Seasoned travelers but first time to japan. Young couple. I am normally a decisive planner ahead and grab a bunch of hotels very early, but for some reason i really dont want to mess japan up and I keep going back and forth. Our travel style is hectic with lots of steps and we manage in the heat which we are used to (greece/turkey/egypt/morroco/italy/etc). Flights booked so start and end dates set.. Want sense check on itinerary which i would say is toned down from my first go to keep it to major bases. Want sense checks on the day trips and whether for a first time, you would include a 4th base (Kanazawa, Hiroshima, just add a ryokan night in the hills or a beach night on the way back to tokyo). Also would appreciate feedback on my decision to split kansai into an osaka stay (with quick daytrip connections to hiroshima and hemji), and a more focused kyoto stay. Open and appreciative of any thoughts.
One note on hiroshima is i want it earlier because i know it is heavy. Also given August heat, the plan is to skip the island and just see hiroshima city sites as it would be too hectic of a day.
Only thing I am dead set on hopefully making happen is the temple stay in Koyasan, albeit the trip time to get there seems to be a nightmare, but looks worth it.
We will use takyubin between bases. Have indicated send points
Japan Itinerary – August 6–21, 2026 (2 people, no JR Pass)
Aug 6: Arrival in Tokyo
- P1 arrives at Narita ~3pm,
- Easy dinner and stroll near Shinjuku
- Hotel area: Shinjuku
Aug 7: Tokyo
- P2 arrives at Narita ~3pm,
- Explore Asakusa, Ueno Park, Akihabara
- Optional: teamLab Planets or Sumida River walk
- Hotel area: Shinjuku
Aug 8: Tokyo
- Shibuya Crossing, Meiji Shrine, Harajuku
- Evening in Golden Gai or Omoide Yokocho
- Hotel area: Shinjuku
Aug 9: Day trip to Fuji (Lake Kawaguchi)
- Visit Chureito Pagoda, lakeside views of Mt. Fuji
- Return to Tokyo in evening
- Hotel area: Shinjuku
Aug 10: Tokyo → Koyasan
- Early Nozomi to Shin-Osaka, then Limited Express to Koyasan
- Visit Okunoin Cemetery, temple dinner experience
- 🧳 Luggage forwarding: Tokyo → Osaka
- Hotel area: Temple stay
Aug 11: Koyasan → Osaka
- Morning: Temple activities and breakfast, transfer to Osaka
- Explore Dotonbori, Kuromon Market, Umeda Sky Building
- Hotel area: Umeda
Aug 12: Day trip to Hiroshima
- Peace Memorial Park, Atomic Bomb Dome, museum
- Return to Osaka in evening
- Hotel area: Umeda
Aug 13: Day trip to Himeji
- Visit Himeji Castle and Koko-en Garden
- Return to Osaka in evening
- Hotel area: Umeda
Aug 14: Osaka → Kyoto
- Transfer to Kyoto, explore Gion and Kiyomizu-dera
- 🧳 Luggage forwarding: Osaka → Kyoto
- Hotel area: Gion
Aug 15: Kyoto
- Fushimi Inari Shrine, Nishiki Market, evening stroll in Gion
- Hotel area: Gion
Aug 16: Kyoto
- Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji Temple
- Evening: Gozan no Okuribi fire ritual (Daimonji festival)
- Hotel area: Gion
Aug 17: Day trip to Nara
- Visit Todai-ji Temple, Nara Park, feed the deer
- Return to Kyoto in evening
- Hotel area: Gion
Aug 18: TBD
- Open day for spontaneous trip or rest day
- Options: Kanazawa, Kinosaki Onsen, Lake Biwa, or stay in Kyoto
- Hotel area: TBD
Aug 19: Return to Tokyo from TBD location
- 🧳 Luggage forwarding: Kyoto → Tokyo
- Hotel area: Asakusa
Aug 20: Tokyo
- Explore Odaiba, Tokyo Tower, or final shopping in Ginza
- Hotel area: Asakusa
Aug 21: Tokyo
- Final packing, brunch
- P1 and P2 depart together on evening flight at 10pm
- Hotel area: —
by Budget-Profit823