My Buddy and I have gotten approval to visit Japan for up to 10 total days (including flights). We both have a few young children so we can do a longer trip without really stressing our wives out. Neither of our wives are interested in going and our kids are too young to appreciate the trip.
I have been to Japan 2x before, but my friend has never been. If it were up to me, I'd fully skip Tokyo, but he really wanted to check it out. Below is my plan, which I'm really not even sure is feasible.
Does this just sound like too much of a trip? Below are each of our MUSTS:
Me: Shimanami Kaido- Up for anything else with limited time in Tokyo.
My Friend: Tokyo and Fuji Q Highland- Up for anything else.
Additional points:
- I love the Lake Kawaguchi area so I don't mind spending more than a day in that area.
- I LOVED Kyoto on my first trip, but during my second trip Typhoon Jebi messed up a lot of the parks so I feel like I didn't get to experience it as much as I had hoped. If it doesn't fit then it can be scrapped. I just want something that makes sense to stop at on the way back to Kawaguchi and Tokyo (Trying to avoid a 6-7 hour train ride)
- I really want to do the Shimanami Kaido, but I am unsure if I need more than one day if we rent e-bikes. I am also unsure if it's better to just start at Imabari rather than Onomichi.
- I have never been to Hiroshima, it looks really cool and like a good spring board to the Shimanami Kaido, but it can be removed if needed.
- We are totally fine riding a train right after landing as we will prob just use that time to de-stress from the plane travel. My other two trips, I usually just went to a Tokyo Hotel, meandered around a bit and then passed out around 8pm the first day there, so I don't view leaving Tokyo immediately as a negative thing.
| Day | Morning/ Activities | Evening/ Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Flying | Flying |
| Day 2 | Land Haneda at 2pm, hop on train to Hiroshima. | Arrive in Hiroshima around 7pm and get dinner then go to hotel to sleep |
| Day 3 | Full Day in Hiroshima with Miyajima Island for Itsukushima and hiking in morning with travel back to City around 4:30pm | Check out the peace Museum from 5pm-7pm, the a-bomb dome, Dinner and Sleep in Hiroshima |
| Day 4 | Quick Breakfast in Hiroshima and train ride to Onomichi Station to rent a bike for the Shimanami Kaido (Planning to get an E-bike) | Ride across the Shimanami Kaido and reach kirosan observation park before sunset. Complete the Shimanami Kaido and return bikes around 5-6pm. Hop on train to Kyoto Station |
| Day 5 | Full day in Kyoto with Arashiyama in morning (possible monkey mountain) and Saihoji temple | Fushimi Inari around 2-3pm with hiking up to top of mountain. Evening spent around hotel and Kyoto Station |
| Day 6 | Morning at Kiyomizu-dera and hop on train toward fujikyu railway | Ride Fujikyu railway and arrive in Kawaguchiko around 2pm. Spend the day traveling up the kawaguchi ropeway and relax in hotel onsen in evening. |
| Day 7 | Arrive at Fuji-Q Highland at 9am- ride rides | Exit Fuji-Q around 3-4pm and ride railway up to Shimoyoshida Pagoda. Return to Kawaguchiko station area for dinner and rest. |
| Day 8 | Breakfast in Kawaguchi and highway bus back to Tokyo around 8am. Arrive in Tokyo and check out Tokyo Metropolitan Building overlook, shop in Shinjuku area and then travel to Shibuya crossing | Dinner in Shibuya crossing area |
| Day 9 | Friend – explores Tokyo (Me- Day trip to Hakone for Hake Shrine, pirate ship, and ropeway | Travel back to Tokyo for late dinner with friend around Shinjuku area |
| Day 10 | Relaxing morning in Tokyo filled with shopping and eating around Hamamatsucho Station (I may check out Tokyo tower while my friend checks our team lab planets) | Fly Home at 4pm |
by WildJafe