JJapan Trips

Itinerary and trip advices

  • October 29, 2025

Hi, yesterday we bought our plane tickets to Japan, now i have some questions about it. There is 7 of us going together. We are going from 12.-28. of May 2026 from Vienna.

Itinerary is following:
13.5. arriving to Osaka – Shitenno-ji, Sumiyoshi taisha
14.5. Osaka – Universal studios, Dotonbori in the evening
15.5. Osaka – Osaka aqurium in the morning, Osaka Castle and Umeda sky
16.5. Osaka – Not sure? Thinking about Himedji and Kobe, but idk
17.5. Osaka -> Nara -> Kyoto – half day at Nara
18.5. Kyoto – In the morning Arashiyama bamboo and monkeys, then tea or samurai ritual
19.5. Kyoto – Fushini inari taisha, kiyomizu dera, Ninenzaka
20.5. Kyoto -> Kanazawa – stroll around Kanazawa, Nagamachi
21.5. Kanazawa – Omicho market, Geisha district, Konrokuen, Trip to the seaside
22.5. Kanazawa -> Tokyo – Probably living in Asakusa, so stroll around, Senso ji
23.5. Tokyo – Samurai museum, Shibuya and shibuya sky, shinjuku gyoen
24.5. Tokyo – Sumo tournament, Ueno zoo? kamakura?
25.5. Tokyo -> Kawaguchiko – Arakurayama sengen park, stroll around lake, maybe some museum
26.5. Kawaguchiko -> Tokyo or Narita??
27.5. Tokyo or Narita, there si my first problem ??
28.5. Going home

So, my questins are:

  1. ⁠Is it better to go back to Tokyo from Kawaguchiko, or to Narita town? Also, we will by then have our luggages full of suvenirs, so what can we do with them? I don’t want to drag them to Kawaguchiko and back.
  2. ⁠I already have booked accomodation through booking to Osaka, Kyoto, Kanazawa and Kawaguchiko, but i still dont know where to stay in Tokyo. Is it better in Asakusa or in the modern center? Where is the train connection better?
  3. ⁠Where should i buy shinkansen tickets? I don’t know any website yet. Also when is the right time to buy them? Also where to buy tickets to Kawaguchiko?
  4. ⁠What are the must see things? Not only tourist “traps”, but also some hidden gems.
  5. Is it managable? Are there some gaps just to rest and enjoy? I guess Kanazawa will be for resting, also Kawaguchiko

If you have any other reccomendations, i will apriciate them.

by mamani_malema01