🌸 Hello everyone,
I organized this itinerary with a lot of my own search but I would love to read your thoughts on this. I am a bit worrying about the rythm even if it's my third trip to Japan. Thank you very much for reading!
​Period: mid to late April (Hanami)
Context: 3rd trip to Japan
Transportation: Train, Bus, and Taxi where necessary
Solo travel. No suitcase only backpack
Interests: hikes and nature, historical things, taking photos, but still desire variety in the path.
Itinerary Critique: Tohoku & Tokyo (Spring 2026)
| Day | Destination | Accomm. Type | Activities & Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday | Haneda / Nikko | Guest House | Arrival at Haneda at 5 PM and transfer to Nikko. |
| Thursday | Nikko | Guest House | Temple visits and local religious festival. |
| Friday | Nikko | Guest House | Hiking Senjogahara, waterfalls, and Lake Chuzen-ji. |
| Saturday | Sendai | Business Hotel | Transfer to Sendai and city exploration. |
| Sunday | Matsushima | Business Hotel | Matsushima Bay and Shiogama-jinja Shrine. |
| Monday | Yamadera / Kakunodate | City Hotel | Morning climb at Yamadera and cherry blossoms in Kakunodate after a 2.5 hours transfer. |
| Tuesday | Tazawa / Kinpo-jinja | Traditional Ryokan | Visit Kinpo-jinja or Lake Tazawa; overnight in Nyuto onsen. |
| Wednesday | Morioka / Koiwai | Ryokan | Koiwai "Lone Cherry Tree" and chill in Morioka. |
| Thursday | Hirosaki | Business Hotel | Full day at the Hirosaki Castle Cherry Blossom Festival. |
| Friday | Takayama Inari | Business Hotel | Takayama Inari Shrine and its famous red torii path. |
| Saturday | Ashino Park / Tsuruoka | Design Hotel | Ashino Park flower tunnel; transfer to Tsuruoka. |
| Sunday | Mt. Haguro | Design Hotel | (Climbing Mt. Haguro through the ancient cedar forest. |
| Monday | Okama Zao | Ryokan | Hike to the Okama Zao volcanic crater lake. |
| Tuesday | Tokyo | City Hotel | 10 AM transfer to Tokyo and hotel check-in. |
| Wednesday | Tokyo | City Hotel | Shinjuku Gyoen park and Ikebukuro district. |
| Thursday | Tokyo | City Hotel | Jimbocho (book district) and Ginza. |
| Friday | Tokyo | City Hotel | Yanaka (Old Tokyo) and free exploration. |
| Saturday | Tokyo | City Hotel | Final shopping and departure. |
​And do you have any specific recommendations (hidden gems, food, or sights) for these specific areas?
Thanks a lot!
by EmergencyKey11