Hello!
My husband and I are planning our first trip to Japan (October 22 – Nov 6) and would love any and all advice.
Hoping this trip will be a blend of: nature/hiking, food, Japanese history (art, museums and temples) as well as modern day Japanese culture. We're not super interested in shopping, anime, theme parks or bars (neither of us drink).
All advice is appreciated. I know this subreddit can get a bit ~intense~ when it comes to ambitious itineraries, and this is definitely an itinerary that bounces around A LOT. It's acting more as a catch all, and I am excited to heed your advice, as obviously those who have traveled to these places know better!
Side note: we are early risers, so all plans are counting on early mornings and early nights!
Side question: any suggestions for what weather would be like and how we should pack for late october/ early november in Japan?
WED Oct 22: Land in Haneda at 5:10pm, fly out to Osaka at 7pm
- Get to air bnb, grab 7/11 and sleep
*Is 2 hours enough of a buffer to go through customs and jump on another plan? neither of us will be checking a bag.
** I have heard the constant debate of air bnb vs hotels in Japan – would love to hear thoughts here, especially concerning an air bnb in Osaka near Dotonbori!
THURS Oct 23: OSAKA
- Namba Yaska shrine
- Kuromon market
- Shinsekai
- Dotonbori food tour (any suggestions???)
FRI Oct 24: KOYASAN
- Fudozaka pilgrimage route to Nyonin Do Hall
- Kongobu-ji temple
- Okunoin cemetery / Kobo Daishi mausoleum
- Koyasan Reihokan museum
* I have been struggling to figure out if trains run later out of Koyasan so that we can do a night tour of the cemetery and still catch a ride back to Osaka – is this possible? Or should we just cut our loses for that activity since we aren't staying in Koyasan
SAT Oct 25: HIROSHIMA
- Rent out bikes and explore
- Peace memorial park
- Peace memorial museum
- Dome
- Shukkeien garden
- At some point grab hiroshima okonomiyaki of course
- Night stroll of Miyajima, staying at a ryokan (any suggestions?)
SUN Oct 26: MIYAJIMA
- Itsukushima Jinja
- Daishon temple
- Omotesando shopping street
- Mount Misen / Momijidani park (hiking to it!)
- Bullet train to Kyoto
- Hotel in Gion
*We're replacing Nara with Miyajima – would we be missing out? ALSO any other hike suggestions for Miyajima! We love to hike and heard somewhere there was a hike to drink tea? VERY vague but does that ring a bell to anyone?
MON Oct 27: KYOTO
- Fushimi Inari shrine
- Kiyomizudera temple
- Wander Sannenzaka / ninenzaka streets
- Kodaiji temple
- Eikando
- Yasaka shrine, explore Maruyama park
- Chion-in temple
- Poncho alley
TUES Oct 28: KYOTO
- Arashiyama
- Kokedera temple
- Okochi sanso villa and gardens
- Tenruji temple
- Katsura temple / Senko-ji temple
- Money park (if time)
- walk along katsura river
*any suggestions on art classes we can do in Kyoto? Like calligraphy classes?
WED Oct 29: KYOTO
- Nishiki market
- Kurama and Kibune half day hike
- Ginkakuji
- philospher's path
- nanzenji temple
- Travel to Kanazawa!! staying in Traditional wood house
THURS Oct 30: KANAZAWA
- Omicho market
- Gyokusenin Maru garden
- Nagamachi Samurai District (wander around)
- Seisonkaku villa
- 21st century museum
- night stroll around Oyama shrine
FRI Oct 31: KANAZAWA
- Kenrokuen garden
- Shigurei-tei traditional tea ceremony
- Higachi Chaya district
- Shirikawago! Travel to the town, wander, stay in farmhouse
SAT Nov 1: TAKAYAMA
- Travel early morning to Takayama
- Old town morning market
- Takayama Jinya
- Sanmachi Suji
- Retromuseums
- Ryokan in Takayama
SUN Nov 2: TAKAYAMA / TOKYO
- Shinhotaka ropeway
- Travel to Tokyo
- Cooking class (mid evening)
- Bath house
- Hotel in Asakusa
MON Nov 3: TOKYO
- Meiji
- Yoyogi park
- Miyashita park
- Shibuya
- Shibuya Parco
- Shinjuku
- Kabukicho tower
- yokocho alley
TUES Nov 4: NIKKO
- Toshogu shrine / temple complex
- Tamozawa Villa
- Kanmangafuchi abyss
- Kegon Falls and Lake Chuzenji
WED Nov 5: TOKYO
- Sensoji
- Nakimase St
- Explore Asakusa
- Ueno Park (and Ameyoko)
- National museum
- Yoroniku tokyo
THUR Nov 6: TOKYO
- Gotokuji
- Tsukiji market
- Akihabara
- Thrifting (any recommendations?)
- Team lab borderless (if worth it)
- Fly out of Haneda at 9pm!
Thank you!
by Quick-Elderberry-540