31 Day Itinerary Draft: Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Osaka, Nagoya, Takayama, Kanazawa, Matsumoto, Tokyo

Hello /r/JapanTravel! Long time lurker, first time poster.

My partner and I (late 20s) are currently planning a month-long trip to Japan for March/April 2024.

It will be our first time ever in Japan. We are very excited to see the Cherry Blossoms!

We’re also interested in Anime, Video Games, Cute Cafes – plus all of the typical first-time activities you can imagine.

The JR Pass calculator looked perfect for us (before the price change)… We would love to hear your thoughts around JR Pass convenience/cost for this specific trip.

Plans & Accommodation are flexible at this stage. Here’s our current draft itinerary:

# Tokyo: (6 Days)

*Day 1 (Wed March 20) \[Arrival + Shinjuku\]*

* Arrive Narita 6:50am
* Leave bags at Hotel near Shinjuku Station, then explore Shinjuku

*Day 2 (Thu March 21) \[Harajuku + Shibuya\]*

* Meiji Shrine, Takeshita Street, Omotesandō Area
* Shibuya Cat Street, Shibuya Scramble, Hachikō Memorial Statue

*Day 3 (Fri March 22) \[Shinjuku\]*

* Shinjuku Gyoen (Cherry Blossoms), Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Tokyu Kabukicho Tower
* Kabukicho, Omoide Yokocho, Golden Gai
* Friday Night Karaoke

*Day 4 (Sat March 23) \[AnimeJapan 2024\]*

* AnimeJapan 2024 (This could also be on the Sunday)
* Explore Odaiba (DiverCity, Gundam Statue etc)

*Day 5 (Sun March 24) \[Ikebukero + Akihabara\]*

* Explore Ikebukero, Sunshine City
* Kanda Shrine, Akihabara (Explore/Shopping/Arcades)

*Day 6 (Mon March 25) \[Mitaka/Kichijoji + Nakano City\]*

* Inokashira Park (Cherry Blossoms)
* Ghibli Museum (If possible), Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory
* Nakano Broadway

# Hakone / Mt Fuji (2.5 Days)

*Day 7 (Tue March 26) \[Tokyo -> Kawaguchiko OR Hakone\]*

* Activate JR Pass (21 Day – Expires Midnight April 15)
* Leave Tokyo for Kawaguchiko OR Hakone (AM)
* Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway to Kawaguchiko Tenjozan Park, Mount Arakura Sengen Shrine (Chureito Pagoda), Oshino-hakkai (Eight Springs of Mount Fuji)

*Day 8 (Wed March 27) \[Hakone\]*

* Gotemba Premium Outlets, Hakone Ropeway to Owakudani

*Day 9 (Thu March 28) \[Hakone Yunessun -> Kyoto\]*

* Hakone Kowakien Yunessun
* Leave Hakone (PM) for Kyoto

# Kyoto (5 Days)

*Day 10 (Fri March 29) \[Fushimi Inari\]*

* Fushimi Inari Taisha
* Nishiki Market, Kyoto International Manga Museum, Pontocho Alley

*Day 11 (Sat March 30) \[Arashiyama\]*

* Bamboo Grove, Monkey Park Iwatayama, Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street, Explore Arashiyama (Temples, Togetsukyo Bridge)

*Day 12 (Sun March 31) \[Northern/Central Kyoto\]*

* Kinkakuji, Ryoanji, Ninnaji
* Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle

*Day 13 (Mon April 1) \[Eastern Kyoto\]*

* Ginkakuji, Philosopher’s Path, Nanzenji, Keage Incline, Higashiyama Streets, Kiyomizudera

# Himeji – Hiroshima/Miyajima (2 Days)

*Day 14 (Tue April 2) \[Kyoto -> Himeji -> Hiroshima\]*

* Leave Kyoto (AM) for Himeji
* Himeji Castle, Kokoen Garden
* Leave Himeji (PM) for Hiroshima

*Day 15 (Wed April 3) \[Miyajima + Hiroshima\]*

* Miyajima Island, Itsukushima Jinja Otorii (Grand Torii Gate), Daisho-in Temple
* Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Atomic Bomb Dome

# Ōkunoshima Island – Osaka (5 Days)

*Day 16 (Thu April 4) \[Ōkunoshima Island\]*

* Leave Hiroshima (AM) for Tadanoumi Station
* Ferry to/from Ōkunoshima Island (Rabbit Island)
* Travel to Osaka (PM)
* Explore Dotonbori

*Day 17 (Fri April 5) \[Northern Osaka\]*

* Cup Noodles Museum
* Umeda / Umeda Sky Building, Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Street
* Osaka Castle
* Amerikamura, Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade

*Day 18 (Sat April 6) \[Kobe\]*

* Kobe – Day Trip
* TeamLab Botanical Garden Osaka

*Day 19 (Sun April 7) \[Nara\]*

* Nara – Day Trip

*Day 20 (Mon April 8) \[Universal Studios Japan\]*

* Universal Studios Japan

# Nagoya (1 Day)

*Day 21 (Tue April 9) \[Osaka -> Nagoya\]*

* Leave Osaka (AM) for Nagoya
* Nagoya Castle (Spring Festival), Meijo Park, Osu Shopping District
* Nabana no Sato, Crêpes d’Anne (クレープス・ド・アンヌ)

*Day 22 (Wed April 10) \[Nagoya -> Takayama\]*

* Ghibli Park (If at all possible)
* Leave Nagoya (AM) for Takayama

# Takayama (1 Day)

*Day 22 (cont.) (Wed April 10) \[Takayama\]*

* Arrive Takayama (AM)
* Hida Folk Village, Takayama Old Town

# Shirakawa-go – Kanazawa (2 Days)

*Day 23 (Thu April 11) \[Shirakawa-go\]*

* Shirakawa-go Village
* Leave Shirakawa-go (PM) for Kanazawa

*Day 24 (Fri April 12) \[Kanazawa\]*

* Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa Castle Park, Omicho Market, Higashi Chaya District

# Nagano/Matsumoto (2 Days)

*Day 25 (Sat April 13) \[Kanazawa -> Nagano -> Matsumoto\]*

* Leave Kanazawa (AM) for Nagano
* Snow Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen Koen)
* Stay in Nagano OR Move to Matsumoto (PM)

*Day 26 (Sun April 14) \[Matsumoto\]*

* Daio Wasabi Farm, Matsumoto-jō Castle, Nawate Street, Nakamachi Street
* Leave Matsumoto (PM) for Tokyo

# Tokyo Round 2 (5 Days)

*Day 27 (Mon April 15) \[Nikko\]*

* JR Pass Expires Midnight Tonight (if activated on Mar 25)
* Day Trip to Nikko (assuming JR Pass is still active)

*Day 28 (Tue April 16) \[Ginza + Roppongi\]*

* Tsukiji Outer Market, Ginza Shopping, Chidorigafuchi Park/Imperial Palace, Tokyo Character Street
* Harry Potter Cafe, teamLab Borderless: MORI Building DIGITAL ART MUSEUM (If open/available)
* Gonpachi Nishi-Azabu for Dinner

*Day 29 (Wed April 17) \[Disney Day\]*

* Disney OR DisneySea

*Day 30 (Thu April 18) \[Tokyo\]*

* Free day Tokyo (Catch up on anything missed)

*Day 31 (Fri April 19) \[Tokyo + Departure\]*

* Last minute shopping
* Fly out 6:30pm

Well there ya have it folks. Thanks for reading all this! And thank you in advance for any feedback you may provide. It means a lot.

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