Hello r/japantravel!
My travel partner and I are planning an 18-day Japan trip, and the leg of the journey that is tripping us up the most is a travel-intensive 30 hours wherein we’ll be traveling from Kanazawa -> Shirakawa-go -> Takayama -> Okuhida -> Takayama -> Kyoto. We’d love your feedback on whether this is feasible and worth the rush, and whether we should cut something in order to add time to something else. We’re attracted to the idea of spending some secluded time in the Japanese alps between our time in Tokyo and Kyoto, but it seems kind of counterproductive if we’re stressed about bus deadlines the entire time.
April 28th to May 4th: Tokyo (including a day trip to Kamakura)
May 4th: Travel to Kanazawa (either on Shinkansen OR Tateyama/Kurobe Alpine Route)
May 5th: Kanazawa
May 6th:
• 8:10 – Bus from Kanazawa
• 10:10 – Two hours in Shirakawa-go
• 12:30 – Arrive in Takayama, explore for about 3 hours (including lunch)
• 16:00 – Leave Takayama
• 17:30 – Arrive in Okuhida
• 18:00 – Dinner at Ryokan
• Evening – Soak in onsen, either in private or a rotemburo elsewhere (any recommendations?)
May 7th:
• 7:30 – Breakfast at Ryokan
• 8:51 – Bus to Shinhotaka Ropeway
• Morning – Do Ropeway, maybe a mini-hike, and visit onsen for a few hours (either at the base station or the first station of the ropeway)
• 12:55 – Bus to Takayama
• 14:30 – Lunch in Takayama
• 15:34 – Train to Kyoto on the Hida Express
May 8th to May 12th: Kyoto, including half-day to Nara
May 12th to May 13th: Temple stay in Koya (so we’re getting a ryokan experience here)
May 13th to May 15th: Osaka (we’re departing from Osaka)
Thanks!
2 comments
Not worth it. You’re back ending Kyoto which is the most sightseeing anyone does on their trip, so you’re rushing through the Alps which is supposed to be relaxing only to end up in Kyoto stressed.
Cut the rope way and hike and just relax in the onsens and prepare for Kyoto.
My controversial tip: Skip Shirakawa-Go. I found it seriously underwhelming, and not worth the trip even from Takayama. Most of the houses weren’t even originally from there, they were trucked in!