Hi! I’m in my mid-30s traveling alone. I went to Japan in 2019 and loved it. I ended up spending pretty much the full two weeks in Tokyo which I don’t regret because it was great and I could probably go back and spend another two weeks+ there again but this time I really do want to see more of the country.
My interests are:
* jpop/idol culture/JDramas
* Japanese ball jointed dolls
* history, interested in the Meiji era but other parts as well! One of my biggest regrets is I didn’t see any castles the last time I went, I’d love to see more castles even reconstructions I don’t mind especially if they have a nice area around them or a museum or display inside. I really love museums!
* trains but also things like ropeways and other unique ways to get places 😆
I have tickets already to three concerts: Nagoya on June 25th, Osaka on July 9th and Tokyo on July 16th. Obviously I will plan my trip around this.
When I began planning I had so many ideas of where I wanted to go but I really don’t want to rush and the idea of changing hotels a lot or moving around too much makes me anxious so I’d rather keep a few bases and do day trips.
Anyway to start with
Saturday June 24 Narita -> Nagoya
– land in Narita after 13 hour flight, flight lands at 4:15 PM
– possibly pick up SIM card?
– train to Shinkansen station, Shinkansen to Nagoya
– get to hotel near station and die (probably stop at combini first)
Sunday June 25 Nagoya
– concert day! This will probably take up all day, I’m meeting with friends and they might have ideas about what to do.
Monday June 26 Nagoya/Inuyama
– train to Inuyama
– Meji Mura, I REALLY want to go here this is a must
– Inuyama castle- if I’ve started the day early enough and I’m feeling up to it
– back to Nagoya
Tuesday June 27 Nagoya
– explore Nagoya
– Nagoya Castle/Honmaru Palace
– Tokugawa Art Museum/Garden
– Osu Shopping Street
– Atsuta Shrine (maybe)
– Toyota Techno Museum (maybe)
Ok so here’s where my questions come in. I have so much I want to do and I’ve cut that I have three completely different ideas of what I want to do for the next week or so.
Choice #1: Stay around the Chubu area
Honestly I’ve been thinking this over for a while but I haven’t fully settled on which order to do this one. I’d like to go to Takayama, Matsumoto and Kanazawa so I’m thinking…
Wednesday June 28 Nagoya -> Takayama
Thursday June 29 Takayama
I’m thinking of skipping out on Shirakawago and for these days just visiting the old town, checking out the festival museums and Hida Folk Village. I’ve seen mixed feelings on Hida Folk Village but it seems like something I’d like. I was interested in the Shinhotaka ropeway and considered spending an extra day but it seems like it’ll be closed 😔
Friday June 30 Takayama -> Matsumoto
Saturday July 1 Matsumoto
I’d really like to see this castle. Also check out the city art museum. Time piece and Ukiyoe museums maybe?
Sunday July 2 Matsumoto -> Kanazawa
I’m really interested in doing the Alpine Route but also unsure about it. Is it worth doing? Is Sunday a bad day? Should I stay an extra day and do it Monday? Should I skip it and just go a different way? Also if I don’t do it might it be better to switch the order I do Matsumoto and Takayama?
Monday July 3 Kanazawa
I don’t have any specific plans for what I’d like to do in Kanazawa but it seems nice.
Tuesday July 4 Kanazawa -> Osaka
REWIND
Choice #2: Go to Kyushu
I know this will be a super long ride but I’d like to take the train instead of flying.
Wednesday June 28th Nagoya -> Nagasaki
Thursday June 29th Nagasaki
Friday June 30th Nagasaki
Visit the Peace Park and museum, Glover Garden, Dejima, Mount Inasa. Maybe some of the churches.
Saturday July 1 Nagasaki -> Fukuoka
Sunday July 2 Fukuoka
Monday July 3 Fukuoka
I want to take a day trip to Kumamoto from here. I’m really interested in the castle and the mascot 😆
One of the reasons I’m extra interested in visiting Fukuoka this time is because I’d like to see the Hakata Gion Yamakasa display floats.
Fukuoka-> Osaka
I’m considering taking the overnight ferry to Osaka. If I do that it would be the night of the 4th probably? It looks like it might be kind of neat but I’m not sure.
Choice #3
Neither! Go straight from Nagoya to Osaka and just stay there the extra week. I have lots of trips I’d like to take in the Kansai area I’m sure I could fill two weeks around there alone. The concert there is on the 9th. I won’t get in to my plans for there here because isn’t this long enough?
Around July 12 or 13 I would head back to Tokyo.
I’m just curious about thought on this. I’m also considering the season. I know it’s the rainy season and also hot, it’ll be extra hot in Kyushu, will it be nicer in the Alps or just foggy and muddy?
3 comments
Going to check back on this post for ideas because I have essentially the same trip length, just arriving 1 week earlier! Hope you get answers to your questions.
If you want to do Kanazawa, Takayama, and Matsumoto the order would be:
– Train from Nagoya to Kanazawa
– [Highway bus from Kanazawa to Shirakawago and then bus from Shirakawago to Takayama](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5953.html?aFROM=2167_5950)
– Or, if no interest in Shirakawago, [take bus direct from Kanazawa to Takayama without a stop off.](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5908.html?aFROM=2167_5900)
– [Enjoy Takayama](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/mg8ir9/autumn_weekend_in_takayama_gifu_prefecture/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
– [Take bus across mountain to Matsumoto](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6053.html?aFROM=5900_6050)
– If you want, stop off in between Takayama and Matsumoto for some [day hiking in Kamikochi.](https://www.kamikochi.org) It’s one of the most gorgeous places I’ve been in Japan. You could even stay the night in the park.
– From Matsumoto, [take the limited express train right into Tokyo.](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6053.html?aFROM=2164_6050)
ETA: Or, do Osaka after Nagoya and then Kanazawa, Takayama, Matsumoto, Tokyo to line up with your concert dates.
I’m surprised if you’re interested in ball joint dolls that you don’t want to go to Tenshi no Sato. I’ve not been since 2010, but I also now travel with my daughter who can’t enter.
I know it’s concert day, but the 25th is also IDoll Nagoya. [https://www.idollweb.net/nagoya-35/](https://www.idollweb.net/nagoya-35/) I dolls outside of Tokyo, tend to be quite small, but as a BJD person you might find it enjoyable.
I really like Chubu and I really enjoyed Hida no Sato village when I went in 2017. I’ve not done the Alpine Route because I know neither I nor my child have the patience to just do various forms of transport all day long. We have been to Matsumoto and Kanazawa (as well as Kamikochi) all during the period you are looking at travel. They’re all still hot during the day, though they do cool off at night. (Except Kamikochi which was freezing and it rained non-stop for 2 days.)