In two weeks I’ll be leaving for a fairly spontaneous three week trip to Japan and I’d love some advice on my itinerary and some thoughts on hidden gems and places to check out off the beaten path as I explore the country.
I’m trying to make the trip with just my backpack a few changes of clothes ( unsure about how chilly it will be by then or if I should plan for at times warm weather?) and my camera, with a collapsible auxiliary backpack for day trips/hikes and bringing stuff home I collect along the way.
My goal is to get out in nature, explore the cities, and to dive into the country’s art, music, history, and culture.
Here is how I have planned everything out so far:
October 10 – Arrive in Tokyo via Haneda late afternoon, go through customs, get my JR Rail Pass, Passmo or Suica Welcome card (if I can’t do it on my phone), activate esim.
Take train to Hotel in Taito City where I will stay for three days.
October 11 – Tokyo
Wake up get some breakfast walk to Imari cat shrine. Take train to explore Imperial Palace and the National museum of Modern Art
Get Dinner in Shinjuku at izakaya in Omoide Yokochō
October 12 – Tokyo
Wake up walk to Sensoji Temple, grab something from food stalls, then go to museum of Contemporary Art. Go explore Akihabara for the afternoon and then head over to Shibuya Sky to take in the city as the sun sets.
October 13 – Tokyo to Hakone
Check out early to catch the train to Hakone. Walk around lake and check out tori gate, ride pirate ship, take cable car over volcanic vents, and check out Hakone open Air art museum, stay in guest house right next door.
October 14 – Hakone to Nagoya
Take train to Nagoya, check out Nagoya Castle and Market, try the Hitsamabushi eel rice bowl at Ibash. Stay in Capsule Hotel.
October 15 – Nagoya to Natsugawa to hike Nakasendo from Magome and Tsumago, return to Nagoya
October 16 – Nagoya to Koyasan
Wake up early take trains and buses to Koyasan. Hike Koyasan pilgrim’s trails and look at temples and cemeteries. Stay in guest house.
October 17 – 20 Osaka
Head out from Koyasan to Osaka for three days, stay in business hotel, check out Dotonbori, Osaka Castle, National Museum of Art, find some great takoyaki, leisurely explore the city
October 20 – Osaka to Nara
Arrive in Nara, go to Nara park, potentially go to Sumo Tournament? ( has anyone been to one of these, worth it, looks like the price for seat starts at around 8,000 yen)
Stay in 100 year old guest house.
October 21 – 22 Kyoto or Double back to Tokyo to see some music festivals.
Here is the part I’m not sure about. This is my birthday weekend and while my initial plan was to head to Kyoto to enjoy the Jidai Matsuri history and cultural parade and the Kurama no Hi Matsuri event at night, I’ve found two amazing music events happening in Tokyo that weekend that are both right up my alley, the Pacific Mode experimental electronic music festival from all night Saturday into Sunday morning, and the two day Back from the Grave Halloween Ball at Shinjuku Loft, which seems like a lot of punk and rock n roll bands (which just sounds like a slice of culture too good to pass up).
How much of a pain is cross crossing the country? Anyone have trouble getting into local music events or shows?
October 23 – Hiroshima
Take the train from Tokyo or Kyoto to Hiroshima, go to the Peace Memorial and museum. Cry.
October 24 – Hiroshima to Onomichi to start a cycling tour of the Shimanami Kaido.
Stop halfway and enjoy a rest at a hostel
October 25 – Finish the Shimanami Kaido in Imibari take a ferry or bus back to Onomichi and on to Himeji
October 26 – Himeji
Explore Himeji Castle and have a low key rest day
October 27 – 28 Return to Tokyo or visit Kyoto if I did not do so earlier on the 21st-22nd.
October 29-30 – Tokyo
Continue to explore the vast richness that is Tokyo, National Museum, Mori Art Museum, Team Labs, etc.
I have a room booked in Shibuya currently from the 27-31st but I heard Shibuya gets insane during Halloween and that the Mayor and police try to shut the area down to deal with the crowds. I like a wild time and I am looking to party a bit but I don’t want to be in the middle of total madness for four days, should I book somewhere else?
October 31st – leave via Haneda.
Thanks for sticking around if you got through all that. Any advice or input is appreciated, particularly on places to eat!
3 comments
Hey, I too decided to go off to Japan for 2 weeks in October just for the helluva it. I lived in Tokyo in the 1990s so I’m not going to spend much time there tho…
>How much of a pain is cross crossing the country?
peace of cake with a JRP. I bought through their site so could book [this 2hr trip](https://imgur.com/TV70s6Z) in about 1 minute of clicking just now. Shinkansen trips are fun enough to do a couple of times just to kill time : )
Since you’re in Nagoya might as well check out the Kiso River region maybe including Inuyama, there’s a rare O.G. castle there. I actually got an AirBnB there for a one-night stop between my stay in Kyoto and Shimoda.
I’m not a big sumo fan by any means but I thought the sumo tournament was really fun and nice to watch. However the tickets that are sold through English sites are usually “tourist prices”.
Went for Halloween 2017 and it wasn’t really crazy or anything