Itinerary Check – 21 Days – Hakone / Takayama / Shirakawa-go / Kanazawa / Alpine Route / Nagano

Hi! I'm planning to travel to Japan again around October-November this year, to hopefully see some fall foliage, and to go to different places from the Golden Route, which I done in previous trips.

The itinerary is quite packed, it's not my first time in Japan but since it's a bit off from my comfort zone (main cities), I would like to receive suggestions regarding the pace (I aim to have an average-paced trip), and as well to include / exclude some spots, if necessary.

Any suggestions of near places, restaurants and such are very much welcome!

Main questions:

  1. Hakone: Is 2 days enough, or should I stay one more day?
  2. Yamanouchi: Besides Jigokudani Monkey Park, I don't see much to do there. Plus, I'm going on Oct-Nov, which is not ideal because it's not quite winter yet. Is Yamanouchi worth going in this case?
  3. Nikko: Is worth going to Okunikko, besides the usual places at Nikko? Would I need an additional day for Okunikko, or I can do a single day-trip to check Nikko and Okunikko?
  4. Tokyo: Any other worth day-trips from Tokyo, besides Nikko, Kamakura, Enoshima and Yokohama?

Itinerary:

  • Day 1: Arriving at Narita airport. Go to hotel in Yokohama and rest.
  • Day 2: Kamakura day trip from Yokohama.
  • Day 3: Enoshima day trip from Yokohama.
  • Day 4: Go to Hakone and get a hotel around Hakone-Yumoto. Explore places around Gora (Open Air Museum, Gora Park, etc.)
  • Day 5: Do the tour around Owakudani, Ashi Lake.
  • Day 6: Go to Takayama and get a hotel around the Takayama station. Go to Jinya Takayama and rest the remaining of the day.
  • Day 7: Explore Takayama (Hida Folk Village, Sanmachi Suji, Old Town).
  • Day 8: Go to Shirakawa-go with luggage, explore Shirakawa-go, and get a bus to Kanazawa.
  • Day 9: Explore Kanazawa (Omicho market, Higashi Chaya, Oyama shrine and Kanazawa castle)
  • Day 10: Explore Kanazawa (Kenroku-en, Seison-kaku, Nagamachi, Ninjadera)
  • Day 11: Go to Toyama and get a hotel around the Toyama station. Explore Toyama (Castle, Glass Art Museum, Folkcraft Village, Kansui Park)
  • Day 12: Takaoka day-trip.
  • Day 13: Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. Forward luggage, and on the other side, go to Shinano-Omachi to get the luggage, and go to Nagano and get a hotel.
  • Day 14: Explore around Nagano.
  • Day 15: Yamanouchi day-trip (worth it?).
  • Day 16: Go to Tokyo. Shopping around and rest.
  • Day 17: Tokyo, shopping around Akihabara and Shibuya.
  • Day 18: Tokyo, shopping around Nakano Broadway.
  • Day 19: Nikko day-trip.
  • Day 20-21: Can I fit any day-trips here?
  • Day 22: Departure from Narita airport.

Thanks in advance!

by MizutaniEri

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