23 day itinerary + golden week

I am finally following a life dream and going to japan.
Trip is planned for 16.4/10.5 and although includes cherry blossom season, will also include golden week.
The following itinerary is something i made up to try and avoid as much hassle during golden week : at the end of every line () marks suggested sleeping arrangements.

17.4 - landing in narita, Hakone (Hakone/Fuji-Q)
18.4 - Fuji-Q amusement park (Fuji-Q)
19.4 - Fuji-Q, takasaki on way to onsens in eithe Kusatsu/Manza (?)
20.4 - Kusatsi/Manze, Nagano
21.4 - Nagano/alpine route
22.4 - Nagano/alpine route, Komikochi trekking (possibly overnight trek?).
23.4 - Komikochi, Kanazawa/Shirakawa go (?)
24.4 - Kanazawa/Shirakawa go/Osaka (?). Can add a day here in osaka. in this case take 1 day off hiroshima
25.4 - Nagoya, Nagoshima amusement park (Nagoshima resort?)
26.4 - Nara, Himeji, rabbit island from Mihara, Hiroshima
27.4 - Hiroshima/Miyajima island
28.4 - Hiroshima/Miyajima island, Osaka/Kyoto. (this day could be replaced with additional day around osaka on 24.4).
29.4 - 2.5 : Kyoto
2.5 - 6.5 : Tokyo (travel on 2.5 to try to avoid crowds).
7.5 - 8.5 : Nikko
9.5 : Nikko, Tokyo with possibility for another amusement park around tokyo
10.5 - noon flight from narita

Thanks ,Ohad

Congratulations for achieving your plan.

If you are to catch up the hanami viewing, take note that it starts from south going north. Kindly review the 2016 Cherry Blossom Report here http://www.japan-guide.com/blog/sakura16/ and forecast here http://www.japan-guide.com/sakura/ so you have idea. However, it changes from time to time.

Golden week period will start on 4.28 or 4.29 I think and it will be super busy. If you are seeing in youtube the news on how busy the golden week is then expect the same.

Check Hyperdia for all your train travels. Another is that google map is your friend.

Following your itinerary, I would like to comment/suggest on the following:

4.17 to 19
- Ok if you want to go directly there from NRT.
- Maybe Odakyu Free Pass would do or any other pass covering Fujigoko/Kawaguchiko/Fuji Q Highland will do.
- However, I think there is no direct service between Fuji Q to Takasaki/Kusatsu/Manza so Tokyo will be the best connection. It's time consuming I believe.
- Review Japan Guide how to get from Tokyo to Takasaki/Kusatsu/Manza
- Or, from Fuji Q Highland go directly to Matsumoto. From there, train ride to Nagano. From Nagano, you can take bus to Kamikochi.

4.20
- Kusatsu/Manza then go back to Tokyo, ok

4.21
- Tokyo to Kamikochi
- There is an overnight bus from Tokyo to Kamikochi yet as per Alpico, it will only open at the end of April 2017 so better check here http://www.alpico.co.jp/en/transportation/detail.php?id=21
- Best bet is Tokyo then shinkansen to Nagano then bus to Kamikochi
- Nagano to Kamikochi then back
- Take note that you only have 3 hours to trek Kamikochi based from Alpico bus schedule http://www.alpico.co.jp/access/express/nagano_kamikochi/
- Matsumoto to Kamikochi has better bus services. Again, check Alpico bus
- Matsumoto is more or less 70 minutes away by train to or from Nagano
- Base: Nagano

4.22
- If the conditions are the same as 2016 for 2017's open, there is a bus direct from Nagano to Shinano-Omachi or Ogizawa, the start of Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route.
- Review Japan Guide here http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6040.html#/section_getThere including your luggage forwarding
- Your drop-off will be Tateyama on the other side, then an hour train travel to Dentetsu Toyama
- Transfer from Dentetsu Toyama to JR Toyama Station (adjacent)
- You can ride from Toyama via shinkansen to Kanazawa
- Base: Toyama, Takaoka or Kanazawa

4.23
- Kanazawa tour
- I find Kanazawa interesting so I suggest a day travel here
- If not interested, Kanazawa to Shirakawago (check details on 4.24)

