Hello everyone,
we’ve done the Golden Route last autumn and can’t wait to return to Japan next spring. We would love cherry blossoms without the crowds. I tried to come up with an itinerary that’s not as well-traveled as Kyoto, Tokyo, Hakone and also includes some things we missed during our last visit.
# Osaka (3 Nights)
We only had a few hours in Osaka last year and want to explore more. We arrive early on the 28th of March and have the whole day here.
* Mamba Yasaka Shrine
* Katsuoji Temple
* TeamLabs Garden
* Satsukiyama Ryokuchi
* Cup Noodles Museum
* Daytrip to Uji
(forwarding luggage to Takamatsu)
# Wakayama (2 Nights)
* Kii Katsuura
* Hike around Nachi FallsÂ
* Kumano Nachi Taisha
* Seigantoji Temple
Taking the ferry Wakayama to Shikoku Tokushima and then to
# Takamatsu (4 Nights)
* Ritsurin GardenÂ
* Takamatsu Shopping Arcades
* Daytrip(s) to Naoshima and Teshima or Ogijima
* Yashimaji Temple
* Shikoku-mura
* Mt. YashimaÂ
* Tori Gate to the Sky: Takaya Shrine
* Mt. Shiude Observation Deck
(forwarding luggage to Nara)
# Miyajima (2 Nights)
* Visit Hiroshima before spending the night on Miyajima
* Hiking/roundtrip on Miyajima
* Himeji Castle (on the way to Nara)
# Nara (4 Nights)
(we’ve already been in the city last time and visited Nara Park, Todai-ji Temple, and Yoshikien)
* Mt. Yoshino – is it worth it or is it too crowded during Sakura season?
* Nara Park again
* Nigatsudo at Sunset
* Sakurai and MuroujiÂ
We depart back to Berlin early on April 14th.
When you do the math, we still have one day left, so we would appreciate any suggestions, where we can add or subtract a stop.
Any tips are welcome! I’m still thinking about switching Nara and Osaka, especially if Mt. Yoshino isn’t worth going to, so it wouldn’t matter if we’re too early for cherry blossoms on the mountain.
Thank you in advance!
by valadir_