Feedback for 2nd trip appreciated

I found this site to be extremely helpful when planning my first trip last year, and I�fm now planning a second trip!

I didn�ft expect to be able to return, but, we�fre planning a trip to Taiwan, so naturally, I�fve added on another visit to Japan, staying for 20 nights! I�fm so excited to return - I had not expected to fall in love with the country.

First trip (Oct/Nov 2023): Tokyo (6) - Matsuyama (3) - Okuhida/Yarimikan (2) - Takayama (3) - Kanazawa (4) - Kaga Onsen/Yamanaka (2) - Kyoto (6)

We loved the trip - it was a nice mixture of small and larger places, slightly off the beaten path as well as urban and less so. I was pleased with the balance of places. We also loved, loved, loved the onsens we went to. We manage entirely by public transportation. We loved the smaller places though also loved Kyoto because we stayed at Hotel Mume, where we were made to feel at home.

We are in our 70s and live in the US, so this will almost definitely be the last time we�fll get to Japan as the cost is high and the travel is difficult for us, so I�fd like to have a nice balance of places on this trip as well.

We fly from Taiwan to Fukuoka and will be arriving at the very end of October and will have 20 nights. We fly into Fukuoka:

-Fukuoka (2)
-Hiroshima (1/ 2) (If 2 days, make day trip to Onomichi)
-Miyajima (2/1)
-Matsuyama (2)
-Takamatsu (3) (Visit Ritsurin Garden, Ogijima and/or Megijima Island, Shikoku Mura, Noguchi museum(?))
-Naoshima (2) (Visit Naoshima and Teshima islands)
-Himeji -1 (I would really like to see the castle and staying over sets us up for the trip to Kinosaki)
-Kinosaki -2
-Kyoto -5 (day trips to Uji, Nara)
Fly out of Kix

Questions:

1) 2 nights in Miyajima and 1 night in Hiroshima or vice versa? I avoided this area on our first trip because I dislike crowds but I wonder if we can enjoy the island away from the crowds during the day. I don�ft want to do a day trip to Miyajima. If 2 nights on Hiroshima, we would probably do a day trip to see Onomichi.

2) We would return to Kyoto and Hotel Mume for the end of the trip, focusing again on less-touristed sites. We did well last year and really minimized crowded experiences. I�fd consider staying in Nara region but we really did love our stay at Mume and want to return. Day trips to Uji, Nara.

3) Are we overdoing the �gisland�h experiences? I don�ft think so but I thought I�fd check. I�fm intrigued by Naoshima and I think we�fll enjoy seeing the smaller island(s) from Takamatsu.

4) We would be in Miyajima or Hiroshima on the weekend of Culture day - is the Fire-walking ceremony on Miyajima worth going to (though I imagine it would be VERY crowded).

5) I try to minimize 1-night stays but don�ft see any way to avoid the (2) 1-night stops (Hiroshima or Miyajima, Himeji).

5) Any other thoughts? There�fs a part of me that would also like to focus on Kyushu (Kumamoto, Beppu/Yufuin, Nagasaki, Kurakowa) or Yamaguchi/Hagi/Matsue, but I can�ft do it all!

Thank you for any comments you might make!

Hi! I am very happy to see that you are visiting Taiwan! I went last year around the same period (end of October), and loved it. The nature is absolutely stunning.

Regarding your planned itinerary for Japan, among the cities you have listed, I visited Hiroshima, Miyajima, Hagi and Matsue. I much preferred Hagi/Matsue, but 3 nights would not be enough, in my opinion.

You could stay 3 nights in Miyajima, and do a day trip to Hiroshima (as I did). Or 2 night in Miyajima, 1 night in Onomichi and visit Hiroshima on your way to Onomichi.

<< and loved it. The nature is absolutely stunning.

Regarding your planned itinerary for Japan, among the cities you have listed, I visited Hiroshima, Miyajima, Hagi and Matsue. I much preferred Hagi/Matsue, but 3 nights would not be enough, in my opinion.

You could stay 3 nights in Miyajima, and do a day trip to Hiroshima (as I did). Or 2 night in Miyajima, 1 night in Onomichi and visit Hiroshima on your way to Onomichi.>>

Thank you for the suggestions. Hagi and Matsue look wonderful though it would be a completely different trip. I don�ft see going to Shikoku from there, or at least not getting to Matsuyama.

