10 days in Japan. Any suggestions?

Hello All,

I will be travelling solo to Japan on April. Very excited to be there during the spring! I have a question for the locations I will be spending in Japan. I am planning to get the JR Pass to travel within Japan as much as possible. However, I have some doubts if it would be tiring to travel around with a middle sized luggage.

I would be happy if you guys look at the plan I have made so far below.

4 nights in Tokyo (3 full dayss-arrival to Tokyo at 23:00)
1 night in Kanazawa
2 nights in Kyoto
2 nights in Osaka
1 night in Tokyo for return

Should i simply cancel the Kanazawa plan and add one more night to Kyoto? Or cancel the 2 nights in Osaka and add those to Kyoto?

Thank you very much.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2400.html

You can try this to see what this website we are on suggests as comfortable to cover in a certain number of days - the rest is up to your interests :) Enjoy planning!

Your plan is do-able, but one-night stay in any place can be tiring.

One one-nighter in Kanazawa is probably tolerable. If you can rearrange your Tokyo stays (4 nights total) into one consecutive 4-nighter or split into two 2-nighters, it will be less tiring.

You can stay in Kyoto (or Osaka) and visit Osaka (or Kyoto) as day-trips, that way you are unpacking-and-packing less. You can utilize your JR Pass, so there is no extra cost for transportation between Kyoto and Osaka. Which city to stay depends on what you want to do at each place.

To be honest I would only stay one day in Osaka. Spend more time in kyoto

I would also recommend going to Kobe doing the cable car journey.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3563.html

I would drop both the Kanazawa & Osaka stays & stick to hotels in Tokyo & Kyoto. As others have said a one night stay can be tiring & you don't gain much if the weather is bad. You can easily day trip to Osaka and Nara and even Himeiji from Kyoto and on a first trip you will find more than enough to do. I would suggest 4 nights in Tokyo and 5 in Kyoto. Otherwise book your accommodation asap & enjoy.

I would agree. Tokyo and Kyoto only. Add a day trip to Osaka if you really need to see it.

Thank you very much to all!

Which date of April can make some different as Sakura (1st week Apr) may be ended and also whether you are keen for Sakura or something else ...

Personally I would prefer to stay at Osaka as based and travel around to Kyoto/Nara/Kobe etc beside your Tokyo days. Osaka Hotel can be cheaper than Kyoto and have better night activities. Just personal view as you did not state your objective for the trip !

The lighter and smaller your luggage the happier you will be. I usually take the same amount of clothing for 5, 10, and 20 day trips. You can do some hand washing in the hotel sink. Or ask your hotel for help finding a laundry that will let you drop off a load in the morning, they clean and dry them, and you pick them up after a day of sightseeing.

Thank you all for the suggestions.

My travel dates therefore plans a bit changed. So the final plan will be;

5 days in Tokyo (side trips to Kamakura and Hakone)
4 days in Kyoto (side trips to Osaka and Nara)

Your original plan visiting Kanazawa would work nicely with Hokuriku Arch Pass, a wee bit saving compared to Japan Rail Pass .

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_arch.html