34 Day Itinerary/Sanity Check: Kyoto, Fukuoka, Beppu, Hiroshima, Shimanami Kaido, Matsuyama, Osaka, Kumano Kodo, Ise, Tokyo in October/November

Hello!

I have [previously posted](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/114w76f/34_day_itinerary_check_kyoto_fukuoka_beppu/) an itinerary and have gotten some great comments. Based on this and further researched I have finalised travel destinations and stay lengths and written a rough draft of what to do on each day. Almost none of this is final and more like a default plan to fall back on – if we don’t feel like doing something, we simply won’t do it and that’s fine. Now I would love to get a sanity check on whether these things are doable in the allotted time.

We (two people, late 20s from Europe) are going to Japan for 34 days in October-November 2023. I’ve been before (doing work and travel for nine months in 2014), my boyfriend hasn’t been. Our priorities are hiking, nature, onsen, and good food, while hitting the major cities and doing some touristy Japan-specific things (i.e. Pokemon Center, Ghibli museum), and also some retro gaming.

We are trying to find a good balance between always planning enough to do (because we are both easily irritated when just wandering around aimlessly) without being exhausted after a week. I was going for roughly one thing in the morning, one thing in the afternoon.

Both of us are able-bodied and physically fit, so walking around a lot isn’t a problem. I speak Japanese around level N4, my boyfriend does not. We’ll be using 21 day JR Passes. I don’t include meals for most days, unless it’s something specific – I have a personalised Google Maps with a bunch of restaurants in each town in case we won’t find something we’d enjoy, but generally we’ll just see what’s around us. All hotels and stays (except are booked.

TLDR itinerary:

6 days in Kyoto
3 days in Fukuoka
2 days in Beppu
1 day in Hiroshima
2 days on Miyajima
1 day in Onomichi
2 days doing the Shimanami Kaido (staying on Omishima, arriving at Imabari)
2 days in Matsuyama
4 days in Osaka
4 days doing part of the Kumano Kodo
2 days in Ise
5 days in Tokyo

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**Day 1 to 6: Kyoto (starting Sat., 21th Oct)**
We are staying close to Nishiki-Market

Sa Day 1: Arrival at Haneda, Travel to Kyoto

* We arrive at Haneda at 8am
* Activate JR passes at Haneda, travel to Kyoto
* Try to stay awake for the day: visit a few shops I want to go back to, chill at Kamogawa, dinner at Nishiki-Market

Su Day 2: Kyoto

* Do Japan Cat Network’s Coffee with Kitties in the morning
* Kinkaku-ji after lunch -> buy goshuincho
* Kurama fire festival in the afternoon/evening, if we aren’t too tired

Mo Day 3: Kyoto

* Begin day with Ginkakuji
* Walk along Philosopher’s Path and have lunch here
* Nazen-ji
* Pontocho Alley in the evening
* Karaoke

Tue Day 4: Kyoto

* Fushimi Inari (in the morning?) (bring food?, take time!)
* Tofuku-ji
* Nijo Castle

Wed Day 5: Kyoto

* Kiyomizu-dera in the morning
* Sanneizaka and Nineizaka
* Booked a tea ceremony at 1 pm on Nineizaka
* explore Higashiyama and Gion
* eat wagashi

Th Day 6: Kyoto

* Rent a bike and bike to Arashiyama, probably avoiding the bamboo forest
* have a vegan lunch in Tenryu-ji
* Okochi Sanso Garden
* *Would love to try Tofudo, but don’t know where might be good, maybe around Arashiyama?*

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**Days 7 to 10: Fukuoka (starting Fri., 27th Oct)**

Fr Day 7: Travel to Fukuoka

* arrive around lunch
* explore the west of the city: Fukuoka Tower, Beach, Ohori Park
* visit a friend close to Ohori

Sa Day 8: Fukuoka

* travel to Nonzoin and have a look at the Buddha statue in the morning
* travel back and go to Canal City for lunch + Ghibli store + Dipper Dan crepes
* Kushida shrine
* explore Hakata station (Pokemon Center, Book-Off, Rooftop Shrine) and Ramen dinner

Su Day 9: Fukuoka

* travel to Dazaifu in the morning and explore there + lunch there
* explore Tenjin area (underground mall, shopping centre) in the afternoon

Mo Day 10: Fukuoka/Beppu

* Visit Kego Shrine and leave for Beppu

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**Day 10 to 11: Beppu (starting Mo., 30th Oct)**

Mo Day 10: Travel to Beppu

* arrive
* chill in Onsen
* check out Game Bar in the evening

Tue Day 11: Beppu

* Hike Mt. Yufu in the morning
* lunch at Yufuin
* Yufuin Flower Village
* back to Beppu for Onsen

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**Day 12 to 14: Hiroshima and Miyajima (from Wed., 1st Nov)**

