LAX_Esq

We have award tickets on hold for a 15 night trip, flying into Tokyo and out of Fukuoka. I have us flying out of Fukuoka so we can catch the sumo tournament at the end of the trip.

About us: Well traveled 30's couple. I've been to Japan several times (Tokyo several times, Kyoto / Osaka very long ago, etc.); first time for wife. I speak basic Japanese and we're comfortable getting off the beaten path and going places with little/no English. I'd like my wife to see the "essentials"/"highlights" of Japan and I haven't covered a great deal of the country myself, so we'd like to balance the "highlights" with more authentic, non-touristy experiences. (I realize it's very hard in 15 days to cover both the essentials AND get off the beaten path.)

Interests: We're interested history, culture / authentic experiences, and beautify scenery. Particularly, we want a trip with VARIETY. Wife will definitely get "Temple OD'd" if we see every temple in Kyoto plus Nikko plus Nara, etc. We also would rather not deal with hoards of tourist crowds and would want to avoid that as much as possible (I realize it's going to be hard at the popular temples in Kyoto like Kinkakuji.) Also, we don't like fake touristy / over-commercialized stuff that's been ruined by mass tourism (e.g., I've heard Kanazawa might be there already).

So, here's a very rough draft itinerary for the 15 nights

Day 0: early evening arrival in HND; o/n Tokyo

Day 1: Tokyo Full Day #1; o/n Tokyo

Day 2: Tokyo Full Day #2; o/n Tokyo

Day 3: Tokyo to Takayama (4-5 hrs); Takayama afternoon (walk around old town); o/n Takayama

Day 4: Takayama to Shirakawago (1 hr); visit Shirakawago (lookout; walk around village); Shirakawago to Kanazawa (1.25 hr); o/n Kanazawa

Day 5: Kanazawa full day (Higashi Chaya-gai geisha district & teahouses, Omicho Market, Kenrokuen gardens, Kanazawa castle); o/n Kanazawa

Day 6: Kanazawa to Kyoto (2.5 hrs); Kyoto afternoon; o/n Kyoto

Day 7: Kyoto Full Day #1; o/n Kyoto

Day 8: Kyoto Full Day #2; o/n Kyoto

Day 9: Kyoto to Himeji (1 hr); visit Himeji Castle; Himeji to Hiroshima (1 hr); Hiroshima afternoon (Peace museum, park, A-bomb dome); o/n Hiroshima

Day 10: Miyajima Island (Itsukushima Shrine, Torii, Mt. Misen, and Daishoin) from Hiroshima (45 min each way); Hiroshima to Fukuoka (1.5 hr); o/n Fukuoka

Day 11 [?? EXTRA DAY - either more time in Kyushuu or add elsewhere ??]; o/n ???

Day 12 Fukuoka - day trip to Nagasaki (A-bomb museum, park, Dejima) (1.5 hr each way); o/n Fukuoka

Day 13: Fukuoka - day trip to Kagoshima (Sakurajima volcano, Sengan-en garden); o/n Fukuoka

Day 14: Fukuoka full day - morning ? [Asahi beer factory tour?]; afternoon: Sumo Tournament; o/n Fukuoka

Day 15: last morning in Fukuoka (Dazaifu?); 3pm flight from FUK

illico

maybe visit an onsen?

LAX_Esq

Definitely something we'd like to do -- as a day trip without adding in another overnight. Were would you suggest it could be fit in? Was thinking of Kurokawa Onsen as a day trip from Fukuoka, but it seems like a 3 hr bus ride each day...

PAX_fips

daytrip to Nagasaki is a bit stretchy, i think. check the inbound train times carefully (and note you've to change train from the relay shinkansen to another one)

illico

We visited Arima Onsen in Kobe when we were in Osaka recently, about a 75-90 train ride from Umeda station in Osaka, so perhaps during your Kansai area set of days (day 6 to 11). From Kyoto to Kobe there are a few train options including Shinkansen.

paperwastage

I did a variation of this.... Left luggage at Hiroshima locker, Overnight Ryokan @ miyajima itself with backpack(clothes). You may prefer Ryokan dinner (~6pm) or skip it, bc sinner limits time in Hiroshima, or do Hiroshima the next afternoon instead (before heading to Fukuoka)

Ryokan had private onsen/hot bath at night

Sakura shinkansen from osaka-fukuoka, ordinary reserved seat is 2-2 (not the typically 3-2). Non reserved ordinary Sakura is still 3-2 . So book ahead if possible (I did last minute hop on, Midori-no-madoguchi could only find reserved seat on part of the route , has to stand for the first few stations, see pic)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakura_(train_service)

bmwe92fan

My wife and I have always wanted to try this out because it looks very fun and a great way to see the inland sea (which is very beautiful) -- but we never seem to find enough time to do it. Luxury Overnight Inland Sea Cruise

More pictures here: Guntu

Maybe on one of our family visits to Western Japan we will try it.... In Tokyo we enjoy climbing Takao on our weekends -- it's nice to get out of the city for a while. In Late November the leaves are AMAZING -- but it will be crowded on weekends. We love to hike to the top and watch the sun set -- and then head down to the little town for some street food. Takaosan Hike & View

I also drag my wife once a year to Segakuji - Resting Place of the 47 Ronin just because I have deep respect for story and the ways of Japan. My (Japanese) wife tolerates it lol...

