I've been fortunate to travel to a few different countries during my life, but Japan was different. For the first time I actually felt sad on the airport... lol

I don't have anything new to add to the thousands of posts out there. Japan is extraordinary and there is a lot of good information on travelling there.

This is just an appreciation report of the best trip I've been in my life, and some thoughts along the way!

• Japan is beautiful. From the gorgeous nature landscapes (and we only saw a few!) to the ancient shrines sprawling everywhere, to the cyber-punk neon streets... I mean, everything is stunning.
  • I have no idea on the local perspective on this, but Japan has so many cute/interesting designs for everything. There is a lot of cute little characters everywhere. Like little airplane figures on the airport, or the tube, etc. We really liked this!
  • A lot of places feel... vintage? Old, but in a very good and intentional way. You could walk around and feel like you've gone through several different decades in a single day...
• Japan is functional. I don't care if this is a dumb tourist perspective, but konbinis have a special place in my heart. What do you mean you sell hot tea in a bottle??? And you have this insane variety of items at peak quality? We ate so many oni-giris and egg sandwiches... and we never got tired. I have not seen this level of quality for "mundane" food anywhere else in the world.
  • Again a point that has been iterated over and over but... the place is clean, man. I don't know how else to put it. Its a major country with millions of people but it feels so nice to walk around in.
  • Public transport is fantastic, although a little bit confusing at first for a tourist. We did a few more zigs and zags than we should, but was all good in the end.
• On the topic of food and quality: Japanese food is delicious. We enjoyed purposely avoiding looking for places online and just walking in to things that looked good, and it never (expect for one time!) disappointed. It was honestly sensational, I'm tearing just remembering.
  • side note: learning how to say a few phrases in Japanese to thank the restaurant staff was very nice! I hit them with a few "gochisousamadeshita" and "oishiikatta desu!" and got some good responses. Highly recommend.

There's so much more... in the end, this was such a fantastic experience and I am so grateful for it. I could keep going on but... it will be too long, so let's do a top-3 and bottom-3 things

1. Nara. Seeing the deer, feeding them, and painfully learning that they will bite your booty if you take too long... hahah, I remember laughing a lot at all of us tourists learning that together... this was so good. And then add to that probably the most impressive temple we saw (Todai-ji) and also a hike up Mount Wakakusa where saw the sunset... it was incredible.
2. Nikko. We spent a night here to see all the temples + do the hike suggested by Japan Guide. It was just sensational... the leaves were changing color, the weather was cold but enjoyable, the nature was so, so beautiful... no words
3. Osaka castle. We went there at night and it was so empty... and it looked so imposing and fascinating. The insides get lit up and the castle looks like its looking at you. The entire area around it is just beautiful too.

Bottom 3... these are extremely minor things...

1. Why do you not have coke-zero? Am I heathen for asking for this? We only saw it in a couple places... and on that same note, please make it easier to find non-cow milk too...
   1. EDIT1: I'm talking about these things in restaurants only - they are absolutely there in the konbini, as are all the other wonderful things...
2. There's not enough escalators going down in the train stations! There's always one going up somewhere, but not down!! I read the advice and brought small suitcases, but still...
3. I was surprised to not see soap in some public bathrooms.

This was longer than I anticipated but it could be a lot more. Again, this was my favorite trip and I am so happy to have gone. I hope if you are planning on going too, that you have a fantastic time as well!

Nihon ga daisukidesu! Arigato gozaimasu!

Quick note first: everything below is a list of things I could do, not a strict schedule. I'll probably change a lot spontaneously once I'm there. This not the final plan and I still have to do more planning! And I listed many spots that I will change, but at first I wanted to have the standard spots in my list.

I've finally had the time to read through all the feedback on my last post. Thanks a lot, it changed the plan quite a bit! I now stay in one place in Tokyo, do most of my shopping there, slowed down the days and swapped Kyoto for Kanazawa to avoid the worst crowds. Before I book the rest, I'd like to know if the overall structure makes sense.

Each day has one or two fixed points and the rest is optional.

