Dear, kind person who is reading this and sending me good juju and help notes/comments/anecdotes, some points for you to note please :-
My only reliability is on Japan’s famous public transportation;
My biggest worry – food (/I am not vegan but happy Cow is all around recommended for best beg options ?!)
Most excited about – Getting my soul feel blessed by the Autumn colors and aura in Japan and Ghibli studios.
Pros – Dont mind walking 20k steps per day when on tour
Cons – Complains to self for being tired and for jampacking my schedule 😉 and missing that country immensely once back to my home!!! And starting to think where to go on the return flight home :))) and NOT Looking at the BANK BALANCE while planning this ;))
Some might say I took it took light and did an itinerary of 7-10 days in 21days ???? You think that after reading, also let me know
Please feel free to give me your suggestions, offbeat ideas, what you think might work great or where i need caution. Tokyo will have 1 day for Onsen which is yet to be factored in, but rest is all in!! Please suggest-away!!!! Thanks in advance #floweremoji #dreamyeyes
Day 1 17th NOV'25 Land – Morning 7AM. Take it light, rest and go casual stroll in the hotel nearby area or Shibuya crossing or just night photo shoot of the Tokyo charm (suggestions ??)
Day 2 – day trip to Nikko (Bridge, the ropeway and I am feeling ambitious and thinking I might fit in the Lake Chūzenji -cruise. I am yet to check the details and how to go to Tochigi – so any inputs here who did this)
[QUESTION _ 1- When should I start to ensure decent time like 6-7PM return to Tokyo?, by the research it takes 2-3hrs one way in train? )
2- any other option you can suggest for a day trip here: focus AUTUMN leaves]
Day 3 – Travel and stay(1N) to Lake Kawagachiko, chill, try to catch Mt fuji glimpse and evening go to Maple corridor, Fuji-Kawagachiko Autumn Leaves Festival (hope to God that leaves have turned, and night illumination is why I have to stay 1N else I would have left for Kamakura ?!) (I might just try and do Fuji-Q Highland in afternoon in the day depending on how I manage the time)
Day 4 – Oishi Park, Chureito pagoda (Arakurayama sengen park), travel to HIROSHIMA (roughly 5-6hrs in train via Tokyo as per research)
Day 5 – Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Museum, Buttsuji Temple.
Day 6 – Hiroshima Castle, floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine, and travel to Osaka in evening
[QUESTION – Should I rather a day trip from Osaka on day 1 and do all local site seeing day 2 and travel day Osaka the next day early morning as its only ~2hrs ?)
N 23 Day 7 – Osaka Castle(autumn peak for this shows 21st Nov is its right on spot for my date!) , Nakaoshima Museum of art, Shinsaibashi, America-mura, Dotonbori, Harakura 300 (I know looks packed but I can do it or skip one of the things no pressure!)
Day 8 – Minō Falls and Katsuō-ji Temple(autumn peak for this shows to be late Nov!!, very confused) mostly day is going to be spent here), evening chill and stroll local park or reading in a chill café)
Day 9 – (Open either if I am feeling adventurous then Nara or to chase autumn colors in some higher altitude day trip or if I do get a company, I might do Universal studio as I don’t want to do that alone! – suggestions ??)
[QUESTION – Generally everywhere on net tells me that Autumn is first seen in Tokyo and then Osaka-Kyoto but following https://s.n-kishou.co.jp/w/sp/koyo/koyo_yosou_spot?ba=27 for individual prefecture I changed my itinerary to keep Tokyo for last leg of my vacation, any suggestions here ?)
Day 10 Travel to Kyoto [this is where I want to be careful as I don’t want to overdo temples and blend them all and get bored!!].
Start with Enkoji temple, Otowa-no taki Falls, Yasaka Koshin-do temple, Ninenzaka- Sanneizaka
Day 11 Kifune Shrine, Shimyo-in temple, Arashiyama Yusai-Tei Gallery(probably just a hyped Instagram spot so might skip depending on time), Otabimiyamotocho-Nishi market-Higashigawachō shopping spots in the evening
Day 12 Fushimi Inari, Togetsukyo Bridge, Tōfuku-ji Temple, Umekoji Park
Day 13 (Open and/or explore cute cafés and some off beat experiences – suggestions? )
Day 14: Travel to Tokyo early am, afternoon Ghibli studios and evening Meiji Jingu Gaien for the spectacular Ginko leaves corridor (forecasted peak on 29th Nov so again on spot with this on date!) (if I get late, I will transfer this to next day, no pressure)
Day 15 – teamlabs Boderless, Hibiya Park, Asakusa
{ itinerary for the next 5 days loading …brain needs to go visit sleep land for a few hours.
Rest all days in Tokyo so suggestions are welcome}
by Embarrassed_Act8814