Ohayōōōō,
I am planning a 2,5 week trip to Japan for two adults in the end of may/start of june. Our goal is to avoid the biggest crowds in Kyoto and Osaka and focus instead on the mountains, the coast, and smaller towns.
The plan starts with 5 nights in Tokyo to adjust. After that, we will take the Shinkansen to Nagano, rent a car, and spend 10 days on the road. We intend to return the car in Nagano and take the train back to Tokyo for the final 4 nights.
Here is our tentative 10-night road trip breakdown:
- Matsumoto: 1 night
- Kiso Valley (Narai-juku area): 1 night
- Fukui: 1 night
- Kanazawa: 2 nights
- Toyama: 1 night
- Takayama: 2 nights
- Nagano mountains (Togakushi/Hakuba area): 2 nights
We are looking for a mix of mountain scenery, historical post towns, and coastal views. We will be booking our accommodations as we go to keep the schedule flexible.
Does this pace seem reasonable for a 10-day drive, or are we staying too long/short in any of these specific spots? Any feedback on the route or the driving sections would be appreciated. We dont like crowds, that is mainly the reason we skip the golden route (maybe next time?). I'm still stressing if its the right move.
Thanks.