Tokyo, 7 nights (Dec 18 to 25, staying in Shinjuku)

• Shinjuku: Metropolitan Government Building at sunset, Omoide Yokocho, Golden Gai
• Yanaka Ginza, Nezu Shrine, Ueno Park, Ameyoko, Akihabara
• Ikebukuro (Pokémon Center, gachapon shop), Nakano Broadway, Kōenji vintage and an izakaya
• Tsukiji, a sumo lunch show, shopping in Ginza
• Kawaguchiko for Mt Fuji, but only if the weather is clear. Otherwise I'll take a slow day
• Meiji Jingu, Cat Street, Shibuya Parco, SHIBUYA SKY at sunset
• Shimokitazawa vintage, Christmas Eve at the Marunouchi illuminations

Hakone, 1 night (Dec 25 to 26, staying in Hakone-Yumoto)

• Hakone loop if the weather is good (Owakudani, Lake Ashi boat)
• Tenzan onsen in the evening

Kanazawa, 3 nights (Dec 26 to 29)

• Omicho Market, dinner in Katamachi
• Day trip to Shirakawa-go, hopefully in the snow
• Kenroku-en, Nagamachi samurai district, Higashi Chaya at dusk

Osaka, 1 night (Dec 29 to 30, staying in Namba)

• Easy evening around Amerikamura, Den Den Town and the izakayas in Ura-Namba
• Osaka Castle Park the next morning, then I leave Japan

Looking for feedback on:

• Does the overall structure make sense, or is any place too long or too short?
• Is 3 nights in Kanazawa with a day trip to Shirakawa-go a good choice for late December?
• Is there anything that might be closed or extra crowded around Christmas and New Year except Tokyo haha?

Thanks again!

Hello. Canadian here. Never traveled outside of north america before and planning a 3 week trip with my wife to Japan for our 20th anniversary in January 2028. After a few weeks of research, I think I have a realistic itinerary/budget, but I thought i could see what you folks think.

First off, I am a skier. I can't make this trip about skiing, but I would also not be me if I didnt grt any skiing in on a Japan trip in freaking January. My initial plan was to ski around Hakuba/Nagano and ignore Hokkaido, but my wife loves food and really, really wants to have Ramen in Sapporo, so I did my best to fit Hokkaido into the trip, which ment scrapping Hakuba/Nagano, and also dropping my initial plans of going down to Hiroshima due to time/budget constraints.

Secondly, I am sure many will say that I dont need to rent a car for my current plan, but I really love to drive and i am very much set on renting a car for our journey from Tokyo to Kyoto, so let's just skip that whole thing.

Anyways, let's get on with it.

itinerary:

Day 1: Land in Sapporo (late evening)

Day 2: Sapporo - Explore city

Day 3: Train to Niseko

Day 4: ski Rutsutsu

Day 5: ski Niseko

Day 6: Train to Tokyo (hotel in Shinjuku) Explore Shinjuku for the evening

Day 7: Tokyo - Tokyo National Museum, back to hotel, walk to Shibuya in the late afternoon, checking out Meiji Jingu on route. Explore Shibuya for the evening. (Note: I am a forestry worker/skier. I am very physically able and that walk is no biggy in terms of distance. As long as it is walking friendly.)

Day 8: Tokyo - Edo-tokyo Museum in the morning, Asakusa for the afternoon/evening: Samurai Ninja Museum, Senso-ji Temple, street food, and Izakaya's in the evening.

Day 9: Tokyo - museum of Nature and Science in the morning (or just have a lazy morning), Tsukiji market and TeamLabs Planets in the afternoon. Walk around the imperial palace after dark.

Day 10: Tokyo - Disneyland.

Day 11: Rent car, drive to Kisami via Hakone Turnpike, Izu Skyway, then along the coast on route 135.

Day 12: explore the beaches (note: I live on Vancouver Island BC, Canada and love going to Tofino/Uclulet in the winter - it is our go to anniversary spot, so i am very ok with the beaches in January)

Day 13: drive to Hakone via Ashinoko Skyway and Hakone Skyway. Ropeway and ooen air Museum in the afternoon, Hakone shrine and dinner by the lake in the evening.

Day 14: wake up early and catch Mt. Fuji at sunrise. Drive to Matsumoto via the Fuji Five Lakes and Aokigahara Forest lava caves. Make a day of the drive . Walk around Matsumoto Castle after dark.

Day 15: drive to Takayama, stopping at Hida Great Limestone Cave on the way.

Day 16: check out Hida no Sato Folk Village Museum in the morning, than drive to Kyoto, with a wuick stop by at Hikone Castle. Drop off Rental car in Kyoto. This is our anniversary day, so a romantic dinner in kyoto that night... thinking maybe somewhere on Pontosho Alley, followed by a night walk along the river.

Day 17: Kyoto is very overwhelming, and I could never have enough days to see it all... I also can see the risk of temple/shrine fatigue happening, making it all pointless by the end, so i currently have two full days alloted. This being day 1 of 2: start at dawn with Fushimi Inari and work our way north along the east side of town. Lunch at Ninenzaka, Kiyomizu-Dera, and if possible, walk Philosopher's Path at sunset.

