13 days itinerary

Hi guys,

I have prepared this itinerary for a 13 day trip to Japan (november).
Taking under consideration the fact I have already visited Kyoto (Nijo Castle, Kinkakuji, Ryoanji, Bamboo Grove), could you express your sincere opinion on this plan:

Day 1: narita - tokyo
Day 2: tokyo sightseing
Day 3: Day trip to Kamakura
Day 4: check out Tokyo hotel - early morning to Himeji - afternoon in Kobe - check in Hotel osaka
Day 5: early morning to Hiroshima - Ryokan in Myiajima
Day 6: Myiajima - maybe afternoon in Osaka
Day 7: Universal Studios Japan (my wife wants to)
Day 8: check out Hotel osaka - Nara - maybe Inari - Tokyo - check in Hotel Tokyo
Day 9: Day trip to Hakone
Day 10: Tokyo (odaiba)
Day 11: Day trip to Nikko
Day 12: Tokyo
Day 13: Tokyo - Narita

I consider also buying a JR pass or Japanican round trip Tokyo - Osaka shinkansen+JR Kansai - Hiroshima pass.

What do you think about it?

I would get s 7 day JR pass, activate it on day 4, and move your Nikko trip to day 10 so it's covered in those days.

Other than that it seems fine, though on day 4 I would probably visit Kobe, then Himeji, then spend the night in Hiroshima/Miyajima. Seems a waste to get most of the way there, then turn back to Osaka to only go there the next day.

Thank you for the observation, Mon!

Concerning to day 4, maybe if I move Nara and Inari to day 4 (tokyo to osaka), Himeji to day 5, doing Himeji, Myiajima on day 5, and Hiroshima on day 6, and Osaka, Kobe and Tokyo in day 8, would work good?

Hi,

Some of your days are a little unrealistic.

Day 4: check out Tokyo hotel - early morning to Himeji - afternoon in Kobe - check in Hotel Osaka (- I'm pretty sure this is nearly impossible. If you leave Tokyo at 7, you won't be at Himeji until 11am. In the mean time, you have passed your hotel at Osaka and the city of Kobe as well. Going to Osaka first and dropping your suitcase at your hotel can be done (since it's too early for check in) and going to Himeji would be possible (You won't be there until after 12:00.) Then maybe stop by Kobe on the way back for an evening walk (and maybe take the Shin-Kobe ropeway?).

Day 8: check out Hotel osaka - Nara - maybe Inari - Tokyo - check in Hotel Tokyo (- This is also illogical, I'm pretty sure you can not go from Osaka to Nara and then back to Kyoto, to Inari and then from Kyoto to Tokyo in a day. Maybe if you run through everything. It's check out from Osaka and head to Tokyo and do something there or drop your luggage at Kyoto station and do something in Kyoto before going on to Tokyo. I wouldn't advise Nara in this case since it takes an hour to get to Nara and an hour to go back. You would have almost no time to actually enjoy Nara...

As for the JR Pass, I'd have to agree with the above poster although a 14-day pass might work as well. It kind of depends how many JR trains you plan to use. If you get a 7-day pass and activate it day-4, your to-and from Narita train ride is not covered (which is 6000 Yen for a round trip) nor are your local trains covered. You'd probably end up around the same amount for a 14-day pass when paying for all of them separately and you will be able to enjoy the convenience of not having to buy tickets and not paying extra for reserved seats.

I think the O.P. plan would work if he send his suitcase to/from osaka through Takkyubin.
Then he wont need to stop by his hotel in his way from tokyo to Himeji.
I dont know where his hotel is in osaka, but if it is in Namba, he could in day 8 take the direct kintetsu train to Nara, JR to Inari, Shinkansen tô Tokyo from Kyoto at evening.

Thank you, DTryPleX and Hans.

Actually, I intend to Stay in Namba, and I do intend to use Takkyubin, as I have read in other posts they are very reliable.