4.24
- Kanazawa to Shirakawago by bus. Check Nohi Bus.
- If Shirakawago is the only interest, within 3 hours you'll be fine (half day mostly)
- Otherwise, visit Gokayama as well
- bus return trip from Shirakawago to Kanazawa
- Kanazawa then Thunderbird to Osaka
- Tour Osaka in the afternoon
- Base: Osaka

4.25
- Nara whole day
- I am not sure if you can have a time to visit temple or shrine close to Kyoto but along JR Nara line like Fushimi-Inari, Tofukuji, Byodoin and the like although going to those locations are doable during your Kyoto stay
- Base: Osaka

4.26
- Osaka - Shin-Osaka - Hiroshima via shinkansen
- Hiroshima - Okunoshima Tour
- Review how to get there http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+119691
- Base: Hiroshima

4.27 to 28
- Hiroshima-Miyajima Tour
- Either your base is Hiroshima or Miyajima

4.29 to 5.2
- Hiroshima then Kyoto by shinkansen
- Kyoto tour
- Base: Kyoto

Note that betwen 4.23 to 5.2, if you plan to have 4.23 as Kanazawa to Shirakawago travel, you will have 1 day free.

5.3
- Kyoto to Nagoya via shinkansen
- You can have this travel on 5.2 if you want as you move towards Tokyo
- Notice that your Nagoya is on this day because it's out of way when you put it on 4.25, should Nagoya/Nagashima Spa Land be a must-visit for you
- Review how to get there here http://www.nagashima-onsen.co.jp/page.jsp?id=14949
- Base: Nagoya or Tokyo (shinkansen connected)

5.4 to 6
- Tokyo Tour

5.7 to 10
- Nikko Tour
- Whatever your plans are while in Tokyo do it on these dates before flying out on 5.10

Oh, it felt like this is already my travel haha! Now, as we knew the travel is on golden week. If this is achievable, then good.

Nevertheless, have a happy trip!

Oh I forgot you want to go to Himeji.

Better do half day from Kanazawa to Shirakawago. Travel by bus is 1.25 hour one way.

Time the closing of Himeji Castle (and Kokoen Garden to combine) as the travel alone from Kanazawa to Osaka is 2.5 hours via Thunderbird and Shin-Osaka to Himeji via shinkansen is more than 30 minutes.

Another is that as you go back from Hiroshima to Kyoto, side trip to Himeji Castle which opens at 9:00. Visit Kokoen Garden as well. All stations are shinkansen connected.

You can visit as well the Matsumoto Castle if you want. Either ditch Kusatsu or Kamikochi haha!

Both Matsumoto and Himeji Castles are part of the 12 original castles of Japan. There is also in Okayama (in between Hiroshima and Kyoto as well), in Hikone (after Kyoto or in between Kanazawa and Kyoto) so search for that if you like those as well.

If the cherry blossoms follow an average season next year, you'll be too late.

Thank you so much for your detailed response!

Regarding travel - i will be buying the 21 days JR pass, so whenever possible i will be taking the shinkansen and the regular JR trains rather than the bus. According to their website, it seems that i can continue straight from takasaki toward nagano without returning to Tokyo. Is that not the case?

Regarding alpine route - you wrote something about buggage delivery... Is that an easy service i can use (so my luggage will wait for me in komikochi)?

Regrading nagoya - i put it on purpose on the 25.4 because i had to avoid golden week, both because of the traffic and the fact that all attractions will be packed.

Regarding cherry blossom season - i understand that around tokyo i might be too late, that is the reason why im moving out to go toward the alpine area, hoping that it will bloom later in the cold areas. Either way i have no other choice but start my trip on the 16th,,,

As I mentioned Hyperdia is your friend. Yes Takasaki to Nagano is connected by Shinkansen. :)

Nagoya is in south. Nagano, Kamikochi, Matsumoto, Alpine Route are all in northern part. Go to Nagoya after Alpine Route (from Toyama) then that's 4 hour ltd exp train. Nagoya to Kanazawa is 30 min shinkansen and 2 hrs ltd exp train. I am just commenting the most logical travel imho. Whatever deem appropriate in your travel then your call.

Regarding the baggage, kindly review the link. Actually since alpine route is not yet open there's a little information to drop off your luggage. Visit again the link for updates, as well as jr tateyama website by March 2017.