Hey everyone!
My girlfriend and I are traveling to Japan for the first time from 29th December 2025 to 17-24th January 2026. We’ve got our itinerary mostly set, but we’re open to suggestions for extending our stay (3-6 extra days). Here's a quick look at our travel plans:
Our Itinerary
29th Dec – 31st Dec: Tokyo
Exploring Shibuya, Shinjuku, Shibuya Sky, teamLab Borderless
New Year's Day – planning to do Hatsumode (first shrine visit of the year)
2nd Jan: Day trip to Nikko
Plan to visit the UNESCO-listed Toshogu Shrine and maybe Lake Chuzenji.
3rd – 4th Jan: Nagano
Exploring the snow monkeys at Jigokudani Monkey Park and maybe Zenko-ji Temple.
5th – 6th Jan: Kanazawa
Visiting the Kenrokuen Garden, Omicho Market, and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art.
6th – 8th Jan: Kyoto
Focusing on Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), and Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.
8th Jan: Day trip to Nara
Visiting Todai-ji Temple, Nara Park with all the friendly deer, and maybe Kasuga-taisha Shrine.
10th – 13th Jan: Osaka
Visiting Osaka Castle, Dotonbori, and taking a possible day trip to Uji or Kobe.
13th – 14th Jan: Day trip to Hiroshima / Onomichi
We’re planning to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island.
15th – 17th Jan: Mount Fuji (Kawaguchi)
Relaxing by Lake Kawaguchi and possibly visiting Oshino Hakkai or taking a cable car for views of Mt. Fuji.
A few questions!
– We’re thinking about extending our stay by 3-6 days. We’ve read that Takayama can be beautiful in winter, but traveling there from Mt. Fuji seems like quite a long journey. Is it worth the time? We’ve heard that 1-2 days might be enough to enjoy the town, but any thoughts from people who’ve been?
– We’re also looking for other winter city experiences in Japan. We love the idea of winter landscapes and snowy vibes, but we’re not skiers. We’ve considered Sapporo, but it seems a bit too far for just a few days. Are there other places in Japan where we can enjoy scenic winter vibes and snowy landscapes, but without long travel?
Our Travel Style
– We’re traveling by train, so any suggestions on convenient places to visit by JR or other train routes would be great.
– Not really interested in skiing or super remote mountain towns. More about experiencing traditional culture, snow, and winter charm.
Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions! We’re really excited to explore Japan during the winter and would love your input. 😊
by EmbarrassedSort5804