16 night itenary Japan
I'm visiting Japan for the first time with my wife in May 2026 and have two itenary options.
We initially fly into Seoul, South Korea from Dublin Ireland, and we'll be there for 4 days, so hopefully those 4 days there gets most of the legwork done as far as jetlag is concerned🫥.
After that we'll then fly into Japan, and will be in japan for 16 nights.
We travel light, 1 large(ish) backpack each. At the moment this is how our itenary looks,(also just to note, we plan to use Osako as a base to bounce between there and Kyoto)…
Itenary option A…
Mon 11th: Seoul -> Tokyo. Arrival, evening walk and dinner in Ginza.
Tues 12th: Tokyo.
Morning: Ghibli Museum.
Afternoon: Asakusa, Senso-ji.
Evening: Shibuya Crossing & Shibuya Sky.
Wed 13th: BulletTrain: Tokyo -> Osaka. Check-in to hotel. Dinner.
Thur 14th: Wholeday: Osaka – Universal studios.
Fri 15th: Osaka to Hiroshima daytrip.
Sat 16th: Morning: Osaka Castle.
Afternoon Umeda Sky Building sunset.
Evening: drinks in Dotonbori.
Sun 17th: Wholeday: Himeji castle.
Mon 18th: Morning: Kyoto. Nijo Castle.
Afternoon: Nishiki Market.
Evening: Ginkaku-ji / Nanzen-ji.
Tue 19th: Morning: Kyoto. Morning: Arashiyama, bamboo grove, Tenryu-ji, bridge.
Wed 20th: Wholeday: Nara park
Thur 21st: BulletTrain: Osaka -> Tokyo
Evwning: Check-in to hotel, dinner.
Fri 22nd: Tokyo daytrip to Kawaguchiko Fuji. Bus/train to Kawaguchiko. Maple Corridor, Lake walk.
Evening: Train back to Tokyo.
Sat 23rd: Wholeday: Tokyo Disneyland.
Sun 24th: wholeday: Tokyo DisneySea.
Mon 25th: Take it easy, walk around Shinjuku and Ikebukuro, drop into cafés and check out guitar shops.
Tue 26th: Tokyo, take it easy, leave the day free to explore, check some more guitar shops.
Wed 27th: Morning: Train to Airport, Tokyo -> Seoul
We were happy with this itenary, but that was before Okinawi came on the radar. That place looks stunning, and now we're trying to crowbar it into our itenary. We're just not sure if it will reduce the quality of the overall trip trying to do this. But then again, Okinawi does look amazing, so it might be worth the hassle to rejig the itenary.
Here's how our itenary option B would look if we're to work Okinawa into it….
Itenary option B…
Mon 11th: Seoul -> Tokyo. Arrival, evening walk and dinner in Ginza.
Tues 12th: Tokyo.
Morning: Ghibli Museum.
Afternoon: Asakusa, Senso-ji.
Evening: Shibuya Crossing & Shibuya Sky.
Wed 13th: Flight: Tokyo -> Okinawa
Ferry to Tokashiki island, Aharen beach.
Thur 14th: Morning:Aharen beach. Afternoon: ferry to main island.
Evening: dinner in Naha city.
Fri 15th: Okinawa main island, roadtrip around and explore main island.
Sat 16th: Morning: Flight: Okinawa -> Osaka
Afternoon: Checkkin to hotel.
Evening: drinks in Dotonbori.
Sun 17th: Osaka to Hiroshima daytrip
Mon 18th: Morning: Osaka Castle.
Afternoon Umeda Sky Building sunset.
Evening: drinks in Dotonbori.
Tue 19th: Wholeday: Osaka – Universal studios.
Wed 20th: Morning: Kyoto. Nijo Castle.
Afternoon: Nishiki Market.
Evening: Ginkaku-ji / Nanzen-ji.
Thur 21st: Morning: Kyoto. Morning: Arashiyama, bamboo grove, Tenryu-ji, bridge.
Fri 22nd: BulletTrain: Osaka -> Tokyo. Evening: check-in to hotel, relax and rest.
Sat 23rd: Tokyo daytrip to Kawaguchiko Fuji. Bus/train to Kawaguchiko. Maple Corridor, Lake walk.
Evening: Train back to Tokyo.
Sun 24th: Wholeday: Tokyo Disneyland.
Mon 25th: wholeday: Tokyo DisneySea.
Tue 26th: Take it easy, walk around Shinjuku and Ikebukuro, drop into cafés and check out guitar shops.
Wed 27th: Morning: Train to Airport, Tokyo -> Seoul
Are we going for quantity over quality, does it seem a little ambitious to try and wedge Okinawa into an already condensed trip?
Thanks,
And sorry for the long winded post 🫠
by Previous_Ad_6594