Travel Itinerary – October 2022

13 comments

1. Don’t mean to burst your bubble but very high chance this doesn’t happen.

2. I loved visiting Japan. I went 2017 April and it was amazing. Looks like you have thought through the trip quiet a bit. My only recommendation is to invest in the Japan rail pass for getting around and rent a Wi-Fi hotspot/dongle for internet and calls as it was more cost effective. Let me know if you have any more questions, happy to help.

3. Some general observations:

   – Given how much time you’ll be in Osaka and Kyoto, you should definitely spend at least a day in Nara. It’s a short train ride from either. Besides having wild deer and some amazing temples and stuff, it’s the nicest city in Japan IMO.

   – You’re spending a lot of time in Tokyo. That’s warranted, it’s big, but you can also think about planning another day trip or two, and still get back to Tokyo to explore a different neighborhood at night. Hike Mt. Takao (accessible by the Keio commuter line). Head to Nikko — you might be there a tad early but it’s one of the best places for fall leaves in Japan. Not sure if you planned it as part of your Tokyo itinerary, but check out Yokohama (recommend the local ramen and Chinese food). Explore Hakone and go to an onsen (if you want to splurge, spend a night at a ryokan — the price is easier to swallow when you realize it includes a bangin dinner and breakfast). You have a lot of options to get out of the city and still be back for dinner.

   – You could take a night off your Kamakura itinerary. While there’s a lot to see in Kamakura, Enoshima is pretty tiny and can be seen in an hour or two, plus you won’t want to hang out at the beach at that time of year because it will be covered in seaweed, large crows and the occasional hawk. Kamakura is also pretty dead at night.

   – You’re spending almost all your time in cities and major tourist destinations. Given how much time you have, I’d recommend spending at least a day exploring the Japanese countryside. There are tons of accessible places to go hiking, or go to an onsen resort for the night (if you aren’t sure about it, you can also book a night with transport at a travel agency in any major train station). Near Tokyo Nagano and Gunma are both easy to access, near Osaka, Shikoku, but really you can find onsen/countryside getaways pretty much everywhere.

   – Also given how much time you’ll be there and the fact you’re getting a rail pass, you might think about branching out and exploring more of the country. Kyushu, for instance. Fukuoka and Nagasaki are both awesome cities with great food. At Mt Aso in Kumamoto you can do the countryside getaway thing inside an actual volcano. Lots to do in a relatively small area. Or go north from Tokyo. Or rent a car in Osaka and drive around Shikoku. You could shave a day off your Tokyo and Kyoto itineraries and add a whole new region to your trip.

4. Since you mentioned scenic train trips, the best time is during autumn and I was wondering if you want to see the もみじ? Because autumn in Japan (at least here in Kyoto) is best to visit around mid to end of november. I could give some more advice if that’s it what you wanna see.

   money: during my first trip I roughly spent 80 euros per day for hotel (ryokan not included), 50 euros per day for food. 10 euros per day for transportation and another 10 euros for entrance fee. So 150 euros ($221 CAD) in total, souvenirs and flight not included.

5. Here are some recommendations/tips from me. I should probably read more on places to travel to in Japan myself, since I plan very little for my trips, but hopefully you’ll find this helpful to some degree.

   * Tokyo – Ningyōchō/Nihonbashi

   My personal recommendation for you: a neat and cozy place in Tokyo, the neighborhood of [Ningyōchō](https://digjapan.travel/en/blog/id=11515). I think it would appeal to your interests of urban planning and possibly wagashi (see linked travel guide).

   Insert: I wrote most of this before checking out your Maps link, it looks like you may already have this area in this sights since you have “Nihonbashi – Zero Milestone” marked. Nice.

   **Attractions:** This place is different from the usual tourist hotspots like say Asakusa/Tokyo Tower/Skytree/etc. in that it’s more low-key. It offers a wealth of insight into traditional architecture and culture. Consider going to the restaurant *Tamahide* for dinner, the birthplace of oyakodon. I stumbled across it because there was a long line outside of it during lunch; my hotel was nearby so I stopped there for a late dinner without a line/reservation, I don’t know if a reservation or waiting is usually needed.

   **Accommodation:** I happened to book [my first hotel](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g1066444-d3264040-Reviews-Sotetsu_Fresa_Inn_Nihombashi_Ningyocho-Chuo_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html) here in this neighborhood for my first Japan trip. I hardly did much research for my first trip, but it was an enchanting experience leaving the train station at night and finding a cozy and delightful traditional-style neighborhood. The hotel I booked was a 4-minute walk from the train station, and it was an lovely experience every time. The hotel I stayed at is classified as a “2-star hotel” and would be for more budget travelers, like me, but it didn’t feel like a 2-star hotel. The rooms were small but everything was exceptionally clean and cozy, and the service was excellent. You could go for a more expensive hotel for more luxurious experience.

