Help with itinerary needed
Aug 24, 2008, 4:23 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: New York, New York, United States
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Posts: 138
Help with itinerary needed
Hi,
I'm planning to spend 3.5 weeks in Japan in October. 1 of the guys needs to go back after 2 weeks. We are starting and finishing in Tokyo. Any suggestions for itinerary? Are there any weather limitations during October?
Thank you!
I'm planning to spend 3.5 weeks in Japan in October. 1 of the guys needs to go back after 2 weeks. We are starting and finishing in Tokyo. Any suggestions for itinerary? Are there any weather limitations during October?
Thank you!
Last edited by Dinka; Aug 26, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Aug 24, 2008, 6:27 pm
#4
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Aug 25, 2008, 4:22 am
#6
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,484
Welcome to the forum.
Whilst the members who frequent these pages do their utmost to be helpful, we do like to help those who at least try and help themselves.
The title for this thread is: "Help with itinerary needed"
But there there is no itinerary to help you with.
What you actually seem to want is for someone to take the time to spoonfeed you with an itinerary.
That's not really our style. And even if we did, it would have little practical value. We know nothing about you, your likes, dislikes, preferences, aspirations.
If you haven't got one already, you really should get yourself a travel guide to Japan and start reading through it. Once you start developing your own ideas about what it is you and your group will want to see and do in Japan and have the seedlings of a rough itinerary, come back and most of us will be happy to help you make that plan bloom into something workable.
October does have the occasional typhoon, this will bring rain and may cause some disruption in rail timetables for a day, on the upside, the next day is invariably glorious. I personally think October is a wonderful time to visit. You may also be able to visit CEATEC.
Enjoy your research! Must be jolly exciting to plan your first visit, and such an enviously long one too!
Aug 25, 2008, 1:40 pm
#7
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota,USA
Programs: UA, NW
Posts: 3,752
What Lap Lap said.
You'll enjoy your visit so much more if you read through a guidebook first, because a good guidebook will answer questions you didn't know you had.
You'll probably pay thousands of dollars for the trip. What's a $30 guidebook in comparison?
You'll enjoy your visit so much more if you read through a guidebook first, because a good guidebook will answer questions you didn't know you had.
You'll probably pay thousands of dollars for the trip. What's a $30 guidebook in comparison?
Aug 26, 2008, 4:27 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: New York, New York, United States
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Posts: 138
Thx....
Reading a guide is definitely a part of the plan 
... I was more looking to narrow the choice, as I'm interested pretty much in everything. I wouldn't want to spend all the time in Tokyo. I appreciate both technology exhibitions, partying, food, temples and nature. I don't know when is the next time if ever I will get a chance to visit Japan and therefore would like to experience as much as possible, without spending half of the time on traveling though. Somebody told me that mount Fuji is probably a bad idea in October, if there is any additional information of a similar kind - I would appreciate it... I was thinking to plan the trip according to the festivals.
... I was more looking to narrow the choice, as I'm interested pretty much in everything. I wouldn't want to spend all the time in Tokyo. I appreciate both technology exhibitions, partying, food, temples and nature. I don't know when is the next time if ever I will get a chance to visit Japan and therefore would like to experience as much as possible, without spending half of the time on traveling though. Somebody told me that mount Fuji is probably a bad idea in October, if there is any additional information of a similar kind - I would appreciate it... I was thinking to plan the trip according to the festivals.
Aug 26, 2008, 8:57 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 182
Definitely worth seeking out festivals--they add irreplaceable local color. So do weddings (ie, weekends at Meiji Shrine) and antique markets (various times throughout major cities).
A JR rail pass for at least a week is highly recommended...especially if you like temples and shrines. Kyoto is a must for that, and I'd add Nara and Arashiyama, too. Oh, and can't miss: Miyajima and Himeiji, both doable as day trips from Kyoto.
Since the JR pass is good for travel in Tokyo on JR lines, and for use on the Express from the airport to Tokyo, the 2 week one is probably a good choice for all of you; then, you could consider doing JR East for further exploration from Tokyo. And, of course, digging deep into Tokyo and its environs.
A JR rail pass for at least a week is highly recommended...especially if you like temples and shrines. Kyoto is a must for that, and I'd add Nara and Arashiyama, too. Oh, and can't miss: Miyajima and Himeiji, both doable as day trips from Kyoto.
Since the JR pass is good for travel in Tokyo on JR lines, and for use on the Express from the airport to Tokyo, the 2 week one is probably a good choice for all of you; then, you could consider doing JR East for further exploration from Tokyo. And, of course, digging deep into Tokyo and its environs.
Aug 26, 2008, 9:49 pm
#10
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Central California
Programs: Former UA Premex, now dirt
Posts: 6,531
If you just want to check another location off your itinerary, it can be done. If you want to spend some time there and soak up the place, better to build in a night someplace closer - Hiroshima or even Okayama. Besides, who would go through Hiroshima without spending at least a little time there?
