Itinerary Check for a 45 day trip
I will be in Japan October 28 to December 11th. Friends and family will join me for 3 distinct sub trips. But I will also be solo for a few periods which I’ll call out. I’ve asked reddit a ton of questions while designing this itinerary, but would love an assessment of overall flow and do-ability. For places where I have options laid out, I’d love folks perspective. I’m not divvying up strictly by day because I want some flexibility for weather.
About Me
I qualify for a month + sabbatical from a pretty high stress job. Travel has always been a passion and Japan has been a bucket list item I’ve been saving for when I have extended time.
I just turned 40 and have some mobility challenge. I have hardware in my ankle and will likely bring a cane/cane with a seat and/or hiking. I can do up to 5mi of hiking before my ankle gets very opionated. I may also experiment with bracing it to see if I can get mobility before the trip. I am staying close to major train stations and am willing to use the occasional taxi to also get more in.
I am attempting to optimize for visiting a number of festivals while also getting in a good dose of nature and gardens. I’m using Ryokan/Onsen visits to recover since this is a generally packed itinerary. I love cooking and crafting so am including a cooking/crafting experience here and there. One craft I haven’t included but would love to if there is a good place would be woodblock print technique.
Itinerary
Day 1-3: Fukuoka
• Arrive Fukuoka 10:00am. Go to Hakata station hotel to store bags. Light sight seeing and jet lag recovery. Light seeing will likely be visiting Tochoji Temple to see pagoda/Buddha and Kushida Shrine
• Vintage shopping for kimono
• Daizufu Shrine and grounds
• Full day Mt Aso and Takachiko Bus Tour with boat add on
**• Priority Eats:** Tonkotsu Ramen, Eat at Yatai
Day 4-5: Yuifin/Beppu
• Aru Ressha either to or from Yuifin. October schedule isn’t out yet but it seemed like it might not run both ways during the weekends during their winter schedule so will plan around train.
• Stay in a modest ryokan in Yuifin, but only taking breakfast. Will eat at the Yuifin food stalls for other meals. Will do a private bath since tattooed.
• Early morning Yuifin plan before day trippers arrive: Kinrin lake to see steam rise and walk the main drag and floral village
• Comico Art Museum
• Stay in a nicer Ryokan in Beppu in the Kannawa neighborhood. Will do full Kaiseki dinner with regional Wagyu and horse mackerel sasahimi. Onsen has rotemburo, sand baths, and indoor onsen. Will book private usage of indoor given tattoos.
• Visit Hyotan Onsen. Will sand bath here if I can’t at the ryokan due to tattoos.
• Walk to a nearby Hells.
Day 6-7: Karatsu Kuchi Festival Day Trips from Fukuoka
• Travel back from Beppu or Yufuin and store luggage at Hakata Station or drop bags at our hotel nearby (won’t be able to check in because too early)
• Travel on to Karatsu Festival for day 1 activities like the night parade. Traveling with a photographer so expect Festival to be a highlight.
• On day 2 plan to arrive early to see the floats dragged across the beach.
Day 8-9: Okayama
• Bullet train to Kurashiki first thing in morning. Store backpack at train station. Visit historical quarter and get boat tickets if we can. Ohara art museum if we have time but would cut if it puts Korakuen at risk since this the priority of this leg.
• Afternoon visit Korakuen Garden. If we don’t have a good vista of Okayama Castle we will walkover after, but probably not do an interior visit.
• Day trip to Naoshima Island the next day. Chichu Art Museum, Benesse House, bath at Naoshima art sento.
**• Priority Eats:** Okayama Barazushi or Demi-Katsudon. Skipping the oyster pancake because my traveling companion has an allergy. (Thinking I’ll make allergy cards for folks and get my Japanese friend to check content accuracy)
Day 10-13: Kyoto
• My first traveling companion goes back to Fukuoka to fly home. My next traveling companion arrives into KIX in the evening and will meet in Kyoto the first day of this leg.
• I will bullet train in the morning to Himeji to tour the grounds but probably skip the interior. Continue on to Kyoto.
• Gion Odori is my highest priority activity. I will arrange other activities around it after I secure tickets. We will stroll Gion area after (Performances avail 1:30 and 4pm)
• Eikando Temple or To-ji Temple (we’re probably too early for good mimoji so leaning To-ji)
• Golden Pavillion or Kokedera (Kokedera requires a reservation made 2mo in advance. I’m from the Pacific Northwest so debating not doing moss temple since we have moss forests)
• Kodaiji Temple for Night Illuminations
• 2hr tea ceremony, wagasha cooking class, kimono rental combo experience (avail 11am and 2:30)
• 2hr Wagassa Umbrella making workshop (avail 10am, 1pm, 4pm)
• Day Trip to Fushimi Inari and Nara. (There is a fire festival Nov 8 T FI. Debating whether to avoid or prioritize. Might move Nara to a different leg if I prioritize)
**• Priority Eats:** Kyoto-style Sukiyaki; Nishi Market; Gyoza; Wagasha and Tea
Day 14-15: Kinosaki Onsen
• Could visit 1 last temple in the morning before taking the 2.5hr train to Kinosaki Onsen. Ideally arrive by 3pm
• Staying at 2 different Ryokans and doing Kaiseki dinners at both
• Plan to Onsen hop both days
**• Priority Eats:** Snow Crab
Day 16-18: Nagoya as Base
• Long train day to Nagoya after breakfast at Ryokan.
