Well here is my Itinerary for my Ultimate Japanese Trip with my adult son aged 31. I started planning it in 2012 and had everything booked in 2020 and 2021 and the Pandemic ended that. So now 13 years later I have continued to perfect it, but I still had to cut down some time in Japan in order to visit Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, and South Korea which I have decided to visit as well due to the long time it took me to acutally be able to do this trip. Any suggestions are welcome! I have purposely decided not to visit some places that I feel are just not worthy of my time, and I don't want to visit every temple and shrine in Japan either. Avoiding like the plague all overpriced tourist trap tours.. Sumo Wrestling, Geisha Performances, Food tours, Ninja Restaurants, Go Karts etc. In fact no tours at all. I did want to see the Robot show in Kabukicho however its been changed. I'm still debating about a Maid Cafe experience due to its uniqueness. Hotels in Japan are very expensive on Saturdays so I have had to work around that, and budget constraints. I have also tried to visit certain places on weekdays to avoid crowds. We are staying as close to train stations as possible at most of our acomodations. Our Hotel in Ikebukuro for instance is 300 Meters from the station.
DAY 1 : Arrival in Tokyo Haneda 3.25pm (Tokyo Super Hotel Ikebukuro)
. Hotel in Ikebukuro
. Explore the area, Ramen Dinner
Day 2: Sunday
. SUNSHINE CENTER,
. Harajuku
. Yoyogi Park
Day 3: Monday
. Shibuya
. Shinjuku area
. Kabukicho
. Omoide
. Odaiba cross over Rainbow Bridge
Day 4: Tuesday
. If Fujisan is clear that day or switch days
. Bus to Kawaguchiko
. Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine
. Rent bikes and ride around the lake
. Aokigahara Forest
. Vist Wind Cave if Time
. Turn bikes in and visit Fuji Q highland
. Labyrinth of Fear
Day 5: Wednesday
. Team Labs Borderless
. Tokyo Tower
. 47 Ronin Statues
. Abbey Road bar for show
Day 6: Thursday
. DISNEY SEAS
Day 7: Friday
. Rest day
. Afternoon Giants Baseball Game
Day 8: Saturday
. Train to Miura (our Grandmothers last name!)
. Anjinzuka visit grave of Miura Anjin (Shogun)
. Kamakura, rent bikes
Day 9: Sunday
. Hike Mt Takao
. Explore Tokyo station area
. Akihabara Idol Show (do they still exist?)
Day 10: Monday Start 14 day Railroad pass
. Train to Nikko
. EdoWonderland
. Nikkō Tōshogū Tokugawa shrine
Day 11: Tuesday (Kanazawa Ryokan)
. Send Luggage to Hiroshima
. Train to Kanazawa
. Kenroku-en Garden
. Samurai House
. Ninja House
Day 12: Wednesday (Matsumoto Capsule Hotel)
. Rent bikes, explore Kanazawa
. Train to Matsumoto
Day 13: Thursday (Matsumoto Hostal)
. Train to Matsumoto
. Visit Castle
Day 14: Friday (Magome Ryokan)
. Train to Nagiso
. Hike the Nakasendo Trail
Day 15: Saturday (Hiroshima Hotel)
. Finish Hiking Trail
. Train to Hiroshima
. Atom Bomb Dome
. Explore Hiroshima
DAY 16: Sunday (Onomichi Hostal)
. Miyajima
. Hike Mt Misen
. Train to Onomichi
Day 17: Monday (Ōkunoshima Ryokan)
. Rent bikes and ride Shimanami Kaido
. Spend night on Ōkunoshima (Rabbit Island)
Day 18: Tuesday (Ikutchi Island Hotel)
. Explore Islands and Temples
Day 19: Wednesday (Ikutchi Island Hotel)
. Ride to Imabari and back 60kms
Day 20: Thursday (Beppu Spa Hotel)
. Finish ride to Onomichi
. Train to Beppu
. Hit Parade Club
Day 21: Friday (Beppu Spa Hotel)
. Rent Ebike and visit Hells Of Beppu
Day 22: Saturday (Himeji Hotel)
. Train to Himeji
. Visit Castle
. Hike Shoshazan Engyoji Temple if time
(The Last Samurai Film)
Day 23: Sunday (Kyoto Ryokan) Last day of Rail Pass
. Train To Kyoto
. Visit Gion Area
. Fushimi Inari temple near sundown
Day 24: Monday (Kyoto Ryokan)
. Arashima
. Kinkakuji
. Kiyomizu
. Tea Ceremony
. Zen Lesson
Day 25: Tuesday (Kyoto Ryokan)
. Nara daytrip
. Rent Bikes, explore park and forest
Day 26: Wednsday (Osaka Namba Tower Hotel with Dinner Buffet)
. Hike Mt Hiei
. Afternoon to Osaka
Day 27: Thursday (Osaka Namba Tower Hotel with Dinner Buffet)
. Osaka Castle
. Dontonburi
. Umeda Sky Building?
Day 28: Friday Morning Bus to Kansai Int – Flight to Hanoi
Unable to visit some other areas in Kyushuu because I don't
want to pay more for a 21 day rail pass, and needed more time for the other countries.
. Fukuoka
.Nagasaki
.Kumamoto Castle
. Mr Matsunaga's katana forge & dojo in Arao
. Iga-Ueno Ninja Town near Nara
by Ok-Average3471