Advice for my itinerary – 23 days in Japan

Hello everyone, I’m doing my first ever solo trip this January for 23 days, thus, I’m looking for advice for my itinerary or any tips if I’m travelling solo. Appreciate all your help!

Disclaimer: This is my 4th time in Japan, I’ve been only traveling to cities that are included in the golden route so far (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto etc.)

# Day 1 to Day 5 (Kansai)
– I’ll be in Kansai Region from day 1 to 5
– Staying in Shin-Osaka for easier travel to neighboring cities
– Will be using the 5 days Kansai – WIDE AREA pass for faster travels
## Day 1 (Osaka) [No JR Pass]
– Touch down in Kansai Airport
– Stay in Shin-Osaka
– Chill in Dotonbori after the long flight
## Day 2 (Kyoto) [Kansai Wide Area Pass – Day 1]
– Activate 5 days Kansai Wide Area pass
– Go to Kyoto
– Visit Uji in the morning till noon
– Spend the rest of the day in Kyoto City (Teramachi Street, Gion)

## Day 3 (Kobe) [Kansai Wide Area Pass – Day 2]
– Day trip in Kobe
– Places that I wish to go: Kobe Port, Kobe Harbourland, Kobe Chinatown
– Grab Kobe Beef for lunch or something

## Day 4 (Himeji) [Kansai Wide Area Pass – Day 3]
– Day Trip to Himeji
– Visit Himeji Castle, Kokoen Garden (Present JR west rail pass for 20% discount)
– Miyuki or Omizosuji Shopping streets
– Spend the rest of the day back in Osaka, explore the rest of the city

## Day 5 (Free and easy) [Kansai Wide Area Pass – Day 4]
– Either I explore more of Osaka or visit Kyoto again
– Am considering to go Pokemon Cafe if I could get a spot 🙂
– Pokemon Center Osaka DX

# Day 6 to Day 10 (Chūgoku Region)
– Travelling to Okayama via the Kansai Wide Area pass
– I’ll be staying in Okayama for 2 nights
– Staying over in Miyajima for 1 Night
– Hiroshima for 2 nights

## Day 6 (Okayama)[Kansai Wide Area Pass – Day 5]
– Take a shinkansen from Shin-osaka to Okayama in the morning
– Leave my luggage in the hotel in Okayama
– Go to Kibitsu Shrine in the morning till noon
– Okayama Castle and Korakuen till evening (Not sure if I have enough time to go all 3 sites)

## Day 7 (Kurashiki)[Okayama – Hiroshima – Yamaguchi AREA Pass – Day 1]
– Head to Kurashiki in the morning
– Kurashiki Bikan, Ohara House
– Return to Okayama in the evening for dinner

## Day 8 (Miyajima)[Okayama – Hiroshima – Yamaguchi AREA Pass – Day 2]
– Take a shinkansen from Okayama to Hiroshima in the morning
– Leave my luggage at Hiroshima Station
– Take the JR ferry from Miyajimaguchi station to Miyajima
– Leave my luggage at the hotel
– Visit Miyajima Omotesando Shotengai, Daisho-in temple, Mt Misen, Momijidani Park & bridge, Senjokaku Pavillion
– Maybe get some night shots of the Torii gate in the evening or night
* Am wondering how late would the restaurants open on the island!

## Day 9 (Hiroshima)[Okayama – Hiroshima – Yamaguchi AREA Pass – Day 3]
– Visit the shrine in the morning when it opens at 6:30am in the morning
– Take the ferry back around 8-9
– Collect my luggage back at Hiroshima Station
– Check-in to my hotel in Hiroshima city
– Visit Shukkuein Garden, Hiroshima Castle, Hondori Street, Okonomiura

## Day 10 (Hiroshima)[Okayama – Hiroshima – Yamaguchi AREA Pass – Day 4]
– Visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum + Atomic Bomb Dome + Hiroshima Peace Park + Flame of Peace
– Hiroshima Orizuru Tower
– Pokemon Center Hiroshima

# Day 11 to Day 16 (Kyushu Region)
– Travelling to Fukuoka via the Okayama – Hiroshima – Yamaguchi pass
– Staying in Fukuoka for 4 nights to travel to neighboring cities
– 2Nights in Nagasaki

