Hi there!
We are a couple planing to visit Japan for the first time in November for 3 weeks. We put together a first draft of the itinerary we are thinking about.
A quick word about us. We are in our late 20s, we love food, nature, explore local small town, not big fan of big city and crowded places. We would rather take our day lights and spend our time well in each location. We will fly in Tokyo and fly out from Osaka.
We would also like to take this trip slow. Allow us to rest and chill in some nice hotels in the country-side.
We are not so sure about day 13 to day 15 in Hiroshima as sights we found are not very attractive to us. We would love to get some recommendation of places to visit between Tokyo and Osaka.
– Day 1: Arrive and stay in Tokyo
Land into Tokyo around 3pm
Activate our JR pass
Getting Sim card + wifi
Head to our hotel in Shinjuku area
– Day 2: Stay in Tokyo
Explore Tokyo
– Day 3: Leave Tokyo – Stay in Hakone
Leave Tokyo to Hakone
– Day 4: Stay in Hakone
Take train to Saiko
Visit Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba (Traditional Japanese Village)
Hike up in the area for a view over Mont fuji
– Day 5: Stay in Hakone
Spend the day around the hotel and surrounding
– Day 6: Stay in Hakone
30mins drive to Ashigarashimo District (we are thinking about taking a taxi but would appreciate some recommendation)
Hike around Lake Ashi
Stop by Narukawa Art Museum
30 mins drive back to hotel
– Day 7: Stay in Hakone
Rest day and enjoy the day at the hotel and surrounding
– Day 8: Leave Hakone – Stay in Kyoto
Head to Kyoto with Shinkansen, check into the hotel and spend time around the hotel
– Day 9: – Stay in Kyoto
Kiyomizudera Temple
Gion Neighbourhood
Hokanji Temple Pagoda
– Day 10:- Stay in Kyoto
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Nishiki Market
– Day 11: – Stay in Kyoto
Day trip to Kibuya No Sato
– Day 12: – Stay in Kyoto
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Tenryuji Temple
Zen Garden
– Day 13: Stay in Hiroshima
Heading to Hiroshima
Atomic Bomb Dome
Hiroshima Castle
Shukkeien Garden
– Day 14: Stay in Hiroshima
Miyajima
Hike to Mount Misen
– Day 15: Leav Hiroshima – Stay in Osaka
Heading to Osaka
– Day 16: – Stay in Osaka
Explore Osaka
– Day 17: – Stay in Osaka
Day trip to Nara
– Day 18: – Stay in Osaka
Day trip to Kobe
– Day 19: – Stay in Osaka
Explore Osaka
– Day 20:
Explore Osaka and prepare for the flight home.
That’s our first draft of the itinerary and would welcome any feedbacks on it.
Thanks in advance,
2 comments
> Stay in Hakone Take train to Saiko
Please note this is an extremely convoluted journey by public transportation involving several transfers. The village also seems very duplicative with Kayabuki No Sato (Day 11) except for the Mt Fuji view which can also be caught from Hakone. I would simply delete the Saiko detour (and shorten Hakone, five nights is far too much even for an ardent relaxer).
> Hiroshima/Miyajima are not attractive
If you seriously like villages with old huts, Tsumago-Magome is quite popular as are villages around Takayama (Shirakawago is a zoo but okuhida onsen and such can be nice).
I’m not on Team Hiroshima, I totally get what you are saying.
For your declared preferences, you are spending most of the trip in big cities, excepting only the biggest city — this makes no sense to me. (To me personally, Osaka actually *feels* like a bigger city than Tokyo due to the city architecture and layout.)
Hakone is a tourist onsen town, not the countryside IMO. And, no matter how slow you like it, you are spending a crazy amount of time there. There’s just not that much to do, even if you love relaxing.
Are you comfortable renting a car? Consider a nice little Wakayama road trip. Osaka –> Koyasan –> one of the smaller onsen towns (e.g., Ryujin) –> Kumano Hongu Taisha –> return to Osaka via Yuasa, where you can see some soy sauce related stuff since you say you are into food. Not exactly sure what the weather is like in Wakayama in November, but it shouldn’t be a problem. Would probably be able to still do a fruit-picking experience too (kaki? citrus?).
Koyasan, despite being touristy, is super serene. And once you get past it, it quickly gets very rural and nature-y.