I’m currently 9 months in on a year long backpacking trip and will be ending my trip in Japan. My plans are to do the country on a relative budget of about $100 USD per day. I know transportation costs are gonna be the biggest spending and I’m gonna start doing more in depth cost analysis on trains/buses and try to find the cheapest route possible. That being said, I want to know how my itinerary is looking for the trip. I’ve done 2 weeks in Japan before so that is why Hiroshima, Nikko, and Hakone aren’t included. Are there any other cities I didn’t include that I should have or am I going somewhere that isn’t worth going to?
-Osaka (Mar 23-28)
Namba
Dotonbori
Osaka Castle
Sumiyoshi Taisha
Shinsekai
Shitennoji Temple
Kuromon Market
Tenma
Kema Sakuranomiya Park
Tsutenkaku
Kuromon Ichiba Market
Mount Koya day trip?
Umeda Sky?
Asahi Brewery?
-Nara (Mar 28-April 1)
Todaiji Temple
Horyuji Temple
Isuien Garden
Kasuga Taisha
Nara Park
Toshodaiji Temple
Yakushiji Temple
Kofukuji Temple
Naramachi
Nara National museum?
-Kobe (April 1-3)
Ikuta Jinja
Shin-Kobe ropeway
Kitano
Chinatown
Maritime Museum?
-Himeji (April 3-4)
Himeji Castle
Koko-en
Engyoji temple
-Okayama (April 4-6)
Korakuen Garden
Kibi Plain
Okayama Castle
Kibotsu Temple
Ujo Park
Handayama Botanical Garden
Kurashiki Bikan day trip
-Beppu (April 7-9)
Relax
Hot Springs
Beppu Park
Beppu Ropeway?
Hike?
-Takachiho (April 9-11)
Takachiho Gorge
Takachiho Shrine
Amanoiwato Shrine?
-Kumamoto (April 11-13)
Kumamoto Castle
Suizenji Jojuen Garden
Kato Shrine
Luffy Statue
Josaien
Hosokawa residence
-Nagasaki (April 13- April 17)
Nagasaki Peace Park
Mount Inasa lookout point
Atomic bomb museum
Suwa shrine
Meganebashi Bridge
Sofukuji Temple
Dejima
Oura Church
Confucian Shrine
Dutch Slope
Chinatown
Tateyama Park
-Fukuoka (April 17- 21)
Fukuoka Tower
Ohori Park
Kushida Jinja Shrine
Fukuoka Castle Ruins
Sumiyoshi Jinja
Tochoji Temple
Dazaifu Day Trip
-Kyoto (April 22-29)
Nijo Castle
Nishiki Market
Kyoto Imperial Palace
Pontocho
Kiyomizudera
Sanneizaka
Nineizaka
Hokan-ji Temple
Higashiyama
Ginkakuji
Nanzenji Temple
Eikan-do Temple
Gion
Kenninji Temple
Philosopher’s path
Kodaiji Temple
Heian Shrine
Yasaka Shrine
Fushimi Inari
Daigoji Temple
Tofukuji Temple
Rengeoin Sanjusangendo
Toji Temple
Kinkakuji
Ryoanji Temple
Kamo Shrine
Arashiyama
Katsura Villa
Kokedera
Tenryuji Temple
-Kanazawa(April 29- May 2)
Kenrokuen
Higashi Chaya District
Kanazawa Castle
Omicho market
Nagamachi
Ninjadera
Nishi Chaya District
Museum of Contemporary Art
-Takayama (May 2-4)
Old Town
Hida Folk Village?
Takayama Jinya
Morning Market
Higashiyama Walk
Sanmachi Suji
Takayama Showa-kan?
Shirakawa-go village?
-Matsumoto(May 4-5)
Matsumoto Castle
Yohashira-jinja Shrine
Nawate dori
Fukashi Jinja Shrine
-Tokyo (May 5-16)
Day trip to Mt. Fuji
Meiji Shrine
Yoyogi Park
Flea market May 6-7
Harajuku
Shinjuku
Shinjuku Gyoen
Shibuya
Shibuya crossing
Memory Lane
Golden Gai
Kabukicho
Tokyo National Museum
Ameyoko
Ueno Park
Akihabara
Kaminarimon
Kappabashi Street
Senso-ji
Asakusa
Shrine
Zojoji Temple
Tokyo Tower
Chidorigafuchi Park
Imperial Palace
Nihonbashi
Yurakucho
Tsukiji Outer Market
Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens
Tokyo Dome
Roppongi Hills
Tokyo Metropolitan Tower
Ginza
Yasukuni Shrine
Marunouchi
Ghibli museum
Toei Animation Museum
-Sendai (May 16-21)
Zuihōden Temple
Sendai Castle
Osaki Hachimangu Shrine
Sendai Morning Market
Kotodai Park
Sendai Downtown
Sendai Mediatheque
Zaō Fox Village?
Overnight trip to Ginzan Onsen
-Hakodate (May 21-24)
Goryōkaku
Goryōkaku Tower
Hakodate Morning Market
Hakodate Park
Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward
Mt. Hakodate
Cape Tachimachi
Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse
Onuma Quasi-National Park?
-Sapporo (May 24-29)
Sapporo Beer Museum
Sapporo Clock Tower
Sapporo TV Tower
Maruyama Park
Hokkaido Jingu
Nakajima Park
Tanukikoji Shopping Street
Sapporo Hitsujigaoka Observation Deck
Shiroikoibito Park
Susukino
Odori Park
JR Tower
Nijo Market
Sapporo Dome baseball game?
-Furano/Biei overnight trip
Ningle Terrace
Farm Tomita
Furano Lavender Fields
Shikisai No Oka
Shirogane Blue Pond
Shirahige Waterfall
-Okinawa (May 29- June 5)
Scuba
War memorials
Sefa Utaki
Shurijo Castle
Hiji Waterfall
Nakagusuku Castle
Kokusaidori
American Village
Cape Zenpa
Valley of Gangala
Umikaji Terrace Senagajima
Okinawa World?
Cape Manzamo?
-Tokyo (June 5-9).
Disney?
Day trip to Yokohama.
Day trip to Kamakura.
Relax before flight.
Edit: not sure why my lists come up as paragraphs smh
2 comments
Hello, I’m Japanese. I would include Kochi, Ehime, Yamaguchi, Mie, Shimane and also small islands in Okinawa such as Taketomi and Ishigaki Island if I was you. I’m from Okayama, and I personally love visiting the small islands in the Seto Inland Sea. USD 100/day could be doable if you are able to find reasonable accommodations along your way. I’m wondering if you have a motorcycle license, though. If you do, rent a motorbike and travel with it in Hokkaido.
If you take night or Highway Busses cost won’t be too bad.
Do the lavender fields have any other flowers in spring? As far as I know they won’t bloom until late June.
Also how do you plan on getting to the blue pond? And the labender fields? Public transportation in that area is infrequent. Rental car is the best option.
Also I don’t think ginzan onsen is worth it unless you go in winter. Maybe do kusatsu from Tokyo or hirayu from takayama instead.
Yamadera would be a nice daytrip instead.
I would shorten Okayama, Osaka and Nara and do shimanami kaido or something/ hop over to Shikoku to matsuyama etc.