So as a foreword, the trip was planned initially anchor on 2 Band-Maid concert dates. Oct 24 in Osaka, and Nov 1 in Kawasaki. With that in mind that might make the following nonsense more understandable, or not. Also note I am traveling solo. 43 Male, Taiwanese born and I speak some rudimentary Japanese and can read some rudimentary Japanese.
For once I have enough vacation days to burn to plan a longer than 2 weeks trip, so I did the normal things, stuff probably a lot more things than I should BUT it ended up ok. Knowing the 2 tour dates it anchors some locations I need to be, it also dictates I have to be in both Kanto and Kansai. So that means I get to think about what I want to do in the 2 parts. This is not my first trip and I've been to most of the golden route areas, so I want to fill in some missing spots. Kobe and Himeji were the first to come to mind, and I also want to go see Kanazawa, so it added some more destination. And since I just got into Umamusume like a lot of western world, being in the area as Kikuka Sho happening in Kyoto means I want to go see it, so that also added one more destination. This quickly settles my Kansai schedule. Now how do I get back to Kanto though? This I decided to be adventurous, I want to do my Initial D pilgrimage of the Gunma area Touges, so I decided to rent a car from Kanazawa to drive back to Kawasaki. Stopping 2 nights in Karuizawa and Chichibu, no particular reason aside from both are between Kanazawa and Kawasaki.
After the Kawasaki show I decided I want to do the Hakone Ryokan thing but I want to be driving, and then I also want to try to do Nikko because based on my trip timing, Nikko is the only likely place in the area that will be in the "autumn foliage" mode. Connecting the 2 area I figure I should also be driving, so I decided do a 2nd car rental and I will drive from Kawasaki to Hakone, and then from Hakone to Utsunomiya from where I will do day trip to Nikko and also Motegi to visit the Honda Collection. Then return the car to Kawasaki after then return to Tokyo for 2 nights before flying out.
Now to the actual trip…
Oct 21: Arrive in Haneda. Flight arrives around 7pm. I decided to stay one night in Tokyo instead of either train or fly to Osaka immediately. Flight is cheaper but only to KIX and 11pm in KIX to the city is difficult. Shinkansen is pricier and I still need a hotel room anyway. So I opted for cheaper flight to Itami the next morning and a night in Tokyo. I had my main luggage ship to my Osaka hotel with Yamato transport. I can't recommend doing this enough.
Oct 22: Flight to Osaka Itami. Got there around noon. I have my hotel right on the Midosuji line so its not hard to get to. Got there too early to check in but I had my backpack stored there and then went about my day. Went to do some early shopping and then to see the Umeda Sky building for the night view. Highly recommended. To note, all my Kansai dates were based in staying in Osaka, taking daytrips out to different cities.
Oct 23: Daytrip to Kobe. Went to see the Herb Garden, the Ijinkan area, China town, and Merikan Park. That week happened to be the whole week of night firework display to stuck around to see the firework. Then went to to a Teppanyaki booking done byFood. Restaurant was great and I think the price was reasonable. Meet a cool local and had great convo during dinner as well. Fun day. Lots of walking though.
Oct 24: Concert day, but I took the morning to go see Katsuo-ji. Touristy/Instagram-y location with the daruma thing but its a pretty cool location. If its actually fall I think the color will pop quite well here. Cool way to spend the morning. Afternoon went to hangout with the concert group. Its in Namba Hatch, near Doutonbori.
Oct 25: Day trip to Himeji mainly for the castle and then the garden next door. Non-reserve seat Shinkansen ticket from Smart EX app. Easy enough. Ate in the nearby shotengai. Walked around Osaka in Doutonbori at night( was raining pretty hard).
Oct 26: Went to Kyoto Racecourse to see the Kikuka Sho, G1 Horse race. This was a cool experience. Ticket at the gate was 500 yen. They had 12 races on the card. Main event is around 3-4pm. You have lots to see at the track through the day and there is food court at the track. I didn't do gambling but I did quite a bit of photography. Went to Pontocho in the evening for dinner and did some street photography in Gion after dinner. Note before I left for Kyoto I had my luggage forwarded to my Kanazawa hotel, so it will show up the same time I show up.
Oct 27: Train to Kanazawa. JR Thunderbird from Osaka to Tsuruga, then Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tsuruga to Kanazawa. Didn't buy ticket in advance, just got them at the station with reserved seats. No issue. Got to Kanazawa around noon. Stayed near the train station, bought the Bus Day Pass for the next day. Walked to Nagamachi and Nishichaya area. And then got rained on. Had some yakotori for dinner.
