Overview:
Our planned trip spans from October 5th to October 22nd, starting in Tokyo and ending back there.
Itinerary:
– Day 1 (Oct 5th): Arrival in Tokyo at 17:00. Rest and recover from the journey.
– Day 2 (Oct 6th): Explore Tokyo and reset from jet lag. Get the tokyo feeling by wandering around in Asakusa.
– Day 3 (Oct 7th): Travel from Tokyo to Kanazawa via Shinkansen. Explore Kenrokuen Garden and Kanazawa Castle.
– Day 4 (Oct 8th): Full day in Kanazawa. Visit the Nagamachi Samurai District and Higashi Chaya District.
– Day 5 (Oct 9th): Take a bus from Kanazawa to Shirakawago for half the day, then head to Takayama for the night. Consider a one-night ryokan stay in Takayama for an authentic experience?
– Day 6 (Oct 10th): Full day in Takayama. Explore the morning market and visit Takayama Jinya.
– Day 7 (Oct 11th): Travel from Takayama to Kyoto. Rest and adjust to the new city upon arrival.
– Day 8-9 (Oct 12th-13th): Spend two full days in Kyoto. Visit Kinkaku-ji Temple, Fushimi Inari Shrine, and Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.
– Day 10 (Oct 14th): Travel from Kyoto to Osaka. Visit Osaka Castle and Dotonbori area.
– Day 11 (Oct 15th): Explore Osaka and enjoy some street food.
– Day 12 (Oct 16th): Return from Osaka to Tokyo via Shinkansen.
– Day 13-15 (Oct 17th-19th): Enjoy three full days in Tokyo. Visit teamslabs, Tokyo Skytree, maybe one day trip.
Questions for Refinement:
1. Ryokan Stay:
– We're considering a traditional ryokan experience. Is Takayama a suitable location for this? Any specific recommendations?
– Maybe staying one night in an onsen town and make one day less for tokyo?
Duration in Kanazawa and Takayama:
- Do our planned two nights in Kanazawa and two nights in Takayama provide enough time to explore each city fully?
- Would it be beneficial to add an extra night to either Kanazawa or Takayama for a more relaxed pace? If so, which city would benefit most from the additional time?
Other Suggestions:
- Are there any must-see attractions or hidden gems along our route that we might have missed?
- Given our outlined itinerary, do you have any tips for optimizing our time or adjusting our plans to make the most of our trip?
We appreciate any insights or recommendations to make our first time in Japan a magical experience.
by B_Buch