Hello everyone!
In March 2024 we will travel to Japan (and South Korea) for the first time! We would love to hear your feedback on our itinerary and any recommendations.
We prefer slow-travel and don’t mind traveling a bit longer for a scenic route. We both love history (samurai, castles etc.) and will make time to enjoy the sakura season (hopefully in Kyoto!). Boyfriend loves food and everything related to pokémon, nintendo, arcades etc. I love culture, temples and gardens.
# Tokyo
March 9th-16th (7 full days)
* stay in Shibuya area
* day trip to Nikko
* day trip to Kamakura
Thinking of exploring:
* Shinjuku (Golden Gai & Omoide Yokocho, Samurai restaurant show, Shinjuku Gyoen), Shibuya (Mei-ji shrine & Yoyogi park, Harajuku, Shibuya crossing), Gotoku-ji
* Asakusa area (Senso-ji, Nakamise-dori), Akihabara
* Ueno park, visit Tokyo National museum, walk around Yanaka
* Teamlab Borderless digital art museum & Roppongi Hills
* Imperial palace & gardens, Marunouchi business district
# Mt. Fuji
March 17th-19th
* Leave Tokyo in the morning for Lake Kawaguchiko. Stay for 2 nights.
* Visit Chureito pagoda, Fuji heritage center, enjoy (hopefully) views of Mt. Fuji, possibly bike around lake Yamanakako
# Matsumoto
March 19th
* train from Lake Kawaguchiko to Matsumoto, enjoy the Matsumoto castle and the town, stay the night
# Magome – Tsumago – Nagoya
March 20th
* Taking the train and bus from Matsumoto to Magome, walk to Tsumago **(what’s more enjoyable: hike from Magome – Tsumago or the other way around?)**.
* Train to Nagoya, stay the night
# Nagoya castle – Takayama
March 21st
* visit Nagoya castle, train to Takayama
# Takayama
March 22nd
* visit Hida folk village and eat lots of street food
# Shirakawa-go
March 23rd
* bus from Takayama – Shirakawa-go, stay overnight at a traditional farm house
# Kanazawa
March 24th – 26th
* bus from Shirakawa-go to Takayama, train from Takayama – Toyama – Kanazawa **(is this a nice scenic train ride or better to take the bus from Shirakawa-go – Kanazawa? Time is not the issue here)**
* visit Kenroku-en garden
* visit the samurai district
# Kyoto
March 26th – 31st
* train from Kanazawa to Kyoto. Stay in Gion area, explore the area
Thinking of exploring:
* Arashiyama (bamboo forest, Tenryu-ji), Saiho-ji and moss garden
* Kinkaku-ji (golden pavillion), Ryoan-ji and rock garden, Daitoku-ji
* Kifune shrine, walk to Kurama **(is this a nice walk?)**. Visit Shimogamo shrine and the imperial palace, possibly mangamuseum
* Ginkaku-ji (silver pavilion), explore area around Philosopher’s path
* Nishiki market, Samurai & Ninja museum, Pontocho area
* Gion area, Yasaka shrine, Maruyama park, Kodai-ji, Kiyomizu-dera
* To-ji
* Fushimi Inari shrine
* **other temple recommendations?**
# Osaka
March 31st – April 5th
* train to Osaka
* enjoy the food and craziness of a big city
* Daytrip to Nara
* daytrip to Universal Studios Japan (Nintendo World)
# Koyasan
April 5th – 6th
* travel to Koyasan, stay overnight in a temple lodge
# Hongu
April 6th – 8th
* travel from Koyasan to Hongu – Yunomine onsen (Kumano Kodo), **would it be best to travel by bus or by train through Wakayama and the coast?** **We don’t really enjoy long bus rides, but also read something about a scenic tourist bus?**
* full day in Hongu and Yunomine onsen, walk a little bit of the Kumano Kodo trail, stay the night
# Shingu
April 8th – 10th
* travel from Hongu to Shingu, stay for 2 nights
* trip to Nachi falls and shrine
# Himeji
April 10th – 11th
* train travel from Shingu to Himeji, stay the night
* visit Himeji castle and gardens
# Hiroshima
April 11th – 16th
* train to Hiroshima
* visit the peace museum and park, shukkei-en garden, Hiroshima castle and eat lots of food (okonomiyaki!)
* day trip to Miyajima
* day trip to Okunoshima
# South Korea
April 16th – May 6th
# Tokyo
May 6th – 8th
* free days in Tokyo, stay in Akihabara, do everything we still want to do, eat lots of food and get souvenirs.
May 9th: leave Japan
This is the plan so far! Next to advice on our itinerary, we’re also still looking for recommendations/advice for:
* capsule hotels, we would love to try one night
* attending a sumo wrestling tournament or training
* attending a traditional kabuki theater or geisha show
* where to go for an english spoken meditation session in a temple in Kyoto
* cute themed or crazy cafes (without animals)
* vegetarian japanese restaurants
We would love to hear what you think!