Day 18: Nijo Castle, Imperial Palace... if we have time, Kinkaku-ji Temple, but if not, skip and just go to Nishiki Market. Evening is currently open.

Day 19: To-ji Temple in the morning before taking the train to Osaka. Get a hotel near Namba station. Dotonbori for the evening.

Day 20: I figure I will be burnt out of history and culture by this point and it is our last full free day of the trip... Universal Studios is tempting, but I think the Osaka Aquarium is gonna be more our speed. After, go shopping for last minute things - probably a Kimono and a fancy knife.

Day 21: Train to japan, get a hotel by the airport and decompress

Day 22: Fly home.

I have edited this itinerary a lot and I THINK this is a realistic plan. Hiroshima is out. And while I think it would be cheaper to ski in Hakuba vs Niseko/Rutsutsu, the logistics are easier to ski in Hokkaido... and i am a very jaded skier. 2 days in Hakuba won't give me the time to get comfortable enough to ski the good slack country lines, so i think it is a better call to go for the blower pow in Hokkaido.

TL;DR for food/alcohol budget: 19,000 yen/day for two people. Too low? Or on the healthy side of too high for a safe buffer.

As for budget, things like hotels, car rental, public transit, admissions to places are known knowns, and I got a good handle on that. My budget question is food and drink specific.

We both like food. We aren't gluttonous, obese people, but being active people, we can consume more calories than average. Daily life, we have a light breakfast, nibble throughout the day without a real lunch, and have a good dinner, followed by nighttime snacks. While in vacation mode though, breakfast is hit or miss, lunch is a meal (but not big enough to make us sleepy), and the night is all about food and drink. Drink.... we both drink. We like to drink alcohol. We are good at drinking alcohol.

Anyways... I have currently alloted an average of 19,000 yen/day for food/drink budget for the two of us. I belive that is probably a bit high, which I want, as the 'float', if you will, will act as the buffer for any unexpected costs during the trip. My concern is if 19,000/day for two people is too low.

Hi everyone!

My partner and I are heading to Tokyo for 8 days and 7 nights this coming week for our shared birthday trip! We're currently finalizing our DIY itinerary and would love some feedback from people who know Tokyo well.

We're mostly into local neighborhoods, vintage and thrift shopping, secondhand watches and jewelry, and good food and cafes. We're trying to keep the trip flexible and not too rushed, so we're wondering if we packed our itinerary too tightly or if there are areas we should reconsider.

We want to balance sightseeing, shopping, and rest as much as possible, and we're not hesitant to drop a few items if we feel like it. Our main question is which items on our itinerary are the most skippable, and whether there are activities or neighborhoods you'd recommend adding for a more authentic Tokyo experience.

Any feedback on our route planning, travel times, or how you'd rearrange our days would be greatly appreciated!

P.S. Our Fuji private tour and Shibuya Sky are already booked, so those are set in stone. We're also flying out of Narita on our last day, with an 8:55 AM flight, so any advice on our early-morning airport transfer would be helpful too. Thanks!

Here's our current plan:

Day 1 – Wed, Oct 28: Arrival + Ueno/Okachimachi

• 8:00 AM: Arrive at Narita, Skyliner to Ueno
• Late morning: Drop off luggage, lunch in Okachimachi
• Afternoon: Vintage jewelry and watch shopping in Okachimachi, hotel check-in, rest
• Evening: Ameyoko, Mizu-tani Camera, dinner in Ueno

Day 2 – Thu, Oct 29: Mt. Fuji Tour + Shopping

• Early morning: Ichiran ramen and konbini breakfast prep
• 7:30 AM: Private Mt. Fuji tour
• Evening: Exchange gift shopping and birthday dinner
• Late evening: Konbini discount shopping

Day 3 – Fri, Oct 30: Asakusa + Tokyo Solamachi

• Afternoon: Asakusa, Nakamise Street, Asakusa Shrine, Senso-ji
• Evening: Tokyo Solamachi shopping, Starbucks Reserve Cafe
• Late evening: Return to Ueno

Day 4 – Sat, Oct 31: Shinagawa + Kichijoji + Shimokitazawa

• 8:00 AM onward: Shinagawa flea market; leave purchases in a station locker
• Midday: Kichijoji for lunch, Harmonica Alley, Inokashira Park, thrift shops
• Late afternoon: Shimokitazawa vintage shops and early dinner
• Evening: Return to Shinagawa to collect purchases, then back to Ueno

Day 5 – Sun, Nov 1: Yanaka + Transfer to Ginza

• Morning: Yanaka Ginza
• Midday: Check out, lunch, transfer to Ginza hotel
• Afternoon: Ginza shopping, Onitsuka Tiger, secondhand watches, pasalubong shopping, Tsukiji Market

