Itinerary Check: 16 days — Golden Route + Shimanami Kaidō & Miyajima

Hi everyone, hope you’re enjoying the weekend!

I have an upcoming trip to Japan and would love an itinerary check. Everything has free cancellation so far, so I’m pretty flexible.
We’re two couples in our 30s traveling from Canada, arriving and departing from Narita. We don’t plan to rent a car (trains are amazing 🚆), but it’s a possibility.
We're active, nature-oriented, love japanese food, culture and history, we won't spent a full day in museums tho
I tried to create an itinerary that is not super focused on things hour by hour, but just by general areas to visit, try to keep a good plan but semi spontaneous

I would appreciate:

• Any pointers, tips
• Big mistakes I'm making
• If any day feels super rushed or super slow
• Must-book places
• "Skip this, add this" advice
• Opinion on flex days

—— Itinerary ——

Bases & hotels

• Tokyo (Sep 14–18): Via Inn Prime (Akasaka)
• Hakone (Sep 18–20): Hakone Yutowa (Gora)
• Kyoto (Sep 20–24): INSOMNIA KYOTO OIKE (Karasuma Oike)
• Onomichi (Sep 24–26): HOTEL CYCLE (close to station and port)
• Hiroshima (Sep 26–28): KIRO Hiroshima (near Peace Park)
• Tokyo (Sep 28–29): APA Hotel Suehirocho Ekimae (Akihabara)

Day to day (kept concise):

Sun Sep 14 (Tokyo) ✈️
— Arrival day — Harajuku area —

Morning – In the air
Afternoon – Arrive (3pm), drop bags, Meiji Jingu (Harajuku), Omotesandō wander
Night – Dinner near Harajuku or back at the hotel (we’ll likely be tired)

Mon Sep 15 (Tokyo — East side)
— East side of Tokyo —

Morning – Asakusa (Sensō-ji) ⛩️
Afternoon – Ueno → Ameyoko → Akihabara
Night – Food in Golden Gai 🍻

Tue Sep 16 (Tokyo — West side)
— West side of Tokyo —

Morning – Shinjuku Gyoen slow morning (read/chill if sunny) 🌳
Afternoon – Shibuya → Shibuya Sky (late-afternoon slot) 🏙️
Night – Dinner in the area

Wed Sep 17 (Tokyo — Flex day)
— Flex day —

Leaning toward Mt. Takao

• If weather’s good: Kawaguchiko all day (Chureito Pagoda + lake loop by bike + ropeway) 🚲
• Nikkō (Tōshōgū + Kegon Falls)
• Kamakura (Great Buddha)
• Mt. Takao (hike + onsen)
• Stay in Tokyo (Odaiba area)

Thu Sep 18 (→ Hakone)
— Hakone easy arrival day —

Morning – Transfer to Hakone (Tokyo → Odawara → Gora)
Afternoon – Hakone Open-Air Museum
Night – Enjoy Gora / onsen

Fri Sep 19 (Hakone)
— Hakone loop (full day) —

Morning – Ropeway to Ōwakudani
Afternoon – Lake Ashi cruise → Hakone Shrine (torii)
Night – Back to Gora / Onsen

Sat Sep 20 (→ Kyoto)
— Gion area —

Morning – Transfer to Kyoto
Afternoon – Gion + Higashiyama streets
Night – Pontochō dinner 🍶

Sun Sep 21 (Kyoto)
— Arashiyama area —

Morning – Arashiyama (bamboo early) → Ōkōchi Sansō
Afternoon – Iwatayama Monkey Park → riverside walk 🐒
Night – Kiyamachi canal stroll

Mon Sep 22 (Kyoto )
— Day trip to Nara and Uji —

(Maybe ambitious, but I really want Nara and my partner really wants Uji for matcha)
Morning – Nara (Tōdai-ji, deer park) 🦌
Afternoon – Uji (Byōdō-in, matcha cafés) 🍵
Night – Might eat in Uji, then back to Kyoto

Tue Sep 23 (Kyoto)
— Flex day —

Leaning towards staying in Kyoto or day trip to Osaka
Morning – Fushimi Inari (early or late to dodge crowds)
Afternoon – Higashiyama → Kiyomizu-dera → Sannenzaka
Night – Philosopher’s Path sunset / dinner

Wed Sep 24 (→ Onomichi)
— Himeji and Onomichi transfer day —

Morning – Transfer to Onomichi with a stop at Himeji Castle 🏯
Afternoon – Onomichi Temple Walk
Night – Senkōji Park ropeway sunset

Thu Sep 25 (Onomichi)
— Shimanami Kaido all day —

Morning – Shimanami Kaidō cycling (turnaround at Setoda or farther) 🚲
Afternoon – same
Night – Onomichi ramen + waterfront stroll

Fri Sep 26 (→ Hiroshima)
— Hiroshima —

Morning – Transfer to Hiroshima
Afternoon – Peace Memorial Park & Museum
Night – Okonomiyaki, Hiroshima-style 🍳

Sat Sep 27 (Hiroshima)
— Miyajima all day —

Morning – Ferry to Miyajima, Itsukushima Shrine 🚢
Afternoon – Mt. Misen climb
Night – Dinner back in Hiroshima (tsukemen)

Sun Sep 28 (→ Tokyo)
— Last day in Tokyo —

Morning – Transfer to Tokyo
Afternoon – Akihabara → Ueno/Ameyoko (souvenirs) 🛍️
Night – Final ramen, then a late-night visit to Sensō-ji, say goodbye to Japan

Mon Sep 29 (Tokyo → fly out)
Morning – Souvenir sweep if time allows in Akihabara
Afternoon – Airport

—— Thank you so much ——