Setting up an itinerary

Hi everyone!

I am going to Japan this month and, within a given time frame, I would like to see some specific things.

I have a JR pass and I would be extremely grateful if someone could help me setting up the itinerary that optimises the time available to see these Japanese attractions.

Time frame: from Sunday 28th March (starting early morning in Tokyo) to 31st March (arriving at Tokyo by the end of the day).

- Roughly one day in Kyoto (been there before for 1 and a half days)
- Nara
- Koya-San (arrive late afternoon and leave early morning)
- Himeji
- Kanazawa
- Nikko

Ideally no planes included.

Thank you very, very much in advance for any help you can provide.

For 4 days?! I think you need to shorten your list to better enjoy the places you want to see.

I agree, the schedule will be extremely tight with that itinerary.
I would start by choosing 3 or at most 4 places to see.

For example:
28th - arrive in Kyoto midday and spend the rest of the day there.
29th - using Kyoto as a base, make a day-trip to Nara.
30th - travel to Koyasan ~4hours.
31st - travel from Koyasan-Tokyo ~5-6 hours. Possibly stop by in Kamakura, as it is more on the way back to Tokyo compared to Nikko, and has similar attractions.

Good luck in planning!

I recommend a minimum of six days for the destinations listed. If you have only four days, you need to drop some of the destinations.

Hi everyone!

Thank you very much for the replies. I have no other option than to cut a few destinations as I only have 4 days.

I am having an organized trip the week before covering a little bit of Tokyo, a little bit of Kyoto and Kamakura.

For the remaining days, following your feedback, I will drop Kanazawa and will only spend 1/2 day or so in Kyoto.

I was considering doing one of these two possibilities: any feedback in feasibility, length of journeys or difficulties is very welcome.

Option 1
Day 1: Depart from Tokyo in the morning and go to Mount Koya. Spend the night there.
Day 2: Leave early morning to Nara, spend the day there, go to Kyoto by the end of the day and sleep there.
Day 3: Visit Himeji in the morning and Kyoto in the afternoon. Sleep there.
Day 4: Go to Nikko in the morning, spend the remaining time there and go to Tokyo by the end of day.

Option 2:
Day 1: Go to Kyoto, spend the day there and sleep there
Day 2: Go to Nara early morning, spend the day there and go to Mount Koya by mid afternoon, spending the night there.
Day 3: Leave early Morning to Himeji, spend sometime there, and go to Nikko. Sleep there.
Day 4: Visit Nikko and go to Tokyo.

Your feedback will be ver much appreciated on both alternatives. Thank you very much in advance!

Both itineraries are extremely packed. But the second seems slightly more realistic to me than the first. Please check all the travel times and you will see that you spend a large part of your stay on board of trains.

Out of the places you've mentioned, all of significant cultural importance, Mount Koya is at the bottom of the list. I would drop Mount Koya completely, and do something like this:

Day 1: Take the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto and check in to a Kyoto hotel for 2 nights.
Day 2: Visit Nara for the day then return to Kyoto.
Day 3: Check out in the morning from your hotel and ask the front desk to hold any heavy luggage that you have (most places will gladly do this). Then take the bullet train to Himeji. In the afternoon/early evening, return to Kyoto, pick up your bags, and take the bullet train back to Tokyo. (the final Hikari departure from Kyoto to Tokyo is at 8:48 PM) Check into a Tokyo hotel for 2 nights.
Day 4: Visit Nikko for the day then return to Tokyo.