Hi! This is my very basic plan of my 25 day Japan trip with my friend. I’ve been to kyoto for 2 weeks with family in the past already. Is this plan plausible, please add any suggestions and we are VERY open to alterations. I understand the trip from Nikko to Hakone/Fujiyoshida will be a long travel distance – does anyone have any ideas how to incoorporate these in our trip?
We are mostly looking for some structure ideas, planning tips and activites to do. Any help would be appreciated!
We have already purchased a 21 day JR pass voucher.
**About us:**
We are two young women who are interested in nature, short hikes, animals, food (vegetarian options) and shopping (thrifting!). We love Snoopy, Studio Ghibli, Japanese history, gaming and camera film (not so much anime).
Date | Places | Details | Activities
:–|:–|:–|:–
24/11 | Arr. Tokyo | | Explore Shinjuku, Tokyo Tower, Evening in Roppongi
25/11 | Tokyo | | Asakusa Senso-ji Temple, Akihabara, Evening in Omoide Yokocho
26/11 | Tokyo | | Tsukiji Fish Market, Odaiba, TeamLab Borderless, Shimo-Kitazawa Thrift Shopping
27/11 | Tokyo | | Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, Shibuya Crossing
28/11 | Tokyo | | Ueno Park, Tokyo National Museum, Evening in Ginza
29/11 | Tokyo | Full Day Trip Kamakura (JR PASS activate) | Kamakura’s temples, Hasedera, Kotoku-in (Great Buddha)
30/11 | Tokyo/Nikko | Leave Tokyo in morning for Nikko hotel | Toshogu Shrine, Kegon Falls, Lake Chuzenji
1/12 | Nikko/Fujiyoshida (or Hakone) | Leave Nikko at night for Fujiyoshida hotel | Hakone Open-Air Museum, Hakone Shrine, Onsen experience
2/12 | Fujiyoshida (or Hakone) | | Chureito Pagoda, Lake Kawaguchi, Oshino Hakkai
3/12 | Fujiyoshida/Kyoto | Leave Fujiyoshida (or Hakone) in morning for Kyoto hotel | Fushimi Inari Shrine, Gion District, Pontocho Alley
4/12 | Kyoto | | Kinkaku-ji, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji Temple
5/12 | Kyoto | Full Day Trip Kanazawa | Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa Castle, Higashi Chaya District
6/12 | Kyoto | Half Day Trip Nara | Todai-ji Temple, Nara Park, Kasuga Taisha Shrine
7/12 | Kyoto | | Kiyomizu-dera, Nishiki Market, Maruyama Park
8/12 | Kyoto/Osaka | Leave at midday | Osaka Castle, Dotonbori, Kuromon Ichiba Market
9/12 | Osaka | Hiroshima/Miyajima Day Trip | Atomic Bomb Dome, Itsukushima Shrine, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
10/12 | Osaka | | Universal Studios Japan, Shinsaibashi, Umeda Sky Building
11/12 | Osaka/Fukuoka | Leave in morning | Canal City, Fukuoka Tower, Ohori Park
12/12 | Fukuoka | | Dazaifu Tenmangu, Nakasu, Fukuoka Castle Ruins
13/12 | Fukuoka | | Yatai Street Food Stalls, Marine World Uminonakamichi
14/12 | Fukuoka/Nagasaki | Leave in morning | Peace Park, Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, Glover Garden
15/12 | Nagasaki | | Dejima, Mt. Inasa, Nagasaki Chinatown
16/12 | Nagasaki/Osaka | Leave in morning | Sumiyoshi Taisha, Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, Namba Yasaka Shrine
17/12 | Osaka | | Tsutenkaku, Abeno Harukas, Evening in Amerikamura
18/12 | Osaka/Melbourne | | Last-minute shopping in Shinsaibashi, Departure
Thank you all in advance.
3 comments
No advice for Tokyo, but here are some hidden gems for Kyoto that I personally enjoyed the most. Please do know that it gets quite snowy in the wintertime in Kyoto, so be prepared to dress warmly.
Sumiya Cultural Art Museum- This is the only extant ageya remaining in the old geisha district of Kyoto, before it was ordered to move by the shogun in the 17th century to its current location in Gion. It was used as a house of entertainment and a brothel, but if you like traditional japanese architecture and art, as well as seeing how tea ceromonies are conducted in the old ways, this is the place to see. Reservations are required and there is a 1000 yen fee.
Kurama-dera Temple- This is a really serene Buddhist temple hidden in the mountains North of Kyoto. Some stairs and climbing are required, but very much worth the trip. Take the train to its terminus and take the stairs if you are feeling energetic, or the gondola if you just want to relax. It has a beautiful trail lined with lanterns and small shrines on the way up. Allows you to experience the quiet peace of the temple. Also much less commercialized but does offer the goshuincho. Also has a really wonderful Buddhist vegan restaurant at the bottom of the temple.
Byodoin- If you look at the 10 yen coin you will see this temple. Its got a huge golden Buddha in the middle of it, pretty legit. Its really a short hop away from Nara and there are some really good spots for tea and matcha in the area. Might be too cold for matcha ice-cream, but some hot tea on a cold day could do some good.
I traveled to Nikko and did some hiking and onsens. Plan to budget maybe 3-4 hrs of travel to and from Nikko. The shinkansen only takes you Utsunomiya, you’ll need to take the local train to the park itself. I’m going to be completely honest, when I went in late September early October there was already snow on the peaks, so if you are fine with the snow, send it. While Hakone is the more tourist location for onsens, Nikko, and by extension many of the hotels inside of the park have onsens as well. You can actually visit where the spring starts, and stay at one of the adjacent ryukans. There is also a really spectacular waterfall inside the park.
If you have any specific questions feel free to ask me I’m more than willing to help.
Fukuoka Castle Ruins is right next to Ohori Park so I would do it on the same day and move Canal City the next day with Nakasu and Dazaifu day trip. Fukuoka Tower is nice at night, I would also check out the area around Fukuoka Tower like Momochi Seaside Park. The area south of Ohori Park, Ropponmatsu is a nice neighborhood to explore with lots of cafes, coffee shops, and bakeries.
Do you have a specific reason to be in Fukuoka and Nagasaki?
I’ve heard that Nagasaki’s memorial is similar to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and Museum. I haven’t been to Nagasaki and can’t compare but Hiroshima is well-worth it and would have extra significance if you’ve watched the movie Oppenheimer. Hiroshima also has the benefits of being fairly close to Osaka and you could squeeze in a visit to Miyajima if you stay overnight in Hiroshima.
Instead of Fukuoka, I would suggest Kagoshima. In contrast to many other areas of Japan, the daimyo in charge of Kagoshima supported the Emperor during the Meiji Restoration. The highlight is Sakurajima, a live volcanic island accessed by ferry. There’s a tourist loop bus that winds its way up to an observatory and you can spend the day doing easy hikes or cycling. If you take the JR train south from Kagoshima, you can partake in a sand bath in Ibusuki where you’re buried in volcanic sand with a view of the ocean. If you want to do both Sakurajima and Ibusuki, it would be at least a couple of nights depending on the train schedule.
I’m planning my 4th trip to Japan, and I’m doing a similar route except for Kyushu. In addition to Kagoshima, I’ve penciled in a visit to Kumamoto Castle (one of Japan’s 12 “original” castles) and hopefully, a hike around the caldera of Mt. Aso, another live volcano. I guesstimate that a Kumamoto Castle/Mt. Aso leg to be about 1.5 days/2 nights.