Thoughts on 21-day itinerary?

Hello everyone,

I decided to visit Japan for the first time owing to quite last minute circumstances and the planning on short notice is pretty overwhelming! Will be very grateful if I can get some thoughts on what I have in mind so far. I intend to visit the main sites and also get some hiking in, will arrive at KIX 21 June 2017 morning and depart from NRT 12 July 2017 morning so I have about 21 full days.

21/6: Osaka
22/6: Kobe (day trip)
23/6: Osaka
24/6: Koyasan (overnight)
25/6: Nara (overnight)
26/6: Kyoto
27/6: Kyoto
28/6: Kyoto
29/6: Kyoto
30/6: Kyoto
1/7: Kamikochi
2/7: Kamikochi
3/7: Kamikochi
4/7: Kamikochi
5/7: Stay near lakes/Mt Fuji
6/7: Climb Mt Fuji (sunset + overnight)
7/7: Mt Fuji (sunrise + descend), travel to Tokyo/Nagoya (?)
8/7: Tokyo/Nagoya (?)
9/7: Tokyo/Nagoya (?)
10/7: Tokyo
11/7: Tokyo

A few notes:
1. Accommodation is not booked so things are still fluid at this point, budget is in the mid-range so primarily hostels with occasional splurge. For Kamikochi I might look at bringing my own tent since the mountain huts are pretty pricey. Okay with changing accommodation frequently and am trying to not backtrack to locations.
2. Haven't decided whether to do a 'bullet climb' only for the sunrise at Mt Fuji or to go for sunset too. Any thoughts?
3. Haven't decided whether to visit Nagoya, main purpose would be to watch a sumo match (1st tournament date is 9/7). If I do this it likely means a detour from Tokyo, or too short a time in Tokyo.

Some questions:
1. Am I spending too much time at Osaka/Kyoto? If yes I can possibly add in a 2-day trip to Hiroshima/Miyajima, spend more time in/around Tokyo, or elsewhere. I like a tight but not rushed schedule, if that makes sense.
2. Without using Hyperdia to get the specific rates (since plans aren't exactly firmed), on first glance might a JR Pass (for any number of days) or any other day-passes be worth it or am I better off buying tickets as needed?

Please kindly share your thoughts and/or anything I should be considering. First long solo trip, very excited!

Best regards,
Ryan

Oh, first long solo trip! And to Japan, very good choice. If you plan and arrange things, it�fs a very good country for solo travelling, I think. Helpful people too.

Well, looking at your itinerary, I�fm not sure if the general JPR would be worth it for you, but if you do decide to get it for convenience sake or because you are adding in a trip to Hiroshima/Miyajima or elsewhere I would reshuffle your itinerary a little so that the expensive travel days are within a 14-day (or 7 day) timeframe to make the JPR less costly. For example, start with spending time in Kyoto (paying the train or transfer from KIX regularly), and perhaps start using the pass when you leave for Koyasan, Osaka, or even Kamikochi. Instead of the �emain�f JPR pass, you can also look into other area passes that might be worthwhile for you.

I see your main interests are hiking and cities, which are pretty balanced here. Whether you�fre spending too much time in these cities depends on everything you want to do there and how much you like to travel around. I don�ft really like crowds that much myself, so personally I like visiting cities or towns with a smaller �efeel�f, such as Nara. Personally (hard to say what someone else likes), if you decide against Nagoya I would still spend only three days in Tokyo. Once again, that is just my opinion and it depends on your interests, but I didn�ft regret spending twice as long in Kyoto as Tokyo during my own vacation – but then, I like temples and shrines and visited only a few sights in Tokyo. I also heard that the cities can be quite hot and humid (or maybe rainy) this time of year? So that might also be something to keep in mind when you decide how much time to spend where. I can�ft give any opinion about Nagoya and sumo. If this is something you really want to see, I imagine the trip would be worth it for you now that you�fre actually in Japan. If it�fs just a passing fancy – well there are so many other things to do and see that I would consider other options instead of backtracking.

Other suggestions�c well, since you�fre going to Kamikochi anyway, it might be nice to steal a day from Tokyo/Kyoto and add an overnight stay in Takayama, or a different place of interest around there (Matsumoto, Karuizawa?). I haven�ft been to any of these places, though, so can�ft really say much but you�fre not visiting that many places for a 21 day journey and it might be a nice difference to the cities you�fre visiting.

Koyasan overnight sounds awesome, but I�fm not sure if you can arrange it on a short notice? Maybe try to book that one as soon as possible?

I noticed that you do not have a festival listed, and a question mark as to where to go on July 7th. There is a city between Tokyo and Nagoya called Hiratsuka, that is having a Tanabata festival on the 7th. here is a link:

http://www.mustlovejapan.com/subject/hiratsuka_tanabata/

I also agree, that there is probably no need for the Japan Rail Pass. Takayama would be a good place to include. And you can get there from Kyoto by the Nohi Bus line. Here is another link of places around Takayama, including Kamikochi:

http://www.hida.jp/english/

From Kamikochi, you would probably take a bus to Matsumoto, and then the Chuo line towards the Fuji five lakes area. once again, there is little need for the JR Pass.

Good Luck, in planning your vacation.

Looks like a nice trip even though I don't have experience with Kamikochi.

I think it is probably better to combine your trip to Kobe with Himeji castle during the morning on a weekday. Maybe I missed the hotspots but didn't find Kobe to be particularly interesting.

When climbing Fuji do go prepared. On my way back on the plane a guy sat next to me who didn't prepare well and suffered a lot of cold, hunger and spent the last couple of hours in the dark.

