Hi everyone!
I’m in the middle of planning my and my wife’s trip to Japan. We’re going there in very late March and staying full 25 days there (counting departure at 25th day at 10PM). I’ve started the general planning – have the essentials (from internet) covered but I’ve been left with few days with which I cannot decide really what to do.
Here’s the general draft of what I’ve planned so far:
**Days 0-4:** Going around Tokyo (arriving at day ‘0’ – 7PM on Narita Airport and just go to hotel and maybe grab some food)
* There’s nothing specific here yet (lot of markers on Google Maps.) Three thinks are sure: SkyTree & TeamLab on my wife’s birthdays, and 02/04/2023 [Kanamara Festival](https://tokyocheapo.com/events/kanamara-penis-festival/).
* We’re here at the begining to get used to Japan, and as we’re planning to get 21 day JP Passes they will be valid from 5th day till the last one 🙂
**Days 5-10:** Going in the morning to Osaka
* I’m planning here to use Osaka as travel HUB. Besides going around the town itself, goes for 2 days to Kyoto (we have hotel 10 min walk from Shin-Osaka station). Go also to Nara, Kobe, Himeji and Hashimoto.
* There are also lovely [Nachi Falls](https://www.google.pl/maps/place/Nachi+Falls/@33.6687686,135.8933806,15z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x60063ff3e5499ef9:0xd77c438c6c730e36!8m2!3d33.6753247!4d135.8876063!16zL20vMDY1ZGZk?hl=en-GB&authuser=0) – but I find 5h one way to long ☹
**Days 11-12:** Going in the morning to Hiroshima
* 1st day (arrival) to go around Hiroshima,
* 2nd for visiting [Itsukushima](https://www.google.pl/maps/place/Itsukushima+Shrine/@34.2959943,132.2365116,12z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x601ae3047ec76d8f:0x357228f7d0b5d590!8m2!3d34.2959896!4d132.3198285?hl=en-GB&authuser=0), and if we have enought time after that – maybe go to Iwakuni ([Castle](https://www.google.pl/maps/place/Iwakuni+Castle/@34.1813923,132.1791211,13z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xb017c1c8f78249cc!8m2!3d34.175242!4d132.1741976?hl=en-GB&authuser=0), [Bridge](https://www.google.pl/maps/place/Kintai+Bridge/@34.1813923,132.1791211,13z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x3545343e6b6e661d:0x6654b3733cf09708!8m2!3d34.1675959!4d132.1784105?hl=en-GB&authuser=0)).
**Days 13-15:** Going in the morning to Fukuoka \[can be scraped off\]
* 1st day – going around Fukuoka,
* 2nd day – visiting Nagasaki and,
* 3rd day – going to Kagoshima ([Sengan-en](https://www.google.pl/maps/place/Sengan-en/@31.6134097,130.5824932,15.13z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x353e5e5eeede7ee1:0x596ea6c552fa083f!8m2!3d31.618172!4d130.5786269?hl=en-GB&authuser=0)) and if have enough time on our way back to Fukuoka – go to to Kumamoto (see the Castle).
* Maybe change something to visit [Umi Jigoku](https://www.google.pl/maps/place/Umi+Jigoku/@33.3168099,131.4666137,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x3546a7bc889f8fab:0xc7089fd23db438f!8m2!3d33.3168099!4d131.4688024?hl=en-GB&authuser=0)?
* *Here I’m not really convinced that spending 3 days for that is worth it.* *This is something that I can change for other places.*
**Days 16-20:** No clue yet.
So here I’m left with at least 6 (or 9 if not going to Kyushu) days.
Options I’ve found so far:
* Going to [Kanazawa](https://www.google.pl/maps/place/Kanazawa,+Ishikawa,+Japan/@36.5060828,136.6171235,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x5ff83655468566c3:0x8df155c46fde6215!8m2!3d36.5610144!4d136.6566181?hl=en-GB&authuser=0) (Castle, [Chaya District](https://www.google.pl/maps/place/Higashi+Chaya+District/@36.5526264,136.6592265,13.25z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x5ff83374a1baf0b1:0xbb8c7a215e6a0d74!8m2!3d36.5724921!4d136.6669815?hl=en-GB&authuser=0), and general things around), and from there to [Shirakawa](https://www.google.pl/maps/place/Shirakawa-go/@36.2663983,136.9050414,14.38z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x5ff871b0b6bf25e7:0xccc551bb9d5805f8!8m2!3d36.2577967!4d136.9061975?hl=en-GB&authuser=0), and maybe also [Takayama](https://www.google.pl/maps/place/Hida+no+Sato,+the+Hida+folk+village/@36.1324902,137.2142674,14z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x6002bb39afd86499:0xd6a4b260c226fc44!8m2!3d36.1324902!4d137.2350898?hl=en-GB&authuser=0) (a lot of people are saying it’s worth to see – I’m counting this as 3 days.
