Hi all! Hope your Mondays are off to a great start. I am planning a trip for 5-6 people total, with the group being my wife’s family and me. It’s still a little unclear if my father in law will be joining, but planning on 3 hotel rooms in each location just in case. I have been to Japan 3 times, with my [most recent trip in 2019](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/c9tvfk/trip_report_best_vacation_ever_14_days_in_tokyo/).
I’m a little torn in that I’m basically doing a similar agenda to my previous trip, but I really loved it and feel it’s the perfect way to experience Japan for the rest of the family since it will be everyone’s first time.
I’m hoping for feedback on a few things:
* I know from my previous trip that underplanning is better than overplanning. Does this itinerary feel like that? Kyoto got a little packed because there’s so much great stuff.
* Does anyone have recommendations from the hotels listed (or other similar ones?) Especially curious about ryokans in Hakone, the ones listed are some I found from previous posts on Japantravel. In general, I am aiming for 100-200 per room a night, willing to spend more on the high end of that range in Tokyo. For ryokan, 250-350 per person.
* Am I missing anything obvious? I am going pretty generic since it’ll be everyone’s first time. I left out lunches here, where I am planning on hitting ramen, udon, etc.
* Looking specifically for recommendations for seeing fall colors. I think we’ll be a little before peak season, but if anyone has ideas I would love to hear them.
#Tokyo (Oct 21-24)
**Hotel Options:** Since we’ll be in Tokyo twice, I was thinking a little bit nicer of a place on the front-end and a simple/business hotel on the back-end.
* Park Hotel Tokyo
* Location: very central and convenient to many destinations.
* Cons: Surrounding neighborhood doesn’t have a lot but easy to get anywhere
* Price: 190-220 USD a night
* Hotel Century Southern Tower
* Location: Western Tokyo, much more lively and is walking distance to many prime attractions – little further to others
* Cons: could be a little busy/crowded
* Price: 190-200 USD a night
* Hotel Risveglio Akasaka
* Location: Central, convenient to a lot of destinations.
* Cons: Surrounding neighborhood doesn’t have a lot but easy to get anywhere
* Price: 160-170 USD a night
#Oct 21
* Transportation to Hotel + Check-in (flight lands around 1:30pm)
* Main Activity: Explore Surrounding Area
* Possible Attractions:
* Tokyo Tower
* Ginza Shopping Area
* Imperial Palace
* Koishikawa Korakuen Graden
* Goal: Walk and get acclimated
* Dinner: Sushi Zanmai (I’ve been there 3-4 times and it’s always been reliable, but thoughts on other entry level places?)
# Oct 22
* Main Activity: Meiji Shrine, Shibuya, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
* Lots of walking, visiting all around the city
* Dinner: Tonkatsou Taihou (Tonkatsou, fried pork cutlets)
# Oct 23
* Morning Main Activity: Tsukiji Fish Market & Teamlab Planets (Digital Interactive Museum)
* Afternoon Main Activity: Akhibara
* Dinner: Abe Ginzahonten (Tempura)
# Oct 24
* Morning Main Activity: Tokyo National Museum & Ueno Park
* Transportation: Train to Hiroshima
# Hiroshima (Oct 24-26)
Hotel Options:
* Sheraton Grand Hiroshima Hotel
* 5 star hotel, one of the best in the city
* Location: Everything is pretty central, right near the train station
* Cons: Pricier than other options
* Price: 170 USD per night
* Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima
* 4 star hotel, roof top bar with great views
* Location: right next to the peace memorial, great and central
* Cons: no clear ones
* Price: 90-120 USD per night
* The Knot Hiroshima
* 4 star hotel, roof top bar with great views
* Location: Right by the peace memorial, great and central
* Cons: no clear ones
* Price: 100-110 USD per night
#Oct 24
