(Edited on 7/6 just to clarify that we want to visit the Shinhotaka ropeway – we’re not planning on mountain climbing – and to highlight that we have already visited Nikko, Enoshima, and Hakone and won’t be doing Hiroshima on this trip.)
I’m going to Japan for a whole three months and yet I’m not visiting your favorite / dream location?? Tell me about it!
**Some background before we dive in:** I’ve been planning a sabbatical for either this fall (if visas permit) or next fall (dear god it had better be open by then). I’ve visited Japan twice before, seeing **Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka** as well as spending plenty of time in **Nikko, Enoshima, and Hakone**, so you won’t see them featured. We’re also saving **Hiroshima** for a future trip, when the torii at Itsukushima / Miyajimi is fully restored and no longer obscured by construction.
My goal is to travel generally North to South and hope I can catch good leaf color at some point along the way.I’m bringing my spouse and some N5/low N4 level Japanese. I won’t be driving and I get carsick on buses, so we’re traveling by train as much as possible. Our hope is to save some money on hotels outside the major cities in order to support the occasional fancy ryokan or nice dinner. Otherwise, in terms of interests, we’re into the usual stuff: gardens, shrines, temples, cool modern buildings, historical buildings, cheap delicious food, expensive fancy food, things related to anime, etc.
**Here’s what we have so far:**
Sep 29 – Oct 4 Tokyo (recovering from flight, food, maybe Ghibli museum)
Oct 4 – Oct 7 Kamakura (missed this on the prev visits! all the temples)
Oct 7 – Oct 11 Ichinoseki (first day is a wash due to long train North)
Oct 11 – Oct 15 Hachinohe (the Jomon museum? Hoping the Tohoku Emotion will be extended)
Oct 15 – Oct 19 Hakodate (ice cream! shopping! observatory!)
Oct 19 – Oct 20 Onuma (this is just an overnight after visiting farms nearby)
Oct 20 – Oct 27 Sapporo (oh baby, I’m so excited about Sapporo! we fly to Niigata from here)
Oct 27 – Oct 30 Niigata (sake vending machines on the way to Sado)
Oct 30 – Nov 3 Sado (we need to give this extra time because no car)
Nov 3 – Nov 5 Nagano (rest after the ferry, later getting on a joyful train to Matsumoto)
Nov 5 – Nov 7 Matsumoto (sweet castle! We’ll be taking a bus from here to Takayama, booo)
Nov 7 – Nov 10 Takayama (likely to do Shin-Hotaka ropeway on the way here – should this be overnight?)
Nov 10 – Nov 11 Shirakawa-go (going to try to stay in a gassho-zukuri, wish me luck)
Nov 11 – Nov 13 Kanazawa (old residences, etc.)
Nov 13 – Nov 18 Kyoto (we really enjoyed it last time, might try Kin/Ginkakuji)
Nov 18 – Nov 24 Nara (never been! not sure if we’ll try a monastery overnight or no)
Nov 24 – Nov 28 Osaka (just good food, the end)
Nov 28 – Nov 29 Himeji (the castle and maybe
Nov 29 – Dec 1 Tottori (pears? sand dunes? mandarin ducks?)
Dec 1 – Dec 5 Matsue (the canals seem 10/10, plus another sweet castle)
Dec 5 – Dec 8 Okayama (including a day trip to Naoshima, the art island)
Dec 8 – Dec 10 Onomichi (I’m a nerd who loves the way the bay view looks in manga)
Dec 10 – Dec 12 Kitakyshu (maybe the Toto and railway museum? not so sure about this time)
Dec 12 – Dec 16 Fukouka (cool architecture? unsure. later flying back to Tokyo)
Dec 16 +? Tokyo (this is way more time than we need, just back by Dec 22)
In addition to “**you forgot x place, how could you leave it off the list?!**” I’m also very interested in feedback like “you’re spending way too much time at x” or especially “**whoa, that trip from x -> y is going to run you ragged.**”Thanks in advance for the advice!
26 comments
My travel goal, to travel Japan for 3 months!
> Oct 7 – Oct 11 Ichinoseki (first day is a wash due to long train North)
Ichinoseki is not so far away that a first day up north (2:35 by train) that a first day would be a mandatory wash. It would be still reasonable to visit Hiraizumi or Geibikei Gorge and be in no hurry.
Thus said, it’s a very strange choice for a hub: Sendai would be much better as trips to Yamadera and Matsushima Bay would be within an easy reach and you can visit Geibikei Gorge/Hiraizumi on a single day as well.
> Oct 11 – Oct 15 Hachinohe (the Jomon museum? Hoping the Tohoku Emotion will be extended)
Again, this is a strange choice of a hub. Aomori gives you access to Hachinohe, Hirosaki and Lake Towada areas..
