Hey everyone – a quick thank you for all the advice and tips I have already received just lurking in this sub. I’m headed to Japan in early November solo and for the first time. I’ve run the costs and compared domestic flights and the 21 day JR pass is worth the price (I’ll be buying the voucher right before the price hike).
I do like to be on the go and have tried to be cognizant of time spent moving from place to place but have left room here in case I should spend another day somewhere. That said I have 4 flex days that I could use some advice on whether it be another day trip in my current hub, adding a city, or taking a day to relax wherever I am.
My list of activities is very rough at the moment as my days are still in flux and being planned. I am however, focusing on having 2 or 3 planned items each day to leave time for the unknown and time to explore. Much appreciation for any guidance or tips you can provide
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**Leg 1 – Hokkaido and Tohuko:** I realize I’ll be late catching peak foliage season here but still wanted Hokkaido to be apart of my trip regardless.
Day 0 (Nov 6th) – Extremely long travel day – Arr. CTS \~7:30pm – Train into Sapporo- crawl to accommodations
Day 1 (Nov 7th) – Sapporo
* Explore the city
* Sapporo Beer Museum
* Susukino
Day 2 (Nov 8th) – Sapporo
* Nishino Shrine
* Moiwa Ropeway
* Susukino
Day 3 (Nov 9th) – Sapporo
* Otaru Day Trip
Day 4 (Nov 10th) – Lake Toya Ryokan
* Transit to Lake Toya
* Ryokan stay
* Lake cruise
* Chill day
Day 5 (Nov 11th) – Hakodate
* Shinkansen to Hakodate
* Hakodate Ropeway
Day 6 (Nov 12th) – Hakodate
* Morning Market
* Cape Tachimachi
* Goryokaku Park
Day 7 (Nov 13th) – Aomori
* Shinkansen to Aomori station
* Nebuta Wa Rasse museum
Day 8 (Nov 14th) – Akita
* Resort train from Aomori to Akita
* Akita Museum of Art
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**LEG 2:** Initially my plan here for Day 9 was to take a fairly inexpensive flight from Akita to Tokyo (flight to save travel time) and begin my time in Kansai. With four flexible days I was unsure if I should spend more time in Tohuko making my way down or add elsewhere (i.e day trips, more time on the 3rd leg)
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Day 9 (Nov 15th) – Flex Day
Day 10 (Nov 16th) – Flex Day
Day 11 (Nov 17th) – Tokyo
* Akihabara/Ueno
* Tokyo National Museum
Day 12 (Nov 18th) – Tokyo
* Ghibli Museum
* Nakano Broadway
Day 13 (Nov 19th) – Overnight trip to Fuji
* Bike rental and journeying around some of the lakes
Day 14 (Nov 20th) – Tokyo
* Head back from Fuji
* Team Labs Planets
* Ginza
Day 15 (Nov 21st) – Day trip to Kamakura + Enoshima
Day 16 (Nov 22nd) – Spend the day in Yokohama
* Gundam Factory
* Chinatown
Day 17 (Nov 23rd) – Flex Day
Day 18 (Nov 24th) – Flex Day
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**Leg 3:**
Day 19 (Nov 25th) – Kobe/Osaka
* Shinkansen into Kobe for the J1 league match
* Head back to Osaka for the evening
* Dotombori
Day 20 (Nov 26th) – Osaka
* Explore city
* Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park
* Team Labs Botanical Garden (if open)
Day 21 (Nov 27th) – Kyoto
* Head to Kyoto
* Fushimi Inari Shrine
* Kenninji Temple (for autumn illuminations)
Day 22 (Nov 28th) – Kyoto
* Arashiyama Grove
* Sagano Scenic Railway
* Tenryu-ji
Day 23 (Nov 29th) – Kyoto/Uji?
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Day 24 (Nov 30th) – Hiroshima
* Head to Hiroshima
* Stop at Himeji on the way
* Peace Park
Day 25 (Dec 1) – Hiroshima
* Miyajima Island
Day 26 (Dec 2) – Tokyo
* Final shopping
* Check out any Christmas lights that may be up
Day 27 (Dec 3) – Flight out
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1 comment
> chasing the leaves
Assuming foliage maximization:
* Nov 19 is probably too late for good Kawaguchiko foliage
* Hiroshima/Miyajima tends to be on the earlier end of Tokyo/Kyoto peaks, so do that at the start of your Honshu jaunt rather than at the end. Looks like there is a Sendai-Hiroshima nonstop flight so you could consider that
* Move Kamakura to the last day of your trip (foliage is better then)
> flex days / Teamlabs
If you like Teamlabs stuff, they’re doing a night lighting at [Kanazawa Castle](https://www.teamlab.art/e/kanazawacastle/) this winter.