   * Kamakura – onsen 🙂

   Go to a nice onsen/spa of course, which I’m sure you have planned. The spa I went to offered a shuttle bus across the bridge to Enoshima.

   * Osaka/Kyoto – Nara Park

   Consider doing a day trip to Nara, a tourist hotspot where you can see and feed deer. You can’t really go wrong with a day trip to Nara since everyone loves seeing all the deer super up-close.

   * Sendai – DATE Bike Rental

   Consider renting a DATE bike (city bikeshare) to explore the city of trees. You can get around Sendai by train, or by the Loople streetcar, but if you’re up for some biking, it’s a really good way to see the sights of the city. They don’t have an app but I was able to register on their website fine and get biking without any major problems.

   Out of curiosity, can I ask what sweet you can only find in Sendai?

   **Attractions**: I don’t have anything to offer. It looks like you already have the Mediatheque/Sendai library marked. There is a DATE bike station here so consider biking here? 🙂 The bus also stops here though.

   **Accomodation**: Since you’re N3 certified, consider staying at a hostel if you’d like to interact with some other Japanese travelers. I stayed at two separate hostels in Sendai and my recommendation would be Sendai Guest House Umebachi. It’s a bit of a walk to get there from the train station, but absolutely worth it to have a real dinner with other (Japanese) travelers. Most/some hostels will have more international visitors than Japanese travelers, but this not this one in particular.

   After checking out the places you have marked.. I am thinking I should plan better for my future trips. I wrote a lot but I really didn’t offer that much, hope this might give you an idea or two though.

6. I would skip Nagoya and Sendai unless you have very, very good reasons for keeping them. I think that time would be better spent extending your time in Kansai or perhaps at some other stops like Nikko or Onomichi. I also think you may be overestimating the amount of time you’ll need for Ise and Kamakura–the former in particular. You certainly could spend two full days in Kamakura/Enoshima, but I think it would make more sense to leave on the evening of the second day, then do Ise the next day, then arrive in Osaka the the following evening.

   Nara and Himeji are notably missing–I would consider both pretty much unskippable on any first trip to Kansai (the former in particular). You could do Nara as a day trip from Osaka or Kyoto (probably Osaka, given that I think you really need at least 3 full days just as a starting point for the highlights of Kyoto), and Himeji could potentially be added on the way to Hiroshima. Also note that the Jidai Festival takes place on the 22nd, Kobo-san Market on the 21st, and Tenjin-san Market on the 25th (all in Kyoto) if you were to rearrange your plans. Also keep in mind that if you’re planning to see fall foliage, you’re very much on the early side. Most of the areas you’re going won’t really have good fall foliage until November.

   >I intend to get the JR Pass for the 3 weeks.

   Even if you keep all of your current destinations, you don’t need a JR Pass for 3 weeks. Just by moving Sendai earlier in your trip (or removing it entirely) you could easily get away with a 2 week pass.

   >(Let me know if these links don’t work for you, and I will try to fix them. They may require you to be signed into Google).

   The Docs and Sheets files are locked. The number of things on your maps is already way more than you have time for, and there are a lot of really incredible things that you don’t have marked within very close walking distance of things you have marked (some of them literally right next door or across the street).

   >I used the Rome2Rio website to figure out how long approximately and the cost to get between each of the cities listed:

   These times range from extremely optimistic (assumes that you will be taking one of only a few trains per day that will allow you to do it on those times, and assumes you’re going directly from platform in major station to platform in major station) to downright inaccurate given the limitations of your use case (because the JR Pass does not allow you to use the fastest Shinkansens, and the JR Pass does not cover JR lines). Ise to Osaka in particular will take more than twice that long if you’re not taking Kintetsu (not covered by the JR Pass). When you’re looking at these times, you’ll probably realistically be tacking on another 30 minutes (or more in some cases).

   > I assume around $250-300 CAD per day for hotel, food, activities, shopping.

   That’s a pretty high budget for one person TBH, especially if you’re not including major transportation in that number. If it were me, I would use that money to stay longer and more cheaply if possible. Not saying you should completely cheap out, but I feel like you can stay comfortably and eat well for about half that.

   >and I’d like to see Kinkakuji and some of the temples but I fell down an overtourism / 観光公害 hole that makes me worried about crowds and contributing to the crowding/ tourism problem in Kyoto.

   The problem with tourism in Kyoto is only the inconsiderate tourists. Be considerate and you won’t be a problem. Also note that there are literally thousands of sights in Kyoto, of which only a select few draw major crowds at most times of the year (Kinkaku-ji arguably being the worst of those). Do yourself a favor and give yourself time to explore more areas of the city that get fewer tourists. Often times there are things just down the road from the really famous spots that are equally amazing, yet nobody goes to them. And rent a bicycle for at least one day. If you do rent a bike, I highly recommend spending one day doing something like the Imperial Palace–>Demachimasugata Shoutengai–>Shimogamo Jinja–>Ginkaku-ji–>Philosopher’s Path–>Nanzen-ji–>Heian Jingu, filling in smaller things that you find in between. For my rough breakdown of Kyoto by geographic area, see [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/5wgxa1/best_way_to_group_these_sites_in_kyoto/dea059y/?context=3). Another thing I recommend is going out in the evening–particularly to places like Fushimi Inari and Higashiyama. The crowds are much smaller and the atmosphere is completely different.

