Hi there guys,
20 day Japan itinerary here (not including arrival/departure days), me +1 friend. 1st time, no car. Will make use of storage lockers.
This is the only way we've been able to fit most things in, we had to cut out some places: Nakasendo trail day, Matsue, Naoshima, Kurashiki, Kurobe Gorge.
Is this itinerary logistically reasonable travel wise, or too rushed?
Fri 20 Sept
ARRIVAL
Accom: TOKYO
Sat 21 Sept
Tokyo – Ghibli Museum, Shibuya/Meji, Shinjuku
Accom: TOKYO
Sun 22 Sept
Tokyo – Akihabura, Asakusa
Accom: TOKYO
Mon 23 Sept
Tokyo >> Hakone (2h train 1 transfer)
Hakone Loop
Accom: HAKONE
Tue 24 Sept
Hakone >> Himeji (3-4h train 2-3 transfers). Luggage in storage locker.
Himeji castle, Koko-en Garden, Omizosuji Shopping Streets. Collect luggage.
Himeji >> Onomichi (1.5h train 1 transfer Fukuyama)
Accom: ONOMICHI
Wed 25 Sept
Leave luggage in storage locker or accommodation.
Shimanani Kaido 1st half 5-6h
Accom: OMISHIMA ISLAND
Thu 26 Sept
AM Shimanani Kaido 2nd half 5-6h
PM Imabari >> Onomichi (1.5-2h x2 buses 1 transfer)
Accom: ONOMICHI
Fri 27 Sept
Onomichi – Senkoji Park, Senkoji Temple Mountain Ropeway/Temple walk, cat alley, Hotondori shopping
Accom: ONOMICHI
Sat 28 Sept
Onimichi >> Hiroshima (45m direct train). Store luggage.
Peace Park, Hiroshima Downtown/Castle, Shukkeien Garden. Collect luggage.
Hiroshima >> Tottori 2h45 (7pm Train 2h41, 1 transfer)
Accom: TOTTORI or IWAMI (To be decided)
Sun 29 Sept
Tottori sand dunes, sand museum
Accom: TOTTORI or IWAMI (To be decided)
Mon 30 Sept
Uradome – Costal path walk, cruise/kayaking
Accom: TOTTORI or IWAMI (To be decided)
Tue 1 Oct
AM Tottori/Iwami >> Amanohashidate (9.45am train 3h45, 3 transfers). Store luggage.
Amanohashidate Viewland, Kasamatsu Park, Nariaiji Temple. Collect luggage.
PM Amanohashidate >> Kyoto (18.09 direct train 2h16)
Accom: KYOTO
Wed 2 Oct
Kyoto – Kinkakuji Golden pavallion, Arashiyama Bamboo forest, Tea ceremony
Accom: KYOTO
Thu 3 Oct
Kyoto – Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kiyomizu-dera temple, Gion/Higashiyama
Accom: KYOTO
Fri 4 Oct
AM Nara (45m train to Nara)
PM Kyoto – Time permitting: Ginkakuji temple/International manga museum
Accom: KYOTO
Sat 5 Oct
AM Kyoto >> Takayama (3.5h train 1-2 transfers Nagoya/Gifu)
PM Takayama – Takayama Jinya, Sanmachi Suji, Kusakabe/Yoshijima Heritage House, Hachiman Shrine. Higashiyama Walking Course – time permitting (2h)
Accom: TAKAYAMA
Sun 6 Oct
AM DAY TRIP Kamikochi (1.5h x2 buses)
Kamikochi – hike along Azusa River: Taisho Pond-Kappa bridge (1.5h), Myojin pond and back (2h).
PM Return (1.5h x2 buses)
Accom: TAKAYAMA
Mon 7 Oct
AM Takayama – Morning markets, Hida no Sato folk village
PM Takayama >> Kanazawa (2h train 1 transfer Tomaya)
Accom: KANAZAWA
Tue 8 Oct
Kanazawa – Myoryuji Ninja Temple, Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa Castle, Higashi Chaya-gai geisha district, Omicho Ichiba Market lunch, Samurai districts Nagamachi/Katamachi, samurai experience.
Accom: KANAZAWA
Wed 9 Oct
AM Kanazawa >> Tokyo (2-3h direct train)
PM Tokyo – National museum
Accom: TOKYO
Thu 10 Oct
Tokyo – Imperial palace, Ginza
Extras if we have time: TeamLabs, Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum
Accom: TOKYO
Fri 11 Oct
AM Tokyo
PM DEPARTURE
This is what we'd like to do, although we do have some doubts about a couple of the travel days:
- Is the Hiroshima day trip + getting to Tottori on the 28 Sept realistic? (if we leave out Miyajima maybe).
- Going by Navitime routes/train times, Tottori to Amanohashidate to Kyoto 1st October in 1 day looks doable? We should have around 4h in Amanohashidate. We are contemplating staying in Iwami instead of Tottori as it is a bit closer for the onward journey, but then further from Hiroshima the day before. Kinoaski Onsen is not in our plans.
We still have some flexibility & time to change things around.
Thank you in advance for your perspective!
by aldave02
5 comments
The Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum is in the west of Tokyo and would be pretty much impossible to combine with the other things you have planned for that day. It would be a good thing to combine with the Ghibli Museum, as they’re located nearby and Ghibli animators have drawn inspiration from the architectural museum.
You can explore Inokashira park on the way to Ghibli museum if you are using the metro. (It’s sort of on the way to the museum)
Ghibli, Shibuya and Shinjuku in a day seem a lot to me personally. I would do Shinjuku with Ghibli and leave Shibuya to explore later with the Harajuku area (Takeshita street, Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi park).
The train from Tokyo to Hakone should be way shorter than 2 hours, I thought it was like 30 minutes?
Everyday looks packed and with plenty of travel in between, I’m afraid that you’ll be tired within the first two weeks. You pack more things and locations in three weeks than my recent five weeks trip. But if that’s what ya want to do and believe you can, that’s fine.
Other than those mention, a few points:
If you made your way to Amanohashidate, it is a pity that you don’t drop by Ine Fishing village. (But your schedule is right)
There is a direct train from Kyoto to Takayama, one train a day. I think around 8+am. If you can, you can drop by Showa museum as it is a highlight of my Takayama trip
Kanazawa, there is tea ceremony at the garden that you can experience if you wish. However, seem like you are covering the whole of city centre, is it in order? Seem to travelling up then down, the bus frequency in Kanazawa is not high so got to account for that.
Do you plan to shop in Japan? I see no shopping day! Because I shopped till I dropped in Japan!!
Sometimes less is more. Leave some days off for chilling and just exploring at a slower pace.