Hello,
My partner and I (both 30s) will be visiting Japan in the second half of November (it's a delayed honeymoon trip). We are looking forward to basically everything – culture, temples, nature, city-life, and of course, food!
This is my tentative itinerary (all dates are in November), would be grateful for any suggestions and tips.
- 13th: Tokyo (Akasaka)
- Arrive at NRT and get settled in
- 14th: Tokyo
- Hie Shrine and Omotesando (for Onitsuka Tigers lol)
- Shibuya (crossing etc.)
- 15th: Matsumoto
- Transit: Tokyo -> Nagoya -> Magome
- Nakasendo trail Magome -> Nagiso
- Transit Nagiso -> Matsumoto
- 16th: Fukuji Onsen
- Matsumoto Castle, then bus to Fukuji Onsen
- Chill in onsen
- 17th: Takayama
- Late checkout and bus to Takayama
- Sanmachi Suji + Sake brewery
- 18th: Osaka (Shinsekai)
- Higashiyama temple walk
- Transit: Takayama -> Nagoya -> Osaka
- Dotonbori Izakaya tour
- 19th: Osaka
- Katsuoji + Minoh Falls
- Osaka Castle
- 20th: Osaka
- Free morning (maybe shopping, or a cultural immersion experience?)
- Hozan-ji on Mt. Ikoma
- Shinsekai dinner and drinks
- 21st: Nara (Naramachi)
- Akame 48 Falls
- Ukimido for sunset
- 22nd: Kyoto (Higashiyama)
- Kasuga Taisha + Todaiji
- Fushimi Sake Village for lunch + light day drinking
- Fushimi Inari
- 23rd: Kyoto
- Omihachiman OR Mt. Hiei OR Arashiyama
- Maikoya Tea Ceremony ~5 pm (reserved)
- 24th: Kyoto
- Enko-ji
- Kurama + Kibune
- 25th: Kyoto
- Kiyomizu-dera
- Temples in Higashiyama (e.g. Kodai-ji, Nanzen-ji)
- Anniversary dinner! 🙂
- 26th: Shuzenji Onsen
- Tofuku-ji
- Transit to Shuzenji
- Bamboo grove + maple forest illumination
- 27th: Tokyo (Asakusa)
- Transit to Tokyo
- Ueno park and/or shopping
- 28th: Tokyo
- Senso-ji
- Some cultural immersion activity
- Rikugi-en illumination
- 29th: Tokyo
- Meiji Jingu + Gingko ave
- Shopping
- 30th: departure
A few questions:
- For 23rd, my main goal is to get away from crowds and have a relaxed time, so I'm leaning toward Omihachiman but I'm worried it will be crowded anyway because it's a Sunday. Any suggestions?
- I'm thinking of getting a Kintetsu 5-day rail pass for the Kansai region, but I'm worried it may not be worth it because it doesn't cover Limited Express trains (which seem to always show up when I check transit in Google maps. Is it still worth it?
- We plan (planned?) to buy a suitcase to fill with shopping stuff, but the logistics of where/when to buy it seem tricky. Anyone done something similar and have any tips to share?
- Any suggestions for cool cultural immersion activities (aside from tea ceremony), e.g. a nice calligraphy or noodle-making workshop?
by torsorz