Travel across Japan in October 2023

17 comments

1. That is a nice itinerary. i would rather do more Kyushu (Fukuoka, Nagasaki) than Kurobe and Takayama.

   While I love ryokans don’t underestimate a chain hotel where they speak good English, maybe with a concierge – that might life a lot easier for you in the cities.

2. Snow monkey park in early October is a waste of time (no snow, no naturally bathing monkeys).

   I’ve booked ryokan via the Japanese versions of Jalan and Rakuten many times with no problems at all. I do not speak Japanese and have an obviously foreign name. Often the selection of ryokan or rooms/dining plans within a ryokan are much more descriptive on the Japanese portal, so if nothing else it makes sense to do research via Google Translate.

   When it comes time to make the reservation I compare prices / plans / cashback between booking.com, Jalan, and the ryokan’s official website.

   Beppu, Takayama/Okuhida, Kurobe, and Yudanaka (snow monkey park being pointless not withstanding) are all good places to stay at onsen ryokan.

   Edit: I think you’re too early for Kurobe/Takayama foliage if this is a factor in the scenery / nature consideration

3. Very nice itinerary. If you go to Nara, don’t just go for the deer, go to that giant temple in Nara Park, it’s amazing. Of all the sights we saw, the shrines kind of blur together, except for that one. It’s remarkable.

   My daughter picked up enough Japanese to make people think she was fluent. She was able to ask questions and directions so well, that people told her, insead of showing her. I said just say the name of the place we’re looking for, so they have to point. It’s one thing to speak it, but understanding replies is another level.

   Looks like a well planned trip. Have fun. I’ll be there from Sept. 19 to Oct 5, mostly riding trains.

4. I don’t really have much itinerary advice, it seems like you’ve done your homework and have a solid plan.

   As for Ryokan, a lot have an English website. But finding that isn’t always easy. I recommend finding a Ryokan you like, then looking for their official site, there may be a link for an English page.

   As an example, I booked sanga Ryokan at kurokawa onsen a few years back this way, it took a few days but eventually I got a response. They had one person on staff who spoke English so we corresponded when they were scheduled, during our visit they were only scheduled our check in day, but provided English instructions for us and had everything we needed to know written down.

   I had a similar experience with a Ryokan in kinosaki onsen.

   I highly recommend finding one and staying overnight.

5. Just email them in English. You’ll find Japanese understand English more than you give them credit for, especially if they are in hospitality. Not everyone is fluent in spoken English, but many have a better grasp of written English and as long as you keep your questions simple there’s nothing wrong with using Google translate.

6. Just a minor thing: Kurobe gorge is a fair bit higher in elevation, so the weather can easily be colder there. Some cars in the sightseeing train are also windowless, so it might be a bit chilly.

   On the gorge trip, do drop by the one station that is near the natural hotsprings by the river. It isn’t much really, but it’s cool to see.

7. You’ve completely missed Shikoku

8. Since your focus is on culture and unique experiences, I would recommend for you to pick up a goshuincho and collect goshuin as you visit the many temples and shrines you will come across in your journey. It has certainly enhanced our current trip (it helped us avoid being “templed it” and is such a unique collectible. If you’re going to do this, follow the protocols. Just search for “goshuin” in this subreddit for tips.

9. Helpful post and comments, thanks.

10. Seems there’s more you could do in Koyto, given what is there and what you have listed. You have a lot packed for Tokyo, not sure all that could be done in one day.

    You may want to investigate another way out of the airport to your hotel given that the de-planing process, the long walk to customs, getting through customs, then waiting 45 min for your bags , money exchange at the airport, walking to train may not be enough time to catch that last train. Flying from Seattle usually arrives an hour early.

11. You most likely won’t have any problems just booking a ryokan through their website using Google Translate…but if you’re really worried about it you can use sites like Japanese Guest Houses or Travel Arrange Japan that will book places for you.

    And might be worth taking a look at their websites even if you decide to book on your own, you can find some pretty unique places to stay.

12. In October, JR Rail Pass prices were announced to increase by 65-69 %. September is also nice in Japan.

13. Everything looks good… Just saying- leaving an hour and a half to get from your airplane to the monorail may be a bit iffy. I flew through Narita last month, so it could be a bit different, but it took over an hour and a half to get through customs alone on our end, then another hour to get our WiFi and rail pass and then find where we were going to catch our train so- maybe have a plan b for that first night just in case?

    Also if you want to get away from the crowd and experience some good Ryokan with an ocean view, I highly recommend the Izu Peninsula.

14. I don’t have too much advice for you, but I would highly recommend giving Kanazawa a visit since you’re already so close. I haven’t been to Takayama yet, but I go to Kanazawa pretty much every weekend haha. In my mind, it’s got all the charm of Kyoto without the hordes of tourists. It’s growing in popularity, but it isn’t nearly as cramped as Kyoto can be during popular seasons. Kenrokuen, the 21st century museum, tea districts, and prefectural library are all wonderful places. Have fun wherever you go!

15. I know you said you aren’t too into anime/games etc, but it is a big part of the culture. I highly recommend going to an arcade at least once. Round 1 is a pretty good one with lots of different games. It’s crazy when you experience it for the first time.

    There’s a few in Tokyo and a really big one in Osaka. Just be careful because I spent way too much of my time at them haha

16. Hi,

    We will be there at the same time! We booked for Takayama last night. It is getting a bit tight there because of the festival.

17. You will want to book Takayama’s hotel ASAP.

    When I was there pre-COVID, i was only able to get a room the night before the festival, and took a train out of Takayama the night of the festival.

    Takayama Green Hotel is great, if you want a futon room, kaiseki meal and sentou experience.