I’m planning to visit Japan for \~9 days next spring around the end of March to beginning of April to see some cherry blossoms and do the Shimanami Kaido. It’ll be my first time travelling alone, though second time visiting Japan (first time was Kyoto + Tokyo with family). So I’m hoping you all could help to make sure that my itinerary isn’t too unbalanced.
I want to make the most of it, but I’ll also be going to Korea right after so I’m really wary of burning myself out. I’ll be aiming to start the days at around 9am, except on mornings that I need to take a Shinkansen.
All advice or recommendations are greatly appreciated!
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**Day 0: Arrival in Osaka**
* Land in Osaka @ 19:30.
* Make my way directly to the hotel to sleep. I’m thinking somewhere relatively central and within walking distance (<20 min) to Dotonbori.
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**Day 1: Looking for Cherry Blossoms** (*Interchangeable with Day 2)*
* Take transit up to Sakuranomiya station
* Sakuranomiya Park and start walking south
* Japan Mint
* Osaka Castle & Park
* Walk back to the waterfront, past River station Hachiken’ya if the festival is happening.
* Walk up to the Daimaru Umeda department store to visit Pokemon Centre Osaka, One Piece store, Nintendo store, Capcom store.
* Umeda sky building & Kuchu Teien Observatory
* Dinner at Okonomiyaki Kiji
* Take transit back to hotel
For this day I’m mainly worried if it’s too much walking? I’m fairly active and a fast walker, but it is an entire day of being on my feet. I’d also be grabbing a quick lunch from any convenience store to eat in a park somewhere.
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**Day 2: Shopping** (*Interchangeable with Day 1)*
* Dotonbori – just taking the tourist pictures and skimming the main shops.
* Shinsaibashi – mainly just Daimaru for Pokemon Centre DX + Jump Shop, and Parco for Ghibli + Godzilla stores
* Kuromon Ichiba Market – Lunch
* Den Den town – spending more time here to look through the stores. Like \~2 hours?
* *Maybe* Shitennoji temple and/or Tennoji park
* Shinsekai – Dinner
I might also fit some karaoke or something instead if I get sick of shopping.
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**Day 3: Onomichi**
* Take Shinkansen to Onomichi
* At Onomichi station stop by the tourist centre to pick up maps
* Check into hotel and drop off bags
* Lunch
* Senkoji Temple and Park
* Cat Alley
* Stroll around the other temples or the shopping street
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**Day 4: Shimanami Kaido part 1**
* Store luggage in a coin locker at the station.
* Find bike rental
* Start biking until halfway
Going to take it relatively slow to do some sightseeing. I’m still planning the route but I know there are maps that show the paths one can take.
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**Day 5: Shimanami Kaido part 2**
* Finish biking
* Have dinner in Imabari
Not sure whether to stay in Imabari or try to get back to Onomichi.
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**Day 6: Okunoshima (Rabbit island) / Onomichi**
* Okunoshima – Cycle around the island and visit the Poison Gas Museum.
* Onomichi – Go back and see anything I missed/want to do again.
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**Day 7: Kobe and Arima Onsen**
* Take the Shinkansen to Kobe and travel to Arima Onsen
* Mount Rokko – Check out the Botanical Garden, observatories/observation decks, Garden Terrace, music box museum
* Try 1-2 onsens in Arima Onsen
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**Day 8: Kobe and return to Osaka**
* Eat Kobe beef
* Kobe Chinatown
* Akashi park + castle, Akashi Kaikyo Bridge
* Wander around Kobe???
* Return back to Osaka when ready
Tbh I’m not really sure what to do in Kobe. I feel like I would have seen a lot of gardens, parks, and shrines/temples by then and I’m not really a museum person.
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**Day 9: Osaka**
Basically a buffer day to do anything I missed and to prepare for Korea.
* Various chores – Laundry, shipping souvenirs back home
* Miscellaneous Japan stuff – Karaoke, Arcades, Spa World onsens, Animal Cafes
* Last minute shopping/sightseeing/eating
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**Day 10: Travel to Korea**