• Maybe a 5pm Udon/Gyoza cooking class if we can arrive on time on travel day.
• Organized Full Day Tour that stops at Korankei Gorge for maple festival, Obara for cherry festival, and Kokisan Eihoji temple.
• Organized Full Day Tour Gujo, Hida Takayama, and Shirakawa-go
**• Priority Eats:** Misokatsu, Doteni, Udon, chicken wings. Avoid: Maple Tempura
Day 19-20: Osaka as Base
• Bullet train to Osaka. Mostly using this as repositioning to cut down on travel time to Kaoysan later. I will do 2 day trips.
• Visit Namba Yasaka Jinja
• Day Trip (Option A): Visit Tokoname before traveling to Osaka. Store luggage at station while visiting kiln town. Mostly want to do the art walks
• Day Trip (Option B): Minoh Falls and Katsuoji
• Day Trip (Option C): if I decouple Nara because I spend too much time at Fushimi Inari’s festival this would be back up day. Want to explore temples in Nara park area and see deer.
Day 21: Kayosan
• Gran Tenku train to Kayosan
• Temple Stay at Shojoshin-in. Arrive in time for 1pm fire ceremony.
• Visit cemetary with my friend who will be day tripping only before returning to Osaka.
• Visit Danjo Garan to see Pagoda
• Visit Kongobuji Temple to see Rock Garden
• Night tour of cemetary
**• Priority Eats:** Buddhist cuisine at the temple stay
Day 22: Tokyo Travel Day
• 6hr plus travel day to reposition for rest of trip. Friend flies out of KIX on their own.
• Pick up Disney vacation package items if I arrive early enough.
• Staying at Tokyo Bay Shiomi to be ready for early Disney day
Day 23-24: Disney
• 2D1N unlimited package with stay at Fantasy Springs
• Hoping to meet Aristocats
Day 25-26: Tokyo
• Staying Ahkibara.
• Partner arrives in the afternoon/early evening of the first day and will be key lagged so will be causal day. Before he arrives I also want to visit used kimono stores.
• We collect Sofubi so want to go to One Up and Mandrake Cocoo and Mandrake Complex together.
• Visit electrical town area if we’re up for it.
• 11am cooking class and Tsukiji tour
• Kabuki at Kabukiza Theater for evening show on the 22nd since it will be closed during our next swing through Tokyo.
Day 27-28: Hakone
• This is a holiday so expecting slower travel days.
• Staying in a Ryokan. Lots of relaxing ideally.
• Visit the Hakone Open Air Museum
• Do the loop if weather and our energy permits
**• Priority Eats:** Kaiseki meals
Day 29: Kamakura
• Travel to Kamakura and store luggage at station or drop it at our hotel near station.
• Houkokuji and Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu.
• Eat along Komachi-dori.
• Sunset beach walk
Day 30-Day 33: Tokyo
• Visit Kotoku-in and Hase-dera first thing in the morning before heading to Asakusa area hotel to drop stuff.
• Kimono photoshoot with InKomono (most of a day activity but late afternoon/evening free)
• Senso-ji
• Wander Nakamise-dori
• Visit Shinjuku and stop at FEWMANY to see if any artist sofubi exhibit is going on. See the Godzilla head
• Shinjuku National Garden
• Meiji Jingu and Ginko avenue
• Visit Shibya and stop at T-Base Japan to see about sofubi.
• Nakano Broadway if we have time, but willing to cut
• Rikugien Gardens night illuminations (if it’s on similar dates we could only do it 11/28)
Day 34-35: Disney
• Another 2D1N unlimited package. Staying at MiraCosta.
Day 36-37: Chichibu
• Visiting for Night Festival (Staying near Chicibu station the first night but then in a cottage a 3mi walk from festival. Hoping I can get a taxi but not sure if that will be impossible with the festival)
• Mitsumine Shrine
**• Priority Eats:** Soba noodles with wild mountain vegatables (near Mitsumine), Miso Potato’s, Pork Miso Don, Walnut Soba
Day 38-39: Nikko
• Leave first thing for long trip to Nikko (4hrs ish)
• Nikko Toshogu Shrine
• Shinkyo Bridge
• Rinnoji Temple
• Shoyoen Garden
• Kegon Falls
• Lake Chuzenji
• Ryuzu Falls
**• Priority Eats:** Yuba (tofu skin dish)
Day 40-42: Nagano/Yamanouchi
• Head to Nagano early. 2-3hr trains. If time, stop at Obuse and coin store luggage to visit Hokusai Museum and Gasho-in. Eat something chestnut. Check into Ryokan in Yamanouchi.
• Visit monkey park. Ryokan will drive me there but I’ll need to walk back.
• Private onsen
• Full day tour with soba class and Togakushi
Day 43-44: Kanazawa
• Early train from Nagano to Kanzawa (2.5hrs)
• Visit Kenroku-en
• Giesha District
• Geiko experience if one is booksble
• DIY walking tour of Samurai District ([https://nerdnomads.com/kanazawa#day\_1\_–\_exploring\_the\_old\_historic\_kanazawa](https://nerdnomads.com/kanazawa#day_1_%E2%80%93_exploring_the_old_historic_kanazawa))
• Kaga Yuzen dyeing workshop (GetYoutGuide?)
**• Priority Eats:** Kaisendon
Day 45: Fly home
• Train to Tokyo to catch late afternoon flight.