Wed Day 12: Hiroshima

* arrive for lunch
* Peace Park and Dome
* *Mitaki Temple?*
* Okonomiyaki for dinner

Th + Fr Day 13/14: Miyajima

* travel to Miyajima
* we’ll be staying on a farm on Miyajima and plan to relax, go for walks, eat Momiji Manju and hike Mt. Misen during that time

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**Day 15 to 18: Shimanami Kaido**

Sa Day 15: Onomichi

* arrive for lunch
* Temple walk
* *evening?*

Su Day 16: Shimanami Kaido

* Rent bike in Onomichi and cycle until Omishima

Mo Day 17: Shimanami Kaido

* Cycle from Omishima to Imabari

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**Tue + Wed Day 18 to 19: Matsuyama (from Tues., 7th Nov)**

* Travel to Matsuyama
* Visit Dogo Onsen
* Explore the city and mainly enjoy Onsen
* take overnight ferry to Osaka
* *anythink (vegetarian-friendly) food-wise that Matsuyama/Chikoku is known for that we should try?*

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**Day 20 to 23: Osaka (from Th., 9th Nov)**

Th Day 20: Osaka

* arrive via overnight ferry around 7am
* after bringing luggage to hotel at Shinsaibashi, LiLo Coffee
* Namba Yasaka Shrine
* Nipponbashi + Denden Town
* Shinsekai
* Music Bar Groovy

Fr Day 21: Day trip to Himeji

* explore Himeji -> Himeji castle will probably be the only castle we’ll enter
* this is our last day with JR Pass, so doing it here would make the most sense
* check out Umeda Sky Building upon return

Sa Day 22: Osaka

* Amerika-mura in the morning
* Glico sign and Dotonbori for lunch
* Don Quijote Dotonbori
* Hozenji Yokocho for dinner
* ROR comedy club in the evening

Su Day 23: Osaka

* Senko-ji in the morning
* Abeno Harukas + lunch
* TeamLab Botanical Gardens in the evening

*Both Day 22 and 23 are light in the afternoon. That’s fine, especially since both have an activity in the evening and going back to the hotel for a break might be good, but if you have recommendations on what we might check out if we have the energy, appreciated.*

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**Mo to Th Day 24 to 27: Kumano Kodo**
I have sent a booking request to Kumano Travel but don’t have a response yet. If all else fails we will probably book ourselves into the J-Hoppers in Yunomine Onsen for this time and do day hikes in the area. We will end in Kii-Katsuura.

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**Day 28 to 29: Ise**

Fr Day 28: Ise

* arrive around lunch
* Outer and Inner Shrine of Ise Grand Shrine

Sa Day 29: Ise

* travel to Ago Bay
* Yokoyama Observation Deck on foot from Shima Yokoyama Station
* Kashikojima -> will probably skip the sightseeing cruise
* travel back to Ise

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**Day 30 to 34: Tokyo (starting Sun., 19th Nov)**
We are staying in Akasaka.

Su Day 30: Travel to Tokyo, Shibuya, Harajuku

* arrive in Tokyo for lunch
* Shibuya Crossing + Hachiko
* Nintendo Tokyo
* Chatei Hatou (coffee break)
* Yoyogi Park
* dinner at Izakaya Masaka (vegan izakaya)

Mo Day 31: Akihabara and Asakusa

* Glitch coffee
* Magicarp Taiyaki (I know, I know)
* the Akihabara circuit (Mandarake, Super Potato, etc.)
* break at a cafe in 2k540 Aki-Oka Artisan
* Senso-ji in the evening

Tue Day 32: Mt Takao daytrip

Wed Day 33: Ikebukuro, Ghibli museum, Shinjuku

* Sunshine City (esp. Pokemon Store) in Ikebukuro
* Evangelion Store in Ikebukuro
* Travel to Ghibli museum neighborhood
* Ghibli museum
* spend some time here -> A Happy Pancake Kichijoji for that fluffy pancake experience or Aoyama Flower Market Tea House
* Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building and/or a drink at Park Hyatt Tokyo Bar for them views

Th Day 34: Last day

* TeamLab Planets
* Muji Ginza Flagship Store
* anything else we have missed, like last minute souvenier shopping at DAISO/PARCO
* travel to Haneda for a flight back home close to midnight

*These Tokyo days are definitely the most packed and there is still so much missing from my original plan, i.e. attending a Kabuki performance, visit Shimokitazawa, or the Mori Art Museum. Comments about the Tokyo days especially appreciated.*

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Thanks for reading this long post. I have marked questions within the itinerary through italics, but general comments about what parts are too packed or too light and recommendations on what might make it better are greatly appreciated (and saying that this looks good to calm my nerves is appreciated as well of course lol). As I said in the beginning, this is meant as a default plan that can be changed on the spot without hard feeling but that should offer enough to do as to not become restless during the trip. If you have any questions, ask away. Cheers!