Hello all, 2 adults, no kids traveling to Japan for at most 3 weeks. We enjoy nature, food, and want to experience some of the traditional culture as well such as the temples and historic villages. We will be packing relatively light and relying heavily on transit with no intention of renting a car. We are really looking to make sure this itinerary is doable in the timeframe we’ve outlined. Lastly we’ve often learned to trust the locals and look for their regional suggestions instead of online must do style lists. So, with that in mind if you have a great place for food or a not to busy place to check out that is amazing but not often on the main tourism lists we’d love to know.
Day 1, Land in Tokyo
Find hotel near Shinjuku area
Day 2, travel to Mt Fuji
Train from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko Station
Looking for a decent westernized hotel to rest, eat; leave stuff
Travel to Mt Fuji 5th Station
Hike Mt Fuji at night
Day 3, Finish hike and relax
Come down from hike, nap
Enjoy local things
Day 4, Enjoy Area near Mt Fuji
Hoto noodles
Either Iyashi No Sato OR Oshino Kakkai
Possible hotspring: lake yamanakako
Day 5, travel to Nara
3 trains – all day
Day 6, Enjoy Nara, travel to Koyasan
Smol Deer!
Mochi → Suggestions?
Todaiji temple → largest bronze statue in the world
Take train to Koyasan
Day 7, Koyasan
Banryutei (largest rock garden) → maybe or no?
Okunoin cemetery
Kobo daishi mausoleum
Temple stay
Day 8, Travel to Osaka
Morning ritual of prayer at temple
Travel to Osaka
Day 9-11, Osaka
Izakaya Alleys (allies lined with cheap bars and amazing food)
Cup Noodles Museum
Nampa Yasak Shrin
Kuromon Ichiba Market
Osaka International Peace Center (WW2 museum)
Hozenji Yokocho (Food alley, likely less popular than Dotonbori and only 2 minutes walk away)
Dotonbori market/region
Day 12-15, Kyoto
Arashiyama bamboo forest
Nishiki market
Fushimi iari shrine
Day 16-18 Toyama
Takayama (best way to travel to this?)
Gokayama or Shirakawa-go (Best way to travel to this?)
Traditional fish or open air market
Snow monkey park (is this worthwhile in September?)
Kurobe Gorge Railway (Looks pretty but is it a waste? Is there a best way to reach this?)
Unazki Onsen (Potentially stay here for a night)
Day 19-21 Tokyo
Ginza upmarket shopping district
Daimaru Basement Food Hall (Kyoto as well as Japan locations)
Ramen Nagayama, or is there better options?
Mipig Cafe in Meguro City Tokyo (is their a better pig cafe?)
Day 22, go home
1 comment
afraid to ask, what is a ‘pig cafe’??