Here’s my long-overdue assortment of notes & tips from a family trip last year. Unfortunately some of it is already too late for the 2025 season, but we did a few things that I hadn’t seen extensive coverage on, so I hope to add some new information to the conversation for future travellers.

This part covers up to Setouchi; I had to split the posts as I exceeded the character limit!

Itinerary

This trip was rather meticulously planned to hit a number of different attractions and interests while alternating nature with city. Notable date constraints included:

• ≤15 November: Kamikōchi
• ≤20 November: Fujikawaguchiko Autumn Leaves Festival (more on this later)
• 23 November: Nagano Ebisukō Fireworks Festival
• ≤30 November: Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
• 2–3 December: Chichibu Night Festival
• ≥30 November: Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu

We went for more boutique accommodation over large hotel chains, so I largely booked these months in advance to account for limited availability. The itinerary itself was largely settled a month in advance. I have notes of everything we ended up skipping on the day, and you'll see we were able to hold to most of it.

We likely missed out on some spontaneity from the structured itinerary, but we also got to experience plenty of things that would have been stressful or plain unfeasible to organise at the last minute. Swings and roundabouts.

Note that there were no provisions for jet lag as we flew in from the same time zone, and it wasn’t our first time in Japan, so we skipped some places we had already visited. We had a group of 4; it’ll be a lot easier to freewheel a solo or duo trip.

One oversight was that I didn’t go out of my way to account for bad weather. We saw rain on 4–5 days but were lucky that it didn’t disrupt our plans. The biggest risks going in were:

• Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, which may not run through to Tōyama depending on the weather. Our backup plan was to take the Hokuriku Shinkansen and dawdle around Tōyama, Kanazawa, or Kyōto.
• Shimanami Kaidō, where we were lucky to have clear skies on both days. If I were to do this over, I’d try to include an additional buffer day just in case.

Takayama

14–17 November

Airport → Takayama

• Chūbu Centrair is a convenient gateway to the alpine region via the Meitetsu Airport Line & Takayama Main Line. I was initially worried about timing the infrequent connection to Takayama (1–2 hour interval between services), but we were through immigration, baggage reclaim, and customs in under 30 minutes, such that I could bring forward our μSKY reservation.
• Grand Kiosk (now seemingly PLUSTA) has a decent bento selection at in Nagoya Station.
• I found the Hida limited express to be good, but not great. This was likely a combination of unrealistic expectations and suboptimal conditions (overcast weather approaching sunset). The HC85 series now comprise the rolling stock rather than the vaunted Wide Views, and as the sun dimmed, the overhead lights throughout the carriages turned half of the view out the windows into a reflection.
• The Hida limited express changes directions at Gifu Station, so keep that in mind if you’re planning to reserve a specific carriage or side. Reserving the last carriage at Nagoya Station will have you seeing out of the rear up until Gifu Station, then the front from that point onward.

Takayama

• The prototypical overtourism experience is heavily localised to specific streets, notably around Sanmachi-suji and Miyagawa Morning Market, though you can somewhat beat the crowds if you’re staying nearby and head out early. At night, this gives way to a serene calm along the river.
• Restaurants generally took reservations. I had no problem emailing Kyōya for a table a month in advance, but many steakhouses were fully booked a couple weeks out and we saw groups turned away at the door.
• You can scrounge together a decent spread between the grocer and street food around town. The grocer also sold amazake, which I saw surprisingly little of elsewhere on our trip.
• Kyōya is a touristy spot, but retains a homely vibe with a friendly kitchen and front of house. There’s Hoba miso amongst an extensive menu, and we now regret not buying more of these condiments around town.
• Butchers was our stop for Hida beef because they had other options for the fusspots, like chicken and Spanish catalan coca. There was a stark difference between rump and fillet on my tasting platter, but I wasn’t blown away. That could just be my preference for the beefier steaks I’m used to in Australia though.
• The crowds around Sanmachi-suji seemed to avoid Kissako Katsute for some reason, so we were seated instantly for some warabimochi and matcha. We also dropped by Onoya Brewery to sample their miso paste and soup, and brought back some miso paste and aged soy sauce.
• I popped in to the Takayama tourist information centre and found out they were running a couple stamp rallies. It was a good excuse to explore around, and involved a stop at Hie Shrine with vivid autumn colours in the adjacent park. Our time across Gifu & Nagano directly contradicted some sentiment I had seen online that the alpine region would be dead and barren by November.