## Day 11 (Shimonoseki & Kitakyushu)[Okayama – Hiroshima – Yamaguchi AREA Pass – Day 5]
– Might be a tiring day
– Checkout from Hiroshima and take a shinkansen to Kokura station where I’ll leave my luggage there
– Visit Shimonoseki from Kokura station
– Visit Karato Fish Market to try some puffer fish
– Walk to Kanmon Pedestrian tunnel and cross over from Yamaguchi Island to Kyushu Island
– Return to Kokura station to get my luggage
– Travel from Kokura to Fukuoka to check-in to my hotel.
– Spend the night at a Yatai in Fukuoka

## Day 12 (Fukuoka)[Northern Kyushu Pass – Day 1]
– I’m not sure what to do in Fukuoka so I’m probably going to visit Canal City to do some shopping
* Some tips here will be great!

## Day 13 (Hita)[Northern Kyushu Pass – Day 2]
– I’m visiting Hita for a day trip because I’m an AOT fan
– Travel to Hita via JR limited express
– Visit the Oyama Dam and Hita Museum for AOT related things
– Visit Mamedamachi
– Return back to Fukuoka for dinner

## Day 14 (Kumamoto)[Northern Kyushu Pass – Day 3]
– Travel to Kumamoto via Shinkansen for a day trip
– Kumamoto Castle, Sakuranobaba Josaien, Suizenji Garden, Honmyoji
– Kumamon Square and Shimotori shopping street

## Day 15 (Nagasaki)[Northern Kyushu Pass – Day 4]
– Checkout of Fukuoka and take trains to Nagasaki
– Visit Dejima, Nagasaki Seaside park, Oura Church, Glover Garden
– Go over to Mt Inasa in the evening for a sunset view
– Headover to Shianbashi Yokocho at night

## Day 16 (Nagasaki)[Northern Kyushu Pass – Day 5]
– Visit the memorial sites (Nagasaki Peace Park, Atomic Bomb Hypocenter site, Urakami Cathedral, Atomic Bomb Museum, Peace Memorial Hall)
– Dinner at Nagasaki Chinatown Shichi

# Day 17 to Day 23 (Tokyo)
– Travelling to Tokyo from Nagasaki via flight

## Day 17 (Tokyo Station & Tokyo Skytree)
– Take a flight over to Tokyo from Nagasaki
– Check-in
– Visit the Tokyo Imperial Railway station
– Ramen Street & Character Street
– Travel to the Tokyo Skytree area to visit Solamachi and Pokemon center Skytree

## Day 18 (Yokohama)
– Visit Yokohama for a day trip
– Cupnoodle museum??? (Could get some advice on whether this is worth it)
– Ramen Museum
– Yokohama Chinatown
– Minato Mirai 21
– Pokemon Center Yokohama
– Maybe walk around the neighborhood at night

## Day 19 (Kawagoe & Akihabara)
– Visit Kawagoe (Please give me advice on whether I should visit Kawagoe because I’m thinking of just spending more time in Tokyo City itself)
– Akihabara to see some tech related stuff
– Pokemon Center Mega

## Day 20 (Asakusa & Shibuya)
– Head over to Asakusa in the morning to avoid crowd hopefully
– Meiji Jinggu Shrine?
– Harajuku
– Shibuya

## Day 21 (Kawaguchiko)
– Leave early to Kawaguchiko via the highway bus
– Go over to Oishi Park as the first stop
– Get some Houtou Noodles
– Shimoyoshida Station to see the Chureito Pagoda and Fujiyoshida City Honcho Street
– Rest when I get back

## Day 22 (Ueno & Ginza & Shibuya)
– Nothing much here, just gonna shop for souvenirs
– Maybe visit the Ginza Aquarium Art

## Day 23 (Flight back)
* Planes are cheaper from
– Take Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka (For more comfort and flexibility)
– Take flight back from Osaka

2 comments
  1. Looks like your trip will be a blast.

    Is this your first time in Japan? (If not then disregard my next comment). By the looks of your itneinery you’re trying to see as much of the country as possible which is great, but a bit rushed maybe. I’d personally want more than a day trip to Kyoto for example.

  2. Fukuoka is awesome 🙂 u definitely have to try their yatai!

    I spent half a day visiting Nanzoin temple, which has a big Buddha statue if you interested.

    For canal city, I went there but felt like any other shopping malls tbh 😅

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