Hello everyone!
I am flying to Japan mid-September and I am going to stay there for 5 weeks, until late October. This is my first time in Japan. I built this itinerary with sweat and tears and now I would like you to roast it as much as possible!
*I did not use AI to create this, if it feels like chat, it is because I used it to create this post(had to delete a ton of notes to only keep the plans themselves)
Is it too much? Too little? Missing key things? Any good? I will highly appreciate any kind of feedback that can help make my trip better.
Day 1-6: Tokyo
Days 1-3 we will be sleeping in Asakusa, days 4-6 in Shinjuku.
Day 1: Leave the hotel around 12 pm and start the trip
Senso-ji Temple
Kaminari Gate
Nakamise Shopping Street and Kappabashi
Ueno Park
Tokyo National Museum (optional)
Ameyoko
Akihabara (optional, if there is time)
Day 2
Tsukiji Market (Breakfast)
Walk Ginza ~2h
Walk Imperial East Garden + Outer Park
Samurai Ninja Museum 16:00
If weren't there yesterday, Akihabara
Day 3
Guided tour in Nikko
*Days 4-6 are in no order, we will go to kawaguchiko on the best weather option
Day 4
Bus/Train to Kawaguchiko (~1h40)- Fuji Excursion from Shinjuku, Optional Bus
Ropeway + Walk 30 min
Bus to Chureito Pagoda ~45 min (~500 steps)
Bus to Oishi Park
Return Train to Tokyo
Day 5
Shibuya Station, Walk Scramble Crossing
Walk Shibuya Center Gai
Miyashita Park , Cat Street, Takeshita Dori
Optional Café (pigs)
Optional Dogenzaka (evening) or Shimokitazawa
Optional Shibuya Sky (sunset + night)
Day 6
Shinjuku Gyoen
Shin Okubo
Optional Mall Lumine Shinjuku
One or more of the following:
Omoide Yokocho (~17:00), Kabukicho, Golden Gai
Days 7-13
Takayama, Kanasawa, Alps, Nagoya. For these days will will rent a car, returning it day 14
Day 7
Drive Tokyo to Takayama (~4h15)
Walk Sanmachi-suji (old town) ~15:15 (evening lanterns)
Optional, one of the following: Harada Brewery, Takayama Shōwa-kan Retro Museum, Hida no Sato Open Air Museum (further away)
Eat hoba misu
Day 8
Drive to Hirayu Onsen (~45 min) for Kamikochi day
Walk to bus stop, bus every 30 min or taxi
Trek 3–4h starting at Taisho Pond, Tashiro Marsh → Hotaka/Tashiro Bridge, Kappa Bridge → Myojim Pond → return to bridge. Bus back to Hirayu Onsen (last bus 17:13).
Return to Takayama for relaxed evening
Day 9
Shirakawa-go (~50 min)
Walk Deai Bridge, Walk Shiroyama Tenshukaku Observation Deck (~20 min climb)
Gassho-Zukuri Minka-en Open Air Museum (~1h)
Visit one traditional house (recommended: Wada House, ~30 min)
Optional: Myozenji Temple
Drive to Hida (~50 min) for a Ryokan
Relaxing evening, stroll Hida Canal Area
Day 10
Drive Hida to Kanazawa (~2h)
Optional: Ninjadera Museum (open until 16:00)
Walk Kenroku-en Garden + Kanazawa Castle Park (~2h together)
Walk Higashi Chaya District
Optional things for days 10+11: Geisha performance, Nagamachi Samurai District, Nomura-ke House ,Omicho Market
Day 11
Drive (~1h30) to Kurobe Gorge Railway sightseeing tour
Sit on right side for best view
Stop at Kanetsuri Station, short walk Mannen Yuki
Next stop Keyakidaira Station, Sarutobikyo Gorge. Total tour ~3h
Return to Kanazawa
Day 12
Drive to Nagoya