Oct 28: Visited Omicho Market, Kanazawa Castle, Kenroku-en, Higashi Chaya. Unpopular opinion maybe, but I somehow prefer Tsukiji to Omicho. Feels like they cost fairly similarly and maybe I prefer what I ate in Tsukiji. The castle is very cool especially watched the video of how they restored the place. Kenroku-en will be amazing in fall color or cherry blossom season. When I went it is still a nice garden, but not as much to see I think. Higashi Chaya is kinda tourist trappy but its nice. Bus pass? 800 yen is nothing, but I almost didn't use it at all, I walked almost the whole place.
Oct 29: Picked up rental car. The end point today is Karuizawa, followed this route:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/xJ78N5xQjBj2TCkJ7
Went to see Hida no Sato and just did the stop and took photo of Matsumoto Castle. Car driving in country side is slow. But roads are amazing. Had an amazing Uni-cream pasta for dinner.
Oct 30: Did my Initial D pilgrimage route:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/1iSjPVr1Vzj8UEKp9
Ended up in Chichibu. Stayed in Hotel Miyama, something I found on Trip.com. Don't recommend. I doubt you'll end up here without driving. But its pretty old and not in great shape.
Oct 31: Drive to Kawasaki. Stopped through another Initial D route in Shomaru Pass, its actually closed halfway through. Still kinda neat. Then went to stop by Tokyo Racecourse in Chofu, another horse racing track. Went to visit the museum there. If you are interested, pretty cool place. Returned rental car in Kawasaki. Stay near the station. Rained epically in the evening so after hitting up an izakaya on Nakamise-dori(not the one in Asakusa) I just holed up at the hotel….
Nov 1: Concert day, went around some of the stores near the station and then went to hangout with the concert group. The show is at Club Citta.
General comment, the area around the station here is quite lively all day. Lots of food, stores, and also maybe more adult oriented entertainment from the looks of it if that is your thing.
Nov 2: Picked up rental car #2. First drove to Daikoku Parking Area to see their Sunday morning meet. If you are a car person, a must visit. Really cool place. Then head for Hakone Turnpike. This is a long weekend so lots of local traffic as well as tourists. Then went to see Mishima Skywalk(very cool view of Mt Fuji here). Checked out the Ashinoko Skyline too. Checked into the ryokan(https://maps.app.goo.gl/GbkB4mU8VQtcZRmW8, found on hotel.com, this place is great).
Nov 3: Drove to visited the peace torii, Open air museum, a couple knowing Fuji spots:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/2NGHbBcP3CDjQvsG7
Didn't follow that exactly as it turned out but I think I did hit all the spots.
Nov 4: Drove to Motegi Mobility Resort to see Honda Collection then checked into a car hotel in Utsunomiya. For car person again, the Honda collection was great. The location is cool to being at the Motegi Speedway.
Nov 5: Day trip to Nikko> Drove to Lake Chuzenji visited the sights around the lake. Unfortunately this part was kinda disappointing. Its an overcast day and also I think timing for the autumn foliage was late for me. The leaves are more on the brown side at this point and it was just not popping. Afterward I went to see the Imperial Villa and then Rinnoji and Shinkyo Bridge.
Nov 6: Started by going to see Oya History museum(https://maps.app.goo.gl/x2FFm5SAKkeuTRTH6) Its a rock quarry that's been mined for centuries, used in a lot of Japanese movies and music videos. Really cool sight. Highly recommended for a stop. Then I drove back toward Kawasaki to return the rental. Stopped by the Tokyo hotel first to drop off my luggage. Saves travelling on the subway with luggage…
Nov 7: Shopping around Ikebukuro and then hanging around Shibuya to visit the Lost bar.
Nov 8: Flyout day, hit up the Azabudai Hills Mori building to see the 34th floor cafe view of the Tokyo Tower, then went to Ochanomizu station to try to do the 3 subway crossing photo(got 2 instead). Wandered over to Akihabara for a few hours and then to Marunouchi for some golden hour photos then head to the airport.
This trip was planned for a while. It was a lot, pretty hectic with lots of 2 nights stop. Not great for packing/unpacking. I lived mainly out of the backpack with 3 days worth of kit and leave the main luggage packed and untouched every other stop. I did not travel on public transit with my luggage at all. It was either forwarded or by my rental car. It costs extra money but I find it worthwhile. Driving is a new experience for me in Japan. I was encouraged because I spent a month in New Zealand last year that I feel like I can get used to driving on the different side and it was fine. Roads are pretty cool but Google can take you through some odd route if you forgot to turn "no toll" option off. Tolls are expensive, more than gas. Though I think a lot of spots I went to would've been hard without a car. So if you feel up to it, its a cool experience.
by racingmaniacgt1