you like nature and hiking, if you like shrines/temples, if you don’t mind crowds, if you want to just do what everyone else is doing, if you want to do more traditional things, etc. etc. This is why general questions on ‘what should my itinerary be’ can never fully be answered. We are not mind readers, but we’re happy to help with more information.
‘They all sound good to me though, and that’s why I can’t choose!’
Unfortunately, the reality is that you will *have* to choose by some point. Japan is so much fun because there is an endless amount of things to do, and you have to pick what sounds the most entertaining to *you*. After 9 prefectures and multiple visits to Japan, I have very, *very* little things that I personally didn’t enjoy. We do not know who you are, and we do not know your preferences. You need to either pick for us, or give us that guidance so we can suggest appropriate itineraries for you.
In harsher terms, for the vast majority of us, an **AI-made itinerary, or suggestions from Google or YouTube will satisfy your trip.** What us humans can do on Reddit, is to give you ***specific*** suggestions, but we cannot give specific suggestions if you do not provide us with (somewhat) specific questions.
# 1. The Budget Question
I have travelled Japan with less than Â¥2000/day, and have travelled with more than Â¥20,000/day. The great thing about Japan is that **you have the option to do both.** Are you broke after plane tickets + hotels? No worries, there are tons of free sightseeing options and you can konbini or street food breakfast/lunch/dinner for very little. Do you want to splurge because this is your ‘once-in-a-lifetime-trip?’ Don’t worry! There are tons of ways for you to sink your money in.
But to be more helpful, I’ll break it down just a bit further. After hotels/planes, **these are the biggest money sinks:**
* **Transportation:** while transit isn’t groundbreakingly expensive, if you’re moving a lot and jumping around stations, it can add up. I usually charge around Â¥10,000-20,000 per trip (for day-to-day transportation)
* The big bank-breaking transportation though is of course, the **Shinkansen**. If you are moving between cities via the bullet train, you need to keep this in mind and weave it into your budget.
* Other options include:
* **Night bus:** pros (usually cheap), cons (you basically waste a day because you’re EXHAUSTED the next day)
* **Local subway lines:** pros (faster than the bus), cons (do not come on with big luggage and there is a very real chance you may have to stand 3+ hours if it’s a busy line—which happened to me in Hiroshima)
* **Day bus:** pros (cheap and you don’t have to force yourself to sleep), cons (you literally waste a day travelling to get to your location)
* **Food:** while I’m personally not a fan of Japanese food myself, I still find all sorts of ways to open my wallet with cool cafes, street food, AYCE BBQ, and just general meals.
* I’ve found most meals cost between **Â¥500-2500,** though you can do cheaper with konbini-only or street stall foods. Japan is great because even their cheapest options tend to be pretty high quality.
* **Tickets/experiences:** renting kimonos, Ghibli museums or parks, TeamLabs, amusement parks, Shibuya Sky/Tokyo Tower/SkyTree, (some) temples/shrines, gardens, castles, etc. all cost money. We have no idea what you want to do, so you’d need to provide this sort of information for us.
* **Ryokans:** I know I said ‘excluding hotels,’ but if you want a traditional ryokan experience, these tend to be much costlier than most other cheap hotel options. I personally still travel like a broke university student and rarely pay over Â¥5000/night for a hotel, unless it’s peak travel season, so a ryokan is out of my budget. But if you want to experience one, put it in your estimate!
* **Souvenirs:** if you’re bad with money like me, you will be purchasing a lot of souvenirs. As a Canadian, I cannot fathom what on earth people would even want from Canada minus a bucket of maple syrup, but there are tons of options in Japan, all of which adds up quite quickly.
* **Goshuin:** I am writing a massive post on goshuin/goshuincho, but Himekat has some [great guides](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/6wyt0z/guide_temple_and_shrine_stamps_aka_what_are/) if you’re not sure what they are.
* **Snacks:** great, cheap gifts to get for friends and family. You’re lying to yourself if you say you’re not going to blitz through a Donki (Don Quijote—a chain of budget/discount stores across Japan that has everything you can possible want) for souvenirs. (It is a scarring but necessary experience for all those visiting Japan).
* **Omamori/omikuji/ema: omamori** are those charms (I’m personally wearing a beaaaautiful one from Asagaya Shinmeigu) that are sold at temples and shrines, **omikuji** are the luck/fortune draws, and **ema** are those wooden tablets where you can write down a wish. I personally always write one at Meiji Jingu (Tokyo) and Itsukushima Jinja (Hiroshima)!
