Hey all,
Me, my wife and a couple (bestman and bestwoman at our wedding) are going to Japan for the first time in May and I got the mission to make it the best trip possible. I would be really happy to have your opinion in this and perhaps some tips. I believe some days are a little rushed on the plan, but mostly I feel like I left time to explore freely, especially at afternoons and nights.
Before we go into the itinerary, here's a few things to keep in mind:
1) We're more of the Temple and Nature vibe than the Buildings and Lights kind of people.
2) Both my wife and my bestman's family are from Japan, so we got Tottori and Iwasehama in the plans because of that.
3) My wife is a big Ghibli fan, so I'll try my best to make the reservations for the Park and the Museum. I know it's hard and might need a plan B. For the Park it would probably be Omihachiman day trip and for the museum I have no clue.
4) Tokyo is a big question mark for me, I honestly few overwhelmed here. Help.
5) This is after Golden Week, so we're hoping to avoid big crowds a little. Unlikely, but a man can hope.
So here it is, the plans so far, separated by days:
1) Arrive at Nihon, Takkyubin to Nagoya, Go to Hakone, Rest at onsen hotel
2) Explore Hakone, Lake Ashi, Hakone Jinja Heiwa-no-Tori, Hakone Temple, Hakone Mototsumiya Shrine, Go to Nagoya
3) Go to Inuyama Castle, Urakuen for some tea, Come back to Nagoya, Kinshachi Yokocho, Nagoya Castle (if there's time)
4) Takkyubin to Kyoto, Ghibli Park
5) Gifu Castle, Squirrel Feeding while we're at it, Shobo-ji, Inaba Shrine, Go to Kyoto
6) Kiyomizu-dera very early, Tenjuan, Nanzenin Garden, Nanzen-ji, Old Mitsu Family Shimogamo Villa for some tea, Pontocho Alley
7) Arashiyama Bamboo Forest very early, Okochi Sanso Garden, Jojakkoji Temple and Observatory, Cafe Hassui for brunch, Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama, Matsunoo-taisha Shrine, Maruyama Park at night
8) Kurama + Kibune day, walking the path from Kurama to Kibune with shrines on the way, Takkyubin to Osaka when we get back to the hotel
9) Inari-taisha very early, Rest in an onsen hotel in Takao
10) Nara day with Nara Park, the temples and shrines within and Wakakusayama Hill, go to South of Nara
11) South of Nara for Hase-dera and Tsubosaka-dera, go to Osaka, Dotombori
12) Minoh Park and Minoh Falls, Osaka Castle Park (if there is time), Takkyubin to Kanazawa
13) Himeji Castle early morning, go to Tottori (this is my bestman's family town), see the dunes
14) Go to Ine Funaya, rest at onsen hotel at Amanohashidate
15) Take the Tango Railway heading east, keep going to Kanazawa, Higashi Chaya when we get there for some tea
16) Takkyubin to Tokyo, Kanazawa Castle, Kenroku-en, tea at Gyokusen-inmaru Garden, Kanasawa 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Myouryuji (if we get the reservation), Nishi Chaya District for more tea
17) Toyama + Iwasehama day (my wife's obaachan's town), Tokyo by night
18) Shopping day at Ginza
19) Ghibli Musem, Harmonica Yokocho, Kichijoji Petit Mura + ?
20) Tsukiji Market early, teamLab Borderless + ?
21) ?
22) Spa day + Airport at night
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