Kamikōchi

• Kamikōchi is open until 15 November; it’s significantly more difficult to enter in winter as the regular bus routes and facilities will be closed.
• I drove by Hirayu Onsen, but there were signposts directing cars to Akandana Parking Lot. When we arrived, the staff informed us that taxis were not running on the day, so the only choice was a bus. We were just in time for the next departure, and took a scenic 30-minute ride to K-30 Kamikōchi.
• The closing ceremony started with a procession at the base of Kappa Bridge, then a longer section of officials being introduced and giving speeches. Afterward, they handed out sacred sake on the bridge. If you have limited time, the nature is undoubtedly the bigger draw. The area is breathtaking and looks just like the photos. If I have a chance to return, I’d love to hike around here for a couple days.
• There’s lots of merchandise available at the Gosenjaku Hotel, along with wasabi croquettes and oyaki.

Rail Mountain Bike Gattan Go

• We chose this over Shinhotaka Ropeway in our itinerary as we were already planning on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route later on. I’m pleased with the choice as it was a change of pace and a lot of fun.
• We went with the regular town course over the canyon course as it has more group options, later time slots, and was marketed as beginner-friendly. I was worried it would be pedestrian in comparison, but it still wowed with tunnel sections and picturesque views. The return leg follows the same route in reverse and is slightly more difficult with an incline.

Shirakawa-gō

• We decided to check out the most famous of the Gassho-zukuri villages if we could get there early enough. It was a calm and scenic 50-minute drive in the morning, and we arrived around 8:10am, alongside the first public bus. Parking was well signed and attendants were already present to direct traffic.
• Wandering through the village and up to the Ogimachi Castle Observation Deck was pleasant, starting out foggy but clearing up as the morning went by. Approaching 10am, more cafes and shops began to open and the town was starting to fill out. Pudding House was unfortunately closed on the day, and Kyoshu already had a queue when we passed by.
• By the time we left around 10:40am, there was a substantial jam leading in to the car park. I’m curious how the bus schedule copes with this!

Nakasendō

• We decided to do the Magome-juku → Tsumago-juku trail over a briefer visit to Narai-juku on the day given the weather was pleasant (~20°C).
• Magome-juku was packed; a lot of tourists seem to drop by on coach. There were a tonne of souvenirs shops to explore and we had to pry ourselves away to complete the trail before sunset. We picked up some oyaki and rice crackers for the journey.
• There weren’t many others on the trail once we got going, perhaps because we departed a little late. The hour-long uphill section leading up to Magome Pass was more than enough to break a sweat, and we ordered some shaved ice before descending. Phone reception was spotty at times.
• It’s a varied trail complemented by autumn colours and sweeping landscapes. It cuts across roads, but this is a non-issue: crossings are well-signed, and there are generous footpaths for longer stretches that continue alongside the road. Unfortunately, we were a little too late for Tateba Tea House, and most of Tsumago-juku was closing when we arrived.
• At the risk of being labelled a contrarian, I felt it did not live up to the excessive hype. I can see it working well if you dedicate more time to take in the area and work through the post towns, but it didn’t stand out as a short stop in our itinerary. That said, I do live near a rainforest with hiking trails, so it may be a matter of perspective.

Skipped

• Hida Furukawa: while this town felt tantalisingly close to Takayama, the train only runs every hour or so, and we didn’t end up working it into our schedule on the day.
• Takayama museums: we didn’t find time for the festival floats exhibition hall nor the retro museums.

Lake Kawaguchi

17–20 November

Mt Fuji viewing

• We had three nights on the north shore overlooking Lake Kawaguchi to increase our chances of a clear view of Mt Fuji. If you can’t spare several days, consider keeping an open itinerary around Tōkyō and heading down on a day with a promising visibility forecast.
• Some anecdotal data points:
  • 17 Nov: no view, arrived after dark.
  • 18 Nov: brief view before 7:00am quickly obscured by clouds, re-emerging again in the evening.
  • 19 Nov: clear view from 5:45am, with cloud cover seeping in later in the day.
  • 20 Nov: no view, terribly overcast and rainy.
• With warmer autumns these years, you can expect a small snow cap around this time. I’d love to be back some day when it’s deeper into winter.
• Chūreitō Pagoda is ever-crowded, but the view completely justifies it. I wouldn’t drive all the way up to the closest parking lot as the traffic slows to a standstill—you’re likely better off parking further away and covering the rest on foot.
• Oishi Park was slightly underwhelming without a clear Mt Fuji view. There’s a bustling gift shop in the area, and the extra-creamy Cremia soft serve is worth a try.

