4th trip to Japan: 36-days itinerary: Okinawa, Kansei, Nagano, Niigata, Tohuko, Nikko, Tokyo

Hi there!

Tried to post a part of this itinerary a week ago but it got deleted because I’ve provided too less information… Well, now here is the full itinerary for 36 days in October/early November through Okinawa, Kansei, Nagano, Niigata, Tohuko, Nikko and Tokyo.

We’ve been to Japan four (M36) / five (F35) times before, so we are looking for more lesser known places but also want to visit some major sights we’ve missed so far (eg. Nara, Nikko and Koya-san).

We both love food, nature, historic buildings, onsen, autumn leaves, art. Haven’t wrote down any specific restaurant or food item in my itinerary but we already have a huge list of bookmarks. Thankful for every recommendation though.

We’ll start in Okinawa and stay there for 9 days. We picked Naha as our base because my GF has to get some stuff done and we figured she could at least enjoy the nice weather, some beaches and a relaxed place and I could see some things on my own in the meanwhile. Our hotel in Okinawa is modern and sleek but it is quite cheap as well (6.500Yen/night) so we decided to stay for 9 nights but plan to do two overnight trips while keeping the room in Naha for the sake of convenience (or if there‘s a Typhoon/bad weather and we can‘t leave the main island).

Our Tohuko Itinerary looks a bit weird tbh because we have three accomodations only a short train ride apart from each other (Matsushima – Sendai – Yamagata). It happed due to the lack of hotel rooms in Sendai over the weekend. We’ll probably use luggage forwarding to make the most out of the situation. The itinerary is flexible and all bookings are refundable if anyone has a better idea how to spend the nights in Tohuko.

This is what we’ve planned so far:

I’m happy for ANY suggestion, recommendation (also for restaurants and food) and critics

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* Day 1: Okinawa: **Naha**
* Arrive around noon on Okinawa. We will have a layover in Seoul before so hopefully jetlag won‘t be too bad.
* Take the Monorail to Naha city center, walk to hotel near Fukushuen garden.
* See: Naminou shrine, Fukushuen garden, Kokusai-dori
* Do some shopping, get necessities like sunscreen

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* Day 2: Okinawa: **Naha** \-> **Zamami Island** (Overnight trip)
* Grab some snacks and take the first ferry in the morning to Zamami (1h)
* Our Minshuku near Ama beach will pick us up at the port
* Explore the island by bikes provided by the guest house
* Swim/snorkel at Furuzamami beach
* Sunset at observation deck, then dinner

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* Day 3: Okinawa: **Zamami Island** \-> **Naha**
* Breakfast at the guest house and then head to Ama beach right next door
* Swim/snorkel and then take the afternoon ferry back to Naha. (1h)
* Check out Sakaemachi Arcade in the evening

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* Day 4: Okinawa: **Naha**
* Day to leisurely stroll around Naha, have food and snacks on our way
* See: Pottery street, Shuri castle, Akagi tree, Kinjo stone road, Shikinaen

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* Day 5: Okinawa: **Area south of Naha**
* Rent a scooter and tour the southern part of the island
* If I’ll make it early to Azama (by 9:30) I’d catch the ferry to Kudakajima and explore the island for a few hours and skip a few locations on the main island instead (ferry back at 13:00)
* See: Sefa-Utaki, Giza Banta Cliff, Mibaru beach, Odo beach, Todoki cavern, Kita Nashiro beach, Chury-sun beach, Ryujin Hot springs

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* Day 6: Okinawa: **Tokashiki** (Overnight trip)
* Take the first ferry in the morning to Tokashiki (1h)
* Our guesthouse will pick us up from the port and drive us to Aharen beach
* Relax at Aharen beach for the rest of the day, Swim/snorkel, rent a kayak to go to the island off the coast if the weather is good.
* Walk to the observatory for sunset, then dinner

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* Day 7: Okinawa: **Tokashiki** \-> **Aka Island** \-> Naha
* Take the small boat to Aka island in the morning from Aharen port. (30min)
* Explore Aka island by foot or bike (if there are rentals)
* Take the afternoon ferry from Aka back to Naha (1h)

