21 days itinerary

Hi again
From the 10th of Juni - 30 st of Juni me, my husband and our 4 kids (8, 12, 13 and 17 ) will travel through Japan . It will be our first time . We are really looking forward to this, so exciting!
After reading many articles about Japan, we have created the below 21 days itinerary.
- Would this be a good planning for 21 days? Or do you feel we should add or maybe skip something?
- We have already accommodation in Tokyo by AirBnb so we can�Lt change this item.
Thank you so much for your input, we appreciate it.
10/06 Arrival in Tokyo in the morning by Finnair. Staying Shinjuku
11/06 Tokyo
12/06 Tokyo
13/06 Kamakura
14/06 Tokyo (Ghibli)
15/06 Nikko - day trip (inkl Nikko Edomura)
16/06 Tokyo
17/06 Tokyo
18/06 Hakone (overnighting in Odawara + Hakone round trip)
19/06 Toyota Plant Tour and Kaikan museum. Slipover in Nagoya
20/06 Nagoya - Magome - Tsumago - day trip. JR to Takayama for overnighting.
21/06 Takayama . Afternoon (after 16.00) - Hida express to Gero onsen. Overnighting in Ryokan in Gero .
22/06 Gero - Hiroshima JR . At Hiroshima at 18.00
23/06 Hiroshima
24/06 Hiroshima - day trip to Miyajima
25/06 Hiroshima - Himeji - Osaka. Staying in Osaka for 5 nights
26/06 Osaka
27/06 Osaka - Kyoto day trip
28/06 Osaka - Nara - day trip
29/06 Osaka (Or Osaka - Kyoto as day trip)
30/06 Flight to Stockholm from Kansai
I have tried to minimize the number of our accommodation ( we have 7 places to stay round our trip). While we want to see and experience as much as possible. We will get JR Pass for 7 Days ( 19 - 25 of Juni)
Please feel free to comment on and complement my itinerary list. Thank you so much!

Why not have an overnight in Gero after your Nagoya-Magome-Tsumago Tour then the morning next day you can go via Wide View Hida or local train to Takayama? You have children so staying in one place will minimize moving your luggage from one place to another.

Moving forward from Gero to Hiroshima and seeing your preference to Himeji Castle, if you can find time visit Inuyama Castle as well as both are part of Japan's 12 original castles. The only worry is that the trip may not be comfortable since it involves several transfer of stations along the way as well as transfer of train companies (JR and Meitetsu). Further, there is 5 to 6 hours of travel as I checked thru Hyperdia between Gero to Hiroshima and of course comfort of your children so you may brush this off.

From Hiroshima to Himeji, if you begin early Himeji Castle plus Kokoen Garden say by 9 or 10 am, if you are fortunate to finish the tour in 2 hours then you can have a side trip to Kobe before settling in Osaka at night but Himeji alone will do.

Oops. I do apologize if I only assume your interest in Himeji as Himeji Castle only. There is also Mt. Shosha if you want to visit it so check here http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3500.html.

Thank you!

Depending on your interests make the last day in Osaka a day trip to Kyoto. One day in Kyoto is probably not enough time. Kyoto has a lot of more traditional Japanese culture and many more sights than Osaka. Osaka is more fun at night, although I don't know how it would be with children.

Ooh and maybe look into a Kansai Thru pass. Could be worth it escpecially if you make the second trip to Kyoto

http://www.surutto.com/tickets/kansai_thru_english.html

You were asking for 21-day JR Pass which I am not sure if that is cost-effective. Try to come up with a tabulation on your own.

If you really want JR Pass, consider:

- Preferred transportation from NRT or HND to your accommodation;
- All your train travels in Tokyo;
- For Nikko, Nikko Pass or JR?;
- For Hakone, Odakyu Free Pass or JR?;
- JR train rides (local/ltd exp/shinkansen) throughout your trip;
- non-JR rides;
- Train travels inside Osaka then going to Kyoto and Nara; and
- Preferred transportation from Osaka to KIX.

If you get the estimated amount of all your train travels against 21-day JR Pass then it will be your call.

My notion is that you can just have a 7-day JR Pass active from 6.19 until 6.25 or 14-day JR Pass active from 6.17 until 6.30.

Most likely, you will be using IC card or local pass when in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Nara. I am not sure if IC card is honored on non-JR lines in Nagoya. One way fare from Osaka station to Kyoto station is JPY 560 and while Osaka station to Nara station is JPY 800.

I would like to add that your family may settle in Osaka on 6.24 for your children's comfort. Any active JR Pass can be used for your travel between Osaka and Himeji on 6.25.

Depending on your schedule for flight home, I find Rap:t by Nankai which is not part of JR as the fastest train that starts in either Namba or Shin-Imamiya station going to KIX. Should you use 14-day or 21-day JR Pass, you can ride the Haruka express operated by JR which starts in either Shin-Osaka or Tennoji station.

Note of train schedule update on 2017.03.04.