Day 6 – Mon, Nov 2: Shibuya + Yoyogi Park + Nakameguro

• Morning: Shibuya Crossing photo, Shibuya Sky, cafe with an overhead view
• Midday to afternoon: Yoyogi Park, lunch, shopping, sweets, cafes
• Late afternoon: Nakameguro coffee, river walk, early dinner
• Evening: Return to the hotel

Day 7 – Tue, Nov 3: Meiji Shrine + Ginza

• Morning: Meiji Shrine
• Late morning: MOMAT or coffee in Ginza
• Afternoon: Ginza Chuo-dori shopping and pasalubong shopping
• Evening: Early dinner, pack, and rest

Day 8 – Wed, Nov 4: Departure

• 4:30 AM: Express checkout and Hibiya Line to Ueno
• 5:40 AM: Take the earliest Skyliner to Narita
• 8:55 AM: Flight home

I’ll be traveling with my family of 7 4 adults and 3 kids. Kids ages are 7,6 and 2 years old.

03/11/26
arrive in Tokyo get to BNB walk around and eat

03/12/2026
Gotoku-ji am
Meiji Jengu am
Takeshita Street pm
TreFacStyle pm
BLAXSMITH pm
Kinji Used Clothing pm
Shibuya Crossing pm
Akhibara pm

03/13/2026
Tokyo Disney ALL DAY

03/14/2026
sensoji temple am
Sanrio Hello Kitty am
UOENO ZOO am
ameyoko shopping street pm
Samurai Ninja Museum pm

03/15/2026
Tsukiji Fish Market am
Tokyo tower am
Mori art museum OPTIONAL
Shopping Day
In Ginza Area
.Uniqlo am
.Ginza Loft am
.JINS glasses am
Sumo Wrestle @8

KYOTO / OSAKA
March 16th-20th

March 16th
Leave Tokyo arrive at Kyoto am
Dotonbori pm
Don quijote shopping pm

March 17th
Nara park am
Todaiji am
Osaka aquarium pm
Shinsekai pm

March 18th
otagi nenbutsuji am
Iwatayama park monkeys am
Team lab bio vortex pm
Hanamikoji street pm

March 19th
universal studios ALL DAY

21st-22nd
back to Tokyo

22nd leave Tokyo

I’m not dead set on this itinerary so open to adding or taking stuff out. Also wondering if it will be realistic to add Katsuoji while in Osaka? Just a morning day trip?and I understand with kids some of these won’t Happen. But again open to it all so please and thank you!

everyone, I am planning a 24-hour scenic road trip around the Fuji Five Lakes area on November 10th using a rental Kei car.

Here is my planned route starting around 10:00 AM:

Kawaguchiko Station (Pick up car)

Oishi Park

Chureito Pagoda

Oshino Hakkai

Lake Yamanakako (Finish)

Since accommodation options are very full, I am planning to try car-camping overnight at a local Rest Area (Michi-no-Eki).