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* Day 8: Okinawa: **Yamagawa/Aquarium**
* Take the bus to Aquarium area (2h one way)
* See: Aquarium, Tropical Dream Center, Emerald beach, Bise-Fugukai Tree road, Bisezaki)

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* Day 9: **Okinawa**
* Snorkeling trip off Okinawa main island in the morning OR take a boat to Kudakajima if I didn’t made it there on Day 5 (Bus 1,5h one way + 15min ferry)
* Okinawa Prefecture Museum & Art Museum in the afternoon

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* Day 10: Okinawa -> **Osaka**
* Fly to Osaka in the morning, arrive at Kansai airport around noon
* Take the JR train to Hotel in Shinsekai area.
* Do some shopping around Nanba/Dotonbori area / buy warmer clothes for Mainland Japan trip
* Walk around Shinsekai in the evening and have dinner

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* Day 11: **Osaka**
* Visit Nakazakicho for some Cafes, thrift store shopping
* head to Nakanoshima Museum of Art afterwards
* Maybe team lab Botanical garden (haven‘t decided on this one yet)
* Check out Fukushima area in the evening and for dinner

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* Day 12: **Osaka** and Daytrip to **Kyoto**
* Take the train to Kami-Katsura (Kyoto)
* Visit Saiho-ji (Moss temple) in the morning if we can get reservations, visit one or two other temple close by (Kegon-ji, Jizo-in, Joju-ji)
* Take the train back to northern Osaka and visit Minoh Park
* Spend the evening somewhere in Osaka (not yet decided where)

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* Day 13: **Osaka** \-> **Koya-san**
* forwarding our luggage to Nara, keeping a daypack for 1 night
* Taking the train/cable-car to Koya-san (2h, Getting the Koyasan World heritage ticket)
* Visit temples (Saizen-in, Kongobu-ji, …), cafes and shops on the way to our guesthouse in the eastern part of Koya-san
* Walk around in the evening and enjoy the atmosphere after day tripper have been gone

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* Day 14: **Koya-san** \-> **Nara**
* visit Okunoin early first thing in the morning
* Afterwards grab breakfast and make our way back to the cable car
* Take the train to Nara (2:30h) and check into hotel next to Kintetsu-Nara station
* Visit Yoshikien garden and sourroundings
* If we have enough time visit Kasuga Teisha Shrine and the Shrines behind
* Take a stroll through Nara park in the evening / sunset and head for dinner

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* Day 15: **Nara** \-> **Nagano**
* Get up eaaaarly and visit Nara park at sunrise, afterwards head to Todai-ji
* Activate 14-days-JR-Pass (is it possible at JR Nara station?)
* Take trains to Nagano while recover from the early morning wakeup (lol, 4:45h)
* Check into Ryokan near Zenkoji temple
* Explore the area around the temple approach and visit the temple if we have enough time left in the afternoon
* Dinner and relax in the Ryokan onsen

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* Day 16: **Nagano**
* Take a bus to Togusaki Shrine in the morning (1h) and explore the area
* Head back to Nagano and visit Nagano Prefectural Art Museum (Hokusai exhibition) and/or Zenkoji temple
* Dinner and relax in the Ryokan onsen

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* Day 17: **Nagano** \-> **Kurobe Gorge**
* Grab snacks and take the train to Unazukionsen in the morning (1:30h) and hope that we can store our luggage at the station
* Enjoy the Kurobe Railway to Keyakidaira and walk along the gorge from there
* Take the train back and exit at Kuronagi station where we’ll be staying at the Onsen Ryokan (Relax at the outdoor onsen next to the river)

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* Day 18: **Kurobe Gorge** \-> **Tokamachi** (Niigata)
* Take the train from Unazukionsen to Tokamachi (3h), check into airbnb next to the station
* Visit Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum in the afternoon

