Aloha friendly travellers, solo traveler here travelling to Japan for the very first time on July for 16 days and would love to hear your thoughts and any suggestions for my trip itinerary.
(10 July) – arrive at Narita intl. airport @5pm, get JR PASS, buy SIM card and suica card and head to hotel in Tokyo in Narita express Shinkansen.
Day 1 (11 July) have breakfast and catch early train to Hiroshima. Check in at hotel and explore the area.
Day 2 (12 July) visit the war memorial, museum and anything near by if I have time.
Day 3 (13 July) check out from hotel and catch a train to Kyoto. Check in at the hotel and just rest.
Day 4 (14 July) take an early train to Kobe spend the day here probably try some foods . Catch late train back to Kyoto
Day 5 (15 July) take an early train to Osaka.
Just do the sightseeing and of course gonna try eating at these restaurants that was featured on the Netflix. Take a last train back to Kyoto.
Day 6 (16 July) take an early train to Nara. Visit the famous deer park (first thing) and the temple and museum around the area. Catch a late train back to Kyoto
Day 7 (17 July) sight seeing in Kyoto to temples and just have a chill rest day.
Day 8 (18 July) catch an early train to lake kawaguchi. I’m staying in a ryokan in front of the lake which is super cool. probably hire a bicycle to roam around the lake and relax on the onsen.
Day 9 (19 July) I’m planning on hiking to mt Fuji from here but seems like there is limited public transport option from lake kawaguchi. (Any folks who have done this before I would love to hear your experience) so still deciding if I should hike the Mt Fuji from here or from Tokyo?
Day 10 (20 July) take an early train to Tokyo check in at the hotel and just wonder around the streets.
Day 11 to day 14 (21 July to 24July) I’ll be in Shinjuku. I don’t really have much places that I really want to go to other than the famous cross walk and some museums. I’m also meeting some old friends so hopefully we will come up with something.
Day 15 (25 July) fly back home.
It’s a bit loose itinerary but I prefer it this way gives me a chance to change or have any last minute plans so basically let the google maps decide.
I would love to hear some recommendations for good restaurants in any of the above mentioned cities or any places of interest.
Thank you.
4 comments
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Hi, Sorry, I can’t really say something regarding your itinerary because I am myself in the planning of my Japan trip.
I am curious which train you want to take to and from Lake Kawaguchi.
I am planning to do Tokyo—>Kawaguchiko—>Kyoto and Google Maps is just giving me weird connections via bus back to Tokyo before heading to Kyoto.
I am wondering, if there is no better connection into the right direction.
Thanks
I got a couple things you maybe should think about.
1. is a 14-day JR-pass worth it? As far as I can see you use your JR-pass to and from Narita, and between Tokyo-Hiroshima, Hiroshima-Kyoto and Kyoto-Tokyo. I think you will find that you pay more than the actual cost of this travel, since the JR-pass only is eligble for JR-lines.
2. i think you might overestimate the time needed, and that you will lose a lot of time you could use to experience Japan just sitting in a hotel room. You don’t need a plan for each day, but knowing what things you would like to do and researcinh opening times makes it much easier to maximize your experience. For example I think you overestimate the things you can do in Hiroshima. The peace-memorial is like «the thing» to do in Hiroshima city. You probably should look into Miyajima imo.
Using the whole day 3 resting at a hotel in Kyoto seems like a waste to me, but to each their own. Kyoto is a city that actually sleeps at night. Why would you waste opening hours of attractions chilling at a hotel?
You probably should have a plan for Kobe. Personally I would not go to Kobe without a plan with such limited time in Japan.
At day 6 you could do more than only Nara – depending on your health and condition. For example you could combine it with Fushimi inari.
Which temples are you planning on seeing on day 7? Personally I would use atleast 3 days in Kyoto. Temples take time, it’s far between many of the temples, and they close at 16:30-17:00. It seems you are underestimating Kyoto. But again, if you’re not that interested in temples, it’s fair enough.
3. what do you mean by «hiking to Mt. Fuji»? Do you plan to hike to the summit? That is quite the hike. The summit is at about 3800 meters above sea level and the hike takes about 10 hours without pauses. If you’re not a experienced hiker and don’t have a clear plan it seems optimistic to do this hike on a whim.
Edit: Formatting’s weird, but it should be understandable.
On day 1 you can visit Miyajima island after dropping of your luggage at the hotel. Hiroshima is famous for Okonomiyaki, do not miss it 😉
Travelling from Hiroshima to Kyoto on day 3 and then back to Kobe on day 4 seems like a waste of time. Instead leave Hiroshima early, visit Kobe during the day and continue to Kyoto in the evening of day 3 so you have more time in Kyoto.