* I’ve personally never shopped at **Uniqlo**, but I heard it’s cheaper in Japan(?). Stationery fans will also be headed towards **Loft** and **Tokyu Hands,** I’m sure.
* **Arcades:** In North America, arcades are those money-wasting things you take your kids to every once in a while and a sure way to lose $1-2 each time. In Japan, arcades are *everywhere* and you can actually win prizes (a lot of them!) I usually average around Â¥2000-4000 per prize. I know some people are totally turned off by anime and don’t want any figures or prizes of the sort, but *many* of us will find ourselves plastered between a cute plushie and the windows inside of a blinding GIGO. Plan some wiggle room, because I find this to usually be an unexpected money sink!
* **Gacha:** you *will* be spending money on some gacha machines. You’ve been warned.
I’m probably forgetting things (and will update as I remember them), but Japan is REALLY good at chipping away at your wallet little bits at a time. It’s not like Europe or North America where your cost is just expensive food + an expensive experience. Japan is a lot of **cheap, little things that adds up quickly.**
Some prices are baked in/unchanging (e.g. TeamLabs tickets or Shinkansen tickets), but many of those ‘smaller things that adds up’ can be quite random. I always add up my expected costs, subtract it from my total budget, and divide the remainder with the days I will be in Japan for.
* E.g.: 10 day trip to Japan, total budget left: $1000 CAD (after Shinkansen, plane, hotel, Ghibli museum, USJ, SkyTree, etc.) = $100 CAD/day. I also give myself a $200 ’emergency shopping fund’ for something I REALLY want that’s outside of my budget.
# 2. The Itinerary Question
There are tons of great itineraries on YouTube and Google and I promise you, most of them are good enough for you to just copy/paste and experience. Use us for *specific* questions you may have in regards to them (e.g. I’m planning on going to xyz on abc dates, is there anything to keep in mind?) (and then we can inform you of any closures, tips, tricks, etc.).
As someone who travels a lot, I want to point out that **hotspots are hot for a reason** and the ones in Japan are all worth going to unless you can somehow tell it’s not going to be your thing (and that’s ok!) or you have a serious aversion to crowds.
How one makes an itinerary is always varied, but as someone who’s good at going with the flow when travelling (and often plans very last minute), this is how I usually rumble:
**0. BRING AN EMPTY SUITCASE:** I usually have a slightly smaller suitcase inside of my big suitcase, and the smaller suitcase has all of my clothes + shoes. If you do this, **please cover or cushion the wheels of your smaller suitcase inside.** I have no idea what happens in the cargo, but I’ve smashed the wheels of two small suitcases (even though they were fine when they’re not inside the larger suitcase). I usually just put some shoes/scarves/dark hoodies for cushioning.
* **1. Pin your itinerary on Google Maps or My Maps:** this is my #1 tip for all travellers!
* This allows you to visualize which areas you will be staying at the most. It allows for you to **group your days based on distance** (excluding ticket-oriented events with specific dates), **find a suitable place for accommodation,** and **allows you to estimate the distance for your travels.**
* **Google Maps:** sign into your account, go to Google Maps, and click on the location of your itinerary → Save → New List (if you want) → make a list for your trip! The points will be visible next time you open a map.
* **My Maps:** I use this more for archival purposes, but can be useful too 🙂
* **2. Pick a hotel:** your home base. I prefer accommodations that are close to a station. While I never go back to the hotel to drop things off/refresh, I’ve found that I really didn’t enjoy walking the 10-15 minutes back ‘home’ after 20-30k steps. On the flip side, there are genuinely *really* nice and more affordable hotels if you don’t mind walking that distance.
* Architecturally, Japan’s buildings tend to be much smaller (narrower) compared to North American structures. For Tokyo especially, many budget hotels have very little floor space, which can make opening your luggage and packing really difficult. I’ve found hotels near popular stations to be **smaller and more expensive,** but **convenient.** Hotels some 10-15 minute walk away (which may not sound like much, but I promise you *will* feel after travelling Japan) tend to be **slightly larger and slightly cheaper,** but I’ve also been to a few **that did not have any konbinis nearby** (a very first world problem, but I live and breathe konbinis)
* Outside of Tokyo though (even in Osaka/Kyoto), I’ve had less issues with hotel floor sizes.
* You should also choose a place that is close to your itinerar(ies), if possible. This is more a ‘winter travel tip’ than a spring/summer one, but when daylight is tight and you want to get as many things done with limited sunlight, **you do not want to waste daylight commuting** if you can help it. Obviously some limitations.
