3 Month Itinerary – Mid January to Mid April – First trip to Japan! Feedback welcome!

Here’s my rough itinerary for my first trip through Japan! The goal of this trip is to cover each region, however briefly in some areas, to get a rough idea of likeness. Additionally, it’s mainly to take advantage of the winter season when it’s really the winter season (Jan-Feb), and ease into Spring.

Think this is pretty full location wise so far. Will solidify JR Rail and flights, after accomodations are solid. as well as Sakura season viewing based on where I am and when there’s blooms.

[Some other ideas in mind from this general post](https://old.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/xlc5b1/weekly_japan_travel_and_tourism_discussion_thread/ipy4vyi/)

Just looking for feedback if time wise I’m doing something too long/too short, something I should skip or shorten, or any suggestions per where I’m visiting for something cool or really odd to visit. There are some comments within some sections of the content below.

Thanks!

**Kanto Region**

Jan 18-25

* Tokyo, Part 1
* Toyosu Market Morning Auction (where do I find the form to submit for the lottery? Found the prefecture page but can’t find that specific form)
* Akihabara
* Ghibli Studio Museum (if they have tickets available, otherwise do in April, otherwise skip)
* Enoshima cat island?
* Fujiko Fujio Museum
* Pokemon Center
* https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g14129573-d321140-Reviews-Sony_Building-Ginza_Chuo_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html
* or is it Sony Archives, 6-6-39 Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 140-0001 ?
* https://www.japan-experience.com/all-about-japan/tokyo/museums-galleries/sony-archives
* ???

**Tohoku Region**

Jan 25-Jan 31 or ± 1 day

* Sendai
* Day trip to Tashirojima ? 3hrs one way from Sendai

Jan 30/Jan 31 – Feb 1

* Kakunodate. 2hr train from Sendai, stay overnight

Feb 1 – Feb 3

* Nyuto Onsen, Tazawa Kogen plateau, Semboku region… TBD which onsen/hotel area to stay at. Something All-in-one + food would be nice
* Full day of “visiting” on the 2nd. Rather than feeling rushed overnight. Unsure if it’s excessive

**Hokkaidō Region**

Feb 4-Feb 12

* Sapporo
* Snow Festival 2023! Feb 4-Feb 11th
* However, Tsudome area will not be run this year… is it worth the full week worth of “visiting”?
* And in general, is there enough to do solo as an adult, at the snow festival, to make it worth visiting a whole week within that time frame?
* Slowboat Jazz Club possibly every night as an entertainment item.

Feb 12 – Feb 17

* Niseko
* Skiing
* Or, should I go to Furano instead? I will need a full ski + boot rental, if Niseko has better facilities

Feb 17 – Feb 20

* Shikotsu-Toya National Park and (small) general region

Feb 20 – Feb 22?

* Noboribetsu on Feb 21st, full day

Feb 22 – Feb 26 ± 1 maybe?

* Hakodate
* Mount Hakodate
* First concrete electricity pole of Japan, Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses, Streetcar Jūjigai (十字街) stop
* Kōzen Temple
* Motomachi district
* Streetcar rides around Hakodate; “map of interesting places to visit in Hakodate by streetcar and bus”
* ???

* Food specific
* Visit a Lucky Pierrot location, or several. not to eat the meat, just to see the designs
* Teuchi Soba Kitawase
* Rabbit Farm, Mihara 1-20-11
* Hakodate shio rāmen whevever it may be served affordably

**Tohoku Region**

Feb 26 ± 1 -> March 2nd

* Akita
* not worth it? too much time??

Mar 2 – Mar 6

* Fukushima
* I am aware of the nuclear/radiation incident. Per online reading, it does not seem to pose a threat long-term, however perhaps others have more insight.
* Maybe it’s not even worth a visit, are there better areas nearby instead?
* Hanamiyama Park
* Fukushima Racetrack, if open during March
* Ebisu Circuit, 1 Sawamatsukura, Nihommatsu, Fukushima 964-0088, Japan
* 2 hr train ride from Fukushima, so it’s a day trip, unless it makes more sense to visit Nihonmatsu area overnight.
* Circuit may be closed due to snow as well?? winter is no good?
* Iizaka hot springs?
* Either the hot springs or Ebisu Circuit as one day trip from Fukushima

**Kansai Region**

Mar 6 – Mar 12

* Kyoto
* Flight from Fukushima to Kansai.
* It’s 8$ more than a train to Sendai + the JAL flight to ITM. Going to Kansai is just extra time wasted for $10-25 in savings. Train is not a viable option.
* Bus from ITM to Kyoto Station, Itami-Airport Limousine Service center. $13
OR
* Train from Fukushima to Kyoto , example https://goo.gl/maps/HCbNho2A5baBvBV87
* $220 one way. unless using a JR Rail Pass I suppose…

Mar 12 – Mar 19

* Osaka; Train from Kyoto
* Universal Studios Japan, full day visit only.

* 2023 Sumo World Championship Competition , maybe?
* https://www.sumo.or.jp/EnTicket/year_schedule
* Unsure if I can just buy a one day ticket, or it needs to be a full event ticket.

Mar 19 – Mar 21

* Totori + Totori Sand Dunes

**Chugoku Region**

Mar 21 – 26

* Hiroshima
* Miyajimacho, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima 739-0588, Japan

**Kyushu Region**

Mar 26 – Mar 28

* Miyazaki & Aoshima Island ( Devil’s Washboard + it’s a cat island??)
Mar 28 – Mar 31
* Yakushima
* Miyazaki to Kagoshima Airport, $50 train, 2hrs
* Kagoshima Airport to Yakushima, anywhere from $40-90+, 40 min flight
* OR
* Bus or Train > Kagoshima > Kagoshima >Ibusuki > Yakushima; about $100-125

**Kanto Region**

Mar 31 OR Apr 1 – Apr 3

* Kawasaki
* Fly Yakushima > Kagoshima
* Or ferry to Kagoshima and stay overnight to Apr 1st.
* then, Fly Kagoshima > Haneda, avg $145 2hr flight
* Kanamara Matsuri 2023 – Festival of the Steel Phallus, Apr 2nd

Apr 3 – Apr 13 … 10 full days of visiting (4-13).

* Tokyo Part 2 AND surrounding areas like Chiba, Hanno, Saitama??
* Moominvalley Park, Hanno, Saitama
* Day trip from Tokyo, 1hr30-40min on trains, $8 – $15
* Hakone?? or just Mt Fuji
* Day trip from Tokyo
* From Tokyo, the easiest and most popular option is to take a direct bus from Shinjuku to the trailhead at Kawaguchiko Fifth Station
* https://goo.gl/maps/Fuz7kUymJPwukxB49.