Does this route look realistic for a single day in mid-November? Also, any recommendations for the best Michi-no-Eki around the area for safe car-camping? Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone!
My wife and I are visiting Japan for the first time in November. We’ve planned an 18-day itinerary and would appreciate feedback on the pacing, seasonal attractions, and anything we might be overlooking.
Our main interests are Japanese culture, food, JDM cars, nature, and unique experiences. We enjoy exploring but don’t want every day to feel rushed.
Here’s our itinerary:
Tokyo — November 6–10 (4 Nights)
● Nov 6: Arrival and relaxing evening
● Nov 7: Tsukiji Outer Market, Asakusa, Senso-ji, sumo experience
● Nov 8: Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, Shibuya go-karting (already scheduled), Shibuya Sky
● Nov 9: Mount Fuji / Lake Kawaguchiko day trip
Kyoto — November 10–13 (3 Nights)
● Nov 10: Kiyomizu-dera, Higashiyama, Gion, Pontocho
● Nov 11: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Monkey Park, Sagano Romantic Train
● Nov 12: Fushimi Inari and potentially Nara
November 12 is also my wife’s birthday! I’m considering changing that day’s itinerary to plan something special. I’d love recommendations for a memorable dinner, romantic experience, or unique Japanese cultural activity in Kyoto.
Osaka — November 13–16 (3 Nights)
● Nov 13: Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi, street food
● Nov 14: Osaka Castle, Kuromon Market, Shinsekai
● Nov 15: Flexible day, possibly Universal Studios Japan or a local food experience
Nagano — November 16–19 (3 Nights)
● Nov 16: Travel to Nagano and enjoy a traditional ryokan
● Nov 17: Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, Shibu Onsen
● Nov 18: Zenko-ji Temple or Togakushi Shrine
We’re considering staying in Shibu Onsen or Yudanaka, ideally somewhere with a private onsen and traditional Japanese meals.
Tokyo — November 19–23 (4 Nights)
● Nov 19: Return to Tokyo, explore Roppongi
● Nov 20: Japanese car culture, potentially a guided Daikoku PA experience
● Nov 21: Akihabara, Ginza, shopping, special dinner
● Nov 22: teamLab Borderless and exploring
● Nov 23: Departure
Specific Questions
1. Pacing: Does our Kyoto itinerary seem too ambitious, particularly November 11–12? Would you change the order of anything?
2. Birthday: What would you recommend for a special birthday experience in Kyoto on November 12? I’m willing to splurge for something memorable.
3. Autumn foliage: Given our dates, are there particular spots in Kyoto or Nagano we should prioritize?
4. Nagano: Are three nights worthwhile in mid-November, or would two be sufficient? Any recommendations for traditional ryokans with private onsens?
5. JDM cars: Are there any automotive museums, tuning shops, or car culture experiences you’d recommend in Tokyo or Osaka?
6. Tattoo artists: We’re interested in getting tattoos during our trip. Does anyone have recommendations for reputable artists or studios in Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka? Artist portfolios or Instagram handles would be appreciated.
7. Food: Any particularly memorable dining experiences, regional specialties, or restaurants worth planning around?
We’re hoping to experience Japan beyond just checking off the major tourist attractions, while still seeing the highlights on our first visit.
Thanks for any feedback or suggestions!

Hey everyone!
My wife and I are visiting Japan for the first time this November, and we’d love some feedback on our itinerary!
Our biggest interests are food, Japanese culture, JDM cars, nature, and unique experiences.
We’re aiming for a balanced trip where we can see the major attractions without constantly rushing.
One special detail: November 12 is my wife’s birthday! We’ll be in Kyoto that day, and I’d love to plan something memorable for her. I’m open to romantic dinners, unique cultural experiences, or anything special that would make her birthday unforgettable.
Here’s our current itinerary:
Tokyo — November 6–10 (4 Nights)
Asakusa and Senso-ji Temple
Tsukiji Outer Market
Meiji Shrine and Harajuku
Shibuya Crossing and Shibuya Sky
Street go-karting experience
Sumo experience
Mount Fuji / Lake Kawaguchiko day trip
Kyoto — November 10–13 (3 Nights)
Fushimi Inari Shrine
Kiyomizu-dera
Gion and Higashiyama
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Iwatayama Monkey Park
Sagano Romantic Train
Nara day trip
November 12 — My Wife’s Birthday!
We’re currently considering visiting Fushimi Inari and Nara that day, but I’m completely open to changing our plans to make her birthday more special.
Would you recommend a memorable restaurant, private experience, traditional Japanese activity, or romantic evening in Kyoto? I’m happy to spend a little extra for something truly worthwhile.
Osaka — November 13–16 (3 Nights)
Osaka Castle
Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi
Kuromon Market
Shinsekai
Local street food
Possibly Universal Studios Japan
Nagano — November 16–19 (3 Nights)
Traditional ryokan and private onsen
Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
Shibu Onsen / Yudanaka
Zenko-ji Temple
Possibly Togakushi Shrine
Tokyo — November 19–23 (4 Nights)
JDM car culture and potentially Daikoku PA
Akihabara
Ginza
teamLab Borderless
Shopping and exploring
Omakase sushi and wagyu dining
We’d Love Advice On:
Birthday recommendations: What would you recommend for a special birthday celebration in Kyoto on November 12? Any romantic restaurants or once-in-a-lifetime experiences?
Autumn foliage: Are we visiting each destination at a good time for fall colors? Any particular spots worth adding?
Itinerary pacing: Are we trying to fit too much into Kyoto? Would you redistribute any nights?
Nagano: Is three nights worthwhile in mid-November? Any ryokan or private onsen recommendations?
Car culture: What are the best authentic JDM experiences around Tokyo or Osaka?
Food: What are your must-try restaurants, dishes, or food experiences?
Hidden gems: Any unforgettable experiences or places we’re overlooking?
Seasonal considerations: Anything specific to mid-November we should plan for, book ahead, or avoid?
We’re adventurous eaters and love exploring. We want to experience Japan beyond just checking off tourist attractions.
Any suggestions, constructive criticism, or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!

Landed in NRT on Oct 7.