It sounds like you really enjoyed staying on Miyajima for more than 1 night, something that I�fm still considering.

I'll have a go at your questions. Of course all of these are just the opinions of a random person on the internet.

1) 2 nights in Hiroshima as there is so much to do there and I might even skip the trip to Onomichi. I do love Onomichi though & if the weather is good it will be a lovely day out. If you do go then dont miss the ramen http://kyoudo-ryouri.com/en/food/3154.html

2) Sounds good. Have you done the area north of the Arashiyama up to Gioji Temple & Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple? if not then it's well worth it .

3) I dont think so. Your holiday is a little more island based than I would do but it's your holiday

4) I cant answer that except to say that what I would do is to try to find some video's of the last Fire-walking ceremony & look at the crowding levels.

5) I know you say that you dont want to do a day trip to Miyajima but I would as it's really easy to get there from Hiroshima & it saves changing hotels. The ferries start at around 7am so you could make an early start if you wanted to be sure of avoiding any crowds.

6) As you say. You can't do it all. I'm over 10 trips in and am still struggling with this one :)

There's indeed much more to do in Hiroshima than in Miyajima, and as I only did a day trip there, I did not get to see much.

Staying in Miyajima is about having peaceful mornings and evenings, and walking along the beach after the day trippers are gone. I also liked the small, old fashioned, wooden buildings in Miyajima, as opposed to the concrete jungle that is Hiroshima. And if you stay on the island only 1 night, that would make the first half of your trip very city-centered.

However, one big downside of Miyajima is the lack of restaurants open after 6pm, and most of them seem overpriced.

<<I'll have a go at your questions. Of course all of these are just the opinions of a random person on the internet.

1) 2 nights in Hiroshima as there is so much to do there and I might even skip the trip to Onomichi. I do love Onomichi though & if the weather is good it will be a lovely day out. If you do go then dont miss the ramen http://kyoudo-ryouri.com/en/food/3154.html


2) Sounds good. Have you done the area north of the Arashiyama up to Gioji Temple & Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple? if not then it's well worth it .

3) I dont think so. Your holiday is a little more island based than I would do but it's your holiday

4) I cant answer that except to say that what I would do is to try to find some video's of the last Fire-walking ceremony & look at the crowding levels.

5) I know you say that you dont want to do a day trip to Miyajima but I would as it's really easy to get there from Hiroshima & it saves changing hotels. The ferries start at around 7am so you could make an early start if you wanted to be sure of avoiding any crowds.

6) As you say. You can't do it all. I'm over 10 trips in and am still struggling with this one :)>>


Thanks so much for your feedback! I�fm really torn between staying in Hiroshima 2 nights and Miyajima for 1 night for the very reasons Mellye suggests - I love the idea of the place quiet after the day trippers are gone. We are definitely not the �gup and early�h type! We�fll slowly get up for breakfast and get out at a relaxed pace, so getting to a site before the others do ain�ft gonna happen! But I do hear you about there being more to do in Hiroshima and I�fm leaning toward staying there for 2 nights with the option to go to Onomichi. Of course, if we�fre having a fabulous time and don�ft feel compelled, we don�ft have to go. As for a day trip to Miyajima, I know the crowds during the day wouldn�ft be enjoyable for us.

Thank you for the recommendations in Kyoto. We haven�ft gone to the area you mention and it sounds like something we would enjoy.

Sigh�cthere really is so much to see and it is tough narrowing things down.

<< There's indeed much more to do in Hiroshima than in Miyajima, and as I only did a day trip there, I did not get to see much.

Staying in Miyajima is about having peaceful mornings and evenings, and walking along the beach after the day trippers are gone. I also liked the small, old fashioned, wooden buildings in Miyajima, as opposed to the concrete jungle that is Hiroshima. And if you stay on the island only 1 night, that would make the first half of your trip very city-centered.

However, one big downside of Miyajima is the lack of restaurants open after 6pm, and most of them seem overpriced.>>

Thanks, Mellye. It�fs definitely a toss-up. I find it intriguing that you came back to Hiroshima during the day - that�fs a pretty interesting approach. I�fd probably stay at a place that serves dinner so I wouldn�ft need to figure out a place to eat.