Hello! 30f heading on my first trip to Japan for ~3 weeks in November. This sub has been an invaluable resource and super inspiring-I’m very grateful. For anyone who is able to take a look at my itinerary below, I do have a couple of specific questions, but would be appreciative of any feedback in general.
I anticipate the common (and valid) criticism of trying to do too much, but I do genuinely prefer to be on the go, with logistics and problem-solving both elements of solo-travel that I really enjoy. However, if anything stands out as overly ambitious or just unenjoyable, I’m certainly open to making adjustments. Accommodation is booked but not paid for.
Note- I’m forwarding luggage between Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto, so in all other areas I’ll have a small backpack with me.
**Interests:** Nature, op-shopping, art and food.
**Strengths:** Will walk 500 miles. Sleeps well anywhere.
**Weaknesses:** Averse to relaxation. Cannot speak or understand Japanese. Does not eat fish.
[Here’s](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I_VHidrN7THqbNQN2z7Lq8f9_aK3_AMp/view?usp=sharing) a map I made to help make sense of the somewhat convoluted route. Itinerary is laid out there, too.
**Day 0: Sat 4/11, Travel**
Flights were cheap (and proportionately nasty) so I’m arriving at Haneda at midnight. Not ideal, but taxi is booked and hostel expecting me at 2-2.30am. Zzz
**Day 1: Sun 5/11, Tokyo**
**AM:** Oedo Antique Market*, Okuno Building
**MID:** Lunch, Museum of Contemporary Art (specific exhibition*)
**PM:** Dinner back in Koenji
***This is my only opportunity for these events, so if I can push through and get to them, great. If I need a rest day, well- I must concede.**
**Day 2: Mon 6/11, Tokyo**
**AM:** Thrift/Record stores in Koenji
**MID:** Shinjuku Gyoen Garden
**PM:** Dinner in Ebisu, Yo La Tengo @ Ebisu Garden Hall (7pm)
**Day 3: Tue 7/11, Tokyo (Kichijoji)**
**AM:** Inokishara Park/Pond
**MID:** Thrift/Record stores, Uniqlo & Don Quixote
**PM:** Dinner/drinks @ Harmonica Yokocho
**Day 4: Wed 8/11, Tokyo>Matsumoto**
**AM:** Check out, FWD luggage to Osaka, Breakfast in Koenji
-3hr Train to Matsumoto (from Shinjuku)
**MID:** Matsumoto Castle -OR- Matsumoto City Museum of Art
**PM:** Check in, Dinner
**Day 5: Thu 9/11, Kamikochi**
**AM:** Check out, breakfast, buy snacks/lunch for hiking
-2hr bus/train to Kamikochi
**MID:** Walking trails in Kamikochi
**PM:** Dinner/Check in to “Mountain Lodge”
**Day 6: Fri 10/11, Kamikochi>Matsumoto**
**AM:** Check out of lodge, breakfast
**MID:** Walking trails in Kamikochi
-2hr bus back to Matsumoto
**PM:** Check (back) in, Dinner
**Q- Any recommendations for 2 x 1 day hikes in Kamikochi?**
**Day 7: Sat 11/11, Matsumoto>Osaka**
**AM:** Check out, breakfast
**MID:** Nawate-Dori + Nakamachi (market)
-3/4hr Train to Osaka (via Nagoya)
