Greetings all,

I'm excited for my first solo trip next week to Japan.

I've been compiling notes from this subreddit over the past month, and this is the itinerary I've put together:

~Day 0 (8th of August) – Tokyo~

• Arrival: Arrive at Narita airport at 12:30. Buy a sim card (IIJmio 3GB/30 days) and a Welcome Suica card. Eat at the airport and take the train to the hotel in Nihonbashi.
• Evening: take the train to Shinjuku and explore the area

~Day 1 (9/8) – Tokyo~

• Morning- Evening: Shopping Day around Shinjuku or Ginza – clothes and electronics. I need a new camera and I read there are shops like Bic Camera, Yodobashi and Uniqlo for clothes that are tax free.

~Day 2 (10/8) – Tokyo~

• Morning: Tsukiji market –arrive early to avoid crowds
• Afternoon: TeamLabs planets. Statue of liberty + Gundam statue
• Evening: Asakusa Toro Nagashi Lantern floating at Sumida Park

~Day 3 (11/8) – Tokyo~

• Morning: TeamLab borderless
• Afternoon + evening: Nakamase dori street, Shin-Nakamise, Senso-ji temple

Day 4 (12/8) – Tokyo

• Morning: Meiji jingu
• Afternoon + evening: Shibuya sky: 16:00 ( already have the ticket), Explore Shibuya

~Day 5 (13/8) – Mt. Fuji~

• Morning: Checkout at the hotel and leave my suitcase until I come back in 3 days. Take the train to Shinjuku station and then the bus to the 5^th station at mt Fuji.
• Afternoon + Evening: Climb the mountain and stay the night in a hut at the 7^th station (Already reserved).

~Day 6 (14/8) – Mt. Fuji area~

• Morning: Climb to the top and descend the mountain (7 – 10 hours)
• Afternoon: Check in at the hostel in Fujiyoshida for one night (Already reserved)
• Evening: Chureito Pagoda

~Day 7 (15/8) – Mt. Fuji area~

• Morning+ afternoon: Shirarito falls, Ice and wind cave, Take the train back to the hotel in Nihonbashi, Tokyo

~Day 8 (16/8) – Back to Tokyo~

• Morning: TeamLabs Borderless
• Afternoon: G-cans tour at 14:00 (2 hour train from my hotel)
• Evening: Samurai restaurant time in Shinjuku, Golden Gai

~Day 9 (17/8) – Kamakura~

• ~Morning:~ Day trip to Kamakura: Kencho-ji temple, Kotoku-in temple, Open to more suggestions in Kamakura

Day 10 (18/8) – Nagano

• Morning: Take the train to Nagano
• Afternoon + Evening: Check in at the hotel in Nagano, Walk around Nagano

Day 11 (19/8) – Hakuba

• Morning: Take the train to Hakuba, Check in the hotel in Hakuba
• Afternoon: Tsugaike Nature garden trail

Day 12 (20/8) – Mt. Karamatsu

• Morning + Afternoon: Start the ascend into mt. karamatsu and Happo pond
• Evening: Check in at the hut on top of the mountain

Day 13 (21/8) – Mt. Karamatsu + Kanazawa

• Morning: Descend karamatsu and take the train first to Nagano and then the shinkansen to Kanazawa
• Evening: Check in a hotel in Kanazawa, Walk around Kanazawa

Day 14 (22/8) – Kanazawa

• Morning- evening: Higashi chaya district, Kenroku-en

Day 15 (23/8) – Shirakawa-Go

• Morning- evening: Day trip from Kanazawa to Shirawaka-Go

Day 16 (24/8) – Kanazawa

• Morning-evening: Omicho market, Nagamachi district, Nomura-ke samurai residence

Day 17 (25/8) – Fukui

• Morning: Check in at the hotel in Echizen, Fukui, Asakura ruins
• Afternoon: Daihonzan Eiheiji temple
• Evening: Mauroka castle

Day 18 (26/8) – Fukui

• Morning-evening: Kitchen knife making experience at the Takefu knife village (from 9:00 to 16:00)

Day 19 (27/8) – Kyoto

• Morning: Take the train to Kyoto and check in at the the hotel, senjusangen-do temple, Samurai ninja museum
• Afternoon: Nishiki market
• Evening: Nijo-jo castle

Day 20 (28/8) -Kyoto

• Morning-afternoon: Arashiyama bamboo forest, Otagi Nenbutsu-ji temple, Ryoan-ji temple, Kinkaku ji temple
• Evening: Ukai fishing in Arashiyama

Day 21 (29/8) – Kyoto

• Morning-evening: Tofuku-ji temple, Fushimi inari Taisha shrine, Manpuku-ji temple

Day 22 (30/8) – Osaka

• Morning: Check in at the hotel in Osaka
• Afternoon: Osaka castle
• Evening: Dotonbori

Day 23 (31/8) – Osaka

• Morning- afternoon: Nara Park
• Evening: Dotonbori again

Day 24 (1/9)

• Morning, Departure: 7:00 Take the train to Kansai International Airport

Concerns:

Heat:

I know August will be very hot. On a sunny day, If I feel it's too hot outside or if it's raining heavily, I plan to swap some of the outdoor gardens and temples with museums and themed cafes

The museums and cafes I currently have in my list as possible replacements are:

Tokyo:

• Art aquarium museum
• Tokyo national museum
• Meguro parasitological museum

Other cities:

• Fukui Dinosaur Museum

I'm open to more suggestions for my list.

Food:

I've heard it's hard to find bad restaurants in Japan, so whenever I'm hungry, I plan to just find something nearby. I have some restaurants saves in Google maps in case i come close by

Sleep:

I plan to go to sleep early as I'm not too interested in partying that’s why I haven’t planned anything for the nights.

Some Questions:

1. Should I swap a day trip to Kamakura for a day trip to Nikko?
2. Do I have too many temples/ Shrines/ gardens? If yes, what should I swap for something more interesting?
3. Should I get the Hokoriku Pass?
4. Are net cafes good for napping in the middle of the day if I'm far from my hotel or should I just take the train to my hotel?
5. Is the Nihonbashi area good enough to stay in Tokyo? I found a good deal and its close to the train station but I'm afraid I will have to take 2 trains most of the time from there.
6. I want to book the hut at the top of Mt. Karamatsu but on the Website it says i need to enter a Japanese address and phone number, there is no option for foreigners. Should I ask for help at the hotel's reception when i arrive?
7. Can I get more suggestions on what to do in Osaka besides Dotonbori and Osaka castle?

Edit: removed owl cafe from my list of replacements for Tokyo