Hi everyone
I am planning my first trip to Japan and will be doing it solo. When it comes to travelling, I like to have a packed schedule and be constantly on the move (I have no issues with dropping / changing plans on short notice but would rather feel like I did not have enough time to fully explore rather than had too much). If I was traveling with another person, would definitely not make things as hardcore but when solo, I like to keep myself busy.
I am planning to spend 16 days in Japan between 9th and 26th of May. My plan right now is to spend:
2.5 days in Osaka
3 days in Kyoto
1 day in Nara/Uji
Potentially 1 day in Himeji
7 days in Tokyo (and maybe use 1-2 days for day trips to Mt. Fuji and/or Kumakura if I need a change of scenary)
I have 3-4 days left over and I am thinking about maybe flying to Hokkaido. Get a car and drive to Hell Valley, Sapporo, Otaru etc. Seems like it’s a very rich area to explore and May is a good time to do so.
Is Hokkaido a good idea? Is there someplace else you could suggest alternatively to Hokkaido? I was also considering Beppu and surrounding areas. A lot of itineraries suggest going from Kyoto to Kanazaw but frankly, the idea did not make me super excited as it does not look super different from Kyoto. I was also thinking about overnight stay in Hiroshima but ruled it out.
My main concern is that while Osaka and Kyoto is going to be amazing, it seems like I will be spending a lot of time visiting shrines. I would like to the next location not to center around this (cities, nature, castles would be more interesting to me). I am not interested in anime, Ghibli park or entertainment parks. I am a big foodie so Hokkaido definitely sparked my interest. But would very much appreciate a reality check
by Alarming_Fish