Aug 27, 2008, 5:38 pm
#13
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 1,554
The wife and I went for ~17 days this spring. Our itinerary was Tokyo (6.5d), Lake Kawaguchi (1d), Kyoto (4d), Nara/Mt Koya (1d), Himeiji/Kurashiki (1d), and Osaka (3.5d)
Just for some general thoughts that we had on our itinerary that the OP might be able to pick through for their trip:
- We were a bit conflicted with the length of our stay in Tokyo. Our days were full and we did not see EVERYTHING on our list. Probably needed one, maybe two more days to do some more day trips (home-basing from Tokyo), see a baseball game, etc. However, by day 6, we were starting to get a little tired of the hustle and bustle of Tokyo.
- Should have spent more time around the Five Lake region around the base of Mt Fuji. We borrowed bikes and did a little bit of touring but we should have allocated a day or two more. Ideally, I would have liked to hike a little bit of Mt Fuji but we were out of climbing season and it was spectacular just seeing it as a backdrop throughout the region.
- Four days was pretty good for us in Kyoto, though another day or two would have been nice. Lots to see but we started to get “templed out”.
- Our Nara/Mt Koya day was rushed and we should have allocated more time and split it up. Really enjoyed Nara and feeding the deer. We stayed at a temple in Mt Koya. Interesting experience but somewhat pricey.
- Our Himeiji/Kurashiki day was also rushed. Himeiji Castle was interesting but looking back, we could have reallocated the time to something else. Kurashiki had a nice canal district area but again, in hindsight I think we should have reallocated our time to somewhere else. For us Kurashiki was more of a stop along the way versus an end point destination.
- Our time in Osaka was just right.
We wanted to visit another island somewhere (like Sapporo region) but it wasn’t feasible for us with the 2.5 weeks. We also initially tossed around Okinawa but again, time-wise it didn't make sense and it would have pushed our budget.
Hiroshima (and local day trips) was originally on the list but got nixed because it was a little far and we were already pushing our itinerary.
I'd recommend doing a search in the trip report forum as a starting point for building your own itinerary (in addition to buying a guide book of course) to get an idea of what others have experienced and what might fit with your likes. Also, here are a couple of other personal websites with trip reports that I came across when doing research for my itinerary:
http://www.johnharveyphoto.com/Japan/
http://gardkarlsen.com/
Just for some general thoughts that we had on our itinerary that the OP might be able to pick through for their trip:
- We were a bit conflicted with the length of our stay in Tokyo. Our days were full and we did not see EVERYTHING on our list. Probably needed one, maybe two more days to do some more day trips (home-basing from Tokyo), see a baseball game, etc. However, by day 6, we were starting to get a little tired of the hustle and bustle of Tokyo.
- Should have spent more time around the Five Lake region around the base of Mt Fuji. We borrowed bikes and did a little bit of touring but we should have allocated a day or two more. Ideally, I would have liked to hike a little bit of Mt Fuji but we were out of climbing season and it was spectacular just seeing it as a backdrop throughout the region.
- Four days was pretty good for us in Kyoto, though another day or two would have been nice. Lots to see but we started to get “templed out”.
- Our Nara/Mt Koya day was rushed and we should have allocated more time and split it up. Really enjoyed Nara and feeding the deer. We stayed at a temple in Mt Koya. Interesting experience but somewhat pricey.
- Our Himeiji/Kurashiki day was also rushed. Himeiji Castle was interesting but looking back, we could have reallocated the time to something else. Kurashiki had a nice canal district area but again, in hindsight I think we should have reallocated our time to somewhere else. For us Kurashiki was more of a stop along the way versus an end point destination.
- Our time in Osaka was just right.
We wanted to visit another island somewhere (like Sapporo region) but it wasn’t feasible for us with the 2.5 weeks. We also initially tossed around Okinawa but again, time-wise it didn't make sense and it would have pushed our budget.
Hiroshima (and local day trips) was originally on the list but got nixed because it was a little far and we were already pushing our itinerary.
I'd recommend doing a search in the trip report forum as a starting point for building your own itinerary (in addition to buying a guide book of course) to get an idea of what others have experienced and what might fit with your likes. Also, here are a couple of other personal websites with trip reports that I came across when doing research for my itinerary:
http://www.johnharveyphoto.com/Japan/
http://gardkarlsen.com/
Aug 27, 2008, 7:54 pm
#14
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,484
For ideas on a trip based around food I'd like to add this to Jay71's fine suggestions:
http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=113555
http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=113555
Sep 2, 2008, 1:27 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: WAS
Posts: 873
I echo the sentiments that more info is needed, but I'll give you the itins for both of my trips- my perspective being that I was a Japanese studies major, (enough grasp of Japanese not to be intimidated by off-the-beaten-path places) and have a bit of an independent streak when traveling in Japan, especially trip #2.
Trip #1
2 weeks (July 2000), with a friend who knew next to nothing about Japan
Week 1- Tokyo
Over seven days, went to Akihabara, Ueno Park (museums), Ginza (Kabuki theater), Roppongi, Tokyo Tower, Shinjuku (and Kabuki-cho), Shibuya, Harajuku, Asakusa and Mt. Fuji.
