Hello! I am a young female solo traveller who has just booked flights to Japan for next mid April to May. This is my first international solo trip of this length so I am excited but apprehensive. My main priorities for this trip are food, nature, history, and socialising. I love a combo of quiet mountains and crazy bars. I’m staying in hostels (not party hostels but ones that do events at least) and am hoping to keep my budget low – free activities/wandering around people watching is my vibe too. I’m staying in central locations of each city close to the stations so travel shouldn’t be an issue.
I’m gonna get the JR pass but I’m not sure when I should activate it to save the most money. I am very open to moving things around, as well as any recommendations – especially for nature (i really really like mountains and hiking) and of course FOOD – Although I very very regretfully do not like seafood which obviously is not ideal for japan 🙁 I’m not a neurotic traveller who has everything planned to the exact minute but I would like to work on a general layout of each day later on. This is far from a comprehensive list of everything I will do, but I’d love some suggestions! I would be very grateful if anyone can help with any issues with the layout of my itinerary. Thank you!
Day 1 to 8 : Tokyo! (Not in order)
– Chidorigafuchi
– Senso-ji temple
– Shinjuku metropolitan government building to watch the sunset
– Shinjuku gyoen
– TeamLab borderless
– Omoide yokcho
– Ghibli museum!! I love love love Studio Ghibli which is why I’m going to Yakushima later
– Asukusa live jazz bars
– Yoyogi park
– all the classic tourist districts like Harujuku, Shinjuku, Akihabara etc
– day trip to mount takao
On night of 8th day, sleep on overnight bus to Kyoto
Day 9-12: Kyoto (spend 12th night in Osaka)
– Arashiyama
– Day trip to Nara
– Mount Atago or Mount Hiei
– Fushimi inari
– Kodaji temple
– Pontocho
– Gion
13-15: Osaka
– Dotonbori!
– Osaka castle
– Mostly just interested in food
– Might get the Osaka
16: travel to Fukuoka
– ramen city
– Yatai
– Oyafukoudori
17: Fukuoka to Kagoshima
– spend most of day in Fukuoka then train to Kagoshima in afternoon
18: Kagoshima, then the overnight ferry to Yakushima
– Not sure what to do in the day before my ferry, very open to suggestions
19: spend the day exploring Yakushima, then take the overnight ferry back
– have no car or license (although I could get one before I go I suppose) so I will be hiking/taking the buses around
20: back to Kagoshima
21: to Miyazaki then Aoshima (cat island!!) then back to Kagoshima (am open to doing this on the day before if I will not be too tired)
22: Kagoshima to Tokyo
23: Day trip from Tokyo to Nikko
24: Day trip to Hakone
25: One last day in Japan 🙂
26: fly to Seoul
