20-day Itinerary Check in November 2023 – Nikko, Takayama, Kyoto, Naoshima Island, Hakone, and Tokyo

After reading this subreddit for several months, I am so excited to post my very own itinerary! My fiancé and I are traveling to Japan for our honeymoon in November 2023. It will also be our first time visiting Japan – we’re in our late twenties and most interested in hiking/nature, food, culture, and art/architecture. We also tried to time the itinerary with peak foliage in each region (for reference, **Day 1 is on November 1**). I have a few specific questions at the end of the post and welcome any feedback!

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**Day 0: Fly to Japan**

**Days 1-2: Central Tokyo and Nikko**

* Day 1
* Arrive at Haneda Airport in the late afternoon, dinner, recover from 13-hour jetlag
* Day 2
* Day trip to Nikko (something like [this](https://trulytokyo.com/nikko-day-trip-itinerary/) itinerary)
* Optional – Tjsuki Market early in the morning if time allows (our jetlag will have us waking up extremely early)

**Days 3-5: Takayama**

* Day 3
* Travel Tokyo -> Takayama, check into ryokan
* Old Takayama
* Day 4
* Day trip to Shirakawa-go
* Day 5
* Kamikochi
* Okuhida Onsen

**Days 6-9: Kyoto** (heavily inspired by [Japan Guide](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3950.html)!)

* Day 6
* Travel Takayama -> Kyoto, check into hotel near Kyoto station
* Northern Kyoto ([Japan Guide Itinerary](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3950_northern_kyoto_half.html))
* Dinner in Gion
* Day 7
* Eastern Kyoto ([Japan Guide Itinerary](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3950_eastern_kyoto_full.html))
* Dinner in Downtown Kyoto
* Day 8
* Arashiyama ([Japan Guide Itinerary](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3950_arashiyama_full.html))
* Dinner in Pontocho
* Day 9
* Fushimi Inari Shrine (very early)
* See anything we missed and/or do an afternoon/evening trip to Osaka
* *Note: Dinner spots can be moved around*

**Days 10-11: Naoshima Island**

* Day 10
* Travel Kyoto -> Naoshima Island, check into hotel
* Benesse House & Lee Ufan Museum
* Day 11
* Chichu Art Museum & Art House Project
* e-biking (available through our hotel)

**Days 12-14: Hakone**

* Day 12
* Travel Naoshima -> Hakone, then check into ryokan
* Onsen, relax, etc
* Chisuji Falls (walkable from ryokan)
* Day 13
* [Hiking](https://alljapantours.com/japan/travel/what-to-do/hiking-in-hakone/), weather dependent
* Lake Ashi, Hakone Shrine
* Day 14
* Day trip to Lake Kawaguchiko OR more hiking/exploring in Hakone, weather dependent

**Days 15-19: Tokyo**

* Day 15
* Travel Hakone -> Tokyo, check into hotel in Shibuya
* Explore Shibuya
* Day 16
* TeamLAB Planets (going to try snagging the first slot of the day)
* Explore Roppongi & Ginza
* Day 17 & 18
* Explore Shimokitazawa & Ebisu
* Day 18
* Explore Koenji & Shinjinku
* Day 19
* Packing, last minute shopping in Shibuya
* Leave in the evening 🙁
* *Note:* *I’m assuming we will be tired of shrines/traditional culture by the time we get to Tokyo, so our daily activities will probably focus more on food, exploring neighborhoods, and modern culture.*

**Questions**

* Is a day trip from Hakone to Lake Kawaguchiko doable/worth it for the Mt. Fuji views? It seems like public transport could be complicated, but I would still go if it was worth it!
* Is a half day trip from Kyoto to Osaka possible, or is that too ambitious to get a feel for the area? Would probably just explore the Minami area and grab dinner, then head back to Kyoto.
* Can I reasonably walk into most restaurants in Kyoto or Tokyo without a reservation, or is it more typical to make a reservation? (I think the answer will be, “it depends,” but you never know)
* We’re only planning on visiting central and eastern Tokyo. Would I be missing out on any “must see” activities in northeast Tokyo (e.g., the Tokyo Skytree)?

Thank you for reading! Planning this trip has been an absolute delight. Would love to hear thoughts on the itinerary, suggestions for specific activities that I might have missed, or restaurant recommendations! Our hotels are booked but have excellent cancellation policies, so there’s also still time to modify if you have a lodging recommendation.

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