Hello! I’m planning a a 20 day trip to japan. This is my first time in japan, and I’m flying solo.
My main interests are Japanese culture and traditional Japanese architecture, Shopping (mainly skincare), and anime.
This is my current itinerary, and I would like your feedback –
#Oct 17 – Landing in Tokyo
– **08:45** – Flight ETA
– *~12:00* – Meiji Shrine
– Explore Harajuku area (Lunch)
– Shibuya Scramble Square
> *Notes* – Get my bearings, Scouting for future shopping
#Oct 18 – Hiroshima
– Train To Hiroshima
– Miyajima
– Itsukushima
– Daisho-in Temple
– Ropeway
– Peace Park
– *Will probably happen after sunset*
#Oct 19 – Himeji and Kobe
– Himeji Castle (full tour)
– Engyoji
– *Train to Kobe*
– **18:30** Kobe Firework Festival (Meriken park)
#Oct 20 – Osaka
– Anything I feel like I missed in Kobe
– *Train to Osaka*
– Osaka Museum of housing and Living
– Osaka Castle
– Umeda Sky Building
#Oct 21 – Osaka
– Shinsekai
– TsutenKaku
– Nipponbashi
– Kuromon Ichiba Market
– Sennichimae Doguyasuji street
– Dotonbori
#Oct 22 – To Kinosaki Onsen
– Osaka Aquarium
– Kinosaki Onsen
#Oct 23 – To Kyoto
– Nijo Castle
– Ninna-ji
– Ryoan-ji
– Kinkaku-ji
#Oct 24 – Higashiyama
– Tour + Kimono Rental **(Already Booked)**
#Oct 25 – Philosopher’s Path
– Kyoto Imperial Palace (Try to get there at 09:30 for the tour)
– GInkaku-ji
– Philosopher’s Path
– Nanzen-ji
– Heian Shrine
> *Notes* – Fit a Gion Night Walk on either the 23/24/25, if anyone has any reccs it would be welcome.
#Oct 26 – Arashiyama and Katsura Villa
– Tenryu-ji
– Arashiyama bamboo grove
– Okochi Sanso Daijokaku
– *if fits* – Jojakko-ji and Gio-ji
– **13:20** Katsura Imperial Villa **(Already Booked)**
– Free Time
#Oct 27 – Fushimi Inari and Nara
– Fushimi Inari
– *Train to Nara*
– Kofuku-ji
– Todai-ji
– Feed Deer
#Oct 28 – Free Day
(for now)
#Oct 29 – Hakone
Staying in Fukuzumiro
#Oct 30 – Nov 4 – Tokyo
The more flexible part of the trip
##Places i plant to go to
– Asakusa
– Akihabara
– Shinjuku
– Ginza
– Tsukiji market
– Imperial Palace
– Zojoji
– Edo Tokyo Museum
## Daytrips from Tokyo Ideas
– Nikko (fall colors)
– Kamakura
– Kannazawa (Long But Doable)
1 comment
I’m assuming you’re taking Shinkansen to go from city to city.
If so, the 18th is a rough day for you.
You may not have enough time to reasonably do everything you’ve listed.
If you leave on the earliest Shinkansen (Nozomi departing at 6am). You can get to Hiroshima at 9:50am and have an ok shot of accomplishing most of what you listed (it will still be an exhausting day)
However, if you’re using JR pass, you have to take the slower Shinkansen + transfer Shinkansen at least once on your journey to Hiroshima.
Earliest you can arrive is 12pm at Hiroshima. That will severely limit what you can reasonably accomplish.
(Note it takes ~45 minutes of travel time by train and ferry from Hiroshima station to Miyajima island)
Due to how busy the 18th is, the 19th will feel the knock on effects. But besides that, what you listed that day is reasonable and feasible.
The rest of the itinerary looks ok to me. The potential Kanazawa day trip, you can also do it from the Kansai side (Kyoto/Osaka), if you want more options