So, taking my mother on a trip to finally knock Japan from her bucket list. Structured the below itinerary based on what she wanted to do:
– Day 01 | Tokyo > Arrive and get sorted | Activate JR Pass
– Day 02 | Tokyo > Shopping, Shibuya
– Day 03 | Tokyo > Shinjuku, Harajuku, Meiji Shrine, Metropolitan Government Building
– Day 04 | Tokyo > Asakusa & Sensiji Temple, Thunder gate, Ueno- Tokyo National Museum, Shogunate
– Day 05 | Tokyo > Float
– Day 06 | Hakone > Chill, see Mt Fuji, Overnight Stay
– Day 07 | Nagano > Leave Hakone Early, get to Nagano to see the Snow Monkeys
– Day 08 | Kanazawa > See the historic Town/geisha
– Day 09 | Kyoto > Kinkakuji – Golden Pavillion, Toei Kyoto Studio, Kiyomizu-dera
– Day 10 | Kyoto > Fushimi Inari Shrine, Sagano Bamboo Grove
– Day 11 | Osaka > Trip to Nara On the way from Kyoto
– Day 12 | Osaka > Universal Studios
– Day 13 | Hiroshima > Himeji Castle on the way from Osaka
– Day 14 | Fukuoka > See Hatsukaichi before leaving Hiroshima | JR Pass Expires
– Day 15 | Sapporo > Fly out From Fukuoka @2PM
– Day 16 | Sapporo > Explore
– Day 17 | Ferry > Overnight Ferry to Oarai
– Day 18 | Tokyo > Float
– Day 19 | Tokyo > Depart
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Level with me: is the above just too much. These destinations and activities were insisted upon by the parent. Transit for the first 14 days are via JR pass.
I am most worried about Days 12-14. I am not sure enough time has been allocated to see Himeji + Hiroshima :/
1 comment
* Himeji can be a 2-3 hour stop if you just see the castle (the gardens are ok in spring-fall but barren when you’re there; in any case the garden in Kanazawa is more famous), and lots of people do Hiroshima/Miyajima as a day trip from Osaka. You have two days, it’ll be fine
* Day 14/15: What are you doing in Fukuoka for half a day? Is there something special there, to check the box off and say you’ve been to Kyushu, or could you fly from Sapporo from Hiroshima which would eliminate the concern about there not being enough time?
* Hakone and Nagano are in opposite directions from Tokyo, and only a limited number of Shinkansen call at Odawara, just FYI for trip planning purposes
* You don’t need a JR Pass for intra-Tokyo travel, might be better to activate the pass on Day 6 and have it for intra-Hokkaido travel or something like that (I have not done the math)