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* Day 19: **Tokamachi** (Niigata)
* Rent a car or bicycles and explore the Echigo Tsumari Art field around Matsudai
* Have lunch at Nohbutai Center
* Visit Matsudai Castle and surrounding areas / art exhibition

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* Day 20: **Tokamachi** (Niigata) -> **Matsushima** (Tohuko)
* Take a train in the morning to Matsushima (4h)
* Drop off bags at guest house near the promenade
* Visit Zuiganji temple and walk around town

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* Day 21: **Matsushima** \-> **Sendai**
* Visit Entsuin temple in the morning
* Do a sightseeing cruise around Matsushima bay, visit Fukuurajima
* Grab bags and leave for Sendai in the afternoon/evening
* Check into hotel near Sendai station and have dinner

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* Day 22: **Sendai**
* Explore Sendai city (Zuihoden Mausoleum, Osaki Hachimangu Shrine, Sendai Downtown)
* Explore nightlife areas

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* Day 23: **Hiraizumi** & **Geibikei Gorge Daytrip**
* Forward luggage to Yamagata hotel (keep small luggage for one night)
* Take early train to Kiraizumi, explore the city and visit Chuson-ji and Motsuji temple
* Take a train to Geibikei Gorge after lunch (1h)
* Do the boat ride through the gorge
* Afterwards back to Sendai for dinner / exploring the nightlife areas

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* Day 24: **Yamadera** & **Ginzan Onsen**
* Morning train to Yamadera temple (1h)
* Afterwards take train and bus to Ginzan Onsen (2h) arrive in the afternoon
* Take last bus back to Yamadera, to see Ginzan Onsen when it got dark and lit up
* Check into hotel in Yamagata city and have dinner

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* Day 25: **Yamagata city** & **Zao Onsen** Daytrip
* Explore Yamagata city in the morning (Kajo park, Gotenzeki)
* Take train/bus to Zao Onsen (walk through the town, visit a bathhouse, take the ropeway up the mountain
* Dinner back in Yamagata city

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* Day 26: **Yamagata** \-> **Aizu-Wakamatsu**
* Take early morning train to Aizu-Wakamatsu (3h), drop bags off at hotel near station
* See: Tsuruga castle, Oyakuen garden, Aizu Bukeyashiki, Higashiyama Onsen

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* Day 27: **Aizu-Wakamatsu** \-> **Okukino Onsen**
* Take the train in the morning and arrive in the afternoon by bus at Meotobuchi
* Get picked up by Ryokan bus and stay for the rest of the day at the Ryokan, maybe do a short walk around the onsen “town”

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* Day 28: **Okukino Onsen** \-> **Nikko**
* Last day JR Pass (No JR Trains taken from here whatsoever)
* Take the train to Nikko and drop our bags in our Ryokan
* Visit Tamozawa Imperial Villa and Kanaya Hotel than walk around town and have dinner

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* Day 29: **Nikko**
* Early morning visit Rinnoji temple and Shoyo-en garden
* Take the bus to Kegon falls, short visit
* Take next bus to Ryuzu falls and hike Senjogahara trail to Yudaki falls
* Bus from Lake Yunoko back to Nikko

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* Day 30: **Nikko** \-> **Tokyo**
* Early morning visit Toshogu Shrine and Futurasan jinja
* Take Tobu train to Tokyo
* Check into hotel next to Akihabara station

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* Day 31 – 36: **Tokyo**
* No fixed plans what to do in Tokyo yet
* Just plan to walk a lot through our favourite neighborhoods in Setagaya, Meguro, Koenji and also explore new areas (recommendations?)
* Visit one or two museums and places we haven’t been to yet (Metropolitain Teien Art Museum, National Museum of Modern Art, Nazu Museum, SOMPO, Artizon museum, Kyu Asakura house)
* One or two trips to oldschooly neighborhoods like Chofu or Kawagoe (we loved Shibamata which we visited the last time)
* We are going to allocate 1 or 2 days for shopping (food, thrift store items, MUJI items unavailable in Europe, tech) before heading back to Germany