Background: solo mom and 4.5 year old, 1 month roughly March 24- April 21. I THOUGHT I had figured out my itinerary but have received some more feedback that is throwing me for a loop yet again. Mods- I have done TONS of research. 🙂
Here is the feedback I have on the itin below:
**-” It snows in Takayama, Shirahone to Unazuki Onsen between November and April. So, I never**
**suggest that they drive from Nagoya on snowy and slippery local roads, not the motorways.”** Looking at the weather conditions, it doesn’t look like it has been so bad historically. I did some research last night and it seems like the area around the shirahone ropeway might be tricky but I would plan to do this slowly and planning as a day trip from Takayama. This is planned for around April 7- April 8, with flexibility for weather. Also, it looks like getting to Unazuki is via Toyama, so are roads a problem there?
\- I was thinking of dropping the rental car in Magome April 5, doing the walk, and either taking the local bus (1/2 hour) back to Magome for the night or staying in Tsumago and taking the bus back in the morning. “I**n addition, there is a car park issue on 5 April. Dropping the rental car in Magome and hiking from Magome to Tsumago and then getting back to Magome in order to pick up the rental car is problematic or unworkable. “** I was planning on taking local roads from Magome to Takayama as they seem more scenic/ bucolic. is this Crazy??
\- third problem identified: “**\[3 April\] Mt. Koya to the hotel near Nagoya Station because the cable car to connect the first express train bound for Osaka (Namba) only departs at 11:20 and it is too hard for the first timers to change trains so many times to reach Legoland Japan.**” OK, well, couldn’t I just take a taxi from Nagoya station to legoland? I really want to stay there for my son.
I really wanted a road trip element to my trip, and am now concerned that doing it in the Takayama area is a bad call and i should pivot AGAIN.
\* Tokyo one night, landing in Narita
\* kyoto 4 nights
\* Hiroshima 2 nights
\* Miyajima 1 night
\* Osaka 1 night- not for sightseeing, just transfer to Koyasan
\* Koyasan 1 night
\* Legoland Nagoya one night
\* cheaper Nagoya hotel one night
\* Drive to Magome, Magome to Tsumago hike, bus back to Magone, night in Magome
\* Drive local roads to Takayama, 3 nights in Takayama, including a day trip to Shirahone onsen and ropeway
\* overnight in Ainekora gassho
\* Drive to Kurobe gorge, over night in Unazuki onsen
\* drive back to Nagoya
\* 2 nights in Hakone, or straight to Tokyo to break up Tokyo city experience
\* 7 nights in Tokyo, including one night in Tokyo Disney