**Intro**
Hi all, traveling with 2 friends to Japan for our combination birthdays March 15th-April 1 (two have been before, one is new and is very go with the flow/up for anything). We’re a pretty diverse group in terms of interests, so looking to find attractions that have wide appeal, but are also willing to split up for the day. I’ve planned a draft itinerary to nail down which cities and when, but haven’t booked hotels, only flights. We will be getting the JR Pass.
Any help appreciated!
**Looking for**
* **Advice if any day or area looks too busy.** A major concern is that I’ve tried to shove too much in, too quickly. If any one area looks unbalanced, please let me know! I tried to look up travel times to account for how much that will eat in to our exploration time as well.
* **Ryokan suggestions** especially in Kawaguchiko and Beppu
* **Onsen suggestions,** note I do have tattoos so suggestions that allow tattoos or covers accepted (if you have cover up suggestions, please let me know!)
* **Restaurant suggestions**, any and everywhere, we will be looking to eat out most meals and LOVE trying new Japanese menus
* **AirBNB experience,** I’m looking at trying to stay in AirBNB, especially in Tokyo and Osaka, if you have any experience with that, love to hear it.
* **Nagoya?** We were looking at stopping in Nagoya on the way from Osaka to Tokyo, mainly for the Nagisomachi Museum. Is there anything you suggest there or should we skip it?
* **Indigo Dyeing** \- has anyone done a class with Indigo dyeing that they would recommend? I was looking at Wanariya in Tokyo, but am open to suggestions on other classes
* **Cooking Classes** \- I was looking at the Buddah Bellies or Comburger Cooking classes in Tokyo but they are kind of expensive so was looking to hear if anyone had taken these or a different cooking class and could share their experience.
That’s A LOT, so thank you for any advice!!
**Staying in**
* Tokyo: Shinagawa or Shibuya
* Osaka: Namba Area
* Hiroshima: Naka Area
* Beppu/Kawaguchiko: Undecided
Itinerary
**W March 15th**
R Arrives Haneda Airport
R in hotel Shinagawa
**Th March 16th Tokyo**
5:50AM K+E land Narita Airport
Take Narita Express (purchase at airport, roundtrip, 4070Y) to Tokyo, Shinjuku Station
Meet R at hotel (Shinagawa),
drop off bags
Breakfast
Explore Garden/Park near hotel
Lunch
Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko – 3:14/4:14PM Bus 2000Y
Check into Ryokan
**F March 17th Kawaguchiko**
Options:
* Ide Sake Brewery
* Kachi-Kachi Ropeway (red line, 450/800Y)
* Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato (peasant village, green line, 350Y)
* Saiko Komoriana (lava flows/”bat cave”, green line, 300Y)
* Fugaku Fketsu (wind cave, green line, 350Y)
* Narusawa Hyoketsu (ice cave, walking, 350Y combo ticket)
* Aokigahara Forest
Return trip to Shinjuku 3:09-4:55PM/4:09PM-5:55PM/5:59-8:05PM (tyoko station)
Bullet train to Hiroshima **Activate** **JR Pass**
* Overnight JR from Tokyo Station 8:27-7:15AM
* JR from Tokyo Station latest 6:12-10:44PM Meet R at Hotel
**S March 18th**
Peace Park
Shukkeien
Fukuyama Castle
**Su March 19th**
Miyajima – San-yo Line to JR Ferry
* Giant Floating Torii gates
* Itsukushima Shrine – 300Y
* Deer temples
Return to Hiroshima 6:04-7:05PM
Stay night in Hiroshima
**M March 20th**
Check-out
Hiroshima Castle
Travel to Beppu 1-2PM, Tokaido-Sanyo JR – Sonic-Nichirin to Beppu Station
Check in to Ryokan
Onsen cooking experience
**T March 21st**
Wake up early
Bus to Yufuin from Beppu Station \~65 min, 36 Yufuin Line
Hike to Yufudake\* (if closed, Beppu Hells Tour)
Return Beppu 2PM
Train to Hiroshima 5:38-8PM
Check-in
**W March 22nd**
Leave for Osaka 9AM-10:22AM Tokaido-Sanyo JR
Roaming day/Osaka Castle
**R March 23rd**
Train to Kyoto 9AM Tokaido-Sanyo – San-In Kyoto
Arashiyama Forest
Return to Osaka Dinner
**F March 24th**
Train to Kyoto 9AM Tokaido-Sanyo
Nishiki Market
Maruyama Park
**S March 25th**
Train to Nara 9AM Kintetsu-Nara
Nara Park
Todai-ji
Isui-en
Return to Osaka by 4:30PM
**Su March 26th**
Spend in AM in Osaka
Leave for Tokyo PM 2H Tokaido-Sanyo
Nagoya??
Check-in Tokyo Shibuya
**M March 27th**
Tsukiji Market
Team Lab
Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi Omakse
**T March 28th**
Ueno Park
Senso-ji
Yayoi Kusama Museum/Sword Museum
Asakusa walking tour
**W March 29th**
Shibuya
Imperial Palace
**R March 30th**
Ghibli Museum Shinjuku Chuo Line
Sumo Event?
**F March 31st**
**S April 1st** Train to Narita 2PM 5:00PM K+E leave
4 comments
pretty sure you can skip Fukuyama Castle, it’s just a concrete recreation.
why not to hiroshima castle that day instead of the next,? it’s very close to the peace park
For March 16th, the first N’ex train is at 7:40. If you can reach Narita airport train station earlier, thee might have other choices (but transit are needed).
the day at Kawaguchiko might be too rushed, there is only one bus per hour or every 2 hours.
“Return trip to Shinjuku” seems like by bus? Buses are usually delayed by the traffic jam around Tokyo at evening, so you may not able to reach Shinjku in time. I’m not sure if “Meet R at Hotel” is typo, If Tokyo can be skipped, you can just activated JR pass at Otsuki station with the route: Otsuki -> Hachioji -> Shin-Yokohama -> Shin-kobe -> Hiroshima
At Nagoya, I like Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology, Inuyama Castle and Meiji Mura. But Nagisomachi Museum is a little far from Nagoya, I guess there is no time after a day trip to there.
There is actually a village south of Nagoya famous for shibori and indigo dying. If you google it, it should come up. But honestly you’re itinerary is too full already. I would skip it and add it to some of the other days.
Also I hated yufuin, touristy and all you can do is go shopping. Go to the kuju mountains if you can. Super beautiful, might need a car.
Beppu is pretty tattoo friendly, most Onsen are ok with tattoos there. For the rest of places you’ll have to check the websites like “tattoo friendly” or “tattoo go”.
Yufudake doesn’t close. You should be fine there:-)