Hi all, this is my first ever trip to Japan and I’ve waited so long for it!
I’m leaving for my trip in 2 weeks and I originally created a very overwhelming itinerary, which stressed me so I slimmed it down. Now I’m finding my itinerary looking quite empty, however I do enjoy the idea of spending time getting lost in some places. I haven’t completed this itinerary and there are some things I would like to do in Japan that aren’t on this itinerary (like Karaoke), but I feel like I can just be flexible with those activities and slot them in wherever feels right at the time.
I’d appreciate advice on what is missing and what could be weeded out. I’m travelling with my husband and we are both mid 20s. We love Japanese food and culture, and I speak a little bit of Japanese.
Dates: 11/12/2023 – 06/01/2023 (In Seoul between 31/12-04/01)
11/12
Land at 9am.
\- Take a shower at the airport and grab some breakfast.
\- Head to the hotel in Ginza to drop of luggage
\- Head to Shiro-Hige cream puffs and enjoy!
\- Shibuya scramble
\- Sushi for lunch
\- Hachiko, walk to Harajuku and walk around, check out Meiji shrine and walk to Shinjuku
\- Dinner in Shinjuku and check out Omoide yokocho/ Golden gai (not sure which one yet)
\- Get back to hotel and sleeeep
12/12
Get up early, checkout and get the train to Sapporo (yes, its a long journey but I LOVE trains and dislike flying, especially after the 16 hour flight to get to Japan!)
\- Arrive in Sapporo around 6pm, check straight into hotel and grab dinner locally.
\- If we aren’t too tired, walk around Susukino. Otherwise, just rest at the hotel.
13/12
\- Walk around Odori park and check out xmas market.
\- grab lunch nearby
\- Kill time for 4 hours until Sapporo beer museum tour.
\- 2 hours to kill until dinner at Sapporo beer garden.
\- Post dinner walk about and then back to the hotel to sleep
14/12
\- Check out and pick up car rental from nearby hotel.
\- Drive to Otaru Canal, walk about. Grab dinner nearby.
\- Go to Nikka Whiskey distillery and experience the tour.
\- Drive to Furano, arriving around 3pm and check into hotel.
\- Enjoy time in hotel (onsen and free drinks!) and have dinner.
\- After dinner visit Ningle terrace.
15/12
\- Whole day snow boarding at Furano ski resort. Head to hotel for dinner and sleep.
16/12
\- Check out, drive around Furano and check out local farms (not sure what that will be like in winter, but there is a winery and a jam farm i’d love to see)
\- Grab lunch and start drive towards Hakodate
\- Stop at Lake Toya for some scenery, the drive to Jigokudani and stop there as well.
\- Check into hotel in Shin-Hakodate and grab dinner. Time to sleep again!
17/12
\- Check out and get the train to Kyoto (I know, it’s a very long journey).
\- Arrve in Kyoto in the evening and check into home, then grab dinner nearby (we are near Gion)
18/12
\- Go out for breakfast at a local cafe.
\- This whole day is totally unplanned so far but we will be staying right next to the Kyoto National museum so will most likely stay close to our home on this day.
\- Go grocery shopping and make dinner at home.
19/12
\- We will do the Sagano romantic railway experience, check out Arashiyama, have lunch at Steak Otsuka, check out Diorama Kyoto, Tenryuji temple and grab dinner from somewhere (undecided).
20/12
\- Day trip to Amanohashidate – I haven’t thoroughly planned this yet, but I’ve booked the Tango Akamatsu train tickets which i’m so friggin excited about. We will take the cable car while there and have lunch. If we can get back in time, we will have dinner in Kyoto.
21/12
\- Go Fushimi Inari in the morning, then spend the rest of the day walking around Gion and doing shopping.
22/12
\- Check out and get the train to Nagano.
\- Stop at Matsumoto castle for 2 hours, just to see it briefly and grab lunch to-go.
\- Arrive at our onsen in Nagano around 4pm.
\- Relax, have dinner, and relax some more.
23/12
\- Visit the snow monkey park.
\- Walk around the town. Enjoy onsens and local things. Relax some more.
24/12
\- Check out and travel to Zenkoji temple. Spend 2 hours checking it out and grab lunch.
\- Head to Tokyo and check into hotel.
\- Freshen up, go for christmas dinner (not sure if we will get a chance to have fried chicken for christmas but we would love to!)
\- Go for drinks at Stellar Garden – we are staying in Prince Park Toyko Tower hotel at that time but haven’t been able to reserve it yet 🙁 I’ve emailed them to sort it out.
\- call it a night
25/12
\- Go on a tour of Tokyo tower. Walk around Shiba park and then grab lunch at Kintan Steak.
\- Enjoy some illuminations, be all romantic with my husband, and have dinner somewhere nice (need some recommendations please!)
\- Relax in the hotel.
26/12
\- Check out and hang around Tokyo (potentially? If it makes sense to spend more time in Tokyo and see something else). Then travel to Osaka, arriving around 6pm. Check into hotel and have dinner. Walk around Dotonbori after dinner – we are staying nearby.
27/12
\- spend the day at USJ
\- Have dinner at Ichiran in Osaka. It’s the pork free one so it’s a must for me as I don’t eat pork.
28/12
\- Go to Miyajima, see the shrine and gates, grab oysters for lunch and do some shopping.
\- Go up Mt Misen. Enjoy the views. Then head to Hiroshima.
\- Visit the memorial sites and garden in Hiroshima.
\- Have some Okonomiyaki for dinner and make my way back to Osaka.
29/12
\- Check out Namba Yasaka shrine, check out Osaka castle park.
\- Maybe see Umeda sky building?
\- Take a Dotonbori river cruise in the evening.
\- Potentially have a NagomiVisit dinner experience.
30/12
\- Check out of hotel. Store luggage somewhere. Head to Himeji.
\- Check out Himeji (nothing particular planned here).
\- Head to Tokyo in the evening and stay at hotel near Haneda airport.
31/12-04/12
We will be in Seoul, return on the 4th around 3pm. We will check into our hotel in Asakusa, see some sights and grab some lunch.
05/12 – Final day in Japan
\- Visit Sensoji temple
\- Hit up Nakamise-dori, do some souvenir and gift shopping, enjoy some snacks.
\- Grab drinks at Asahi beer headquarters and enjoy the view
\- Have lunch and take the Sumida river cruise
\- Visit Hamarikyu gardens around 3pm.
\- The nothing planned for the rest of the evening.
Our departure flight is early morning on 06/01.
I look forward to all your replies!