Itinerary for 13 days in Japan

Hello,

I'll be visiting Japan in the first 2 weeks of April 2016. I made a plan for the trip, but as I've never been to Japan, I would very much appreciate any inputs about how realistic the plan is. Here it is:

Day1: arrive to Nagoya Chubu airport at 8:50 am. Visit the city (Nagoya castle,..). Sleep in Nagoya
Day2: Go to Osaka in the morning. Checkin hotel and spend there the next 4 nigths. Visit Osaka.
Day3,4,5: Make day trips to Kyoto. Maybe Day5 visit more of Osaka?
Day 6: Take train in the morning to go to Kumano( arrive at 13:00). Visit Nachi Fall. Take train (18:00pm)to Nara. Arrive Nara at ~22:30 and spend the night there.
Day7: Visit Nara. At ~17 take train or bus and go to Takayama/Shirawago/Kanazawa. Not sure where is best to spend the night.... Please advise!
Day 8: Visit Takayama/Shirawago. Is it feasible to visit them on the same day and leave in the evening for next destination - Yokohama? If not, where is best to spend the night?

Day9/10,11,12,13 Set base in Yokohama. Make day trips to Tokyo.
Day14 Early in the morning, return to Nagoya to take plane.

Considering the destinations I mentioned above, I was thinking to get a Kansai Pass for the first week. Do I have a similar ticket option for Kanazawa-Takayama-Yokohama-Tokio and back to Nagoya?

Many thanks for any advice!

I'll be visiting Japan in the first 2 weeks of April 2016. I made a plan for the trip, but as I've never been to Japan, I would very much appreciate any inputs about how realistic the plan is. Here it is:

What is your comprehension of the language?
Going around major cities and to major cities like Osaka and Nagoya is easier due to English signage, English tourist office (very friendly and important), and English speakers.


Day1: arrive to Nagoya Chubu airport at 8:50 am. Visit the city (Nagoya castle,..). Sleep in Nagoya
Very possible. You can even do the science museum or go to Oasis for some shopping. If you do not feel too tired, you could take a shinkansen to Osaka and sleep there. Since you prolly won't be doing anything in the middle of the night plus most shops and eateries close quite early. Might as well save the daylight hours by travelling at night.
Luggage can be stored in a train station locker.


Day2: Go to Osaka in the morning. Checkin hotel and spend there the next 4 nigths. Visit Osaka.
Day3,4,5: Make day trips to Kyoto. Maybe Day5 visit more of Osaka?
Again very doable. Where is your hotel? Is it convenient to travel to Kyoto. I find, and many would agree, Kyoto to be far more interesting than Osaka. I would rather spend 3 full days in Kyoto and perhaps go to Osaka for dinner or supper around the namba/domtombori area for 2 nights.

Day 6: Take train in the morning to go to Kumano( arrive at 13:00). Visit Nachi Fall. Take train (18:00pm)to Nara. Arrive Nara at ~22:30 and spend the night there.
I would rather spend the night in Nachi Falls area. The hotels there have views of the sea and the hot springs are a great experience. I recommend Hotel Urashima.

Day7: Visit Nara. At ~17 take train or bus and go to Takayama/Shirawago/Kanazawa. Not sure where is best to spend the night.... Please advise!
Train from Kyoto to Kanazawa makes most sense. Use the day the see Kenrokuen and the 21st Century Museum. The evening for one or more of the traditional districts. No lack of hotels in Kanazawa.

Day 8: Visit Takayama/Shirawago. Is it feasible to visit them on the same day and leave in the evening for next destination - Yokohama? If not, where is best to spend the night?
Better to spend the morning in Takayama's morning market and night in Shirakawa-go's farmhouse stay. Accommodations are lacking in this rural village so book first before planning.

Day9/10,11,12,13 Set base in Yokohama. Make day trips to Tokyo.
Tokyo is far more interesting. Why set the base as Yokohama? Are the hotels that much cheaper than to take the train to Tokyo every morning and back every evening? Tokyo also gives shinkansen service to Nikko and Kusatsu/Nagano. It is also along the Hokuriku shinkansen line that connects to Kanzawa when coming in the previous day. There are also bus companies that offer services to Hakone and Kawaguchiko from Tokyo.... So why Yokohama?

Note that there are trains from Takayama to Nagoya and buses from Kanazawa to Takayama. There is no pass for your second leg of travel.

Luggage can be stored in a train station locker.
Thank you for this idea.. I wasn't sure I can find lockers in trains stations.. I'll definitely use them!

Day2: ...5: Osaka.Make day trips to Kyoto.
Where is your hotel? Is it convenient to travel to Kyoto. I find, and many would agree, Kyoto to be far more interesting than Osaka. I would rather spend 3 full days in Kyoto and perhaps go to Osaka for dinner or supper around the namba/domtombori area for 2 nights.
Hotel is near Kyobashi Station... I think this is convenient for going to Kyoto so I'll follow your advice of spending more time in Kyoto than in Osaka

Day 6: Take train in the morning to go to Kumano( arrive at 13:00). Visit Nachi Fall. Take train (18:00pm)to Nara. Arrive Nara at ~22:30 and spend the night there.
I would rather spend the night in Nachi Falls area. The hotels there have views of the sea and the hot springs are a great experience. I recommend Hotel Urashima.
Thanks for hotel recommendation. I'll look into it. I would also like to see Nara and the time is so short...

Day7: Visit Nara. ...
Train from Kyoto to Kanazawa makes most sense. Use the day the see Kenrokuen and the 21st Century Museum. The evening for one or more of the traditional districts. No lack of hotels in Kanazawa.

Day 8: Visit Takayama/Shirawago. Is it feasible to visit them on the same day and leave in the evening for next destination - Yokohama? If not, where is best to spend the night?
Better to spend the morning in Takayama's morning market and night in Shirakawa-go's farmhouse stay. Accommodations are lacking in this rural village so book first before planning.
This plan got me thinking... hmm... I have to think this through..

Day9/10,11,12,13 Set base in Yokohama. Make day trips to Tokyo.
Tokyo is far more interesting. Why set the base as Yokohama? Are the hotels that much cheaper than to take the train to Tokyo every morning and back every evening? Tokyo also gives shinkansen service to Nikko and Kusatsu/Nagano. It is also along the Hokuriku shinkansen line that connects to Kanzawa when coming in the previous day. There are also bus companies that offer services to Hakone and Kawaguchiko from Tokyo.... So why Yokohama?
Yokohama because we'll be visiting some friends who recently moved there. We'll be staying at their place. I think is not that far away from Tokyo.. maybe we'll be staying one night in Tokyo, but we did not decide yet

Thank you, Jh, for your feedback!