Fuji Five Lakes surrounds

• We mostly just relaxed at our accommodation, stepping out to nearby attractions when we were feeling up to it. The area is really beautiful and there’s a lot you can cover by car.
• I somehow overlooked how famous Oshino Hakkai was. When we turned up around midday, it was chock-a-block and somewhat lacking the charm I thought it would have. There was a tap where you can fill up your bottle with spring water, and food stalls and souvenir shops abound. We picked up mugwort buns, shingen mochi, and pudding.
• While Peter Rabbit English Garden was well past flower season and they were busy cultivating the fields, it was still pleasant to walk around. Entry is free this time of year and it was almost entirely empty. The gift shop had an extensive range of goods.
• Kōan Central Lodge still carried a good amount of Yuru Camp merch.
• We timed our trip toward the end of the Fujikawaguchiko Autumn Leaves Festival. The Maple Corridor Illumination was very popular and very disappointing, with a prominent stretch still green. While the festival dates have been thankfully pushed back in 2025, they are set too far in advance, and I recommend basing your visit on detailed foliage forecasts instead. For what it’s worth, we found superior foliage in our travels around Takayama & Nagano. There are paid parking options nearby if you’re arriving by car.
• We dropped by Kinseiken Daigahara on the way up to Nagano for their shingen mochi. The shopfront was quiet, and it’s worth a reminder that the famous mizu variety (raindrop cake) is only available in the summer.

Skipped

• Lake Yamanaka: we were mulling the cycling road as a warmup for the Shimanami Kaidō, but opted to take it easy instead.
• Lake Kawaguchi sightseeing: we didn’t end up on Appare or Mt Fuji Panoramic Ropeway as we were satisfied with the view from our accommodation.

Nagano

20–24 November

Nagano

• While Matsumoto is seen by some as the more lively city, I really liked Nagano. It’s a versatile travel hub with its rail connections and proximity to the Snow Monkey Park and Togakushi Shrine.
• The ramen and tsukemen with stone-milled wheat noodles at Ramen Misoya were hugely satisfying and well worth the wait. Wok-fried vegetables added some flourish to the dishes.
• I was predisposed to love Tsumugi Soba Kaiseki as a buckwheat sicko, but if you’re seeking out a unique dining experience in Japan, I’d choose something like this or a ryokan in a heartbeat over yet another sushi omakase. The hosts were wonderful and even held a matcha preparation for us at the end.
• Nagano is big on apples. We saw plenty of appropriately themed omiyage, and I rate the apple pies from Ringonoki. It was also just past chestnut season in the nearby Obuse, and its Highway Oasis is worth a pitstop if you’re driving. We picked up some chestnut rice and yokan.
• Zenkō-ji was swarming with visitors, though I’m unsure to what degree this was exacerbated by the fireworks festival. There are a tonne of spice mixes—and the option to create your own—at Yawataya Isogorō Main Store on the omotesandō.

Daiō Wasabi Farm

• There are walking trails across and around the fields lined with maple trees. You can easily lose a few hours here.
• The rice & soba meals at Daioan come with a full assortment of raw wasabi, picked wasabi, wasabi stems, and other condiments. There are also some stalls for quick bites, but we found the wasabi croquettes and wasabi ice cream to be dissatisfyingly mild.
• The shops are well stocked with everything from long-life wasabi powder, shichimi, langue de chat, to lip balm.

Snow Monkey Park

• While you’ll have to make your own judgment on the ethics of any animal-related attraction, I didn’t spot anything untoward from the park rangers myself, and the crowd seemed to be entirely respectful of the monkeys even when they walked right in front of folks.
• There are real-time updates of the monkeys’ whereabouts on Twitter, and a live cam on their website. The monkeys skip the viewing areas on some days during mating season, but we were lucky enough to catch a whole bunch of them and their feeding time. We left our schedule open to head up on either of two days.
• The paid parking is closer than the free parking, though keep in mind it’s closed for the winter from ~23 November. The drive may feel slightly precarious with its single-lane sections, but it was relatively quiet at the time so we didn’t have to back up to let other cars past, and it was perfectly doable in a minivan, let alone a smaller car.
• There was no snow on the day we visited. It may still be possible to see some around this time as snowfall was forecast for the following day.

