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!
by Ok-Avocado8658