Hi everyone! First off, thanks to this community, I posted a while back asking for general advice on a Japan honeymoon itinerary and got incredibly helpful feedback that made us rethink our entire plan. This is the updated version and we'd love your eyes on it before we start booking.
Trip overview
- Who: Couple, late 20s/early 30s, on our honeymoon
- When: May 22 – June 4, 2026 (12 nights)
- First time in Japan for both of us
- Leaving to: Flying KIX → DPS (Bali) on June 4 PM — continuing honeymoon in Indonesia
- Budget: Mid to high range. Willing to splurge on ryokan and one omakase dinner
What we changed from our original plan (and why)
Our first draft had a roadtrip through the Japanese Alps (Hakone → Kanazawa → Shirakawa-go → Takayama → Kyoto) which looked amazing but meant 3 consecutive days of 4-5 hour transfers with luggage. We also had Kawaguchiko for Mt. Fuji. After feedback and more research, we stripped it down to 4 cities with day trips for variety. Much more relaxed.
The itinerary
Tokyo – 4 nights (May 22-25)
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| May 22 (Thu) | Arrive NRT 9:30am. Easy first day — Shinjuku, Shibuya area, first ramen dinner |
| May 23 (Fri) | Asakusa (Senso-ji early), Akihabara, TeamLab Planets. Izakaya night |
| May 24 (Sat) | Kamakura day trip — Great Buddha, Hase-dera, Komachi-dori, maybe the beach. Train back late afternoon |
| May 25 (Sun) | Tsukiji outer market, Meiji Jingu, Harajuku, Omotesando. Omakase sushi dinner (splurge night) |
Hakone – 1 night (May 26)
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| May 26 (Mon) | Romancecar from Shinjuku (~1.5h). Lake Ashi, pirate ship, Hakone Shrine, peace torii. Check into ryokan, onsen, kaiseki dinner |
We considered 2 nights here but decided to keep it at 1 to have more time in Kyoto. We'll do Owakudani in the morning before heading to Kyoto on the 27th.
Kyoto – 5 nights (May 27 – June 1)
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| May 27 (Tue) | Owakudani AM, then shinkansen Odawara → Kyoto (~3h). Arrive ~1pm. Explore Gion in the evening, Pontocho for dinner |
| May 28 (Wed) | Fushimi Inari (early to beat crowds), Kiyomizu-dera, Higashiyama, Sannenzaka |
| May 29 (Thu) | Arashiyama: bamboo grove (early), Tenryu-ji, monkey park. PM: Nishiki Market |
| May 30 (Fri) | Nara day trip — deer park, Todai-ji, Kasuga Taisha. Back to Kyoto for a chill evening |
| May 31 (Sat) | Free day. Considering: Kinkaku-ji + Ryoan-ji, or Kurama/Kibune (onsen village in the forest, 30min by train), or Uji (matcha + Byodo-in), or just wander Gion and do a tea ceremony. Open to suggestions! |
Osaka – 2 nights (June 1-3)
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| Jun 1 (Sun) | Train to Osaka (~15min). Osaka Castle AM. Dotonbori at night — street food crawl (takoyaki, okonomiyaki, gyoza) |
| Jun 2 (Mon) | Hiroshima + Miyajima day trip (shinkansen ~1h20). Miyajima AM (floating torii, deer, oysters), Peace Memorial PM. Back to Osaka by ~8:30pm. Weather dependent — if it rains, we'll do a full day in Osaka instead (Kuromon Market, Shinsekai, more Dotonbori) |
| Jun 3 (Tue) | Flex day. If we didn't do Hiroshima yesterday, we go today. If we did, this is a free morning in Osaka before our PM flight to Bali |
Jun 4 (Wed): Morning free in Osaka → train to KIX → PM flight to Bali
Specific questions
- Hakone in 1 night: Is it enough to get the ryokan/onsen experience + see the main highlights? We're planning to do Lake Ashi + shrine in the afternoon, onsen/dinner at the ryokan, then Owakudani the next morning before heading to Kyoto. Too rushed?
- Kyoto free day (May 31): What would you prioritize — Kurama/Kibune, Uji, or Kinkaku-ji area? We love nature and unique experiences. Kurama/Kibune looks amazing but wondering if it's worth a half-day in late May.
- Kamakura vs. Nikko: We went with Kamakura because it's shorter (~1h vs ~2h each way) and seems more honeymoon-friendly. Did we make the right call, or is Nikko unmissable?
- Hiroshima as a day trip from Osaka: Is this realistic and worth it, or too exhausting? We really want to see Miyajima but also don't want to spend our second-to-last day in Japan completely drained.
- Late May / early June weather: We'll be hitting the tail end of spring and potentially the very start of tsuyu. Any tips for managing this, especially for outdoor-heavy days like Arashiyama and Hakone?
- Food recommendations: We're planning one omakase in Tokyo (sushi, ~¥15,000-25,000 range). Any specific recommendations? Also open to suggestions for Kyoto and Osaka — we love trying local specialties.
- Anything we're missing? Any must-do experiences for a honeymoon in Japan that aren't on our radar?
Thanks in advance! This community has been incredibly helpful already. Happy to provide more details if needed.
by Coyoma
3 comments
We did 2 nights in Hakone and still didn’t see all the things we wanted to see. We stayed at Ryokan Hakone Ginyu and it was a luxurious experience. Every room has its own private outdoor bath and a nature view. They really cater to you and the food was amazing. I don’t eat seafood and so they made appropriate substitutions for me, while still make seafood for my husband who loves it.
Also, Miyajima is awesome enough to do as a trip on its own. (We actually stayed overnight.) Grouping it with Hiroshima is a bit rushed. You’ll see the highlights but won’t have a lot of time to explore.
Its very close itinerary to what we are planning for October. Only big difference is we are skipping Osaka for Takayama.
Regarding:
1. In pretty much any area in Japan, especially on the Golden Route, you will miss out on stuff and that is okay. In Hakone you have the main attractions on your list, if you like nature.
There is a free azalee park a short walk from the shrine: Odakyu Hotel de yama, though I do not know if they will still be blooming when you get there. You might have a chance, though.
4. You may want to decide this spontaneously, since right now you can‘t really tell how much energy you have left
5. Pocari sweat will be your best friend, or any other isotonic beverage. Have a cap, hat or an UV umbrella ready, since japanese infrastructure is set in the belief that everyone owns and carry something like this with them.
6. Kyoto: Pizzeria da Ciro (Michelin star Pizza for 20€, absolutely delicious if you want some variety), Mo-an is a nice cafe with a little hike,
Tokyo: Ginza steak Ebisu (all you can eat wagyu, where you can try different fat percentages, 100€ per person, but worth it)
Have fun!
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