2-week itinerary review

Hi all, I’m planning on travelling to Japan next year first solo, then with a friend, and afterwards with my dad. I put up an itinerary and did a bit of research as well on places I’m most keen to go to, but I’m a bit overwhelmed and think maybe some of these can be rearranged in a better way. My roundtrip flights depart and arrive at Fukuoka.

I am planning on getting the JR pass for 7 days, and for the rest of the days have opted to take for local flights instead.

**Fukuoka > Hiroshima > Osaka > Kyoto > Tokyo > Sapporo > Fukuoka**

**Day 1**

\- Arrive at Fukuoka Airport (7:30PM)

\- Go to hotel, check in, eat dinner (Yatai stalls?)

**Day 2**

\- Take a train from Fukuoka to Hiroshima – Peace Memorial Park – Peace Memorial Museum – Atomic Bomb Dome – Hiroshima Castle – Shukkeien Garden

\*\* Wondering if anyone has taken the Hiroshima walking tour, if it is available now, and is it worth it?

**Day 3**

\- **Miyajima** \- Omotesando Arcade (shopping street) – Itsukushima Shrine (Water torii gate) – Daishō-in Temple

\- Take the train from Hiroshima to Osaka (my friend arrives at the evening of this day)

**Day 4**

\- Osaka Museum of Housing and Living – 400 yen presents a glimpse of the streets of Osaka during the Edo Period (1603-1868) through recreated houses which visitors can enter – Osaka Castle – Shitennoji Temple

\*\* or Possibly Osaka Walking Tour

**Evening**:

\- Hozenji Yokocho – Minami (Namba) – Dotonbori – Amerikamura

**Day 5**

**-** Universal Studios Japan

**Day 6**

\- Take train from Osaka to Kyoto- **Higashiyama District** \- Fushimi Inari Shine – Yasaka Pagoda – Yasaka Shrine (Lanterns lit every evening) – Gion \* Possibly Kyoto walking tour

**Day 7**

\- **Arashiyama** \- Monkey Park – Togetsukyo Bridge – Tenryuji Temple – Bamboo Groves – Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street

\- Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple -Toriimoto Preserved Street – Otagi Nenbutsuji (1200 stone rakan statues) – Dinner – Pontocho

**Day 8**

**Morning:** Fushimi Inari Shrine

Afternoon – Take train to Tokyo (arrive at night, check in) Have dinner at Shinjuku – Golden Gai

**Day 8**

Tokyo – Daiso Harajuku – Nezu Shrine – Tokyo Imperial Palace – Akihabahara (Electronics) – Asakusa – Shibuya*note:* What would be the best places to go for a newcomer? I’ve went before but my friend hasn’t, and I’m not too sure if these are just places I prefer to be or maybe there are better areas to check

**Day 9-10**

meet some friends and go around with them

\- Fly to Sapporo on afternoon of Day 10

**Day 11**

Sapporo – Snow Festival – lit up til 22:00 (Odori Park – Odori Site) (Susukino Site) – Lunch at Susukino – Sapporo TV Tower – Sapporo Beer Museum and Beer Garden – Don Quijote (Shopping)

**Day 12**

**-** Possibly an organized tour since we’re not too familiar with navigating through winter (we come from a tropical country), what are everyone’s thoughts on the Ice Village Tour (Lake Shikaribetsu Kotan and Tomamu Ice Village)?

**Day 13**

\- Fly back to Fukuoka

Shopping:

\- Kawabata Shopping Street (Kawabata Shotengai) – Canal City Hakata and Tenjin Chikagai – Gundam Theme Park, Yokohama Gundam Factory (only open til March 2023)

\- Kushida Shrine – Chikuzen Sumiyoshi – Fukuoka Tower Dinner at Nakasu (Fukuoka entertainment district) – Yatai Stalls

**Day 14**

\- Ohori Park

\- Fly back home

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Some other notes:

* I’ve researched for the japan rail pass and I guess I might be getting it from Klook, I’ve read up that sometimes you have to book the seat in advance through JR offices. I was wondering it anyone has tried to book it online? Maybe book it a week before I go on the trip so I am sure there are seats available, and there would be less hassle to go to offices then? Thank you!
* Maybe some food suggestions as well that you really really recommend?