Walk Nagoya Castle (Castle Grounds, Main Keep, Gardens) (~2–3h, closes 16:30)
Optional: Toyota Commemorative Museum (~1.5–2h) or Railway Museum(~1h)
Evening stroll Sakae District, see Electric Power Tower + nearby park
Day 13
Early leave to Kiso Valley
Early drive (~1h30) to Magome (Visitor Center parking, arrive ~9:45)
Stroll around Magome town, optional tea house
Hike Nakasendo Trail to Tsumago (~2.5h including stops)
Lunch Tsumago (Soba)
Stroll Tsumago town
Optional short hike Tsumago Castle Ruins Viewpoint (~20 min)
Bus back to Magome (16:42, or optional taxi)
Drive back to Nagoya (~19:00 arrival)
Optional: Osu Shopping District (if time permits, open until 20:00)
Days 14-17
Kyoto and Uji
Day 14
Check-in Kyoto hotel (by 12:00)
Walk Nishiki Market
Walk Kiyomizu-dera (~30 min walk, arrive by 14:00)
Walk Higashiyama streets to Hokanji (~15:00)
Walk Hanamikoji Street, Maruyama Park
Optional: Kodai-ji
Walk Pontocho Alley (evening lanterns)
Dinner nearby / stroll around hotel
Optional: see Geisha in Gion
Day 15
Depart by 08:00 to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove + Tenryu-ji
Walk Togetsukyo Bridge + Arashiyama Park
Lunch nearby
Optional: Monkey Park / Okochi Sanso
Drive (~50 min) to Kinkaku-ji
Optional: Ryoan-ji or Shugakuin Villa
Day 16
Depart by 08:00 to Uji (arrive ~9:00)
Byodo-in Temple & Museum
Uji Park to Asagiri Bridge
Mount Asahi & Daikichi Hike (~45 min)
Tsuen Historical Tea House or other tea
Optional: Mimuroto-ji Temple
Lunch in Uji, depart by 14:00
Arrive ~15:00 Fushimi Inari Taisha (2h circular trail, sunset/dusk optional)
Optional: walk Tofuku-ji (~15 min from Fushimi Inari) if not visited rock garden
Day 17
Depart by 09:00 to Ginkaku-ji
Walk Philosophers’ Path (~2 km), ends at Nanzen-ji
Optional: lunch Nishiki Market
Optional: stroll Shirakawa Canal + Teramachi/Sannenzaka shopping
Optional: visit Shugakuin Villa if pre-booked
Optional: anything not done yet from previous days
Days 18-21
Osaka, Nara and USJ
Day 18
Kyoto Kawaramachi to Ōsakatemmangū Station (arrive by 11:30, drop luggage)
Osaka Castle (2h including gardens)
Nipponbashi Denden District (anime/gaming area)
Evening: Dotonbori (neon, night) + Hozenji Yokocho
Street food: Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki, Kitsune Soba
Optional: Namba Yasaka Shrine
Day 19
Depart 08:00 to Kintetsu-Nara (~1h)
Walk Nara Park (feed deer)
Todai-ji Temple + Giant Buddha (in park)
Isuien Garden
Kofuku-ji
Kasuga Taisha Shrine
Naramachi Old Town (lunch ~13:00, stroll)
Return to Osaka (~16:00), do an evening food tour
Day 20
Stroll Ōsakatemmangū area (including temple)
Drive to Namba
Kuromon Ichiba Market (seafood, lunch optional here or in Shinsekai)
Optional river cruise
Shinsekai (retro area, arcade, fried food)- afternoon & evening
Optional: Tsutenkaku Tower observation
Optional: Kaiyukan Aquarium
Day 21
Universal Studios Japan.
Arrive by 7, be there until closing around 22
Afterwards(Days 22 – 36) we want to do Koyasan, Hokkaido, 2 days we still need to fill and then 3 more days for Tokyo, but this post is already very long, so I will be splitting it in 2 and post the rest another day.
Thank you all so much!!
by Zenrok