7. I see Shogetsu on your map already, which is my favorite shop. I would also recommend (though you may already know these…) Kawabata Douki, Saryo Hosen, Shioyoshiken, Jyukou, Rakushaan in Kyoto. Kawabata Douki is my wife’s absolute fave. It’s worth the cost, IMO. With your Japanese, it shouldn’t be a problem to make reservations for pick-up.

   I’ve always wanted to go to Hiranoya for ayu, though IIRC ayu season ends some time during October.

8. >get the JR Pass for the 3 weeks.

   You mean 14 days right… Going to Kamakura is cheap and everything around Tokyo is also cheap. So just get an IC card to pay for that part. So the pass would be from 7 to 20.

   Also, if you plan to do any shopping in Tokyo, try to move more Tokyo days at the end of the trip and do most of the shopping then.

   To plan transportation, most people use Google Maps or the website hyperdia. I personally like the Japan Travel by Navitime (website or app) as it also have easy filter for JR Pass.

   As a solo traveler, it might be a bit more tricky to find ryokan with meal that accept solo traveler, but for sure it’s possible to find places in the 12 000 to 18 000 range, in my opinion, you should absolutely try to do it. (I also doubt there is nothing under 400$ in Miyajima).

   Before hiring a tutor, I would look online to find people to practice, I know there is some app that are made just for that. At N3, you should be able to have a conversation, it’s mostly a question of practice.

   ​

   Could not open the second and last links, it ask for authorization.

9. if you want people to practice Japanese with, there are plentiful VR chat rooms that congregate those speakers.

10. Nice! I’m also going October 2022 can’t wait!

11. Japanese here.
    If you don’t have specific reasons to stay that many days in Tokyo, I suggest you take a day at Nikko (would heritage) in Tohoku (northeastern) area. It’s a historic spot with traditional and unique architecture like no other. There also are many hot spring inns all over Tohoku region to escape the hustle bustle of big cities. Enjoy outdoor hot spring bath.
    Also don’t miss Himeji Castle (world heritage) between Osaka and Hiroshima. The new government 150 years ago demolished most of the castles (so samurais would give up their era) when entering modern era, and this beautiful, strategically constructed and maintained for 400 years is one of few castles that didn’t suffer the destruction.
    Ise is a must visit to know the root of Japanese but Nagoya, not so much. Don’t even think about visiting Nagoya castle or Osaka castle, they are both replica constructed after the war.

    While Kamakura has its own unique and historic charm from 1000 years ago, it is easily accessed from Tokyo area, it’s a fine destination for day excursion. People commute to Tokyo from this area and I’m one of them so trust me.
    Instead, you might want to consider staying a night around Fuji san so you’d get a good chance of seeing the full mountain (best in the morning without cloud or fog). Kawaguchi ko, Gotenba city, Yamanaka ko, are some of the towns you can find good hotels and inns.

    As for accommodation, you might want to look for cheaper hotels in big cities like Osaka and Tokyo where you can find plenty of fine single room for $100 or less. You don’t need inn with meal because you can go out to eat.
    On countryside, which is my strong recommendation, I suggest you stay at inn with meal so you’d not need to wander in the middle of nowhere. I used to travel solo since 30 years ago when they still thought one person is an ominous sign of suicide or something (seriously. Lol) but it’s no longer that way so no worries about travelling alone.
    If you need more specific info, I’d love to advise so contact anytime.
    Crossing fingers so we’ll all be travelling freely soon.

12. 1. While you can stay in Kamakura, it doesn’t make much sense to do so (even if visiting Kamakura/Enoshima over multiple days), especially since you’d have to take multiple transfers even to get to a shinkansen line.
    2. Unless you plan to make Nagoya a hub for Kiso Valley, Ise Grand Shrine, Gujo Hachiman, Inuyama and the new Ghibli Theme Park – the city is perfectly skippable on your first trip.
    3. As many have stated before: Kyoto (3 days+), Osaka, Nara and Himeji are the staples of every first Kansai visit.
    4. Regarding Miyajima – well, if you could get one of the high-end ryokans there for ~400 CAD, that’s a perfectly good deal.

13. I know you’re from a place with autumn colors, but if you can move the trip, go for mid-November ie koyo season. It’ll make everything pop in color, some places will even have night illuminations, and seasonal stuff will appear.

    That said, I’m personally not a fan of cramming a lot of places/cities in one trip and ending up spending too much time in a train or bus or whatnot. This is Japan we’re talking about here; I’d bet a beer that you’d be already planning your next trip while going to the airport for the flight back home.