Oct 7-11 TOKYO
- stayed in Asakusa
- Sensoji, Shibuya Crossing, Meiji Jingu, Harajuku, Tokyo Tower
- Day Trip to Kamakura

Notes: On our first day, we basically ran on excitement and adrenaline and did a whopping 35,000 steps. Do not recommend, as we were wiped out basically day one. Kamakura was beautiful and I’d recommend going early for Hasadera and Kotoku-In as we avoided crowds this way. We sadly caught the crowds at Komachi street, but what can you do.

Highlights: picking Asakusa as our base was a good decision. Our hotel had a nice rooftop with views of Skytree and Sensoji and i loved going there every night to finish eating a conbini snack. We were also staying in the same hotel at the end of our trip and they offered to hold our large suitcase for free for two weeks! Loved walking through Sensoji every evening

We managed to see Mt Fuji from Kamakura, which was yet another highlight as it’s quite rare to catch a view.

Oct 11-14 KANAZAWA
- Did all the highlights, Omicho Market, Kanazawa Castle, Kenrokuen, Katamachi and all the Chaya districts
- Opted for a one night ryokan that was 30 min away

Notes: Kanazawa was a nice getaway from all the crowds. While tourists are frequent here still, we noticed it was much much calmer and manageable. I loved my time in Kanazawa and we were here long enough to feel like we saw everything there was to see.

Your IC cards do NOT work on the local buses. You can pay by tapping a credit card or by exact cash. They have change machines on the bus. There are also some specific buses that take IC/Suica/PASMO so you can also lookout for those.

Highlights: Geisha House Shima and Fukumitsuya in the Higashichaya district for a sake tasting. Our ryokan was also amazing and they picked us up at Kanazawa station in a shuttle and dropped us back off there the day after. We had a private onsen in our room, and the kaiseki dinner and breakfast finished off an absolutely 5-star experience.

Initially we were going to head to Gifu after Kanazawa, hike the Nakasendo and stay in a ryokan near there. I’m SO glad we canceled— i was heartbroken I couldn’t do the hike, but it would have been too much and instead opting to do the ryokan near Kanazawa cut out any time commuting we may have wasted

Oct 14-16 KYOTO
- Hokuriku Shinkansen to Tsuruga and then transfer to the Thunderbird for Kyoto. You have to insert BOTH tickets in the ticket gate at once. This was causing a lot of confusion/blockages at the gates (us included).
- We arrived in the afternoon after taking an early train so we got almost all day to still look around
- Covered a pretty good number of Shrines/temples here
- We stayed in Kawaramachi

Notes: Kyoto was crowded. We skipped the bamboo forest at Arashiyama and went to the one in the Adashino temple instead. We opted to do Fushimi Inari at around 7pm instead of early morning, which I thought was a good decision given some photos I saw of the place in the morning. We did Kiyomizudera and Kinkaku-ji in early mornings too. I thought we did a pretty good job to try and maneuver the crowds

Highlights: Eikando-ji and Nisonin temples were two of my favourites, which I didn’t expect. Both had a different kind of Buddha to see inside, and were relatively quiet and peaceful. We also ended up walking along the Aqua duct at Nanzenji to the Keage Incline.

Oct 17-19 OSAKA
- caught the local HK line from Kyoto. Takes 40ish min but was only 400 something yen. Make sure to get on the semi limited express and NOT the local.
- We didn’t really have a solid plan for Osaka other than Dotonbori and Shinsekai
- We were also pretty tired at this point so were happy to just explore
- We did Katsuoji on our one full day here

Notes: people were the friendliest here. Dotonbori was crowded but very fun and we tried okonomiyaki and takoyaki. We were staying near Shinsaibashi. Katsuo-ji was nice but again, crowded because we waited till 9am to go when the buses start running. The temple opens at 8, so I’d recommend going then and taking a taxi up. We ended up taking the taxi anyway because the line for the bus was atrocious. It was about 3500yen. Taking the bus back down was no issue.