* There’s still Okayama (Castle, Historical Quarter, maybe even going to Takamatus?) and Nagoya we’re missing. There is a lot about Okayama that people are saying is worth to visit, but looking at Nagoya and considering the size size of that city (there is Castle, and we can go easily from there to visit [Ise Grand Shrine](https://www.google.pl/maps/place/Ise+Grand+Shrine/@34.5204265,136.6665423,11.83z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x600450ebdf9f37f3:0xf009663753f60ca7!8m2!3d34.45501!4d136.725793?hl=en-GB&authuser=0) \- which looks nice) – I’m surprised is mentioned so rarely around internet
* Maybe [Zenko-ji Temple](https://www.google.pl/maps/place/Zenk%C5%8D-ji+Temple/@36.6689365,138.1785524,12z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x601d86e28d762787:0xf4fa99fb61340f2e!8m2!3d36.6617009!4d138.1877116?hl=en-GB&authuser=0) in Nagano? – that can be done going from Kanazawa to Tokyo (or just going from Tokyo, but then need to spend one day on that.
* Maybe Niigata? – [Shrine](https://www.google.pl/maps/place/Yahiko+Shrine/@38.0620292,139.231355,9.25z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x5ff4ef6ee5f883d5:0x65920da6ba5f943d!8m2!3d37.7065836!4d138.826233?hl=en-GB&authuser=0), [Hakusan Park](https://www.google.pl/maps/place/Hakusan+Park/@38.0620292,139.231355,9.25z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x5ff4c9c040aa89bb:0x13b8e29a378202ee!8m2!3d37.9144137!4d139.0393424?hl=en-GB&authuser=0)?
* Maybe something North? (is also mentioned very rarely): [Sendai](https://www.google.pl/maps/place/Sendai,+Miyagi,+Japan/@38.342538,140.7816247,11.41z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x5f8a2aee30cd55d3:0xba2579e0b846b1ee!8m2!3d38.2682074!4d140.8694029?hl=en-GB&authuser=0) (Temples and Shrines, and from there to Ichinoseki?)
* Or maybe something even further North? – I was considering Sapporo but I find out the travel times there are longer (no shinkansen from Hakodate)
The more I’m putting myself into planning the more and more awsome places I’m marking on Google Maps 😛
**Days 21-25:** Back in Tokyo
* 1st day (arrival from another place) – spend in Tokyo.
* 2nd day – Nikko,
* 3rd day – Lake Kawaguchi,
* 4th day – also in Tokyo (day of departure) – last shopping souvenirs, postcards etc.
**In general** \- we don’t want to be ‘in a rush’ – we want to enjoy being in Japan. I have hotels booked for the dates I’ve planned (free resignation), and want to be fairly organized but if we’re going to find some place more interesting we’re leaving ourselves option of staying there for longer and change some plans on a sopt.
That’s general idea so far 😛 – I’ll be glad of any suggestions – especially about days that are not yet planned (16-20) and if you find something more worth visiting instead of Kyushu also days 13-15. In general – all suggestions will be appreciated <3
3 comments
Neither Nagoya or Okayama are worth it in my opinion.
If you drive rent a car and explore the countryside a bit with your extra days. Southern Kyushu for example.
you will likely be in peak sakura season in Kyoto. I would spend more time there to get through a few spots. 2 days is not enough to even cover the top ones and Kyoto as a whole imo is worth more time than most places.
You could also consider Matsumoto- castle, the art museum is really nice, the old shopping district, the timepiece museum.
I liked Okayama and think it’s worth visiting. Nagoya though I wouldn’t really prioritise. I went to see a sumo tournament there so it was worth it for me but other than that I wouldn’t have bothered. I saw the castle too because I was there but Himeiji is a much nicer castle to visit.
If you go to Matsumoto you can easily add a visit to Zenkoji.
I think Kanazawa and Shirakawago are well worth visiting. Haven’t been to Takayama though. You can visit Kanazawa and Shirakawago en route from Tokyo to Osaka.
If you want to go to Hokkaido I would suggest flying. I would make my way down to your furthest southern point in your itinerary and then fly to Hokkaido from there, and then probably fly back to Tokyo too although you could train that if you wanted to.
I would also consider adding more time to your Kansai portion, there’s a lot to see and do in that area.
If you go to Kyushu I would spend two days in Nagasaki rather than one in Nagasaki and one in Kagoshima. I don’t think it’s worth the travel time to try and see three areas in three days.