Coming to Japan for the 3rd time and this time I want to finally see Hiroshima. How, I want to take my mom along this time, which means I will be revisiting some places – mostly in Osaka and Kyoto.
We will be coming at the end of the rainy season and beginning of summer. I've been in Japan during this time before, it's not ideal, but it's the only time I can make that year.
Also, I'm working with flight schedules for this year, but I don't expect them to change much. They seems to be pretty stable (we will be flying with China Airlines).
The itinerary (items in bold are the ones I will be prioritizing):
Day 0 – we arrive in Hiroshima in the evening, so we juts have to get to the hotel
Day 1 – The central sights in Hiroshima – Memorial Park, Hiroshima Castle, Okonomimura
Day 2 – Itsukushima day trip, ideally I would prefer to stay the night to have more time to explore and then leave early the next day, but it seems rather difficult to find affordable lodging)
Day 3 – Depart to Osaka, stop by in Kobe (Steakland Kobe) for lunch menu, spend the day around Shinsekai, DenDen town and then visit the TeamLab Botanical Garden in the evening
Day 4 – World Expo 2025
Day 5 – Nara day trip
Day 6 – day trip to Kyoto – Nijo castle, Kyoto Railway Museum, Gion
(I've been to Kyoto before, to the Imperial Palace and Fushimi Inari)Day 7 and 8 – Departure to Kanazawa (Nagamachi Samurai District, Nomura Samurai House, Higashi Chaya District, Kanazawa Castle, Omicho Market, Kenroku-en)
Day 9 – Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
Day 10 – Matsumoto Castle, Nakamachi District, Zenkoji temple
Day 11 – Day trip to Kamikochi
Day 12-16 – Departure to Tokyo, I will just sum this up as I'm fairly familiar with Tokyo and we will always find something to do
Day would be spent at Wonder Festival if dates line up
Asakusa/Kappabashi + maybe Akihabara would be another day
Considering a day trip to kamakura
Maybe a Yoyogi park + Shinjuku
Now, I'm aware it's best to setup "base of operation" as opposed to changing hotels too often, but I think this works for the most part. We would go trough 5 hotels, 6 if I manage to get one on Itsukushima.
Initially I considered stopping in Toyama on the way, but it would mean another hotel and just for one day. which I could cut from Nagano or skip the Alpine Route or maybe cut Kyoto. I don't think I can cut from Tokyo, as it would mean I would miss Wonder Festival.
I'm also not sure about the Kyoto day trip. I've been to Kyoto before, seen the Imperial Palace, Fushimi Inari (that was amazing), Kyomizu-dera and Arashiyama. But honestly, I kind of fucked up planing this and we ended up doing bit of exploring, but not in the most interesting parts of the city I think. Didn't see Gion or Shijo Street. Also no Golden pavilion. But then I want to go to Kanazawa right after and I feel like the two are pretty similar? I wonder if I could skip Kyoto, but what would I replace it with?
I understand this is pretty rough itinerary. But as this is plan for 2025, it ought to be little rough as things can change. No way to plan hotels and such.
Any idea what I may have missed?
by rancor1223