Joyful train trip

• I planned a day trip around the region with sightseeing at Matsumoto and Lake Suwa, bookended by scenic train rides. Nagano & Toyama are goldmines for scenic trains. I looked into different options but many others were a lot more expensive, harder to chain together into a day trip, and/or booked out. These included the Oykot, Rokumon, The Story of 13000 Feet, and Belles Montagnes et Mer. I believe the Kurobe Gorge Railway was also under repairs at the time.
• Resort View Furusato stops over at Obasute. The viewing platform for the rice terraces is right by the exit, so you don’t need to stress about the train leaving without you.
• Matsumoto Castle was worth the visit, but shorter than expected. The stairs up the six floors are fairly steep and narrow, and a nice breeze greeted us at the top. Matsumoto Karaage Center had horigotatsu seating and some delicious sanzoku-yaki (fried chicken).
• The quaint foot bath on the platform at Kami-Suwa Station was unoccupied when we arrived. We didn’t anticipate the steep hike from the station and had to hurry a little to catch the panoramic view at Tateishi Park around dusk. Google Maps pegs it at 28 minutes, but I reckon it would be more comfortably done at a slower pace in around 45.
• We had window-facing seats on the High Rail Hoshizora, though there wasn’t much of a view given how late the service runs. It was overcast on the day, so instead of stargazing at Nobeyama, we were packed into the gallery space on the train with its ceiling “planetarium”. It was a supremely strange but memorable, perhaps even endearing experience. Advance reservations are accepted for bento served on the train. It comes in cute packaging that I kept as a souvenir.

Nagano Ebisukō Fireworks Festival

• Most accommodation near Nagano Station appeared to be booked out when I looked in May(!), though I was fortunate to find that Châteraisé Hotel started accepting reservations later on 1 June. It was recently renovated, and despite mixed reviews online, we were impressed by the furnishings, rooms, and service.
• With sparse coverage of the festival in western spheres, I didn’t exactly know what to expect. I noticed there was an option for paid viewing seats, and the host of our previous accommodation was willing to help us to reserve a ticket.
• On the night, there were some food stalls set up along the way, but nothing that we found overly attractive compared to the restaurants around Nagano Station. We saw significant crowds and police directing traffic away from the reserved seating areas, though they ushered us through once we showed them our ticket.
• The group seating consists of numbered 1.8m² areas on the sloped embankment of the Sai river. The ticket corresponds to a specific area, and you can bring your own picnic rugs, but nothing that would block the view of your neighbours. As I’m not overly tall, I was able to lie flat for an astonishing panoramic view of fireworks. It was pricey, but also the best fireworks show I’d ever experienced.
• The crowd control seemed out of this world. With the show over, we almost couldn’t tell that it was a festival night as we walked back via some smaller streets. We passed through Nagano Station and sought out a local takoyaki stand, and only upon returning did we notice the station abuzz with foot traffic, though even then it was incredibly orderly.

Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

• Keep an eye out for operational updates on the website and/or Twitter, as there can be delays to or closure of the connection between Murodō and Tateyama due to weather. Our backup plan was to take the Hokuriku Shinkansen and either kill some time around Tōyama or Kanazawa, or simply arrive in Kyōto early.
• There’s an express bus from Nagano Station to Ōgizawa. While I booked our tickets online, seats aren’t reserved. Out of an abundance of caution, we arrived at 8:30am for the 9:00am bus, but we were first in line with a queue later forming slowly behind us.
• Save a copy of the timetable so you know which connections you need to make and how long you can spend at each stop. We departed Ōgizawa at 11:00am, and to complete the route in a day, later departed Murodō at 3:30pm to make the final connection for Tateyama Station. We whizzed through the stops other than Kurobe Dam and Murodō; you may wish to start earlier to fully appreciate each stop and transport mode. I even forgot to take a photo of the trolleybus!
• There was clear signage the whole way through. Kurobe Dam is wonderful, though the top observation deck was closed due to weather on the day. Murodō is your stop for dining options, and I also spotted a limited-time Wolf Children panel exhibition at the terminal.
• To head from Tōyama onward to Kyōto, we had to change from the Dentetsu station to the main JR station via the main entrance and not the transfer gate. While some have bemoaned the termination of the Hokuriku Shinkansen at Tsuruga, I found the transfer to be efficient. We were onboard the Thunderbird in 6 minutes without rushing, making an 8-minute connection.

Skipped

• Nishinomiya Shrine: there are Shinto proceedings ahead of the fireworks display from 18 to 20 November, but we opted to spend more time at Daiō Wasabi Farm instead.
• Togakushi Shrine & Soba Festival: I didn’t rush to squeeze these in, given each day here was already filled with walking.

