Sat Oct 29th Arrive Mid day Tokyo, crash (Hyatt Regency Tokyo)
Sun Oct 30th Day 1 Explore Tokyo
Mon Oct 31st Day 2 Explore Tokyo
Tues Nov 1 Travel early AM Tokyo → Kyoto (Piece Hostel Sanjo)
Wed Nov 2 Kyoto
Thurs Nov 3rd Kyoto
Fri Nov 4th Travel evening Kyoto → Tokyo – (Daikanyama AirBNB)
Sat Nov 5 Day 3 Explore Tokyo
Sun Nov 6 Travel Early AM Tokyo → Nikko (Lodging TBD)
Mon Nov 7 Evening Nikko → Tokyo
Tues Nov 8 Day 4 Explore Tokyo
Wed Nov 9 Tokyo → Hakone – (Yama No Chaya?)
Thurs Nov 10 Hakone → Tokyo
Fri Nov 11 Day 5 Explore Tokyo
Sat Nov 12 Afternoon flight home
Both mid 30s – visiting from Portland, OR. Excited to explore and experience but not rage. Mostly just want to walk around and soak in the culture. We’ll visit temples but it’s not an area of interest per se. Looking forward to nature walks/hikes to see the changing leaves, experiencing food (pescatarian, partner is omnivore), museums, parks, tea, cultural events, desert, cocktails, beer, sake, novel experiences… low maintenance, unfussy. So far plan is to travel by public transit but open to renting a car for travel beyond Tokyo (picked up international drivers license just in case).
Questions:
\***Is it silly to break up Tokyo so many times?** We’ll keep Daikanyama airbnb for the second leg of the trip even when doing overnights (it’s inexpensive and easier), but will staggering the overnight trips this way be detrimental to exploring Tokyo or is there a more efficient way to explore? Left the spaces so we’d have wiggle room if we wanted to stay longer in an area, explore a nearby region, if the weather didn’t cooperate, etc…though in reality not sure how spontaneous we’ll be…
\***Should we cut out or swap either Nikko or Hakone?** Nikko looking forward to the national park and changing leaves. Hakone excited for nature walks, changing leaves, exploring the area, private Onsen.
\*Looked into a lot of Hakone onsen. A bit of sticker shock but willing to pay for the experience. Specifically – food, culture, and ideally private open air in-room onsen. Since we’re planning for one night in Hakone seems to make sense to stay in one that is centrally located. **Is Yama No Chaya the best value for our preferences?** ( Madoka no Mori – beautiful private baths, but booked; Washintei Hogetsu, Gora Hanaougi, Hakone Yuyado ZEN – same).
\***Any Nikko lodging suggestions central to national park/walks?**
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**Thank you!!!**
1 comment
Less hotel changing is definitely better. Many hotels in japan will let you keep your bags there for a number of days.
I was able to send packages to my last hotel 5 days before I stayed there with no problem, and store extra luggage at another hotel 3 days before starting there and going off to another part of the country.
I was at nikko/kinugawa the last 2 days. It is entirely worth going, but unless you’re going to spring for an expensive onsen hotel or looking to spend a full day at lake chuzenji, I would recommend using the 2 hour limited express spacia train from shinjuku/ikebukuro/asakusa to Nikko over staying overnight.