Hey! In April/May next year (from 13th April to 4th May) I'll be visiting Japan for the first time with my wife and my 2 kids (5 and 7).
We like nature and authentic things more than made-up experiences for turists.
My main concerns are:
- Do you feel some days are too packed? Our kids need some time to just relax/play, so we tried to keep some free blocks.
- We have 1 more day to allocate. Any idea to make the Kanazawa-Shirakawa-go-Takayama-Matsumoto part less frenetic?
- This is just a draft, so we're really open to suggestions and advice.
- Edit: we prefer to do transfers in the afternoon/evening when the kids are more tired.
The draft of the itinerary
- Day 1
- Arrive in Tokyo at 9am.
- Relax and free exploration.
- Day 2
- Asakusa, Sensō-ji, Nakamise-dori.
- Cruise on the Sumida river to Hamarikyu gardens.
- Relax and dinner in Tsukishima.
- Day 3
- Harajuku, Meiji Jingu, Takeshita Street.
- Shibuya (crossing, Hachiko statue, Mugiwara Store).
- Relax in Miyashita park.
- Day 4
- Akihabara.
- teamLab Planets and Gundam statue.
- Dinner in Tsukiji Outer Market.
- Day 5
- Free morning for relax.
- Transfer to Hakone in the afternoon (luggages shipped to Kyoto).
- Stay in a Ryokan in Hakone.
- Day 6
- Hakone loop.
- Day 7
- Free day in Hakone for other things/relax.
- Maybe onsen, if we find one that is ok for kids.
- Day 8
- Free morning for relax.
- Transfer to Kyoto in the afternoon.
- Day 9
- Explore Gion District.
- Maruyama park and Yasaka shrine.
- Day 10
- Kinkaku-ji.
- Arashiyama bamboo forest and monkey park.
- Day 11
- Fushimi Inari-taisha.
- Relax and dinner in Nishiki Market.
- Day 12
- Kiyomizu-dera, Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka.
- Phisolopher's path.
- Day 13
- Free morning to relax.
- Transfer to Kanazawa in the afternoon (luggages shipped to Tokyo).
- Day 14
- Day in Kanazawa (Samurai District, Kanazawa Castle).
- Late bus transfer to Shirakawa-go.
- Day 15
- Day in Shirakawa-go (relax, visit to the Shiroyama panoramic point).
- Late bus transfer to Takayama.
- Day 16
- Day in Takayama (morning market, old city, Sanmachi Suji).
- Late bus transfer to Matsumoto.
- Day 17
- Day in Matsumoto (Matsumoto castle, Nawate-dori).
- Late transfer to Kyoto.
- Day 18
- Free day in Tokyo for other things/relax.
- Day 19
- Studio Ghibli (flexible, depending on when/if we get the tickets)
- Day 20
- Shinjuku, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
- Relax/shopping.
- Day 21
- ??? Maybe use it to make the Kanazawa-Shirakawa-go-Takayama-Matsumoto part less frenetic.
- Day 22
- Depart from Tokyo at 11am
どうもありがとうございます！
by RegoNoShi