Kyōto

24–28 November

Kyōto

• I’m not sure whether Saryo Tesshin is a whole ordeal now that it’s received its Michelin flowers, but booking was straightforward last year, and it delivered on ambience and flavour. The daigo soba was fantastic and the restaurant got us hooked on sobacha.
• Around lunchtime, there was a long line at Demachi Futaba that stretched to the next street over. I picked up some mame mochi, kuri mochi, cinnamon and matcha dango, and sekihan (red bean rice) with chestnuts. We took the mochi and some other eats to the Kamogawa Delta riverbank for a picnic. It was a really nice spot to relax and people-watch.
• While we tried to avoid the crowds for the most part, Ninen-zaka in Gion was packed, as was Nanzen-ji, despite a lack of autumn colours.
• We booked the two tea & sweets seats along with two adjacent regular seats at Gion Corner. These are reasonably forward and had a reasonable view of the stage. We didn’t receive iPads, but could follow the paper program guide in English. They served matcha with wasanbon, and while hardly a replacement for a private tea ceremony, you don’t have to worry about being part of the performance as attention isn’t drawn to you. I agree with approaching it as a educational display rather than a spectacle, though the kyōgen comedy in particular is easy to understand.
• We had takeout from Gyōza-dokoro Sukemasa a couple nights in a row as we were staying nearby. Service is quick later in the night.
• Toei Studio Park felt rather lousy, but was nonetheless an opportunity to pay (a little too much) to dress up and walk around an Edo period set without much of a crowd.
• I was hoping to catch the Sagano Scenic Railway but it sold out before I had the chance to book. Tickets went on sale 30 days in advance, though I’m unsure of the exact time.
• If you’re taking the Shinkansen through this region and have a passing interest in anime or Japanese artists, check out the in-car Oshi Tabi promotions to see if you can redeem keepsakes at a convenient location. I received commemorative train tickets and an audio CD, with other common trinkets including postcards, clear files, and keychains.

Universal Studios Japan

• Pick a weekday if you can. Per the past crowd calendar, we ended up with light crowds (B).
• Keep an eye out for seasonal events, with Christmas theming usually kicking off in mid-November.
• Express passes granted us timed entry to the Nintendo & Harry Potter areas, and dramatically cut down queue times on the rides we went to. Reservations for different entry time and ride bundles opened two months in advance, with popular variants seeming to sell out within hours despite the steep price tag.
• I’m not overly attached to Nintendo, but even so, Super Nintendo World may have been the first time that a theme park really clicked with me. It looks otherworldly.
• We had overcast weather in the morning, but it started to rain in the afternoon. While still enjoyable, it was harder to explore while juggling umbrellas, and it meant shops were packed, though never disorderly. The Harry Potter area was atmospheric in the rain.
• We went to a sit-down restaurant at 3pm and were seated without queueing. They are decent for a bite, but are mostly about the novelty factor of their themed menus.

Ōgaki

• I detoured for a couple hours to visit the setting of A Silent Voice. Lined with tranquil canals, I found Ōgaki to be a nice break from the bustle of bigger cities.
• The area—including its bridge and water garden—was not touristed at all on an early weekday morning. You won’t see promotional material scattered around anymore, outside of brochures and standees at the sightseeing information centre.

Uji

• Apart from some real hot spots like Nakamura Tokichi Honten and Byōdo-in Omotesandō, it’s pleasant walking along the historic bridge and riverside. Uji Shrine is home to the “looking back” rabbit, across the river from the grandiose Byōdo-in.
• The oldest teahouse on record, Tsūen, was curiously not overwhelmed. I walked up and was seated in under 10 minutes for nishin cha-soba, matcha zenzai, and matcha dango. I came away with some gyokuro and sencha afterward, and wish I had gotten more!
• There was a lot of Kyōto Animation around town, between various Tobadashi-bōya, a Euphonium x Keihan Railway promotion, and their general Uji campaign. Seeing Look Back in cinemas before the trip made the Kyōto Animation memorial ever more sobering, and its surrounds were peaceful and contemplative.
• The path up to the Mt Daikichi observation deck is a decent hike. Unfortunately I couldn’t stick around for the actual sunset, but there were several folks already there and still more heading up as I descended.
• The Nintendo Museum had been barely open for a month at the time of our trip, and we were unfortunately unsuccessful in the ticket draw.

Skipped

• Osaka: we had a backup plan to explore the city if we were done with Universal Studios early, but that didn’t happen.