Hi everyone!
We have been lurking on here for a good while, getting inspired for our 1 month Japan trip for October once the border opens up, and here comes our itinerary.
We are a young couple (30s), going for the first time, with an interest in Food, Woodblock prints, Hiking, Zen and getting a feeling for Japan.
**Day 1 – 3: Tokyo**
Arrive in Tokyo in the early Morning, stay in Asakusa, explore the city for 3 days.
**Day 4 – 6: Nikko – Senjogahara Hike**
Arrive in Nikko in the morning (Shinkansen from Tokyo), doing the 2 day Senjogahara Hike [https://www.visitnikko.jp/en/itineraries/beginner-hike-to-senjogahara-plateau-and-lake-chuzenji/](https://www.visitnikko.jp/en/itineraries/beginner-hike-to-senjogahara-plateau-and-lake-chuzenji/)
**Day 7 – 8: Nagano – Nakasendo Hike**
From Nikko: take the Shinkansen to Tokyo and then to Nagano.
In Nagano:
\- 1 day Nakasendo Hike from Magome to Tsumago
\- 1 day Obuse for Hokusai museum
**Day 9: Nagano -> Kamakura**
**Day 10-11: Kamakura: Zen Temples**
Mostly in the city to visit its Zen Temples, open for any other tips.
**Day 12: Kamakura -> Hakone**
Planned to take the Shinkansen through Tokyo.
**Day 13 – 14: Hakone: Onsen & Day Hike Tokaido**
Relax in an Onsen – any tips for a good one appreciated, expecially if mixed
Hike the Small Tokaido Day Hike
**Day 15: Hakone – Kyoto**
Planned to take the Shinkansen again.
**Day 16 -20: Kyoto**
We wanted to stay longer and explore the city a bit, including a daytrip to Nara.
Does anybody know a good place to stay in Kyoto? Does it make sense to stay near the train station and then just take a bus/train to explore every day?
**Day 21: Kyoto – Osaka**
**Day 22-24: Osaka**
Explore Osaka, perhaps a day trip to Himeji.
**Day 25: Osaka – Koya-san**
We wanted to hike Choishi Michi Trail to Koya-san and then stay a night at a temple.
**Day 26: Koya-san**
**Day 27: Koya-san -> Osaka -> Tokyo via Sunrise Express**
**Day 28 – 31: Tokyo**
Spend the last days shopping and exploring Tokyo.
**General questions:**
\- Does the plan seem too ambitious? Where would you give more slack? Where are we spending too much time?
\- Is the beginning of October a good time to hike through Nikko?
Any feedback or improvement appreciated 🙂 Thank you
4 comments
Kamakura is a 1 hour train from Tokyo. I’ve only ever done it as a day trip and that felt about right so not sure if you need more time there. Consider doing it as a day trip from Tokyo and spending the extra days elsewhere.
Why don’t both of you just take the Shinkansen from Nikko to Nagano but have to return to Tokyo to go to Nagano??
>Does it make sense to stay near the train station and then just take a bus/train to explore every day?
Not really. I personally think JR Kyoto station is quite far to the south. Hankyu Kawaramachi station is much more centrally located. You’d probably still need buses or trains to get around, though.
If you go to Kamakura for the Zen temples, be sure to check out at least a few of the “seven great” Rinzai temples in Kyoto, Rinzai being a subsect of Zen. These are Myōshin-ji, Tōfuku-ji, Daitoku-ji, Kennin-ji, Nanzen-ji, Shōkoku-ji, and Tenryū-ji.
Ealry Octber is good for hiking in Senjo-gahara. Though, it is a bit early for the autmn cloloring in most years.