Planning a 3-week solo trip to Japan in November, this will be my first time going! This is a fairly low-budget trip and I plan to stay in hostels most nights—I’d like to keep my expense per day under 100 USD. Main interests are art, history, traditional music, and nice views.
**General questions:**
* I have a moderate soy allergy. Soy sauce is fine (thank god), but miso/tofu/less processed soybeans are not good. Is it worse etiquette to leave miso soup untouched or to ask for it not to be served? Also, are there any foods where soy might be lurking but not be obvious (the brown flour on mochi, idk what it’s called but those little soy curds that get mixed with vegetables, etc.).
* Thoughts on goshuin? The idea is super appealing to me, but the costs seem like they would add up very quickly—has anyone tallied up their goshuin-related expenses so I can get a feel for what I might be looking at here?
* I am ethnically full Japanese but the extent of my language is like basic greetings/English loan words/food (I’m gosei, lol). Should I not even lead off with Japanese in any conversations/interactions? I don’t want people to assume I can actually communicate effectively.
* Additional day-specific questions in italics! Also open to any restaurant/bar recs!
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* **Sunday, Day 1: Osaka > Fukui**
* Land at Haneda early morning, approx. 2 hour layover before flight to Osaka — *Is this enough time to get through customs/immigration + pick up pocket wifi?*
* Thunderbird to Fukui (2.5 hours, arrive around noon)
* Asuwa Shrine
* Fukui Osagoe Minka Garden
* **Monday, Day 2: Fukui**
* Yokokan Garden
* Daihonzan Eiheiji
* Ichijodani Asakura Ruins
* End the day in Ono for easier access to the Dino Museum area tomorrow—explore area if there is extra time, or just head to hostel if not
* **Tuesday, Day 3: Fukui**
* Observatory to see floating castle (depending on weather)
* Heisenji Hakusan Shrine
* Echizen Daibutsu
* Fukui Dino Museum
* Train to Kanazawa in the evening (2 hours, leave around 5pm)
* **Wednesday, Day 4: Kanazawa**
* Kenroku-en
* 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art
* Various other museums in nearby area if time permits (options: DT Suzuki, Noh Museum)
* Nomura-ke Samurai Residence
* **Thursday, Day 5: Kanazawa**
* Kanazawa Castle Park
* Kanazawa Phonograph Museum
* Kanazawa Yasue Gold Leaf Museum
* Geisha House Shima
* **Friday, Day 6: Shirakawa-go** — *I am planning to reserve bus tickets to get in & out, how much time should I leave in between them for sightseeing?*
* Bus to Shirakawa-go (1.5 hours)
* Gassho-zukuri Minkaen
* Wada House
* Bus to Takayama (1 hour)
* **Saturday, Day 7: Takayama**
* Takayama Sky Park
* Hida no Sato
* Matsui no Mori Museum — *Saw some internet reviews saying that you are allowed to play the drums. Can anyone confirm/deny? Do I have to bring my own odaiko-appropriate bachi or do they have some there (these would take up so much luggage space…)?*
* Visit a sake brewery — *Recommendations on a particular one (or more than one)? Is there an expectation that you buy a bottle after a tasting?*
* **Sunday, Day 8: Takayama**
* Miyagawa Morning Market
* Takayama Showa-kan Museum
* Higashiyama walking course
* Dekonaru-za
* **Monday, Day 9: Nagoya** — *Is this doable with so much public transportation on this day?*
* Bus to Nagoya (2.5 hours)
* Nagoya Castle
* SCMaglev and Railway Park
* Osu Kannon
* Nagoya Sports Center
* Train to Ise (2 hours)
* **Tuesday, Day 10: Ise**
* Outer Shrine
* Inner Shrine
* Meoto Iwa
* Hinjitsukan
* Pearl Island
* Train to Nara (2.5 hours)
* **Wednesday, Day 11: Nara** — *Any specific temple recommendations?*
* Todaiji
* Yoshikien
* Nara Park
* Kasuga Taisha
* Kofukuji
* Shin-Yakushiji
* **Thursday, Day 12: Nara > Uji > Kyoto**
* Early morning exploring kofun
* Byodoin
* Fushimi Sake District
* **Friday, Day 13: Kyoto**