> Oct 19 – Oct 20 Onuma (this is just an overnight after visiting farms nearby)
Onuma area is an easy day trip from Hakodate.
> Oct 20 – Oct 27 Sapporo (oh baby, I’m so excited about Sapporo! we fly to Niigata from here)
Even when including Otaru and possible Asahikawa day trip – it’s about 2 days too long.
> Oct 27 – Oct 30 Niigata (sake vending machines on the way to Sado)
Of all the major cities in Japan, Niigata is probably the least worth-visiting from a tourist standpoint. Even a visit to a sake brewery would be easier to accommodate in Kobe, Kyoto or Nara. You don’t drive so a trip to Dewa Sanzan or through Echigo is a skip.
> Nov 7 – Nov 10 Takayama (likely to do Mt. Hotaka on the way here – should this be overnight?)
If Kamikochi isn’t closed down – it should be visited.
> Nov 18 – Nov 24 Nara (never been! not sure if we’ll try a monastery overnight or no)
Shukubo stay is better done in Koyasan or Kyoto. Even if you include Horyuji and most of the historically important places – Nara will not take you more than 4 days.
> Nov 24 – Nov 28 Osaka (just good food, the end)
I would avoid last week of Novemeber in Osaka like the plague (it’s Osaka Marathon week and in case of Japan re-opening hotel prices tend to go slightly mad).
As to what you are reasonably missing in a trip that length: Nagasaki, which for many people is one of the coolest towns in Japan; Takamatsu, which would be a better point to visit Art Islands, Izu Peninsula or Gunma onsen towns and perhaps spending time around Lake Toyo on your way to Sapporo.
Nice! There are the snow monkeys out of Nagano. Kanazawa and Okayama have two of the top gardens in Japan. Yeah, highly recommend Shirakawa-go and staying in one of the grass-covered cottages. Also, there’s Hiroshima and a day trip to Itsukushima.
Tokyo Disney. Did you know it’s the only theme park where no one has ever died before? Which means if you stay there forever, you can live forever.
I’ve done a lot of hostel and they are generally quite good. If there is none in the city you want to visit, either check a neighboring city or just expand your search tool, like just plain Google maps, it helped me find accommodation not listed on international booking website, it was actually a ryokan (like not a fancy one, no meal included) and it was cheaper than a business hotel. In other places, I stopped at minshuku that can be surprisingly affordable considering the meal they include.
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Would consider flying to Sapporo and slowly going down instead of flying from Sapporo to Niigata.
Kamakura, ok, but is it worth 3-4 days ? If you stretch it I guess 2 days Kamakura and 1 Enoshima.
Why Ichinoseki ? Instead I would base myself in Sendai and you have daytrips options like Matsushima, Yamadera and Iraizumi (right next to Ichinoseki). If you do these 3 places, check to do the Tohoku 4 temples pilgrimage.
A lot of the places you listed can be nice, but I would do 1-2 days in each, not 4-5. Unless you plan daytrips outside of the city, for me it’s a bit too long in many.
Between Hakodate and Sapporo you could consider a stop by Noboribetsu for a onsen.
Sapporo I guess you would include some day trips like Hotaru.
If you were to start from Sapporo and go south, to get to Niigata I would suggest to add Aizuwakamatsu. It’s easily worth 1-2 days to visit. Then you can go to Kitakata to eat some good ramen. If you do, I would highly suggest to make it fit with the schedule of the [Ban’etsu Monogatari](https://www.jreast.co.jp/e/joyful/c57.html) train, it’s a steam locomotive. It is a bit slower than the regular train but pretty cool. It usually run the weekend, depart at 3:27pm from Aizuwakamatsu and 3:51 from Kitakata.
Matsumoto you can consider a daytrip to Azumino to see the wasabi farm.
Check bus schedule to Kamikochi and how much time it will give you to hike. For sure it’s possible to do a long hike on 2 days, really depend on your goal.
I stayed in Shirakawa-go and it should be possible to stay in a gassho-zukuri house, but might require to search outside of international booking websites as minshuku are not always listed there.
For that long in Nara, I really wish you get do different places around the prefecture. I would highly suggest to check out Kashihara and Asuka area. It could totally be worth spending a night or two in the area. I did the Nara-Yamato pilgrimage and it was quite nice, I can give you more info on it (including option of place to stay). I did it in 1 day, but to have time to explore a bit more, I would say do it in 3 days.
Tottori prefecture, highly recommend stopping by Kurayoshi (at least for a day on the way to Matsue) and could even make it two days and stop by Mount Mitoku and Misasa onsen.
Matsue, do not miss Izumo. Can also check Tamatsukuri for onsen.
Okayama add Kurashiki as daytrip.
I love Onomichi, would you mind telling me what manga ? Also staying for more than a day, you can check to take a boat to one of the islands.