My itinerary recommendations **are nothing special as I literally pick things off Google. But hotspots are hot for a reason, and these were some of my favourites for Tokyo and Kyoto!**
* **Tokyo:**
* **Nippon Budokan** (for my martial arts fans!), **Akihabara** (for my weebs!)
* I usually lap **Meiji Jingu, Takeshita-dori, Yoyogi Park,** and sometimes **Omotesando** (for shopping) together/on the same day as they are all right next to each other! Going from the bustling streets of Harajuku/Takeshitadori to the peaceful forest of Meiji Jingu will always give me whiplash.
* **Shibuya, Shibuya Sky, Shibuya 109, Hachiko Statue,** I personally didn’t find **Shibuya Crossing** too special but whatever, along with the **Nintendo Store + Pokemon Centre + Jump Store + Capcom Store**. There’s also **Loft/Tokyo Hands** for my stationery fanatics. Shibuya is massive and can take more than a day to explore if you really enjoy shopping.
* I also usually walk from **Sensoji** to **SkyTree,** but your feet may hate you. You’ll also be able to pass by the **Asahi Beer Hall** (affectionately called ‘The Golden Poo’ by my Japanese friends).
* **TeamLab Planets** was probably the one non-sightseeing touristy thing I did, and I loved it!
* **Ikebukuro:** I personally don’t think you need to go out of your way for Ikebukuro but if you develop a gambling addiction from the gacha machines there, Sunshine City has the most gacha capsule machines in the world! (They also have tons of other stores like a Mugiwara Store, Crayon Shin-Chan, Pokemon stores, etc.)
* **Kyoto:**
* MY HOME BASE (as it is where my best friend lives) and also my favourite city as I am a shrine enthusiast!
* **Fushimi Inari:** I climb this place every trip to Japan without fail. There is **nothing** view-worthy at the top so feel free to turn around at the viewpoint/halfway point! If you hate yourself like me, you can reach the top and pray for safe passages 🙂
* **This is my biggest pet peeve: PLEASE DO NOT BLOCK THE PATH TO TAKE PICTURES.** I PROMISE you, it looks exactly the same at the bottom as it does in the middle and the top. Unless you have some sort of physical ailment that only lets you explore the bottom, PLEASE KEEP MOVING AND STOP BLOCKING THE PATH.
* **Kiyomizudera:** along with **Ninnenzaka** and **Sannenzaka** is always busy and chaotic, but I still very much enjoy it and you’ll definitely get the feeling of ‘wow, I’m in a really traditional part of Japan!’
* Two suggestions that I don’t see as much love as Kiyomizudera, but is still close is **Yasaka Jinja** and **Chionin.** I personally think Yasaka Jinja looks *stunning* at night with all its lanterns. At Chionin, everything looks sarcastically large (the gate, the steps, the temple) but I still really love it!
* **Kinkakuji:** I will never understand why people say it’s not that great when I’ve seen it 3+ times and I still think the gold looks *incredible*. Where else are you going to see a fully gold temple?! Sure it’s a little out of the way, but I still think it’s worth it. The gold is beautiful on a clear blue day. I know there’s ‘not much else to do and the loop is short’ but the gold is still amazing to me (more below)
* **Ginkakuji:** a really peaceful, beautifully designed pavilion. It was actually my first time visiting in my last trip and I thoroughly enjoyed it! The path leading up feels like a mini-sannenzaka, with smaller stores and eateries.
* **Arashiyama:** one of my favourite places of all time in Kyoto although **I do not recommend the bamboo forest** and it is ironically my least favourite part of Arashiyama. Instead, I recommend:
* **Kyoto Arashiyama Orgel Museum:** cute music boxes, I personally have one of Yonezu Kenshi’s Lemon!
* **Nisonin Temple** and **Seiryoji:** you may not appreciate it as much as I do if you don’t love temples, but if you’re not a fan of crowds I find these two way less busy (but also much more walking to get to). If you visit Seiryoji, there is a garden at the back of the temple (take the slippers and open the door). Nice cool breeze there always!
* **Monkey Park:** monkeys! A bit of a hike.
* **Tenryuji:** honestly not my favourite place in the world but people seem to like it
* I usually do not have food recommendations for Japan, **BUT** I personally believe Arashiyama has some of the best eats!
