Hi everyone – I am excited to return to Japan for my second time with my brother (first time) and a couple of friends in between! My trip route starts north, then flying west, and heading east back to Tokyo!
Our focus is on seeing scenic views, casual bike/hike exploration, and devouring great food!
**March 11 – Tokyo Arrival**
* Land in Tokyo (6PM), get pocket WiFi and spend night stress-free in Tokyo
**March 12 – Hakodate Day Trip, Sapporo Night**
* Fly to Hakodate in morning (6/7:30AM) and arrive (8/9:30AM), pick up konbini snacks
* Visit Goryokaku until 1PM
* Enjoy lunch food by 3PM – Uni / Seafood Bowl
* Visit Mt. Hakodate until 5PM
* Take Horuto (JR Pass should cover) to Sapporo and arrive at night (8:30/9:30PM)
**March 13 and 14 – Sapporo**
* Visit Otaru (leave 10AM, arrive 11AM), eat lunch and walk the canal. Depart 1PM
* Visit Mt Moiwa and Jewels restaurant at 5:30PM. View observatory post-dinner 7-7:30PM
* Return to Sapporo for Susukino district (9PM) for meals/drinks
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* Visit Nijo Fish Market next morning at 9AM
* Visit Hokkaido-Jingu Shrine, and Kaitaku Shrine/Maruyama Park from 11AM to 1PM
* Lunch until 2:30 to 3PM
* Visit Sapporo Beer Garden and tour (3:30PM) for 1-2 hours. Genghis Khan meal?
* Walk around Odori Park from 6PM – 8PM
* Visit Susukino district for ramen and meals to end the night
**March 15 – Fly to Fukuoka and head to Hiroshima**
* Morning market / New Chitose Mall stroll until 11AM flight to Fukuoka
* Arrive at 2PM in Fukuoka and get Hakata Ramen
* Potentially visit Uminonakamichi Seaside Park (opinion for Mar 15)?
* Take train to Hiroshima from 4-5PM to arrive 5-6PM
* Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park 7PM
* Mt Futaba Peace Pagoda (if there is time to hike up for night view)
* Dinner 9-10PM
**March 16 – Miyajima Island**
* Travel to Miyajima in morning 10AM and arrive 11AM, drop off our bags
* Mt. Misen with Momijidani Park
* Itsukushima Shrine (Floating Torii) and 5 storey Pagoda
* Evening dinner and stroll on Machiya Street 7-8PM
* Rainy weather would ruin this day but I can’t book last minute and I can’t see myself spending 2 days there, so it is what it is 🙁
**March 17 TBD – Flexible day for other cities, undecided.**
**March 18 – Hiroshima morning and Kyoto bound**
* Return to Hiroshima and arrive Hiroshima Castle and Shukkeien Garden at 10-11AM
* Onboard to Kyoto at 1PM, or Osaka at 1PM for lunch and head to Kyoto at 3-4PM.
* Flexible day in case we want to spend more time in Hiroshima or Osaka.
**March 19 and 20 – Kyoto**
* I’ve been to Kyoto and it’s my favorite city from my first trip
* This will be my brother’s first time so we will divide up interests
* Mainly biking on Kamo River, seeing Kiyomizudera (which was under construction before), revisiting Fushimi Inari at night, Gold Pavilion, etc.
**March 21 and 22 – Shizuoka Eel and Lake Kawaguchiko**
* Head out at 8-9AM to Shizuoka to line up for highly rated Eel restaurant
* From Shizuoka, head off to Lake Kawaguchiko for Ryokan experience with Mt. Fuji view, hikes, and biking trails for 1-2 nights.
**March 23, 24, and 25 – Tokyo**
* Meal and city expedition with my friends for the last 3 nights. Hanami events.
* The days heading up to departure always feel so sad but that’s life!
I have **potential extra days of 26** **(alongside 17)** to add in itinerary. Recommendations appreciated for any day trips! Thank you for reading!
3 comments
You will not have time for Uminonakamichi. You arrive at 2pm, figure at least an hour to get baggage and and eat lunch, half an hour to Uninonakamichi so you arrive at 3:30 to turn around and go back to Hakata Station for your Shinkansen to Hiroshima.
As much as I love Fukuoka(I live there) either just use it as for lunch and transit or change something else on your trip to stay a day or two.
I was in Hokkaido (Hakodate / Sapporo etc) a few weeks back and the ropeway was closed. Check if it is still closed before you go. Also, I didn’t think it would be worth visiting, but check out the red brick warehouses if you want any omiyage from Hakodate. They are actually pretty cool.
Also, you can see the Otaru canal in 15mins, there’s really not that much to see.
It’s probably not worth going to Otaru just to see the canal. It’s an ok sight but I find the main attraction of Otaru is taking it slow and checking out all the different shops and trying a bunch of food there, which would take more than 2 hours.
The Sapporo Beer Museum is pretty small so doesn’t take too long. I would suggest going there for lunch and have Ghengis Khan and try a few beers.