I am planning a visit to Japan during the winter holiday, and would appreciate if someone checked over my plans
(I know that Japan is not open yet, and I can move the trip by up to a year since I’ve booked with Finnair)
My main worries are that I haven’t left myself enough time in tokyo, but I’m also not sure how much stuff is open there after new year
* Hokkaido
* Dec 16 (Fri)
* 1:05 PM – arrival on Chitose airport
* Getting to my hotel
* Getting used to japan and strolling around the hotel / recovering from the journey
* Dec 17 (Sat)
* Sapporo Beer Museum
* Maruyama park + Hokkaido shrine
* Fushimi Inari Shrine
* Odori Park
* Dec 18 (Sun)
* Otaru + whatever
* Dec 19 (Mon)
* Rest
* Flight to Osaka (Haven’t booked it yet, so I can move this to another day)
* Transport to new hotel
* More rest
* Osaka
* Dec 20 (Tue) – Osaka Amazing Pass Day 1
* Osaka castle
* Nishinimaru gardens
* Aqualiner
* Umeda Sky Building
* Dec 21 (Wed) – Osaka Amazing Pass Day 2
* Science Museum
* ? Ferris wheel
* Zoo
* Botanical Garden
* Dec 22 (Thu)
* Aquarium
* Rest / spare day
* Dec 23 (Fri)
* Nara day trip
* Kyoto
* Dec 24 (Sat)
* Osaka to Kyoto
* Kyoto
* Christmas video call with family
* Dec 25 (Sun)
* Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
* Kyoto day
* Hiroshima
* Dec 26 (Mon) – JR pass day 1
* Kyoto -> hiroshima
* Hiroshima tourist stuff
* Kanazawa
* Dec 27 (Tue) – JR pass day 2
* Rest of hiroshima
* Train from hiroshima to Kanazawa
* Stash bag at hotel
* Dec 28 (Wed) – JR pass day 3
* Rest of Kanazawa
* Train from Kanazawa to Nagano
* Explore Nagano
* Nagano
* Dec 29 (Thu) – JR pass day 4
* Rest of Nagano
* Train to Tokyo
* Stash Bags in Hotel
* Explore the surroundings
* Tokyo
* Dec 30 (Fri) – JR pass day 5
* Explore Tokyo
* Dec 31 (Sat)
* Rest / Explore Tokyo part 2
* Find some New Year celebrations
* Jan 1 (Sun) – JR pass day 6
* Mt. Fuji day trip
* Jan 2 (Mon) – JR pass day 7
* Need recommendations for another daytrip (Probably using the last day of JR pass)
* Jan 3 (Tue)
* Need to figure out what’s open (Maybe Akihabara if the stores are open)
* Jan 4 (Wed)
* Kappabashi st. (Want to buy a knife as a souvenir and the stores are closed Jan 1-3)
* Akihabara
* Travel to airport at around 19-20:00
* Flight home (Departing 23:05 from Narita)
12 comments
Osaka, why the science museum ? This is usually the kind of museum better for kids to learn science stuff. Don’t go unless there is a specific thing you really want to do.
The botanical garden in Osaka does not seems that interesting, especially in winter as there will be no flower. I think that some Japanese landscape garden would make more sense.
In general people do not especially recommend zoo in Japan if you care about animal welfare.
Realistically, you do not need a full day to move from Osaka to Kyoto.
To spend only a day in Hiroshima, I would really consider doing it as a day trip from Kyoto or Osaka, this would avoid a hotel change and a long ride from Hiroshima to Kanazawa. Or do Osaka, Hiroshima, Kyoto in that order. Actually, you could even just not change hotel to go to Kyoto and just stay in Osaka all the time.
Fuji day trip, what exactly ? Kawaguchiko ? If that is the case, you cannot use JR Pass all the way.
It is obviously not a lot of time for Tokyo.
Mt. Fuji day trip on Jan 1? Good luck then.
What is a Mt. Fuji day trip? You aren’t planning to climb it right?
And be warned, Dec. 31st – Jan. 2nd most things are closed.
While doing my Tokyo itineraray, I learned that **January 2** is only one of two days of the year that the **inner grounds** of Tokyo Imperial Palace is open to the public. I think it woul be cool to visit on that day and have a glimpse of the royal family.
Jr Pass might not be worth it.
Kappabashi Dori is good to visit. But you can find a lot more knife shops in the Kyoto – Osaka area. I have knives from both so it doesn’t really matter but don’t go to kappabashi just for a knife.
Shigeharu in Kyoto is where I got my best knife from.
3 regions in 20 days seems a bit rush, don’t you think? Why not take it a bit easy and enjoy more? Maybe skip Hokkaido? Just a suggestion.
I definitely recommend doing the Kanazawa Castle tour. It’s run on donations, given by locals, and given in many languages.
JR pass needs to be used on consecutive days, so it would be Dec 26th until Jan 1st, you won’t have it on Jan 2nd.
December 17th: Honestly, I would start the day with Hokkaido-jingu and Sapporo Fushimi Inari shrine, if you feel so inclined, although they are not exactly must visit sights. Then I would go up the Mt. Moiwa ropeway to the observation deck and visit Sapporo Beer Museum in the afternoon before finisihing the day in Odori Park after dark for the winter light-ups and a glimpe of Clock Tower and TV Tower.
Osaka Amazing Pass: tailoring your trip to the pass is a very bad idea. Honestly of 3 days in Osaka: one should go to Kyoto, one to Himeji/Kobe and one should be spent on Osaka (Kaiyukan/Tempozan Ferris Wheel in the morning/early afternoon, Dotonbori/Abeno Harukas or Umeda/Sky Building in the evening). On the Nara day, you’d typically have a late afternoon/evening free, so it’s usually a good time to visit Dotonbori.
Osaka Castle in winter does not have any redeeming qualities. See the original castle like Himeji (or Hikone instead).
As people have already mentioned: nationwide JR Pass has to be used on consecutive days. It will be viable, even if use for Osaka-Hiroshima-Kanazawa-Nagano-Tokyo itinerary.
Nagano: Do you have specific itinerary set for Nagano? Because, unless you have a specific thing to do in mind, or are planning a trip to Jigokudani Monkey Park, you will probably visit Zenko-ji in the morning and this is the only real ‘can’t miss’ place in the city. You can’t even schedule a trip to Matsumoto on 29th, because the castle is close for the last three days of the year.
New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day: I would advise you to read up on how Japanese spend New Year’s Eve and Hatsumode. Since Mt. Fuji area day trip is not covered fully by nationwide JR Pass – it might be wiser to schedule a trip to Takao, Nikko or somewhere like Narita (Narita-san).
I didn’t know about the Osaka Amazing Pass and I just spent 30 minutes adding things to my itenrary so thanks!
You can go to 5th station of Mt. Fuji by car or bus. If you are not hiking then one day is enough.
I really like your program and wish to open borders and make it happen