Itinerary feedback for newbies to Japan

Hi all- 2 couples will be spending 3 weeks in Japan this October for the first time. After much research (and thanks to this forum!), I have a possible itinerary that I would appreciate input on. Our flight dates and airports are locked in at this time.
Oct 3 arrive KIX - Kyoto (have 3 nights at hotel Granvia already booked)
Oct 4 Kyoto
Oct 5 Kyoto
Oct 6 Kyoto
Oct 7 Tokyo
Oct 8,9,10 Tokyo, with side trip to Nikko one of those days.
Oct 11 Takayama, overnight there
Oct 12 Takayama to Kanazawa, overnight Kanazawa
Oct 13 Kanazawa
Oct 14 to Hiroshima, overnight Miyajima
Oct 15 Miyajima and overnight Naoshimi
Oct 16 Naoshimi, overnight Naoshimi
Oct 17 To Osaka
Oct 18, 19, 20 Osaka with side trip to Nara. Overnight Koya-san on 20th
Oct 21 Koya-san, overnight 21
Oct 22 return to Osaka (KIX) for flight in afternoon
We like to minimize hotel changes; this itinerary has single nights in Takayama and Miyajima, other nights are 2 or more. I really appreciate input from the wise people here!
Jonathan

I think it is fine. A day extra in Tokyo and a day less in Osaka would be better. But you may have many ideas of places already to visit in Osaka.

Hiroshima is worth staying for 2 days (ie one less in Osaka as it is just a big city and you can experience that atmosphere better in Tokyo)

Looks fine although you are moving around more than I would. I generally stay in a city for 3 or 4 nights & day trip to places. I don't normally like single night stays as you can't check in till about 3 & have to check out by 10 or 11 so you really dont get much time plus you may only see a place in the rain. I would stay in Hiroshima for 2 nights as it is a great place (I was there for 5 nights 2 weeks ago) and possibly drop the Naoshima visit or lose a day in Osaka.

Don't drop naoshima. Maybe do more Kanazawa and less Osaka? Otherwise your itinerary looks great. Only obvious thing missing is an onsen ryokan stay.

Re: Kanazawa, I highly recommend staying at Sumiyoshiya. It's the oldest continuously-running ryokan in Kanazawa, and is family-owned and run. The owner speaks good English and all the staff are lovely. The rooms are beautiful and very comfortable. The prices are really good for the full ryokan package - board and meals - and the location is very convenient, about halfway between the station and the garden/castle area (I walked everywhere while staying there; never once took a taxi or public transport). The ryokan also rents bikes for free to its guests.

http://sumiyoshiya-ryokan.com/

It's only small so if you do want to stay there, send a request ASAP! They're very accommodating; I was able to make an April booking the previous August, and make changes easily (ended up staying an extra night).

Hi Jonathon,

Good itinerary, definitely works, but I agree with above posters that maybe less time in Osaka is a good idea, in favour of more time in Tokyo, Hiroshima, or Kyoto.

Personally I'd cut a night or 2 in Osaka and spend them in Kyoto instead (you can just as easily visit Nara from Kyoto as you can from Osaka). Personal preference of course, perhaps you want to spend those nights partying in Osaka!

You can play it by ears, but I'm thinking you can drop the Nikko day trip as Tokyo will have plenty to offer in 3 days.
Do you have 2 nights (20 and 21) in Koyasan? If so, you can drop one and allocate it to Hiroshima so you can get two nights there. They are all wonderful places but Kyoto, Nikko, Nara, Koyasan all have one thing in common: lots of temples and shrines. You may want to save some on another trip instead of trying to see them all now.

I am mainly looking at travel time. Several people have suggested an extra day here or there, my suggestion would be to take an extra day in Takayama. You might take one of the day trips offered by the Nohi bus line, which is out of Takayama. I would drop a day in Tokyo.

How about this:

Traveling around Kyoto usually is done by bus. You will not need a train pass.

From Kyoto, travel by bus (Nohi private line) to Takayama. It takes about an hour longer by bus than by train, but you will not have to switch trains in Nagoya. Most people traveling by train will take a Shinkansen to Nagoya, and then a wide view limited express train to Takayama. It is also possible to take a direct limited express train from Kyoto to Takayama. This train links up with the limited express departing from Nagoya at Gifu Station, and the two trains continue together to Takayama. The direct train itakes about 20 minutes longer than the Shinkansen/L.E. option.

My suggestion is to take the Nohi bus line:
https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/english/

If you go to the link, you can find out about some of their tour pakages, as well as the timetables for the Kyoto to Takayama .

From here, I would again travel by bus from Takayama to Kanazawa. This goes through Shirakawa-go, and you may want to stop here and look around. This can also be done by train, but since Shirakawa-go has no train station, you will not be able to go there.

From Kanazawa, Activate a 7 Day JR Pass, and go to Tokyo. There is now a Shinkansen from Kanazawa to Tokyo, so it is a lot faster. Visit Tokyo.

From Tokyo, I would go to Okayama, and stay there. I would actually do this in the late afternoon or evening. Hiroshima is only one hour away by Shinkansen, and Naoshima is also nearby. I would do Hiroshima, Miyajima, and Naoshima from here. Okayama also has a very nice garden to visit. If Okayama is not interesting enough for you, think about staying at Kurashiki for several nights:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5750.html

In Tokyo, you would spend only four nights there, and on the fifth day, visit Tokyo before you spend 2 nights in Okayama or Kurashiki. You would do your two day trips from here, and then travel that evening to Osaka before the pass expired.

If you spend a day less in Tokyo, you would have an extra day (and night) at Okayama or Kurashiki before heading back to Osaka.

This plan adds a bus ride to Takayama, and cuts the JR pass from a 14 day to a 7 day.

It is worth considering.

Many great ideas. Particularly like not changing hotels too much. Based on your input, here is the new itinerary (towns for hotel listed):
Oct:
3 arrive in Osaka, go directly to Kyoto (hotel reservations made - only ones so far)
4, 5, 6 Kyoto
7 Bus to Takayama
8 Takayama (day trips from there)
9 Bus to Kanazawa
10 Kanazawa (day trip to Noto?)
11, 12, 13, 14 Tokyo
15, 16, 17 Either Okayama or Kurashiki base to see Hiroshima, Miyajima, Naoshima
18,19,20 Osaka
21 To Koya-san for overnight at temple inn
22 return to Osaka for pm flight from KIX
Not sure about the 2 nights in Takayama. If planning to do day trip to Noto from Kanazawa, perhaps 3 nights in Kanazawa instead- arrive day 1 in pm from Takayama, browse around. Day 2 day trip to Noto. Day 3 markets/shopping Kanazawa then pm train to Tokyo.
Can anyone comment on choice of Okayama vs Kurashiki as base to explore the places noted above?
Again, thanks for you input; this is very helpful.
Cheers, Jonathan

Looks good. I dont know about Noto, transport there is a bit of a production and it is best to hire a car. If I was going to the effort of doing it, I'd go on and stay at Lamp no Yado which looks awesome.

I'd take the train to Takayama. The wideview Hida from Nagoya to Takayama is the best train trip I've been on, winding through the mountains along the river. Super pretty.

You can see quite a bit of Takayama in an afternoon. I like to stay a few days and get into the feel of the town and potter around, though I havent been for 5 years or so.

I believe that Okayama would be more efficient, but that Kurashiki is more interesting. It depends on if you want to spend time there or if where you stay is just a convent hub for travel to other places.