One more note is that you can definitely spend four or five days in Tokyo and even if for some reason you get tired of it there are good options for side trips. Hakone, kamakura and Nikko are all nice places to visit for a full day. We stayed for 7 days and did all three trips.

Thanks everyone for your comments!

I spent some time summing up cost estimates on Hyperdia based on my initial itinerary & a JRP is definitely not worth it, more so if Hiroshima/Miyajima aren't included.

The suggestion on overnighting at Takayama is a good one, which can also make for a visit to nearby Shirakawago. I will depart Kamikochi for Matsumoto (see the castle, which I read is nicer than Himeji's? & maybe onsen after all the trekking), from which it's either head to 1) Kawaguchigo for Mt Fuji, or 2) consider checking out the suggested festival before heading to Kawaguchigo. Sumo match isn't a must see, so will decide again depending on overall route. From what I read, scaling Mt Fuji likely disappoints compared to what's at Kamikochi but it it'll be hard-pressed to not do it since I'm in Japan!

I'm more inclined to the smaller places than big cities, so possible day trips from Tokyo as suggested covers that. If there are any cool places I can add in along my routing please let me know, greatly appreciated once again!

Hello Ryan,

great plan for a trip in Japan, I envy you!
I personally like Himeji Castle more than Matsumoto, but that is maybe just me :-)
Both are very nice castles.

I have climbed Mount Fuji twice and I can share my tips, if you like.
First of all, I am not that athletic person, just an average end 40's German woman with an office job, but I have some experience with hiking in the European Alps. Compared with the Alps climbing Mount Fuji is quite easy, if you are well prepared. For me it was not a problem, but I heard many 'not so good' stories from my Japanese friends. Here are my tips.

1. Check the weather forecast.
2. If the forecast is not too bad, make a reservation for one of the huts close to the summit about 2-3 days prior. The huts sell out fast. The staff does not speak English, so if you do not speak Japanese, it is better to ask a Japanese friend to do the reservation.
3. The food on the hut is 'meh'. On my second trip I only ordered the evening meal, but the breakfast I brought myself.
4. Wear good mountain boots.
5. Prepare for a big temperature gradient. You start at around 25 degrees Celsius on the 5th station. At the summit it is around 0 degrees Celsius with sometimes chilly wind, which makes it feel colder.
I started with a T-shirt and a summer hat, and on the summit I wore a ski hat, gloves, a woolen vest and a gore-tex jacket.
6. Bring a lamp (for example Petzl or similar).
7. Take a good rest in Kawaguchiko before climbing.
8. Most people climb during the day until they arrive at the mountain hut. Then they stay there until 2am and start for the summit to see the sunrise. I did that and it was great! I can recommend that.
But be prepared that you do not get much sleep there (I actually could not sleep, that's why resting before the climb is a good idea) because you do not have much space, you lie between the people like sardines in a box.
9. On the summit go around the crater (approx. 2 hours.)
10. There is a post office up there. Do you like to send some greetings? When I climbed for the second time, I brought my address book! :-)
11. Next to the weather station is a black column, in front of which people queue up to make a picture. Do it too and show it to your Japanese friends. They will envy you! (On the colunm is engraved, that this is the highest point of Japan!)
12. A nice souvenir is collecting stamps along the way. For this you can buy a wooden rod at the fifth station. I bought a small one, so that I can better carry it in my backpack. Along the way and on the top you can buy stamps for around 200-300 yen. The stamp is burnt into the rod.

That's it, enjoy your stay!

Hello Anne,

Based on your suggestion I'll consider slotting in Himeji castle. Thanks for the Mt Fuji tips and obviously the saying that "he who climbs Mt Fuji twice is a fool" doesn't apply for you!

Any clue if the sunset atop Mt Fuji is good? Considering summiting for the sunset, overnight at hut and submitting again for sunrise, with the crater walk during either. Oh if I do that in some way that'll make me a fool too hah.

Hi Ryan,

as I do not know the saying I am probably a fool :-D
I have not seen the sunset on the summit, just at the hut was fine for me.
You have probably seen this map?
http://www.fujisan-climb.jp/en/i1f37q0000000kz4-att/yoshida2016_Englis...
Consider that even the highest hut (if you get a place there!) is still 300 meters below the summit.
So if you first go to the summit to see the sunset, you have to go down 300 meters (altitude difference) back to the hut in the dark with probably no one around you (because most climbers do it the way I described it).
Then next morning climb that again. Also the air at that height is quite thin. I would not start doing some sports at that altitude :-) The way you plan it, might be a bit exhausting.
When you climb in the morning in the dark to see the sunrise, many people are before and behind you lighting the way with their lamps.

Anne, thanks for the advice, hoping the weather works in my (and everyone else's favour).

Also just to put it out there for those planning to overnight at Koyasan, I saw a good tip on another thread - if you're staying at Osaka for a few days (eg 3) it might be a good idea to slot Koyasan on day 2 and request to have your main luggage be stowed at the Osaka accommodation while you bring what you need for Koyasan.

The festival should be scheduled after going to the Fuji five lakes area. The festival is four days long, and can wait. The five lakes area is located before getting to Tokyo, and you have acclimated to 1400 meters elevation at Kamikochi. You will have less problems with altitude sickness by you going from there to station 5 (whichever one you want), and starting up mount Fuji. Take your time, and experience the sunset below the summit. Once again, the more time to acclimate will reduce altitude sickness.

There are many articles about climbing mount Fuji and elevation sickness, and I suggest that your read a few of them.

The Star festival can wait til after the climb.

Once again, good luck in planning your vacation.