Hi, my wife and I will be travelling to Japan in November. We went last November and it was her first time ever and she enjoyed it so much that we decided to go again (to a different part of the country). She has a serious dairy allergy but was pleasantly surprised at the number of options and care that the Japanese restaurants had. Looking to see if this itinerary is realistic and if anyone had any other suggestions or cool things to do! It will be our first time in Kyushu and Hiroshima. Any recommendations on things to do in Fukuoka (nearby areas)/Kumamoto/Beppu? We love coffee, food, and just exploring nice neighborhoods!
Day 1 – Arrival in Fukuoka
Morning – Transit
Afternoon – Arrive in Fukuoka, check-in, Check out Canal City beside hotel
Evening – Ramen Dinner somewhere in canal city (Hakata Issou/Shin Ramen)
Day 2 – Dazaifu
Morning/Afternoon – Go to Dazaifu and check out the temple, try some umegae mochi
Evening – Check out the Daimyo area in Fukuoka, vintage shopping, dinner at a yatai or try motsunabe (offal stew)
Day 3 – Fukuoka
Morning – Rent a bike and ride around Ohori park and seaside parks
Afternoon – Tenjin shopping/explore
Evening – Splurge sushi dinner
Day 4 – Fukuoka to Kumamoto
Morning – Take the shinkansen to Kumamoto, Pick up Car
Afternoon – Check out the castle, look for the One Piece statues, Suizenji jojouen garden
Evening – Dinner at a local yakitori/tempura place
Day 5 – Takachiho Gorge Day Trip
Morning/Afternoon- Drive to Takachiho gorge (book the kayak/boats ahead of time), Check out the different hidden shrines/hikes in the Takachiho area, drive back to Kumamoto for some wagashi making class
Evening – Dinner at Soshoku Tsune (Vegan friendly/Pescatarian kaiseki)
Day 6 – Mount Aso / Kurokawa Onsen
Morning/Afternoon – Drive to Mount Aso area for some scenic view – Any recommendations on spots/hikes and restaurants in the area?
Evening – Booked a nice ryokan in Kurokawa Onsen; enjoy the kaiseki dinner at the ryokan and bath
Day 7 – Beppu
Morning – Enjoy the onsen, check out Patisserie Roku for cream puffs
Afternoon – Drive to Beppu, check in hotel, check out the "7 Hells", walk aroud city
Evening – Dinner at Kogetsu Dumplings or Cold Noodles
Day 8 – Hiroshima
Morning – Return car and head to Hiroshima
Afternoon – Atomic Peace Museum, Hiroshima Orizuru Tower Viewpoint
Evening – Dinner at La Traboule (wine bar)
Day 9 – Miyajima Day Trip
Morning/Afternoon – Early morning ferry to Miyajima, see the Itsukushima shrine, try oysters, check out the deer – Any other recommendations?
Evening – Back to Hiroshima to just walk around and doing dinner at Takotsubo
Day 10 – Himeji Stopover – then to Tokyo
Morning/Afternoon – Luggage ship to Tokyo, go to Himeji and tour the castle, walk around the city
Evening – Shinkansen to Tokyo and check in at hotel, dinner at T's Tan Tan (Vegan)
Day 11 – Disney Sea
Morning/Afternoon/Evening – Disney Sea – any good food in the park? What rides are "must-rides"?
Day 12 – Tokyo
Morning – Teamlabs Borderless
Afternoon – Mori Art Museum, lunch at Tsujihan in Arkhills, shopping in Roppongi/Omotesando
Evening – Sano Sushi – Splurge sushi dinner
Day 13 – Tokyo
Morning/Afternoon – Gotokuji Temple/Shimokitazawa; check out Universal Bakes Nicome (Vegan bakery)
Evening – Dinner at Samurai Curry (allergen friendly)
Day 14 – Tokyo
Morning – Ramen Cooking Class
Afternoon – Shinjuku Shopping, walking around, batting cages/roundone
Evening – L'Effervescence for a fancy dinner
Day 15
Morning – final shopping day
Afternoon – Go to Haneda
Thanks for reading through all this! Feel free to ask any questions about the itinerary or some food options that I have researched for people with allergies! Looking forward to your suggestions on food/coffee/sightseeing and if this trip is realistic/not too stressful 🙂
by ellathedoggie