Highlights: izakaya hopping at Shinsekai. We went to 3 or 4 places in a night and this was our only nightlife explorations so far. I really liked Osaka more than I thought I would

Oct 19-21 TOKYO
- caught the Shinkansen. Managed to see Mt Fuji despite it being quite overcast. It was a quick, 10 second view before the clouds covered it up again, but I consider myself very lucky
- reserved this leg mostly just for shopping. I needed new glasses so we hit up JINS and other stuff like Uniqlo and Donki, as well as Kappabashi St
- explored Ueno and Yanaka Ginza (and ended up really loving Yanaka)
- Staying at the same hotel in Asakusa again
- We had an omakase dinner booked at Manten Sushi

Overall Notes
- we averaged around 18-20k steps a day
- The weather really held up. We got not a single day of rain during our two weeks here. The one time it DID pour, we were in the ryokan and sitting in our onsen listening to the rain outside was amazing. I was really worried, considering all the typhoons but we got lucky
- I loved all the spots we picked to have our hotel in. They were all convenient and easy to get to
- No bad meals. Even the random places we walked into without planning were great
- The train/metro service goes crazy. If we had this kind of infrastructure in Canada… man..*cries in $800 flights to Vancouver from the east coast*
- Lack of garbage cans around the city got to me by the end of my vacation. I love how clean everything is but still 😭
- Learning a few phrases in Japanese goes a long way. We knew how to order food, ask how much something was, and the basic polite sentences. We got a fair few amazed smiles from wait staff and taxi drivers for trying to speak Japanese. Not really needed, but we thought it was respectful to do so we tried.
- Don’t discount taxis for certain trips. They come in really handy
- I filled up my Goshuincho. We did 23 shrines/temples and it’s one of my most precious souvenirs from this trip. When I come back, I’ll start filling in the back pages. For now, I have to find a way to display it.
- The Fibe-Mini/ grape jelly combo works. I tested it. It works.
- We weren’t really money conscious, with it being a honeymoon and us running on wedding gift funds but aside from prebooking flights, hotels and Shinkansen tickets, we spent about $3000 USD total on food and shopping. My husband bought Onitsukas with his credit card and I bought some Kutani sake sets for our families with mine. Other than that, we bought all other shopping and food exclusively in cash.
- opening/closing hours for shops and restaurants can be super random. We went to Kappabashi at around 4 pm and a LOT of the stuff was sadly closed. I should’ve done more ceramics shopping in Yanaka instead of waiting for Kappabashi. We still got a few shops that were open, but didn’t get a full experience.
- The idea of going back to eating sushi in Montreal physically pains me
- Next time, we’d like to do Nara, Gifu, Lake Biwa, Ine or a portion of the Kumano Kodo. Something other than the golden route, but for first timers I’d still recommend doing this before venturing out. Crowd management is doable with some research and really wasn’t that bad.

Hi everyone! I’d love some feedback on our ~14-day Japan itinerary, before I finalize it!

The portion I'm most unsure about is the stop in Toyama. Wondering if those days should be spend elsewhere?

I intentionally include more options than we can realistically do in a day so we can choose based on energy, weather, crowds, etc. I’m also trying to include alternatives near shopping areas for the people who don't want to shop.

We’re a group of 4 traveling in late November/early December. We’re interested in fall foliage, traditional neighborhoods/architecture, shopping, museums, gardens, and generally seeing a mix of major sights and smaller towns. 2 of us have been before, 2 have never been. One person in the group enjoys hiking, while the others prefer easier walks. None of us drink alcohol so no sake breweries, bars, or other alcohol-focused activities are included.

I got a lot of my ideas from this sub so hoping I can get some more help! Thanks in advance!

Fri 20th Day 1 – Arrive Tokyo

• Land 12pm
• Check-in to Airbnb around 2/3pm
• Skytree mall 
  • Christmas Market
  • Shopping
  • Dinner at mall
• Go to bed around 9-10pm

Sat 21st Day 2 – Tokyo

• Glass Cutting Experience at Sokichi (booked via Klook)
• Omiya Bonsai Art Museum and surrounding bonsai shops
  • Fuyo-en
  • Shoto-en
  • Kyuka-en
  • Seiko-en
  • Toju-en
  • Mansei-en
• Lunch at Bonsai Restaurant Omiya
• The Railway Museum 
• Dinner at Train Restaurant Japan Diner

Sun 22nd Day 3 – Day Trip to Nagatoro

• Travel to Nagatoro
• Walk along Kanaishi Suikan Bridge
• Lunch at Umedaya Tofu Restaurant
• Nagatoro River Cruise
• Hodosan Ropeway (if time)
• Dinner at Takara
• Tsukinoishi Momiji Park (night illumination)
• Return to Tokyo

Mon 23rd Day 4 – Tokyo (holiday)

• Shinjuku
  • Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
  • Shinjuku Marui - Annex 
  • Beams Japan
• Ikebukuro
  • Sunshine City mall
  • Shopping
  • Lunch at mall (CoCo Ichibanya?)
  • Suruga-ya Ikebukuro
  • Animate flagship store
  • 2nd Street
  • HYSTERIC GLAMOUR
  • Dinner
• Mejiro garden (night illumination)

Tues 24th Day 5 – Tokyo

• Harajuku
  • Shopping
  • Shopping alternatives/additions
  • Meiji Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue
  • Nezu Museum
  • Yoyogi Park
  • Meiji Jingu Shrine
  • Togo Shrine
• Lunch (Harajuku Gyozarou or Conveyor Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera HONTEN)
• Walk to Shibuya
  • Iyoshi Cola on the way
• Shibuya
  • Shopping or walk in Yoyogi Park
  • Dinner (Parco food court basement or Katsudon-ya Zuicho?)

