Hey guys, planning my first ever Japan trip for this upcoming cherry blossom season! End of March-mid April 2026. Let me know if this plan seems good:
The current trip plan is Arrival -> Nagoya -> Kyoto -> Osaka -> Hiroshima -> Kanazawa -> Tokyo. Nagoya and it being first up are not optional/flexible, since im actually attending the Formula 1 race weekend! Also yes, I already bought the flight tickets.
Evening 0 – Narita arrival, NRT Express to a hotel.
Day 1- Shinkansen to Nagoya, head to hotel. Take the day off for jetlag recovery.
Days 2-5 – Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Days 6-9 – Shinkansen to Kyoto. Explore for 4 days. Hopefully peak cherry blossoms for this and Osaka.
Day 10 – Day trip to Nara.
Evening 10- Head to Osaka.
Day 11-13 – Explore Osaka. Make one of these days a trip to Himeji and evening in Kobe.
Day 14 – Shinkansen to Hiroshima. Probably spent afternoon/evening as day trip to Miyajima.
Day 15 – Peace Museum and quiet meditation.
Evening 15 – Spend evening transitting back to Kyoto, then train to Kanazawa (will probably be the most tiring travel of the whole trip)
Day 16 – Kanazawa. Explore the city.
Day 17 – Kanazawa. Explore the surrounding nature.
Day 18-23 – Head to Tokyo. See the sights, shop, one last big hoo-rah.
Evening 23 – Flight back to US.
I plan to make good use of luggage locker services and forwarding to stay mobile and maximize time. Right now my biggest concerns are:
-The Osaka portion. Is it feasible to make a trip to Himeji and then that evening in Kobe all part of a full 1 day trip? Does it sound rushed?
-The Hiroshima portion. Should I swap around and do Peace Museum first and Miyajima second? What works best for luggage logistics?
-The Hiroshima to Kanazawa return. It'll be a brutal evening of travel and transit by my guess, but the most efficient way to go from "Daytime in Hiroshima" to "wake up in Kanazawa next morning". Seem doable?
-Kanazawa itself. Im mildly interested in the city's culture and history but its not a burning desire or anything. Just seemed an interesting way to fill 2 days of time in a SLIGHTLY off-beat location. Is that reason enough, or do you suggest I allocate those 2 days elsewhere?
by WyngsTriumphant