Been lurking a long time in this sub for travel ideas on my Japan trip. We are a couple in our 30s from Europe and it’s our first time in Japan and East Asia as a whole. We are very active and organised, and I am quite good with directions and navigation. We are planning to be up and out around 7-8am each day so we can make smart use of our time.
We will be in Japan for the period 30 April – 14 May. I know that there are national holidays the first week of May, that will make traveling more difficult. Unfortunately, I found about this after we got the plane tickets. Any recommendations or advice on how to improve traveling experience in the Golden Week is welcomed.
Here’s what we have planned:
**Day 1 – Tokyo:**
* Landing around 7:00PM, so just settle and go out to eat.
**Day 2 – Tokyo:**
* Morning and Lunch: Imperial Palace and gardens, Kitanomaru, Yasukuni Shrine and Yushukan museum
* Evening and Dinner: Shibuya
**Day 3 – Tokyo:**
* Morning: Meiji-jingu Shrine
* Noon: Tokyo National Museum
* Evening and Dinner: Shinjuku (Golden Gai, Kabukicho, Omoide Yokocho)
**Day 4 – Tokyo:**
* Morning: breakfast at Tsukiji fish market
* Noon: Ginza
* Afternoon: Sonsoji Temple
* Evening: Tokyo Skytree
* Dinner: Asakusa
**Day 5 – Tokyo -> Omachi:**
* Starting the Kurobe Alpine Route from Omachi and staying in a Mountain Lodge near Murodo.
**Day 6 – Murodo -> Toyama:**
* Morning: Second part of the Alpine Route
* Noon and Afternoon: Kurobe Gorge Train Route
* Evening and Dinner: Toyama
**Day 7 – Toyama -> Kyoto:**
* Choosing Kyoto as a base for the next few days as it is close to other places we want to visit.
* Evening and Dinner: Kamogawa river *(appreciate any suggestions for restaurants!)*
**Day 8 – Kyoto:**
* Morning: Kiyomizu-dera
* Lunch: Nishiki market (if time allows)
* Afternoon: Fushimi Inari
* Evening: Gion *(appreciate any suggestions for restaurants!)*
**Day 9 – Kyoto/Nara:**
* Morning: Take the train to Nara and visit the park and shrines.
* Afternoon: Back to Kyoto for Arashiyama and Kinkaku-ji
* Evening: Toji
* Dinner: Somewhere around station area
**Day 10 – Osaka:**
* Travel to Osaka and spend the full day there. We are planning to get back with the last available transport, which as far as I understood is the 10:30PM JR train. However, it seems there are other train companies that have 11:30PM trains back to Kyoto. I’d appreciate if anybody can confirm this?
* Morning: Amerikamura
* Afternoon: Osaka Aquarium
* Evening: Dotonbori – neon street
* Dinner: Shinsekai – retro street
**Day 11 – Himeji/Kobe:**
* Morning and Noon: Himeji Castle
* Afternoon: Nunobiki Falls near Kobe
* Dinner: Kobe *(looking for recommendations on restaurants that serve Kobe beef!)*
**Day 12 – Fujikawaguchiko:**
* Chill at the onsen
**Day 13 – Fujikawaguchiko:**
* Morning and Noon: *Looking for recommendations on hikes and sights near Kawaguchiko.*
* Afternoon and Evening: Chill at the onsen
**Day 14 – Tokyo**
* Afternoon and Evening: Roppongi
**Day 15 – Tokyo**
* Morning and Noon: shop for presents
* Afternoon: head to Narita
This is my itinerary. I’d appreciate any recommendations or advice that you throw at me! Also, please criticise if my days are overloaded or too empty.
Thanks!!
