u/Egeefree

My husband and I are traveling to Japan for our honeymoon and staying for the month of November. I have visited the golden route before, but he has not been to Japan at all. I have read the Lonely Plant guide book cover to cover, and have a decent idea of cities we are interested in visiting. Our pace while traveling is fairly aggressive, so staying 2 nights in each location is considered slower for us.

Trip Priorities:

• Great food, both budget-friendly and high-end
• Upscale onsens or rustic onsens with breathtaking scenery (prefer co-ed or private)
• Ease of public transit by train (open to private car hires for day trips, or a few transfers)
• Nature, fall foliage, and relaxation
• Walkable cities with culture

I am looking for feedback on whether we should do the itinerary below, or travel to Takaragawa before Kanazawa, then add Ogoto Onsen as a stop to break up the Hiroshima leg. I originally cut Takaragawa due to Trip Advisor reviews talking about how the hotel felt run down, but would love to hear other experiences. We also looked into Okuhida Onsen, but it felt difficult to get to.

I would also love to hear any other feedback on cities we should visit instead. We are not completely sold on Kanazawa, Takayama, Gero Onsen, or Amanohashidate. We would like to keep Tokyo, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Osaka, Kinosaki, and Kyoto.

I put in a few details for what we will do in each city so that the post gets approved, but honestly we are not ready to plan to that level right now and are looking for overall itinerary feedback. However, if there is a must-do activity, please feel free to let us know.

Tokyo — Shibuya (4 nights)

• Oct 30 (Thu): Arrive Narita, transfer to Shibuya, settle in. Easy dinner nearby, early night to fight jet lag.
• Oct 31 (Fri): Shibuya Crossing, Shibuya Sky, Harajuku/Takeshita Street, Meiji Shrine, Omotesando for dinner.
• Nov 1 (Sat): Shinjuku — Golden Gai, Omoide Yokocho for cheap eats, Shinjuku Gyoen for early foliage, izakaya dinner.
• Nov 2 (Sun): Asakusa (Senso-ji), Sumida River walk, Ueno Park foliage + museums, evening back in Shibuya.

Tokyo — Toranomon Hills (4 nights)

• Nov 3 (Mon): Nikko day trip — Toshogu Shrine, Shinkyo Bridge, Kegon Falls/Lake Chuzenji if time allows for foliage. Check into Toranomon Hills. 
• Nov 4 (Tue): Explore neighborhood, Tokyo Tower views, high-end dinner.
• Nov 5 (Wed): Ginza (upscale shopping/food), teamLab Planets or Borderless, sushi lunch at Tsukiji Outer Market.
• Nov 6 (Thu): Akihabara  — Electronics and anime shops (Yodobashi, Mandarake), retro arcade at Super Potato, Kanda Myojin Shrine, evening under the neon on Chuo-dori.
• Nov 7 (Fri): Shinkansen to Kanazawa.

Kanazawa (3 nights)

• Nov 7 (Fri): Arrive, check in. Omicho Market for dinner, stroll Kazuemachi Chaya district at night.
• Nov 8 (Sat): Kenrokuen Garden (fall foliage), Kanazawa Castle, Higashi Chaya District, Nagamachi Samurai District.
• Nov 9 (Sun): Shirakawa-go day trip — gassho-zukuri farmhouses, viewpoint hike, back for dinner in Kanazawa.
• Nov 10 (Mon): Depart for Takayama.

Takayama (2 nights)

• Nov 10 (Mon): Arrive, walk the Old Town (Sanmachi Suji), sake brewery tasting, riverside evening stroll.
• Nov 11 (Tue): Takayama morning markets, Hida Folk Village, Hida beef lunch/dinner.
• Nov 12 (Wed): Depart for Gero Onsen.

Gero Onsen (2 nights)

• Nov 12 (Wed): Arrive, check into ryokan, soak in onsen, riverside foot baths, kaiseki dinner.
• Nov 13 (Thu): Relax morning, optional Gero Gassho Village, more onsen time, second soak before dinner.
• Nov 14 (Fri): Depart for Hiroshima (long travel day via shinkansen).

Hiroshima (2 nights)

• Nov 14 (Fri): Arrive, Peace Memorial Park and Museum, evening Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki.
• Nov 15 (Sat): Hiroshima Castle, Shukkeien Garden foliage, local food crawl.
• Nov 16 (Sun): Ferry to Miyajima.

Miyajima (2 nights)

• Nov 16 (Sun): Arrive, Itsukushima Shrine floating torii, wander the town, grilled oysters/momiji manju.
• Nov 17 (Mon): Mt. Misen hike or ropeway, Momijidani Park foliage, sunset over the torii gate.
• Nov 18 (Tue): Ferry + train to Osaka.

Osaka (4 nights)

• Nov 18 (Tue): Arrive, Dotonbori for street food (takoyaki, okonomiyaki, kushikatsu).
• Nov 19 (Wed): Osaka Castle, Kuromon Market, upscale dinner in Umeda or Namba.
• Nov 20 (Thu): Nara day trip — Todai-ji, deer park, Nara Park foliage.
• Nov 21 (Fri): Flex/relax day — spa, shopping, or revisit favorite food spots.
• Nov 22 (Sat): Depart for Amanohashidate.

Amanohashidate (3 nights)

• Nov 22 (Sat): Arrive, chairlift/cable car to viewpoint for the sandbar view, seaside walk.
• Nov 23 (Sun): Bike or walk across the sandbar, local seafood lunch, onsen soak.
• Nov 24 (Mon): Ine day trip — funaya boathouses, boat cruise, seafood lunch.
• Nov 25 (Tue): Depart for Kinosaki Onsen.

Kinosaki Onsen (3 nights) — Hotel booked

• Nov 25 (Tue): Arrive, check in, do first of the 7 public bathhouses (onsen-hopping in yukata).
• Nov 26 (Wed): More onsen-hopping, riverside strolls, matsuba crab kaiseki dinner (in season).
• Nov 27 (Thu): Relax, final onsen visits, willow-lined canal walk at dusk.
• Nov 28 (Fri): Depart for Kyoto.

Kyoto (6 nights) — Hotel booked

• Nov 28 (Fri): Arrive, check in, easy evening in Gion, riverside dinner.
• Nov 29 (Sat): Fushimi Inari torii gates (early morning to beat crowds), Kyoto Station area.
• Nov 30 (Sun): Arashiyama — bamboo grove, Tenryu-ji, foliage along the river, Togetsukyo Bridge.
• Dec 1 (Mon): Kiyomizu-dera, Higashiyama District walk, Ninenzaka/Sannenzaka streets.
• Dec 2 (Tue): Philosopher's Path foliage, Nanzen-ji, Ginkaku-ji.
• Dec 3 (Wed): Flex day — Nishiki Market food crawl, last-minute shopping, high-end farewell dinner (kaiseki).
• Dec 4 (Thu): Depart from Osaka (transfer from Kyoto), fly home.

Thank you for making this far and I appreciate any feedback!