* Main Activity: Explore the hotel surroundings
* Dinner: Nataga-Ya (Okonomiyaki, a Japanese pancake, has a specific style in Hiroshima)
#Oct 25
* Morning Main Activity: Peace Memorial Museum and Park
* Afternoon Main Activity: Hiroshima Castle & Shukkeien Garden
* Dinner: Tsukiakari (Anagi meshi, saltwater eel)
# Oct 26
* Morning Main Activity: Miyajima Island
* Transportation: Train to Kyoto
#Kyoto (Oct 26-30)
Hotel Options:
* Cross Hotel
* Central location, near a lot of the main attractions on the Westside of Kyoto
* Looks simple but nice
* 155 USD per night
* Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Kyoto Premier
* Central location, near a lot of main attractions on westside of Kyoto
* Public bath
* 175 USD per night
* Noku Kyoto
* Northern location, little quieter and outside of the main tourist zone
* Looks sleek and modern
* 130-150 USD per night
* The Celestine Kyoto Gion
* Gion district, a little more in the historical district
* Public bath
* 180 USD per night
* Kyoto Hana Hotel
* Mix of Japanese/Western hotels
* Central location in Eastern Kyoto
* 140-160 USD per night
# Oct 26
* Main Activity: Explore Surrounding Area
* Dinner: Sushi Matsumoto
# Oct 27
* Morning Main Activity: Northern Kyoto – Arashiyama Area (Bamboo Grove) & Kinkaku-Ji Temple (Golden Pavillion)
Early start! 6am wake up time so we can enjoy the bamboo grove without overcrowding
* Afternoon Main Activity: Explore Central Kyoto
* Dinner: Mishimiya-Tei (Sukiyaki)
# Oct 28
* Day Trip! Takao Mountain Village. Has anyone done this before? I’ve read it’s an awesome place to see fall colors.
* Dinner: Udon or Soba, casual dinner
# Oct 29
* Morning Main Activity: Nishiki Market, Tea Ceremony. After two days of walking, we’ll plan a mini rest day, focusing more on central Kyoto and less walking
* Afternoon Main Activity: Kiyomizudera
* Dinner: Kiyamachi Sakuragawa (Japanese Kaiseki Tasting)
# Oct 30
* Morning Main Activity: Fushimi Inari Shrine, Tofukuji Temple
* Transportation: Train to Osaka
# Osaka (Oct 30-Nov 1)
Hotel Options
* Dotonbori Hotel
* Basic and small but straightforward and clean
* Very centrally located, maybe even too touristy
* 100-120 USD per night
* Cross Hotel
* Very centrally located
* Little larger
* 180 USD per night
* Hotel the Flag
* Central location, right off the main tourist strip
* New/boutique feel
* 120-140 USD per night
* Hotel Androoms Shin-Osaka
* Slightly north of main central tourist zone, little quieter
* Large communal baths
* 100-120 USD per night
# Oct 30
Dinner: Ichimatsu (Yakitori)
# Oct 31
* Morning Main Activity: Osaka Castle, Nishinomaru Garden
* Dinner: Kuromon Ichiba Market (try various Osaka street foods like Takoyaki and Kushikatsu)
* Night Activity: Halloween!
# Nov 1
* Morning Main Activity: Leave to Hakone so we can enjoy the day in the mountains!
* Transportation: Train to Hakone
# Hakone (Nov 1-2)
Hotel Options: Ryokan, Traditional Japanese Inn
* Senkyoro
* Seikansou
* Gora Kansuiro
# Nov 1
* Main Activity: Explore Hakone
* Open Air Museum
* Ropeway
* Lake Ashinoko
* Dinner: Kaiseki at the Ryokan, typically served in the room
# Nov 2
* Main Activity: Relax and maybe hike around Hakone
* Transportation: Train to Tokyo
# Tokyo (Nov 2-3)
Hotel Options
* Hotel Ryumeikan
* Central location, right by train station
* 140-160 USD per night
* Hotel Risveglio Akasaka
* Location: Central, convenient to a lot of destinations.
* Cons: Surrounding neighborhood doesn’t have a lot but easy to get anywhere
* Price: 160-170 USD a night
* Hotel Gracery Asakusa
* In the historical district, could be nice to mix it up and end in this quieter neighborhood
* Price: 140 USD a night
# Nov 2
* Main Activity: Shopping and Walking
* Dinner: Isana Sushi Bar
# Nov 3
* Main Activity: Asakusa Historical Area/Shopping
# Nov 4
TBD if happening, depending on flight cost, as there are great saver awards on Nov 3
