Hi, r/JapanTravel!
We are a young married couple going on a first time trip to Japan mid-September to mid-October!
Coming from western Europe, we will be staying in Japan for 3 weeks, so I am kindly requesting an itinerary check for what we have planned for this period; our main goal is to see a bit of everything in Japan, and have as many experiences that are unique. Planning has been a bit overwhelming since there is so much to do in so many places, so we are unsure whether our itinerary is feasible, or if it is too much or not enough.
Below is our rough plan:
**Day 1 – Tokyo:**
Visit Tokyo – Arrive in Tokyo, walk around to get bearings
**Day 2 – Tokyo**:
Visit Tokyo – Teamlab experience + Go Kart
**Day 3 – Tokyo**:
Visit Nikko – Day trip
**Day 4 – Tokyo**:
Visit Tokyo – Roam Around
**Day 5 – Tokyo / Hakone:**
Visit Hakone – relax in hot spring
**Day 6 – Hakone:**
Visit Hakone – Roam around Hakone, see Mt Fuji, go to nearby towns
**Day 7 – Hakone / Nagano:**
Travel to Nagano
**Day 8 – Nagano:**
Monkey Park (is it going to be good in September?)
Maybe we can extend stay and stay at a temple here, skipping Koyasan
**Day 9 – Nagano / Kanazawa:**
Travel to Kanazawa and roam
**Day 10 – Kanazawa + Takayama:**
Geisha and local experiences
**Day 11 – Kanazawa / Kyoto:**
Travel to Kyoto and roam
**Day 12 – Kyoto:**
Free Day
**Day 13 – Kyoto:**
Visit Universal Studio – Universal Studio
**Day 14 – Koyasan:**
Buddha temple
**Day 15 – Kyoto:**
Visit Osaka – Free Day
**Day 16 – Kyoto:**
Visit Nara – Free Day
**Day 17 – Kyoto / Hiroshima:**
Straight journey with no stops – Roam in Hiroshima
**Day 18 – Hiroshima:**
Visit Hiroshima – Hiroshima + Miyajima
**Day 19 – Hiroshima / Himeji / Kobe / Nagoya:**
Return from Hiroshima, stopover in Himeji Castle and Kobe for lunch
**Day 20 – Nagoya**:
City Museum, Toyota museum, TV Tower, Castle, Park
**Day 21 – Nagoya / Tokyo:**
Return to Tokyo, last day roam
**Day 22 – Tokyo:**
Departure
​
Our plans in each city are not set in stone, so we intend to have the time to see the main landmarks in each of the main cities, but also try to have some free time to walk around, have some street food, and dwelve into the culture.
For unique experiences, we want to, among other things, go to an Onsen and stay in a Ryokan in Hakone, stay in a Temple lodging in either Koyasan, Nagano or Kyoto, see the Snow Monkeys, a Matcha Tea experience, Go-Karts in Tokyo, watch Geishas and Samurai performances, cooking classes… Is there anything else we may be missing? In addition, are there any recommended activities in which we can somewhat live like a local for a day? I read that Takayama could be a nice place for this.
We intend to purchase the 21 Day JR Pass to be able to move around freely.
​
Thanks in advance for any feedback you may have!