Hi all!
​
I am trying to draft out my Japan trip for August since I will be extending a 2-day sports event in Fukuoka to a 21 Day trip with the JR Pass.
​
Note: I have already visited Kyoto (Including Nara, Uji, and Kifune), Tokyo (Including Nikko), and Kanazawa as some of the major cities but would be really interesting to see more of the not-so-touristy spots that are more connected to everyday Japanese life.
​
I still have plenty of time to sketch this out, but I am looking for some early input:
​
Day 1 Saturday: Land in Tokyo, get the JR Pass, and head out to Kyoto. I land around 2 PM, so I am confident I should be done with everything by 6 PM, leaving me plenty of time to get to Kyoto. Run around Kyoto in the evening if I still have energy, and get some food.
Day 2 Sunday: Will be a Sunday, so maybe check out some flea markets in Kyoto, visit the Manga museum (still on my list), and spend the evening doing some shopping to get ready for the road. Would be really interested to find cool craftsman shops in Kyoto.
Day 3: I would like to visit Shigeharu again to buy a Knife. If this is open on Monday – Sunday morning this would be ideal, since I could leave Kyoto earlier. But haven’t received any info on this. Spend the rest of the day strolling around Kyoto. Optionally spend only Sunday and Monday morning in Kyoto and go to Fukuoka a day earlier.
Day 4: Head to Fukuoka early in the morning, and check-in. Check out the city, and the venue. Fukuoka I still don’t know what to do.
Day 5: Compete in the sports event in Fukuoka city / Stroll around the city.
Day 6-15: This leaves me 10 days with the goal of ending up in Komoro somehow.
​
Option 1: Fly to Sapporo, check out Sapporo, Hakodate, or Aomori, and a small coastal town or the island near Nigata plus Nigata. However, I have the feeling that this option will include quite a lot of train travel since it is a ballpark of 3h between the cities. The main reason I am considering this is the heat and humidity.
​
Option 2: Stay in the Kumamoto area, endure the heat, and move up to Okayama, Takayama, and anything in between.
​
Day 15-18: Spend 3 Days in Komoro at a guesthouse. Visit Nagano from there, and rest a bit.
Day 19: Arrive in Tokyo late in the afternoon.
Day 20: Check out Kappabashi Street, Yanka Ginza, and the Art Museum.
Day 21: Fly out of Tokyo in the late evening. Go to Ghibli museum in the morning, leave you luggage near Shinjuku to catch the airport express bus, and maybe shop for some gifts to bring back home.