Hi all! My wife and I are going to Japan for the first time in November on our honeymoon. We have planned the following things – wanted to check if this is too much to do.
Some points to remember –
1. We don't want to do a lot of touristy stuff. Okay to skip Disney, towers, most of the museums, towers, etc.
2. We want to include at least 1-2 days of hiking/outdoors
3. At least one Ryokan experience which we have booked in Takayama.
Looking for suggestions to optimize/make this trip better. Can we skip something or replace a few things with something else on our plan?
Day 1 – Tokyo Arrival
Land in Tokyo
Evening walk in Shinjuku (Omoide Yokocho, neon lights)
Day 2 Tokyo – (Tradition & Downtown)
Asakusa & Sensō-ji Temple
Ueno Park + Tokyo National Museum
Akihabara for gadgets/anime
Skytree views at sunset
Day 3 – Tokyo (Modern & Trendy)
Meiji Shrine & Yoyogi Park
Harajuku (Takeshita Street)
Shibuya Crossing + Shibuya Sky
Dinner in Ebisu or Shinjuku
Day 4 – Mt. Fuji Day Trip (we have kept this open for any day from 2-4 since it's weather dependent.
Early train/bus to Kawaguchiko (Lake Kawaguchi) (~2 hrs)
Chureito Pagoda for iconic view of Fuji
Walk or boat around Lake Kawaguchi
Evening return to Tokyo
Day 5 – Tokyo → Kanazawa (2.5–3 hrs shinkansen)
Kenroku-en Garden
Kanazawa Castle
Nagamachi Samurai District
Day 6 – Kanazawa → Takayama (2–3 hrs)
Higashi Chaya tea district in morning
Train/bus to Takayama
Check into ryokan (onsen + kaiseki dinner)
Day 7 – Takayama & Shirakawa-go
Takayama Old Town & morning markets
Afternoon: Half-day trip to Shirakawa-go (UNESCO thatched-roof village)
Return to Takayama, overnight
Day 8 – Takayama → Tsumago/Magome (Nakasendō)
Train via Nagoya to Nakatsugawa (~3 hrs)
Hike Magome → Tsumago (8 km, 2–3 hrs, forest & post towns)
Overnight in a hostel
Day 9 – Tsumago → Kyoto (~3 hrs)
Arrive in Kyoto, check in
Evening in Gion district (geisha spotting, traditional streets)
Day 10 – Kyoto Eastern side
Fushimi Inari Shrine (early morning)
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Ninenzaka & Sannenzaka streets
Philosopher’s Path & Ginkaku-ji
Dinner in Pontocho Alley
Day 11 – Kyoto (Western Highlights)
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove + Tenryu-ji
Monkey Park or riverside walk
Ryoan-ji Zen garden
Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji) at sunset
Day 12 – Day Trip to Osaka
Osaka Castle
Kuromon Market street food
Dotonbori neon + takoyaki, okonomiyaki
Evening return to Kyoto
Day 11 – Kyoto West side
Day 13 – Kyoto (Open day – maybe day trip somewhere or explore locally)?
Day 14 – Kyoto → Tokyo → Departure
Shinkansen back to Tokyo (~2.5 hrs)
Last-minute shopping in Tokyo and stay
Day 15
Flight home in the evening
by roxy342