Kitakyushu, the castle area is king of cool and Mojiko retro is pretty nice. Would suggest having time for Shimonoseki as a daytrip, start the day early to go to the fish market.
Fukuoka, if you like history, do not miss the Fukuoka City Museum, really nice and cheap, of course try eating at the yatai. They also have a TeamLab exhibition.
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I also recommend that you look for regional dish in each region and even city that you will visit. I only mentioned ramen in Kitakata, but could point to different dish in many other (especially the one where I went).
Too much time in Tokyo, and a little bit too much in Hokkaido. Need to add more time in Kyushu
Yoshinogari
https://www.yoshinogari.jp
Nagasaki
Unzen
Kumamoto
and more depending on time
You want to climb okuhotaka in November? Do you have experience with snow and crampons/axe? There might be snow already so you’ll need proper winter gear and experience. Also okuho is an overnight hike but pretty sure the hut is closed already in November.
Woah dude. The fact that you’re going to Japan for vacation for 3 whole months is super cool!! But no plans for Kawaguchiko / Fuji 5 lakes area? Also, Okinawa??
Day tripping from Okayama to Naoshima is doable but not ideal as the trip to Uno port to Naoshima is a solid… 2 hours?
Takamatsu would be a better option (for Naoshima)
Depending on how bad your car sickness is, it is also worthwhile to consider going via Kobe-Shodoshima (Sakate)-Shodoshuma(Tonosho)-Naoshima or Kobe-Takamatsu-Naoshima.
Even though you’ve been to Japan before, I feel like you’re trying to pack too much, too many things to do. It might be worthwhile to take off a place or two, extend stays in some that way you can actually relax and rest as well and kinda enjoy the place more than just skimming it
I wish I were born in Japan
If you’re hitting Fukuoka, take a train and a day trip down to Dazaifu. Great shrines (Tenmangū is great) and temples (though you may be done with that by then) but a nice smaller place to wander around.
If you’re going to Kyushu you should definitely go to Nagasaki—great food and great history and just beautiful. In Fukuoka I recommend going to Dazaifu if you’re not sure where to start
I’d recommend visiting Okinawa for a few days, it’s very different to mainland Japan as it’s a tropical island with it’s own history and culture. If you go then probably better to do so earlier in your trip while it’s warmer.
As someone else mentioned, also Tokyo Disney Resort for a few days (I’d recommend at least one day each at Disneyland and DisneySea)
> Oct 4 – Oct 7 Kamakura (missed this on the prev visits! all the temples)
Don’t forget about Enoshima if you haven’t done it already, a fun little area to explore.
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> Dec 12 – Dec 16 Fukouka (cool architecture? unsure. later flying back to Tokyo)
– Definitely do the yatai on the street there next to the river, outside the big mall
– Since you are in Fukuoka, you passed by Hiroshima, you may not want to do Hiroshima proper (because you probably already have), but there are some great rural areas worth just walking around north of it. Miyoshi and Shobara come to mind atm
– If you haven’t hiked Mt. Misen on Miyajima to the top, that’s fun and worth it, it also has a decent momiji walk area
Okiiiinawa
I don’t have anything to value add, but a 3 months Japan travel is something I’m planning to do next year or 2 years later as well.
Wishing you safe travels and all the best with planning!
Saving this post for future reference
Go to Jeju island for a week
When I went we added on a stay in a ryokan in Hakone, none of us were that excited about it compared to the rest of the activities we had on the trip but when we got there we all fell in love! It felt like living in an anime, just walking around the little town and seeing people riding bikes along the little river near us was so sweet. The food in the ryokan was amazing and cooked with seasonal fish and ingredients!
Also having unlimited access to a private bath and public onsen was so cool. I took so many baths while I was there.
Also on the way there you get to ride in a cute little train that travels in a switchback fashion. And if I remember correctly there was stuff to do nearby, I think a lake and temples 🙂
Omg and I completely forgot to mention the coolest thing in Hakone was the open air museum! One of a kind, amazing experience. The art is so cool, and the cafe there is so beautiful and looks out over the tree tops.
Just an advice to get an Airbnb some days if you’re there for 3 months. Cooking at home makes a big difference and you’ll have access to laundry machines.
Although it’s 3 months, it sounds like a lot of traveling.
While in Osaka, take a day trip to Koyasan and check out Okunoin while you’re there.
Ginzan Onsen is a must visit during your Dec stay
No Hiroshima or Koya San?
Nara is an easy day trip from Kyoto and I dont think youd need 4 days there.
I really enjoyed Naoshima island and recommend doing it as an overnight trip. Its definitely worth it if you’re an arty person.
Im surprised Hiroshima wasnt mentioned on your itinerary, definitely worth visiting.
Whoo 3 months Japan!
Maybe staying in a temple in Koyasan (Mount Koya)?