Hi everyone! Taking my second trip to Japan this fall and would love some advice on a few key pieces of my itinerary.
**Goals and preferences**: After having a pretty packed first trip (the usual Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka progression), I am really wanting a slower, more relaxed experience with a strong preference for enjoying more of Japan’s natural landscape and of course the Fall foliage!
**What’s set so far:**
* Tokyo and Osaka are the bookends
* 8 nights total, arriving into Tokyo 25 November and out of Osaka on 3 December
* Current thinking is to use both Tokyo as my hub for the beginning and Osaka at the end of the trip for some day trips and perhaps 1 night excursions to get out more into nature and other cities
**Where I need advice:** I’d love advice and opinions on the places I am looking at and also if I am missing any! I have about 3-4 days to allocate across these options. How would you prioritize/rank this list? Pros and cons? Missing any options?
* **Nikko** \- Kegon waterfall among other locations look incredible. However I fear late November would be too late for the Fall foliage. Probably an overnighter, not a day trip
* **Kamakura** \- Beautiful temples and parks?
* **Hakone** \- I’d love the Ryokan experience, and the scenery here is well known, but I fear it would be too crowded and touristy. Perhaps do a night here as I transition from Tokyo area to Osaka?
* **Mt Takao -** love the idea of hikes, and likely good timing for fall leaves. Crowds?
* **Nara** \- Very day-trippable from Osaka. Older period feel, plus outdoor scenes
* **Hiroshima/Miyajima** \- Not sure if I could/should do this as a day trip or spend a night there
1 comment
Only go to Nikko in late November for the shrines themselves. I think it is the worst time of the year for nature views – no leaves on trees and no snow.
Kamakura is nice, go as late as possible on your trip to catch fall colors (it peaks a bit later than Tokyo proper).
Mt Takao is a great outing and if you are lucky there is a Fuji view at the top. Since you only have very limited time, take the chairlift (not the funicular), it only goes up halfway so you still get a good workout, has a great view on the way down, and skips the most boring bit of the hike. This compresses the trip to half a day so you have time for afternoon/evening activities in Tokyo.
Hiroshima/Miyajima – not daytrippable from Osaka if you want a “slower, more relaxed” experience (it’s a feasible day trip for fast travelers who can stick to a schedule and tolerate a long day), but with only eight days I would skip.