* **Kinkakuji / Ryoanji / Ninnaji:** okay I know I already mentioned Kinkakuji, but the complaint I hear the most is ‘it’s so far out of the way and there’s nothing else there!’ WRONG, if you want be stuffed full of awesome temples, I highly suggest the Kinkakuji → Ryoanji → Ninnaji route!
* **Ryoanji:** is famous for its stone garden. One of my favourite gardens to study architecturally and design-wise (search up why before you go, and test it out!)
* **Ninnaji:** definitely not visited as much by foreign tourists BUT I personally think it has one of the best indoor loops with long walkways and a gorgeous garden that it loops around. If I had a ‘hidden gem’ for foreign tourists, this would be the one I’m willing to share! (Also a 3 min bus ride from Ryoanji).
* One place **I do NOT** recommend minus sakura season is **Philosopher’s Walk**. I passed through it multiple times until someone pointed out it’s actually a popular tourist attraction (??) I would not go out of my way for this at all. It looks like any other road in Japan. I don’t even know if I’d recommend it during sakura season because there are so many beautiful streets for them everywhere.
* Other places to check out are **Kyoto Station** (sick architecture), **Tofukuji** (especially during fall), **Shijo-Kawaramachi** (the downtown area of Kyoto), **Shimogamo Jinja** (another one of my ‘hidden gems’—it’s an extremely famous and popular shrine, but I rarely see foreign tourists for some reason), and **Kitano Tenmangu** (if you’re a student—this is the studying god!)
# 3. The ‘Hidden Gem’ Question
If this is your first trip to Japan, you don’t need hidden gems (unless they’re food-specific). The major sightseeing attractions are popular for a reason and will be more than enough unless you’re literally here for months.
Secondly, and more importantly, I’ve realized that ‘hidden gems’ are pretty personal to an individual’s tastes. For example, I revealed a few of my hidden gem shrines and temples a few months ago, and immediately got immediately told that it’s not actually very great. Well yeah, but that’s why it was a hidden gem for *me*, because *I* loved it. We will not know what a ‘hidden gem’ means for you unless you specify the type. Are we looking for hidden gems that are about food? Temples? Specific anime references?
I can promise you that 99% of places worth going to are already spread across social media, and they’re popular for good reasons. I personally don’t think it’s worth travelling far or trying spend so much time and effort looking for that 1%, especially on a first trip.
Lastly, I personally do not reveal my hidden gems unless I know you in person or it’s a small business that may appreciate more support. While you may disagree, I think overtourism/overcrowding is pretty real in Japan right now, and I’m hesitant to put smaller places up on public platforms.
With that being said though, for **tourists who have already been to Japan and want ‘hidden gems’ beyond Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka, I highly recommend the Kyushu/Chugoku region trip** that I did back in January. I don’t have specific itinerary ‘hidden gems’ but I definitely have ‘hidden prefectures’ that I loved (and even preferred) to Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka! (They’re not actually hidden, just less visited compared to the trifecta).
[Full itinerary/trip report here.](https://www.kankou-shimane.com/en/travel_information/13647)
My itinerary for these prefectures are **nothing special and none of them are ‘hidden gems’** as they’re literally the most popular attractions for each place. But a. I think this proves that the ‘top search’ on Google is perfectly fine (because that’s what I did, and I had an amazing time), and b. the popular attractions are very much worth going to.
There is a [special promotion](https://www.kankou-shimane.com/en/travel_information/13647) for foreign tourists that lets you take the bus to and from Shimane to Hiroshima for only 1000 yen, and the bus is only around 3 hrs from Izumo to Hiroshima! You can either start in Kyoto and move down, or start in Hiroshima and move up. I did all in 6 days which I do NOT recommend because I had to rush / clocked 30k+ steps in every day / thought I was going to die by the last day / was in a new prefecture every day.
1. Kyoto → Osaka → Kobe → Himeji → Okayama → Izumo → Hiroshima
2. Hiroshima → Izumo → Okayama → Himeji → Kobe → Osaka → Kyoto
Other prefectures nearby that are worth checking out are **Nara** and **Mie.**
# Thanks for reading!
If you made it to the end, thanks for reading and I hope this was helpful. I definitely don’t know everything about Japan and tons of people have amazing tips (that I still learn from every day). This was hopefully to help address some of the more common issues / repeated questions that people had. The **TLDR** is really just that we need specifics on who YOU are for us to answer your questions better, especially if you’re looking for ‘hidden gems’ that are specific to your interests.
Have an amazing trip, everyone!
EDIT: no idea awards were back on Reddit? Thank you everyone, I’m not sure what they are but I appreciate them 😀
by kmrbtravel