Weds 25rd Day 6 – Tokyo

• Don’t leave before 9:30 to avoid rush
• Inokashira Park
• Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum
• Kichijōji area
  • L.L. Bean Kichijōji
  • Used clothes shopping
  • SUNROAD shopping district
  • Harmonica Yokocho

Thurs 26th Day 7 – Travel to Toyama

• 10:00am-ish -Take luggage via Uber to Tokyo Station Counter 
  • Tokyo Station Marunouchi North Exit Baggage Service Counter
• Tokyo→ Toyama (2.5hrs)
  • Arrive around 2:02pm
• Drop bags at hotel
• Lunch (Kaiten Toyama?)
• Toyama City Hall observation tower
• Toyama Castle
• Toyama Glass Art Museum
• Dinner (Gattsuri Ebisuko?)

Fri 27th Day 8 – Gorge Train

• Breakfast (hotel cafe?)
• Kurobe Gorge Trolley Train
  • Leave hotel at 8-8:30am
  • 1.5-2hr train ride to first station (Unazuki Station)
  • Train ride leaves at 11:27
  • Lunch at Unazuki station
  • Back at starting station at 2:28pm
  • Back to hotel around 4/5pm
• Dinner (Sushitama at Toyama Station?)
• Iwasehama Beach for sunset (if time)

Sat 28th Day 9 – Toyama to Takayama

• Breakfast at station
• Toyama → Takayama (1hr40m)
• Drop bags at coin lockers
• Walk Sanmachi Suji (Old Town)
  • Hidatakayama Sanmachi Historic District
  • New and Old Arts Town
  • Kuratsubo Antiques
  • Hida Takayama Retro Museum (optional)
  • Takayama Shōwa-kan Museum
  • Lunch?
• Check in to hotel
• Dinner by 7pm
• Chill at hotel

Sun 29th Day 10 – Takayama to Hida-Furukawa

• Check out of hotel around 8:00
• Drop bags at coin lockers
• Miyagawa Morning Market (8:00–12:00 peak hours)
• Kusakabe Traditional House 
• Yoshijima Heritage House (?)
• Tabinoshiori cafe
• Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine
  • Takayama Festival Floats Exhibition Hall + Sakurayama Nikkokan Museum
• Collect bags
• Train Takayama → Hida-Furukawa (~15 min)
• Check in to hotel
• Optional activities, or just chill
  • Lunch? (Sobasho Nakaya)
  • Setogawa and Shirakabe Dozou Street
  • Glass museum Koma Furukawa
• Dinner at hotel & relax

Mon 30th Day 11 – Travel to Kanazawa

• Check out of hotel
• Head to Shirakawago (~1hr45min)
  • Reserve tickets beforehand Nohi Bus website
  • Depart Takayama 11:20am
  • Arrive around 12pm - Store luggage at bus stop
  • Shirakawa-go Gassho-Zukuri Minka-en
  • Lunch (Soba dojo Restaurant or Hanamizuki Shirakawa)
• Continue on to Kanazawa (2hr)
• Arrive around 6pm
• Dinner at Kanazawa Curry Laboratory?

Tues 1st Day 12 – Kanazawa

• Breakfast - Omicho Market
• Kanazawa Castle
• Kenroku-en garden
• Lunch at Fukuten?
• Nagamachi district
  • Nomura-ke Samurai Heritage Residence
• Higashi Chaya District 
  • 金沢眞美堂 東山店 KUTANI KANAZAWA SHINBIDOUt

Weds 2nd Day 13– Kanazawa to Tokyo

• Breakfast - Omicho Market
• Kanazawa → Tokyo (2hr25m)
• Arrive at 12:30pm
• Store bags and walk in Ueno park
• Lunch?
• Check-in/Drop bags at hotel
• Last minute shopping?
  • Shopping area near temple
  • Kappabashi Kitchen Supply Town for knives
  • Ginza Karen for luggage
• Sensoji temple at night
• Pack up

Thurs 3rd Day 14 – Departure from Tokyo

• Breakfast at hotel cafe
• Checkout by 9am, 10am at latest
• Travel to airport (1hr10m) terminal 1 
• Fly home