First (and probably only) time in Japan, will be traveling with my sister in the last week of October and first week of November (23rd Oct – 8th November). This is frankly my first time traveling out of my home country at all and Japan has been a dream of mine for so long that I'm very open to the fact that I am probably packing in too many things. Please let me know if I'm trying to do too much or if there are better ways to fit everything in. Also open to any suggestions for places to visit in the locations I'm visiting. My interests are mostly historical and scenic while avoiding crowds as far as possible.
The plan is to have a JR Pass (justified with all the back and forth I'll be doing) from the 24th of October to the 5th of November (if my math isn't wrong, although it most often is :') ). Probably also a Tokyo Metro Pass for the 6th and 7th of November when we'd be in Tokyo fulltime.
Landing 23rd October at Narita, travel to Tokyo and spend the night.
24th October –> Yamadera in Yamagata, and if time allows, Zuihoden in Sendai. Head to Kanazawa where we will be staying for the next three days.
25th October –> From Kanazawa, travel to Nagano for Matsumoto Castle in the morning and after lunch to Narai-juku then back to the hotel.
26th October –> Kurobe and Sarutobi Gorges, giving the whole day for these. Probably reaching Kanazawa around 5 so walk evening walk around Kazuemachi/Higashi Chaya and Nagamachi Samurai districts.
27th October –> Inuyama Castle and The Tokugawa Art Museum (+ gardens), head to Osaka in the evening. Staying in Osaka for the next seven days
28th October –> First day in Kyoto. Seeing Fushimi Inari, Fujinomori, Tofukuji and then going to Uji around 1/2 pm. Back to Kyoto for late evening Gion and then to the hotel in Osaka.
29th October –> The entire day for the Nachi Falls area (yes I'm aware most of the day would be just travel by train but I would really, really love to see Nachi Falls.)
30th October –> Tango Akamatsu to Amanohashidate (which will probably take up most of the day). If there's any time left in the day we'll probably do something in Kyoto before heading back to the hotel.
31st October –> Again in Kyoto, visiting Kiyomizudera, Sannenzaka Ninenzaka, Kodaiji, Eikando Zenrinji and Nijo Castle
1st November –> Sakurai for Tanzan shrine/Hasedera temple (haven't yet decided which one) in the morning, Kasuga Taisha (if time permits) and a few hours walking around Yamato Koriyama
2nd November –> Himeji Castle and the Bizen-Osafune Sword Museum
3rd November –> Okayama Prefectural Museum and Miyajima
4th November –> Osaka, where the only fixed thing is Sumiyoshi Taisha and the rest of our time would be spent on whatever catches our fancy (probably a lot of it for food tbh). That evening we head back to Tokyo for the remainder of the trip.
5th November –> Day trip to Hakone, stopping in at Odawara Castle first. Then Okada Museum of Art, Hakone Shrine and the Pampas grass fields.
6th November –> Tokyo National Museum, The Japanese Sword Museum, Rikugien and any restaurants/shopping that would fit along the way.
7th November –> Purely souvenir shopping and restaurants.
8th November –> Back to Narita Airport to fly home.
I'm aware most of my days are too crowded for eki stamp collecting and I'm intensely uncomfortable around religion so I likely won't be collecting goshuin. I'll keep a notebook with me just for any stamps I do happen upon though. It's mostly the Kyoto and Hakone days that look like they'll be very busy. I think the rest of it seems alright? Do let me know!
by LogKey5701