If you like art we can highly recommend the Mori Art Museum Big bonus is that the observation deck (52nd floor I think) has some of the best views of Tokyo you will see -- especially at night - and they have a bar that makes really good drinks. Great way to end a day...

Since it is November when you are there -- if you get down to Yokohama the Sankeien Garden is definitely worth a trip -- the buildings offer a glimpse into the past and the gardens will be gorgeous in the fall. Afterwards -- take a walk along the waterfront and then visit Yokohamas famous chinatown area for some dinner before jumping on a train back to Tokyo. We used to live down there but it's been a while -- I think the express train takes about 40 minutes each way...

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

There will be certainly a lot of walking ( both Himeji Castle then at Hiroshima and likely to be a long day. Hiroshima also has the Shukkeien garden that is beautiful. Given that you are visting Himeji castle in the morning, you could probably skip the Hiroshima castle. The atomic bomb museum will close at 6pm ( last entrance at 5:30pm) but you could easily spend 2-3 hours there. Sunset will be just after 5pm in November

I would check tide times for visiting Miyajima island ( around low tide you can walk out to the shrine)

At Nagasaki it will be around 20mins by tram to the peace park/atomic bomb museum and about 15mins from Dejima back to the JR station by tram ( and about 30mins between the peace park and dejima)- whilst doable it will be a long day

I would be careful about trying to do too much in one visit as it is easy to do but it can be nice to take it easy at times and maybe have a day of doing not a lot.


Regards

TBS

Agneisse

If you think Kanazawa has been "ruined by mass tourism" then Kyoto is beyond salvation, Shirakawago is hell, and Takayama is well on its way there. Not throwing shade, just putting it out there depending on how concerned you are about this aspect given the six-day stretch.

You could book a ryokan in Takayama to squeeze in the onsen experience. Or do a day trip to Arima Onsen / Kinosaki Onsen while in Kansai.

Also you don't say when in November you are visiting, this matters for foliage timings?

LAX_Esq

This is my fear, and I want the honest truth. Very sad -- I was in Kyoto in the late 90s, and don't remember any crowds. Is 2023 already back to 2015-2019 levels?



I see that. Wife is definitely bored by redundancy, and would be of the view that there's no need to see 3 other similar but inferior versions of the same thing and we should just see the best one.

But that view also holds true with the temples/shrines... it seems a lot of Japan tourists are on a stamp rally going to every single temple/shrine in the country and I don't see how anyone doesn't get temple fatigue.

November just works for our schedules, and, frankly, I'd rather avoid peak foliage timing because I'd rather not deal with the crowds. Definitely not looking to time our trip with peak foliage.

travelinmanS

I’d take a day trip to Yokohama from Tokyo as well. I always enjoy walking up to the Bluff and re-discovering the history of foreign settlements in Japan. It’s so close but I find it very different from Tokyo.

Agneisse

Not quite 2019 levels, but getting there: https://www.tourism.jp/en/tourism-da...bound/#monthly

"Crowded" really depends on personal thresholds. I really enjoy Kanazawa but it's a different vibe from Kyoto (which I also enjoy). Japan's a great tourism destination - can have a good time at a low price relative to other developed country destinations, stuff 'works', friendly customer service, lots to do for all kinds of interests, good airlines, it makes sense that many people want to visit. I enjoyed my soon-after-reopening trip in 2022 but also enjoyed my 2018 trip and the trips before that. No point getting gatekeepy, it's easier to change myself anyway (such as by going to different destinations within Japan)

My Kyoto strategy is to wake up early - very easy with West Coast jetlag - for early opening stuff such as Kiyomizudera or 24/7 stuff such as Arashiyama/Fushimi Inari, go to one temple/shrine for 9am opening (even without getting into the spiritual aspect I find there to be a decent variety in architectural styles), have an early lunch then take it easy during the middle of the day, and re-emerge for dinner and evening exploration.

LAX_Esq

Great link. I appreciate data. Looks like early 2023 is around 2016 levels, which seems to be the start of the boom and way more busy than the early 2010s

majortom421

If you are taking trains, it might make more sense to visit Kanazawa before Takayama.

The Tokyo-Kanazawa shinkansen is just 2.5 hours. And then Takayama can be visited on the way from Kanazawa to Kyoto.

KI-NRT

If you really, really are looking to avoid the crowds, then 1) You're well advised to rent a car to visit more remote areas of Kyushu, Shikoku or Tohoku, and 2) there are some wonderful places that are not exactly blissfully tranquil but won't have hordes of tourists that Takayama, Kanazawa, Miyajima and Kyoto will have.

Alternate suggestions include the Kii Peninsula (Koyasan, Kumano Kodo), Shikoku (Dogo Onsen/Matsuyama, Takamatsu for Udon, Iya Valley) and any number of places in Tohoku, especially if you're going in early November rather than late November. In Kyushu, places like Kurokawa Onsen will be packed, but Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Mt. Aso, Karatsu, Hirado are among the interesting places that won't be overrun by visitors, either. And since you're in Fukuoka, do not overlook Munakata Taisha. It's a spectacular and historic shrine. For Miyajima, stay overnight so you can enjoy the peace and quiet after the daytrippers have departed on the last ferry (and before they arrive in the morning.)