Need help for my itinerary

Hi guys,

I have 14 days to visit Japan in June for second time with my 2 teenage children (all 5 of us). Below is my plan :

Day 1 and 2 : arrive early morning in Tokyo, 2 days explore town
Day 3 : day trip to Nikko
Day 4 : Nagano, visit Yamanouchi
Day 5 : Alpine route, stop half way and stay at Midagahara Hotel
Day 6 : Takayama
Day 7 : Still in Takayama, day trip to Shirakawago
Day 8 : Osaka, day trip to Nara
Day 9 : Osaka, day trip to Kyoto
Day 10 : Osaka, day trip to Hiroshima and Mijajima Island
Day 11 : Osaka, universal studio
Day 12 : Osaka, Himeji castle
Day 13 : Osaka, explore town
Day 14 : Depart from Osaka, early flight

I stayed in Kyoto for 5 days on my first Japan trip, so this time choosing Osaka as the base, and I just arrange 1 day trip to Kyoto to visit places which I missed before.

Any suggestion if I need to amend the above itinerary ? Do you think if it is still more worth for me to purchase the 7 days JR pass with the above itinerary (to be activated start from day 4 to day 10) ?

Thanks.

Shu

I would start the 7 day JR pass on day 3 so you can use it for Nikko (shinkansen to Utsunomiya and then change for Nikko) and switch Hiroshima/Miyajima to day 9. Be aware that daytripping to Hiroshima/Miyajima from Osaka is tough. If you can, I would advise you stay overnight there. However this would be best done day 9-10 so I'm that case start the JR pass day 4.

Hi Sal,

Thanks so much for your suggestion. Yes you are right, I will activate the JR pass on day 3 on my day trip to Nikko, and shift the Hiroshima day trip to day 9. Thanks also for your suggestion for staying overnight at Hiroshima, but after googling around, I think we will be able to do the day trip.

Cheers :)
Shu

Hi Shu. I just did a day trip from Kyoto to Hiroshima/Miyajima last week. It was a long day but very doable. You just need to pick and choose what you want to see or do in each location.

I took first direct Shinkansen out of Kyoto @7:20 and arriving in Hiroshima @ 9:05. I decided to do Miyajima first and Hiroshima after due to the fact I wanted to make sure I got to the station in time for my 7:23p Shinkansen back to Shin-Osaka with transferring to another to Kyoto arriving back at 9:20p. Did 4 hrs in Miyajima then remaining time in Hiroshima.

I did the daytrip too. We went to Shukkeien, walked past the castle, walked around peace park, then caught the ferry to Miyajima to have dinner and visit the torii at dusk (less tourists, better photos). No time for the museum, Mazda factory or any other Miyajima exploration. Whilst it is doable I wouldn't recommend it. The next time we go to that part of Honshu we will revisit both. If you don't have a lot to see at either place, go ahead. As the other poster said you need to plan it well.

hi Hibell and Sal, thanks for your post. Yup will plan it well. My main destination is actually Miyajima, so that's why I prefer to do a daytrip. Hibell, I will follow your schedule.
Sal, maybe if i found it that I like Hiroshima, will make another trip and stay overnight on my next Japan visit. :)

Cheers

@ Shu

Check the tides of the day you are going. Knowing when low and high tide may make a difference on when you want to visit. I knew the time of day I went to Miyajima it would be low tide. I was fine with that. I took pics then went to take the shuttle up to the ropeway. I knew I didn't have time to hike up the rest of the way so I just stayed at last ropeway station's lookout. Then went back down and ate some oysters and take more pics until the numerous tour groups took over the place and I start heading back to the pier. Once got back to Hiroshima, took the site seeing bus (free for jr pass holders) and my first stop was the Dome. Then walked thru the Peace Park and on to the Museum. Then went back towards the Dome and had some okonomiyaki at Nagataya (suggested by someone here in the forums). Then took last shuttle out from Dome bus stop back to Hiroshima Station. That site seeing bus stops right by the Shinkansen gate.

Next Japan trip I will stay overnight in Hiroshima or Miyajima so I can at least dedicate a day each in the area.

Hi Hibell,

We are flying to Tokyo this Saturday, and I managed to have a day longer than initial plan, so we will use the extra day to overnight in Hiroshima. Thanks anyway for your earlier tips, really appreciate it and I will use it as the guide just different is that we will do it more leisurely and not rushed.

Shu

@Shu

You're welcome. Have fun.

I'm actually going back to Japan late October (just bought my tickets hours ago). Will be flying into Osaka-Kansai. I'm hoping I can do another day trip to Hiroshima /Miyajima and do the other things I didn't do in April. Maybe you can do an update post on how your Hiroshima/Miyajima day/overnight went.