February 2023 – 3 1/2 weeks Itinerary Check

Hi everyone, I previously posted an autumn itinerary but had to cancel the trip for various reasons. Ended up rescheduling to February and have revised the itinerary accordingly. Would love to get your thoughts on the new version!

We’re returning for a second trip to Japan after doing Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka/Hakone previously. Revisiting the big three to hit stuff we missed but also spending time in Hokkaido for the winter festivals and snow, Aomori prefecture and Nagoya, taking the opportunity of a longer trip to take more day trips 🙂

Here’s the itinerary:

* **Thurs 2/2 – Wed 2/8: Tokyo (staying in Akihabara)**
* Tokyo east side
* Senso-ji
* Ueno Park
* Tokyo National Museum
* Final Fantasy Eorzea Cafe
* Maidreamin
* MOGRA
* Art Aquarium
* Small Worlds Tokyo
* Diver City
* Imperial Palace Gardens
* Day trip to Nikko – Toshogu; Utsunomiya for gyoza on the way back to Tokyo
* Ashikaga Park
* Other unplanned activities
* **Wed 2/8 – Thurs 2/9: Asahikawa**
* Flight from Haneda to Asahikawa airport
* Asahiyama Zoo
* Otokoyama Sake Brewing Museum
* Furarito
* Asahikawa Winter Festival
* Other activities if time allows:
* Tokiwa park
* Asahikawashi Museum
* Asahikawa Ramen Village
* **Thurs 2/9 – Sun 2/12: Sapporo**
* Sapporo Snow Festival
* Sapporo Beer Museum
* Shiroikobito Park
* Odori Park
* Mt. Moiwa
* Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art
* Hokkaido University Botanic Garden
* Nijo Market
* Susukino
* Sapporo Clock Tower
* Sapporo TV Tower
* Tanukikoji
* Sapporo Hitsujigaoka Observation Deck
* Historical Village of Hokkaido
* Potential day trip to Niseko or a more local snow resort
* **Sun 2/12 – Mon 2/13: Otaru & Yoichi**
* Train from Sapporo directly to Yoichi for Yoichi Nikka Distillery, then train back to Otaru for the day
* Otaru Snow Lantern Festival
* Sakaimachi-dori
* Kitaichi Glass
* Otaru Music Box Museum
* Sankaku Market
* Denuki Koji
* **Mon 2/13 – Tues 2/14: Hakodate**
* Hakodate Morning Market
* Goryokaku/Goryokaku Tower
* Mount Hakodate night view
* Otherwise mostly wandering
* **Tues 2/14 – Wed 2/15: Aomori & Hirosaki**
* Aomori morning market (Nokkedon)
* Nebuta Museum WA RASSE
* A-FACTORY
* Seiryuji (if time allows, lower priority)
* Train to Hirosaki
* Hirosaki Castle
* Overnight stay in Owanionsen
* Possible (but unlikely) stop-off on Wed. shinkansen trip to Kyoto for Nikka Miyagikyo distillery
* **Wed 2/15 – Sat 2/18: Kyoto**
* Temples (**we’ll pick just a few of these based on further research**, the list below are just the ones we found interesting and we’d appreciate any advice on stand-outs!)
* Fushimi Inari at night (have previously visited during the day – I proposed here so we’d like to revisit)
* Kinkaku-ji
* Kiyomizu-dera (visited previously, but the main temple building was under renovation)
* Ryoan-ji
* Kodai-ji
* Shoren-in
* Murin-an
* Saiho-ji
* Eikan-do
* Ninna-ji
* Jisho-ji
* Shimogama-jinja
* Kitano-temmangu
* Nanzen-ji
* Genko-an
* Sanzen-in
* Kifune-jinja
* Chion-in
* Tenryu-ji
* Tofuku-ji
* Toji
* *(yes, I know it’s a lot – as I mentioned we’ll pick out just a few of these!)*
* Suntory Yamazaki Distillery
* Arashiyama early morning
* Kyoto Imperial Palace
* Kyoto Railway Museum
* Nijo-jo
* Kyoto Aquarium
* Revisit Nishiki Market and Pontocho
* **Sat 2/18 – Mon 2/20: Osaka** *(note: I got sick in Osaka during my last trip and didn’t get much chance to explore the city)*
* On Saturday, travel from Kyoto to Himeji, visit the castle
* Travel from Himeji to Kobe, have lunch/dinner and visit atoa Aquarium
* Travel to hotel in Osaka
* Dotonbori redo
* Osaka Aquarium
* Abeno Harukas
* Denden Town
* Umeda Sky Building
* Koko-en
* Sennichimae Doguyasuji
* Nipponbashi
* Shitennoji and/or Sumiyoshi Taisha if we aren’t completely temple’d out
* **Mon 2/20 – Wed 2/22: Nagoya**
* Nagoya Castle
* Osu Shopping District
* Toyoto Museum of Industry
* SCMaglev and Railway Park
* Tokugawa Art Museum and Gardens
* Nabana no Sato night trip
* Sakae
* Tsuruma Park
* MIRAI TOWER
* Oasis 21
* JR Central Towers
* **Wed 2/22 – 2/27: Tokyo (staying in Shinjuku)**
* Tokyo west side
* Shibuya Scramble
* Shibuya Stream/SKY
* Miyashita Park
* Ghibli Museum & Inokashira Park (if tickets blah blah)
* Yoyogi Park
* Meiji Jingu
* Shinjuku Gyoen
* Omoide-Yokocho
* Roppongi Mori Tower
* Harajuku revisit?
* Fun2Drive Hakone touge driving tour
* Day trip Kojokaku onsen in Gunma
* Potential day trips to Yokohama and/or Kamakura
* Other unplanned activities