Tokyo – Fujiyoshida – Kyoto – Osaka – Himeji – Hiroshima – Sapporo (16 Days)

Hello,

I hope it will help anyone to plan trip to Japan.

Planning:

We used: [https://www.google.com/travel/flights](https://www.google.com/travel/flights) , to check fly then we used: [https://www.booking.com/](https://www.booking.com/)

For booking airflight and hotels in japan. So we don’t mind the currency exchange or if we have enough cash. 1 person was booking then we split the costs.

Then we used google map to search for our attractions before the fly, then we exported it to .csv and paste it to sheet and check what is worthy and create the small” map trip.

Before fly we have filled up the necessary information here:

[https://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en/](https://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en/)

(covid passport and other things to speed up proccess after arrival)

And bought Japan Rail Pass/SIM card for Internet early.

And get some cash, i recommend to take up to 50k Yen, then just withdraw rest in Japan at Airport ATM or at 7-elven shops but that really depends on exchange ratio and fees.

Don’t pack uncessary things for more luggage space, really. For example “No Books” (Internet solves that). **Only most important things.** Then you can buy more souvenirs.

About planning the trip. If you want to see sakura in Tokio/Kyoto/Osaka/Fujiyoshida/Himeji/Hiroshima

Consider planning the trip for late March/early April. (but that depends on sakura forecast, i suggest to check it when they release it)

1 powerbank (mAh 20 000) is enough for 2 people.

We only booked 1 hotel before arriving to Japan in Tokyo. I recommend to check weather before doing it so. If weather sucks its best to just escape to another city. (the rain sucks in Tokyo)

Apps:

**It’s really good app, its must have.**

[https://japantravel.navitime.com/en/](https://japantravel.navitime.com/en/)

Why? It shows the route from your hotel to your desire place. But it’s more focused and shows the fee you have to pay. (it easily solves the problem “how much i have to pay for ticket?” if apps shows you need ticket for 240 yen then buy that)

And one really good option is that you can filter the routes including your japan rail pass. (then you don’t have to buy additional ticket)

One translator. And download Japananse <-> Your language / English <-> Japananse. We used that:

[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.translator&hl=pl&gl=US](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.translator&hl=pl&gl=US)

Tips:

\- We went to Fuji Q Highland, but the queues are too big. 3h+ for one attraction is just overkill. If you don’t want waste your time i recommend to avoid any amusement park. It’s alot better to just chillout somewhere. It’s better to go to museum than to rollercoaster park… This park killed my desired to see other rollercoaster parks in Japan. It’s just not worth.

\- Make the reservations. You want to see Tokyo Skytree when the weather is nice? Then make your reservation! Without a reservation you don’t have much chance to visit these buildings.

\- Tokyo Imperial Palace for now have limited capacity. **If you want to check it, come early.**

\- Golden Gai in Tokyo is mostly alchohol. If you don’t want to drink its best to avoid it.

\- Shibuya Parco is kinda underwhelming. I think i found more cool things to buy in local markets or different shops than here.

\- Use Taxi more often. But in Tokyo try to use public transport. Taxi is expensive here.

\- Himeji is underrated, you can easily spend 1 day here. Very good city to visit.

\- Be aware of weather. Sunscreen is welcomed.

\- Prepare for walking. Buy very good shoes. You can get with pure boost technology or whatever. Boots will help you alot here. There is no benches in railway stations in Tokyo. And trains are overcrowded means you will have to stand up alot. And if you don’t make reservation for train. Guess what? You can enter buy you will have to look for empty space. No space? Then good luck.

\- Small shops are your friend. Try to use small coins here, they have a machine that sums the coins easily. If you don’t do that. The coins stacks up very very fast. Buy water here or some snacks.

\- Plan chillout days. If something goes wrong or weather sucks it could solves some of your problems.

\- You don’t have to activate your Japan Rail pass instantly. Our 2 first days were mostly in Tokyo. So we don’t activated it because we went for 16 days. Then we activated in Tokyo station (Akihabara is not big station” lol and dont have JR Info Center for tourist). But that opens around 7:30-20:00 i think don’t remember. (JR website says otherwise but that is not true)

\- Wake up early for travel between cities to save some time.

\- Check Navitime trip for next day. But for example if your train from Tokyo to Kyoto starts in Tokyo station. First get to Tokyo Station early. And check route to Tokyo Station first. And make reservations for trains!

\- Osaka have cheapers flights to Sapporo.

\- Okonomiyaki is Japan pizza.

\- Check if your destination is open, most of time monday is closed. And some holidays.

\- The descriptions on the trains are a bit confusing. At least for us it was. Once we had a sign that a train with this marking was supposed to go and another one was going. And a question. To get in or not? Train delays are rare in Japan. If there’s a delay, there’s a lot of news about it. Sometimes you just need to get on the train at the exact time on the platform at the exact time. And hope it will be ok.
(intercity are better described at least)