* Kiyomizudera + surrounding area
* Kodaiji
* Kenninji
* Maruyama Park
* Gion
* Nishiki Market
* **Saturday, Day 14: Kyoto**
* Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
* Tenryuji
* Monkey Park
* Hogonin
* Gioji
* Adashino Netbusuji
* Otagi Nenbutsuji
* **Sunday, Day 15: Kyoto**
* Silver Pavilion
* Honenin
* Philsopher’s Path
* Eikando
* Nanzenji
* **Monday, Day 16: Kyoto**
* Fushimi Inari Taisha (will get here very early & likely won’t do all of the hike)
* Tofukuji
* Rengeoin Sanjusangendo
* Half-day in Omihachiman (1 hr each way)
* **Tuesday, Day 17: Kyoto**
* Kinkakuji
* Kurama-Kibune
* **Wednesday, Day 18: Kyoto**
* Nagaoka Tenmangu
* Suntory Kyoto Brewery
* Kyoto Station Area
* GEAR
* **Thursday, Day 19: Osaka**
* Osaka Castle
* Osaka Museum of History
* Kuromon Market
* Dotonbori
* **Friday, Day 20: Koyasan** — *How integral is a temple stay to Koyasan? I will probably not be doing this due to expenses and aforementioned allergy—is it worth it if I just stay at a hostel? The alternative would be a day in Kobe.*
* Public transportation to Koyasan (\~2 hours)
* Garan
* Kongobuji
* Women Pilgrimage Course
* Okunoin
* **Saturday, Day 21: Osaka**
* Public transportation to Osaka (\~2 hours)
* Den-Den Town
* Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum
* Amerika Mura
* Dotonbori again
* **Sunday, Day 22: Osaka**
* Head home!
3 comments
Oh, I can help with the soy allergy – that’s the issue I have as well, full proteins are bad but soy sauce and elements like soy lecithin are okay. I used Dining Out In Japan’s card templates to make custom allergy cards to take with me at restaurants, they were EXTREMELY useful at ryokans/onsen with kaiseki or anywhere with things being prepared in front of me, and both chefs and wait staff were grateful for them. The “shoyu OK” was confusing at first for at least one person but they got it. I might be able to find a way to send my pdf if printing it will help you out. I printed about a dozen for our 18 day trip and only gave away maybe 4 but still, it was a relief to have if I didn’t know where I was going for dinner.
Reddit plz don’t eat half my post wtf.
I strongly recommend becoming familiar with the kanji for soy/soy products, daizu (大豆) because it may show up on food labels where least expected, like filler in pastry cream or flour in bread. Phone translate can help but it was faster for me to just skim for kanji. Also, try to avoid set meals with miso soup if you can to avoid awkwardness.
I did goshuins my last time in Japan, it was 300-500 yen at every temple for the stamp. The book itself I think it was 800-1000 yen.
Regarding your ethnicity. Unless you have perfect Japanese accent, it will be pretty obvious you don’t speak Japanese well. But you can just go full English.
Day 1: This doesn’t make much sense. It’s 3.5hrs from Tokyo to Fukui via Hokuriku Shinkansen and connection at Kanazawa. Going via Osaka make no sense at all. (Alternative route is to take Shinkansen to Maibara and connect to Shirasagi, should be a little bit slower than via Kanazawa).
Day 2: If you also visit the newly built museum (highly recommended), then Eiheiji and Ichijoudani is full day. You won’t have time to visit Yokokan. Note that there are only 3 bus per day that connect Eiheiji and Ichijoudani unless you go back via Fukui station (which take much longer than the direct bus). You might be able to squeeze Yokokan in the first day, though.
(For a reference, took a 9am train to Ichijoudani Museum, rush the rebuilt town, and still arrive back to Fukui 5pm)
Day 7: I would say 3 hours is more than enough, but it depend how much you want to explore.
Day 9: If you leave really, really early you might be able to do all 4. I would say you need to cut either the sport center or the SCMaglev though.
Day 20: You can explore the major place on Kyasan in 3-4 hour. It’s doable as a day trip if you aren’t doing temple stay.