First Trip to Japan – 24 days in April

Will be there in April for our honeymoon. Had to check out the big 3 cities for our trip, but we are avid hikers and nature loves, so had to do a bit of both.

Tuesday:

• arrive in Tokyo in the evening

Wednesday: Tokyo 

• Meiji Jingu Temple Morning
• Harajuku afternoon
• Shinjuku night life

Thursday: Tokyo

• TeamLabs Borderless – try for earliest ticket 
• Tokyo tower and shiba park
• Possible shibuya bars if we have the energy

Friday: Tokyo

• Shinjuku
  • https://www.ninjafoodtours.com/tokyo-food-tours/the-best-of-izakaya/
    • $103pp sake and food tour
    • Either 11:30 am or 5:00pm
• Shinjuku garden either before or after food tour

Saturday: Tokyo 

• Walk around filler for anything we didn’t have time for
• Travel to Osaka – staying in Namba
• Walk around Dotonbori, eat and explore

Sunday: Osaka

• Kizu Fish Market – best time to go is around 6-7am if interested (10 minute walk)
• Namba Yasaka Shrine 
• Kuromon Ichiba Market 
• Afternoon: Aquarium 

Monday: Osaka

• Day trip to Himeji
• Visit Himeji Castle
• Visit Mt Shosa 

Tuesday: Osaka 

• Morning trip to onsen 
  • https://radium.co.jp/index.php (tattoo friendly)
• Explore surrounding area – Shinsekai 
  • Tsutenkaku Tower 
• Sake tasking

Wednesday: Kumano Kodo Heritage walk 

• Osaka to Kii-Tanabe
• Lunch near station at Kii-Tanabe
• Kii-Tanabe to Kawayu Onsen
• Overnight in Kawayu Onsen

Thursday: Kumano Kodo Heritage Walk

• Hike 7 km to Kumano Hongo Taisha, heritage center, Oyunohara
• Overnight in Shingu

Friday: Kumano Kodo Heritage Walk

• Shingu shrines
• Bus to Diamon Zakaa Diamon Zakaa for 2km hike to Kumano Nachi Taisho, Nashi Falls and Seiganto Ji 
• Overnight at ryokan

Saturday:

• travel from Kii Katsuura to Kyoto
• Nishiki market for late lunch  
• Explore pontocho alley 
• Walk around Gion District

Sunday: Kyoto 

• Take train to Arashiyama
• Temples – can rent a bike at arashiyama station to get between all of these 
  • Tenryu-ji
  • Jojakku-ji
  • Otagi Nenbutsu-ji
  • Daikaku-ji
  • Gioji

Monday: Kyoto

• Fushimi Inari Taisha early morning 
• Higashiyama area
  • Maruyama park 
  • Sanjūsangendō Temple
    • 1000 statues inside 
  • Sannen-zaka and Ninen-zaka 
    • Neighborhoods 

Tuesday: Travel for Nakasendo Trail

• Kyoto to Nakatsugawa 
• Dinner in Nakatsugawa

Wednesday: Nakasendo trail 

• Bus to Magome
• Hike 5.6 miles from Magome to Tsumago
  • Explore and eat in Tsumago 
• Hike 2 miles to Nagiso 
• Stay in Nagiso 

Thursday: Nakesendo Trail

• Nagiso to Kiso Fukushima 
  • 16km hike to Nojiri 
  • Train from Nojiri to Kiso Fukushima 
• Night in Kiso Fukushima at ryokan

Friday: Nakesendo Trail

• Optional hike to waterfall in Kiso Fukushima (around 2-3 hours)
• Train from Kiso Fukushima to Yabuhara station
• 3 hour hike to Narai Juku village
• Stay overnight at Ryokan in Narai 

Saturday:

• Travel from Narai to Lake Vista Fuji Kawaguchiko
• Relax 

Sunday: Lake Vista Fuji Kawaguchiko 

• Hike/explore town

Monday: Lake Vista Fuji Kawaguchiko 

• Hike/explore town 

Tuesday:

• check out from hotel and return to Tokyo 
• Stay in Ueno Park
• Yanaka Ginza (retro style shopping street)
• Kappabashi street shopping adventure

Wednesday: Tokyo 

• Asakusa morning for Sensoji Buddhist temple
• Adventure akihabara afternoon

Thursday: Depart from Tokyo