Hi everyone, I've been reading a lot of posts here and using them as a point of reference. So, firstly thank you everyone! I'm planning a 2-week trip with my partner on the second week of January 2025. I have made this itinerary and my goal is to do enough touristy stuff so my partner can see the famous sites (this is his first time; third time for me) but we only see or do one or two things per day. The important thing for us is to enjoy Japan and not running from one place to the next.
I'm planning to use JR -West All Area pass to cover the 7 days we are in the western part of the country. The rest of the trip will be covered by Suica card and we will top up as necessary.
Jan 12th arrive in Haneda, Tokyo: check in the hotel in Shinjuku
Jan 13th take the Willer bus to Takayama at 09:15 from Shinjuku station
Jan 13: check in the ryokan in Takayama and do Higayashima walk route while waiting for dinner time
Jan 14: take the bus to Shirakawa-go in the morning until around lunch time then go back to Takayama and visit Hida Folk Museum
Jan 15th: head out to Kyoto, take the Takayama-Kyoto Tokaido shinkansen (1st day using the JR Pass)
- drop bags at the hotel and then head out to Enryakuji Temple (Hieizan)
Jan 16th: head out to Arashiyama, see Tenryuji Temple and take the Sagano Torokko OR go to the Nintendo Museum if we manage to snatch a couple of tickets (already in the queue to buy them).
Jan 17th: Fushimi Inari (start around 8 am), and then Kiyomizudera Temple
- travel from Kyoto to Hiroshima after the visit to Kiyomizudera, take the Tokaido shinkansen
Jan 17th (late afternoon): check in at the hotel in Hiroshima, walk around in the Peace Memorial Park
Jan 18th: go to Yamato Museum in the morning. At lunch time, take the ferry to Miyajima to get lunch and sight seeing (see Daishoin)
Jan 19th: travel from Hiroshima to Himeji Castle, take the shinkansen (does anyone know how much extra it is to take the Nozomi?) — I'm still really unsure whether this is worth doing or not. What do you guys think?
- head to Osaka after Himeji Castle visit
- check in at the hotel, walk around Dotonburi and go see Glico dude.
Jan 20th: Go to Nara for a day trip
- Nara Park & Todaiji
- go back for dinner and catch-up with friends in Osaka
Jan 21th: Asahi Suita brewery and maybe something else? Universal Studios maybe? (the last day of the JR Pass)
Jan 22nd: travel from Osaka to Tokyo, fly with JetStar at 10:05, arrive in Narita at 11:30
- drop bags at the hotel, go to Tokyo National Museum (Gallery of Horyuji Treasures)
Jan 23rd: Team Labs Borderless in the morning and then Asakusa to see Senso-Ji temple and Tokyo Sky Tree in the afternoon/evening.
Jan 24th: Yokohama for a day visit, Ramen museum or Cup Noodles Museum
- In the evening see Shibuya Scramble Crossing and Hachiko. Dinner in Shinjuku
Jan 25th: no planned activities, probably just shopping and chilling. I'm thinking of visiting the onsen in Narita to do last day soaking: https://yamatonoyu.com/en/guidance
Jan 26th: fly back home
Do you think this itinerary good enough to show a bit of Japan to my partner? Anything I should change or add or remove? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!
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by 13PumpkinHead