Hi,
This is my 2nd attempt for this planning (as I’ve got 5 more days to play with and some time to think), so:
**Who’s going:** There will be only me and my wife on that trip.
I already have all hotels reserved and all of them are no further then 10min on foot from stations. We’re planning to get JP for 21 days, and according to previous topic I’ve created – we’ll (most likley) not be renting a car as I cannot drive and my wife is saying she don’t fell for driving on a wrong side of the road (also she ain’t change current one to new surname after our marrige so she cannot even get international one right now) xD
We like to travel in “HUBS” – to stay for nights in one place for longer and travel around (but we can stay somwhere for additional night if we find it justified – maybe Nikko?)
Also there is no specific order in HUBs – we’ll be checking the weather and deciding on place where we want to go next day – the only exception is 31.03 SkyTree which is a must that day (wife’s birthday).
**To the main question:**
As far I feel the first part is quite settled (Tokyo & Osaka) then I feel a rush in a second where we’re going to Fukuoka/Hiroshima/Kanazawa – I am still wondering whether resigning from one of them in order to spend more time in others might be a good idea 🙁
How do you feel about that? – when I’m thinking of resigning (which I would not want to do if not neccesary) then most likley I’ll shift towards letting go of 4 days in Kanazawa and add those to Kyushu. – But I am still struggle with that.
Also if you have any suggestions for other parts you’re more than welcome! 🙂
If anyone intrested there is my google map with makrers in Japan (no all will be visitied – its more of an list with intresting places that I was using when deciding where to go – [https://goo.gl/maps/zPEFJ2m4o3NqwYKA9](https://goo.gl/maps/zPEFJ2m4o3NqwYKA9))
​
|Date & Day|Day No. & JRP Day|HUB City|Visit Point – Main|Visit Point – Detailed|
|:-|:-|:-|:-|:-|
|25/03/2023 & Saturday|01|Tokyo|Narita Airport|Narita Airport – arrival at 20:00|
|26/03/2023 & Sunday|02|Tokyo|Tokyo|Going around to get familliar with place & Imperial Palace or Zoo|
|27/03/2023 & Monday|03|Tokyo|Tokyo|Kamakura ( Gardens & Shrine hunt)|
|28/03/2023 & Tuesday|04|Tokyo|Nihon-ji Daibatsu|Nihon-ji Daibatsu / or sth else (it’s really far and I’m still thinking if it’s worth it)|
|29/03/2023 & Wednesday|05|Tokyo|Nikko|Nikko (Nikkō Tōshō-gū)|
|30/03/2023 & Thursday|06|Tokyo|Tokyo|Maybe 2nd day in Nikko or Tokyo- we’ll see|
|31/03/2023 & Friday|07|Tokyo|Tokyo|Sensō-ji, Tokyo Museum, Tokyo Skytree|
|01/04/2023 & Saturday|08|Tokyo|Kawaguchi Lake|Kawaguchi Lake ( Chureito Pagoda, Oishi Park)|
|02/04/2023 & Sunday|09|Tokyo|Tokyo|Tokyo Spring Festival & maybe something in Yokohama|
|03/04/2023 & Monday|10 & JRP 01|Tokyo|Osaka|Going to Osaka, and stay that day in Osaka (Osaka Castle, Shrines, Gardens, Dotonbori)|
|04/04/2023 & Tuesday|11 & JRP 02|Osaka|Kyoto|Fushim Inari, Shrines & Gardens on East|
|05/04/2023 & Wednesday|12 & JRP 03|Osaka|Kyoto|Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle|
|06/04/2023 & Thursday|13 & JRP 04|Osaka|Kyoto|Toji, Shrines & Gardens on West|
|07/04/2023 & Friday|14 & JRP 05|Osaka|Himeji & Kobe|Himeji mostly for Castle and Kobe: Sorakuen Garden, Ikuta Jinja|
|08/04/2023 & Saturday|15 & JRP 06|Osaka|Osaka|Day in Osaka (just go arond and maybe find something coll)|
|09/04/2023 & Sunday|16 & JRP 07|Osaka|Okayama|Okayama & Kurushiki historical quater / or just Osaka and then try to do Kurushiki on a way to Fukuoka – there might be also another day in Kyoto if we found worth it|
|10/04/2023 & Monday|17 & JRP 08|Osaka|Nara & Osaka|Nara Park & Osaka at night|
|11/04/2023 & Tuesday|18 & JRP 09|Osaka|Fukuoka|Some Shrines, Gardens, castle ruins etc.|
|12/04/2023 & Wednesday|19 & JRP 10|Fukuoka|Kagoshima/Nagasaki|This will be either Kagoshima (Sengan-en) or Nagasaki (and probably then stay for 1 night)|
|13/04/2023 & Thursday|20 & JRP 11|Fukuoka|Kumamoto/Nagasaki|This will be either Kumamoto (Castle) or 2nd day in Nagasaki|
|14/04/2023 & Friday|21 & JRP 12|Fukuoka|Hiroshima|Go to Hiroshima: Castle, Memorial, Museum,Parks|
|15/04/2023 & Saturday|22 & JRP 13|Hiroshima|Hiroshima|Itsukushima & more Hiroshima later that day|
|16/04/2023 & Sunday|23 & JRP 14|Hiroshima|Kanazawa|Going to Kanazawa and do some stuff there for rest of a day|
|17/04/2023 & Monday|24 & JRP 15|Kanazawa|Kanazawa|Day in Kanazawa|
|18/04/2023 & Tuesday|25 & JRP 16|Kanazawa|Shirakawa-go|Shirakawa|
|19/04/2023 & Wednesday|26 & JRP 17|Kanazawa|Takayama|Hida & Takayama|
|20/04/2023 & Thursday|27 & JRP 18|Kanazawa|Tokyo|Nagano ( Zenkō-ji Temple ) on way to Tokyo|
|21/04/2023 & Friday|28 & JRP 19|Tokyo|Tokyo|Maybe Hakone or just stay in Tokyo|
|22/04/2023 & Saturday|29 & JRP 20|Tokyo|Tokyo|Maybe Matsumoto / Hitachinaka / or just Tokyo|
|23/04/2023 & Sunday|30 & JRP 21|Tokyo|Tokyo|Going around Tokyo and later that day (around 17:00 start going to airport)|
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3 comments
I am planning a first-time trip with similar destinations but in different order so I would like to suggest this route for you: Tokyo -> Kanazawa -> express train to Kyoto -> Osaka -> Hiroshima -> Fukuoka -> Tokyo
I prefer to minimized backtracking to save on time in transit. Since you’re planning to go to Kyushu, have you considered this alternative
From Tokyo -> Fly -> Kagoshima, then do this route
Kagoshima -> Kumamoto -> Nagasaki -> Fukuoka -> Hiroshima -> Okayama -> Kobe-> Osaka.. etc.
I love the JR train as the next guy, but you’re doing 4 hour RTs on the train on some days, which is way too much time in a train. I’m actually doing a similar route, as you, which I decided flying would better maximize my time.
I really like your itinerary in general! I love Nagasaki too, way more interesting than Kumamoto imo, so I’d definitely recommend it.
Just one thing, what castle are you planning on visiting in Nagano? I’ve been to Nagano city a few times, and I don’t remember there being a castle there.