Week 2- JR Rail Pass
2 days in Kyoto, then Osaka, Kobe, Hiroshima, and Miyajima.
Knowing what I know now, I would have skipped Hiroshima, and would have tried to wedge in either Nara or Himeji. Also, I would have tried to make it to the tuna auction in Tsukiji while in Tokyo. Other than that, pretty much a perfect first trip to Japan. My friend loved it! We hadn't planned our second week in advance, short of having purchased the rail passes in the US, and knowing what cities to hit. We stumbled on the convention center and the JTB travel agency inside, and booked Welcome Inns for the entire second week.
After that trip, I went to China and then returned to Tokyo to work for a few weeks. The only other thing I saw was Yokosuka and the Tanabata festival, and another festival in Azabu-Juban.
Trip #2
3 weeks (March 2004)
I was much more informed, and had made more friends in Japan thanks to the internets. I was mostly solo, but started with my sister and bro-in-law, met up with a traveling friend, and stayed with a third friend who was on a teaching program. My goals were to explore Kyushu (southern island), experience Japan as more of a local, and hit some things I missed last time. This time I booked the Welcome Inns from Narita airport before I caught the train to Tokyo.
Week 1 Playing happy tour guide to friends and family
Tokyo (mostly a repeat of last time, but now with the Tokyo-Edo museum)
Week 2 Mostly Kyushu
Nara (partied all night, walked around the temple complex at day), Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Mt. Aso, Beppu, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Kobe
Week 3 New experiences
Miki (town near Kobe), Osaka (sumo tournament), Himeji, Tokyo (drum museum)
I knew the itinerary was ambitious, but my excitement for being back in Japan overcame my aching feet. I did nearly everything I wanted to, except I got to Mt. Aso too late to do anything there, so I was stranded for 4 or 5 hours. Didn't get to see the samurai town near Nagasaki because I couldn't get a reliable schedule ahead of time, and it was too far out of the way, managed to see everything I wanted to in Kagoshima despite torrential rains, and rains kept me from taking a day trip from Tokyo to Nikko or Kamakura. Never got into the Tsukiji auction despite one attempt from me and two from my sister (closed both times!). Just leaves more for my next trip!
I really don't know what compelled me to write all that, considering you haven't provided us with much information, but I hope you find it useful!
Trip #1
2 weeks (July 2000), with a friend who knew next to nothing about Japan
Week 1- Tokyo
Over seven days, went to Akihabara, Ueno Park (museums), Ginza (Kabuki theater), Roppongi, Tokyo Tower, Shinjuku (and Kabuki-cho), Shibuya, Harajuku, Asakusa and Mt. Fuji.
Week 2- JR Rail Pass
2 days in Kyoto, then Osaka, Kobe, Hiroshima, and Miyajima.
Knowing what I know now, I would have skipped Hiroshima, and would have tried to wedge in either Nara or Himeji. Also, I would have tried to make it to the tuna auction in Tsukiji while in Tokyo. Other than that, pretty much a perfect first trip to Japan. My friend loved it! We hadn't planned our second week in advance, short of having purchased the rail passes in the US, and knowing what cities to hit. We stumbled on the convention center and the JTB travel agency inside, and booked Welcome Inns for the entire second week.
After that trip, I went to China and then returned to Tokyo to work for a few weeks. The only other thing I saw was Yokosuka and the Tanabata festival, and another festival in Azabu-Juban.
Trip #2
3 weeks (March 2004)
I was much more informed, and had made more friends in Japan thanks to the internets. I was mostly solo, but started with my sister and bro-in-law, met up with a traveling friend, and stayed with a third friend who was on a teaching program. My goals were to explore Kyushu (southern island), experience Japan as more of a local, and hit some things I missed last time. This time I booked the Welcome Inns from Narita airport before I caught the train to Tokyo.
Week 1 Playing happy tour guide to friends and family
Tokyo (mostly a repeat of last time, but now with the Tokyo-Edo museum)
Week 2 Mostly Kyushu
Nara (partied all night, walked around the temple complex at day), Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Mt. Aso, Beppu, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Kobe
Week 3 New experiences
Miki (town near Kobe), Osaka (sumo tournament), Himeji, Tokyo (drum museum)
I knew the itinerary was ambitious, but my excitement for being back in Japan overcame my aching feet. I did nearly everything I wanted to, except I got to Mt. Aso too late to do anything there, so I was stranded for 4 or 5 hours. Didn't get to see the samurai town near Nagasaki because I couldn't get a reliable schedule ahead of time, and it was too far out of the way, managed to see everything I wanted to in Kagoshima despite torrential rains, and rains kept me from taking a day trip from Tokyo to Nikko or Kamakura. Never got into the Tsukiji auction despite one attempt from me and two from my sister (closed both times!). Just leaves more for my next trip!
I really don't know what compelled me to write all that, considering you haven't provided us with much information, but I hope you find it useful!