My wife and I (40s) are travelling to Japan for the first time during the first two weeks of April 2026, so a lot of the itinerary may be standard first time spots with a focus on the cherry blossoms. We are travelling to Nagano and staying in Yamanochi to visit the snow monkeys, hot springs, and hike the mountains, and I would love any tips or hikes for that portion of the trip. Also, any advice on which temples to prioritize based on day/section in Kyoto would be great.
I did look at the JR website and it mentioned that I wouldn't need a JR Pass but could benefit from regional passes. It looked like the pass for the Shinkansen to Nagano wouldn't allow me to use it for the Osaka to Tokyo route, so I was thinking I would just book the individual train/metro tickets, unless this sub thinks getting multiple regional JR passes would make sense.
Appreciate any thoughts!
(note: a question marks indicates can do if time permitting but not prioritized, so any thoughts on those would be great)
Days 1–3: Tokyo
Day 1:
- Land at 3pm at NRT
- Take Limo Bus (reserve 3 months in advance) or train to Shinjuku Station
- Check-in to hotel (Shinjuku)
- Golden Gai and Omoide yokocho
Day 2:
- Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
- Explore Shibuya Crossing and Meiji Shrine; Harajuku’s Takeshita Street?,
- Shopping: cosme TOKYO, vintage shopping in Shimokitazawa (or "Shimokita"), MEGA Don Quijote Shibuya?
Day 3:
- TeamLab Borderless
- Imperial Palace & Gardens and Chidorigafuchi Park
Day 4-6: Nagano (Jigokudani and Chubu-Sangaku)
Day 4:
- Train Tokyo → Nagano (~2 hrs by Shinkansen)
- Rent car
- Check-in to Hotel (Yamanochi)
Day 5:
- Visit Jigokudani National Park, Matsumoto Castle?
Day 6:
- Visit Chubu-Sangaku/Kamikochi, Chubusangaku National Park (Yari-Hotaka Range)
- Nakasendo: Torii Pass, Myojin Ike Pond Loop
Days 7-9: Kyoto
Day 7:
- Return Rental Car
- Train to Kyoto (3.5-4 hours by Shinkansen)
- Check-in to Hotel (Nakagyo Ward, Kamiosakacho)
- Fushimi Inari Taisha
- Jukkoku-Bune Boat Tour
- Sanjūsangendō Temple?
- Dinner in Pontocho Alley
Day 8:
- Maruyama Park and Gion district; tea ceremony?
- Nanzenji Temple, Kodai-ji Temple and Kiyomizu‑dera Temple (Probably not all)
- Philosopher’s Path
- teamLab Biovortex?
Day 9
- Daikaku-ji, Tenryu-ji, Kinkaku-ji (Probably not all)
- Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (and monkey park?) and/or Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple, Otagi Nenbutuji?
- Shopping/Relax
- Kuramadera?
Days 10-11: Osaka
Day 10:
- Train Kyoto → Osaka
- OR train to Nara: Nara Park with deer and cherry blossoms. Todaiji Temple?
- Or train Uji and byodo-in temple?
- Check-in to hotel (Abenobashi area)
- Shopping
- Shinsekai area for dinner
Day 11:
- Osaka Castle and Park:
- Kema Sakuranomiya Park:
- Dotonbori street food (takoyaki, okonomiyaki).
- Umeda Sky Building?
Day 12-14: Tokyo
Day 12:
- Train to Tokyo
- Check-in to hotel (Minato City)
- TeamLab Planets?
- Tsukiji Outer Market
Day 13:
- Ueno Park
- Ueno Ameyoko shopping and market
- Tokyo National Museum?
- Tokyo Skytree?
- Nakamise street?
Day 14
- Head spa/massage
- Fly out at 4:30pm from HND
by MilkComfortable4749