**PM:** Check in, Dinner
**Day 8: Sun 12/11, Osaka**
**AM:** Spa World?
**MID:** Skype with family, Nakazakicho
**PM:** Dinner/drinks
**Day 9: Mon 13/11, Osaka**
**AM:** Relax, breakfast
**MID:** Amerika mura
**PM:** Dotonbori
**Day 10: Tue 14/11, Osaka>Naoshima**
**AM:** Check out, FWD luggage to Kyoto
-1.5hr Train to Okayama
**MID:** Okayama Korakuen*, brunch
-Bus to Port Uno, ferry to Naoshima
**PM:** Check in, dinner, beach swim
***Q- Is it worth aiming to stop off at Okayama to see the garden, or should I prioritise getting a bit more time on Naoshima?**
**Day 11: Wed 15/11, Naoshima**
**AM:** Rent e-bike and check out galleries
**PM:** Dinner, Beach swim
**Day 12: Thu 16/11, Teshima>Takamatsu**
**AM:** Check out
-Ferry to Teshima
**MID:** Gallery/art installations
-Last Ferry back to Takamatsu
**PM:** Check in, Dinner
**Day 13: Fri 17/11, Takamatsu>Kyoto**
**AM:** Check out, Ritsurin Garden, breakfast
**MID:** Ogijima + Megijima Islands
-Ferry back to Takamatsu
-Train to Kyoto, via Okayama
**PM:** Check in (by 9pm), Dinner
**Q-Overall wondering if my plans for the Art Islands are reasonable as is. It is a LOT of ferrying and art-appreciating. Could forego Megijima/Ogijima-not a lot will be open? but I would like to see the villages-meet some cats if I’m lucky, some ogres if I’m not! Also, sources for ferry timetables seem a bit out-dated and hard to come by, do they run pretty reliably?**
**Day 14: Sat 8/11, Kyoto**
**AM:** Arashiyama
**MID:** Board Games/relax @ Hostel
**PM:** Dinner
**Day 15: Sun 19/11, Kyoto**
**AM:** Philosophers Path
**MID:** Board Games/relax @ Hostel, Skype with family
**PM:** Dinner
**Day 16: Mon 20/11, Kyoto**
**AM:** Fushimi Inari (sunrise), check out, FWD luggage to Tokyo
**MID:** ?
**PM:** ?
-10hr highway bus (11pm-overnight)
***I assume trying to avoid crowds in Japan is a fools game, but my main interest in Kyoto is Fushimi Inari, so I left it to the Monday hoping that it’ll be slightly less busy(?) If this is futile-I’d potentially depart a night earlier to have an extra night in Kawaguchiko (or in Tokyo). Thoughts?**
**Day 17: Tue 21/11, Kawaguchiko**
**AM:** Arr. Kawaguchiko, rent bike
**MID:** Explore around the lake etc. Autumn Festivities? Panoramic Ropeway?
**PM:** Check in, Dinner
**Q- Anything particular I should aim to see around Kawaguchiko? Is the Ropeway worth doing? I think it’s the autumn festival season at the time, but not too sure what that involves. Aside from crowds. Planned to just bike ride around.**
**Day 18: Mon 22/11, Tokyo-Shimokitazawa**
**AM:** Check out, breakfast
-2hr Train/Bus to Shinjuku
**MID:** Disk Union Flagship, Shinjuku
**PM:** Check in, dinner/drinks
**Day 19: Tue 23/11, Tokyo-Shimokitazawa**
**AM:** Breakfast
**MID:** Record/thrift stores
**PM:** Dinner/drinks
**Day 20: Fri 24/11, Depart**
Check out, Depart early AM for Narita Airport via N’EX, flight home @ 9.30am
**Q-I’d like to pre-book tickets for significant train journeys, if I do so online, does it send the ticket to my email and I can board using that, or do you need to collect a physical copy from train stations?
I think with highway busses you present the digital copy of the ticket.**
2 comments
Nothing much will be open in Koenji until 10~11am shoppingwise.
When you say you “don’t eat fish”, does that extend to things with fish compenents (e.g. soups/broths). A lot of stuff that you wouldn’t necessarily expect is a bit fishy.
Did you consider going from Kamikochi to Takayama rather than back to Matsumoto? I think that would be the more interesting route, even if you don’t spend a lot of time there.
I didn’t go to Ogijima, but Megijima is … uh, not impressive, and at least when I was there pretty run-down. I enjoyed the trip, but it’s hard to recommend when there are probably much better places you could be spending limited time. I would skip Takamatsu altogether if I were you.
Hello, I’m Japanese from Okayama. Here is what I think:
1. I don’t think you want to swim. You can try if you really want to, but no one does in November. It’s not that warm anymore.
2. In Teshima and Naoshima, you can’t visit everything in one day. Therefore, decide where you want to stay on your day 10 based on the fact. If you want to explore some local food from Okayama, it sure will be better for you to stay at Okayama or Kurashiki. Don’t stay at Uno. There’s pretty much nothing there. And you want to come down to Uno by train, not by bus.
3. Your day 13 will be quite tight or even ambitious if you want to visit both the garden and islands. Forget about the garden, but instead, enjoy some nice udon in Takamatsu. Sanuki Udon is amazing, and I always take a day trip to have an udon tour, which my family and I drive and visit 5-6 udon places in a day, every time I go back to my hometown. It’s super cheap and so yummy.