Unexpected 28 day travel to Japan

Hi!

I will be in Japan for 29 days (July 7 - August 4), but i just knew of that 2 days ago! (long story..). So its an unexpected travel. I have been reading like crazy these past days, but need a lot of advice and help here to build my itinerary!

I will be travelling alone

So far these are the places i consider to visit

Tokyo
Kyoto (have to be there for gion matsuri)
Kamakura
Hakone (and perhaps climb mt fuji?? have never climbed anything before...)
Kanazawa
Nagoya (Sumo Tournament)
Takayama
Hiroshima
Koyasan
Miyajima
Okayama
Osaka
Nara

and thats what i got till now.. what else can i add??
14 day or 21 day japan rail pass?
can someone help me build an itinerary?? i cant decide how much time to spent in each city and where i will be, I keep changings my ''plans'' every 10 minutes
what would be the best route? I can change everything, just have to be in Kyoto for the gion matsuri

Tokyo 7 to 13 July with one day side trip to Kamakura

Hakone 13 - 14 July, climb MT Fuji?

Nagoya 15 July (Sumo tournament all day) but sleep in Kyoto?? (to be there in time for gion matsuri)

Kyoto 15 July(only sleep) to 24: 5 full days in Kyoto(16-20), and one day side trips to Osaka(21), Nara(22), Okayama(23)

Koyasan 24 July

Hiroshima 25 July (1 day?? 2 days???)

Then Miyajima (one day???) want to overnight here at least one day

Then i dont have an idea of whats next and dont know where to put Kanazawa and Takayama (from Miyajima??? i feel i will be returning and losing time??)

Is the pace good??

Im a little desesperate, have been sending emails to hostels to check availability, but i cant reserve if i dont know where and when i will be! Cant confirm yet the few that responded (many where fully booked). I dont want to have problems at the airport also (because i dont have where to stay yet..)

Will be my first time in Japan and i know i have very little time, but want to have the best possible experience.

I will be travelling on budget and mostly want to stay in dormitories (solo traveler) to meet other people , but also want to try the japanese style, so where (cities) do you recommend to stay in hostel/dormitory and where to stay in ryokan/japanese style?? (could pay budget - midrange for ryokan/ japanese, as with hostel/dorm will be saving a lot)

Believe me, i have read a lot! but too much to decide in very few time, dont want to screw it up, thats why i need a lot of help, and many of you have been there before or live there, so your experience and knowledge can help me a lot.

Just a couple days to begin the trip and i have nothing!


Hope you take the time to help me.

I will be really grateful

Greetings

Just a couple areas that might be difficult are:
Hakone and Fuji in 2 days- climbing Fuji alone is usually a 2 day thing. Hakone can be done in 1 day, but usually people stay at a ryokan or something. Also, it is somewhat of a trek to get to Fuji from Hakone, so both in 2 days is probably difficult.
Side trip to Okayama form Kyoto- Okayama is quite a ways from Kyoto, so you're probably better off going there after you've wrapped things up in Kansai (so after Koya-san) and on your way to Hiroshima/Miyajima

Are you gonna have a railpass?

Your first time in Japan? Awesome! But slow down..

You have 29 days in one of the most cultured places on earth. Take it easy.

Start out with at least a week in Tokyo, checking out Shibuya, Odaiba, Shinjuku (evening), Akihabara, and try to catch a fireworks festival.

Then you can head to Hiroshima + Miyajima for a couple of days. Hiking in Miyajima is amazing, though you have cable cars as well.

From there, do the Kansai area (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara). Nothing to do in Nagoya, and I don't think you'll manage to get tickets for the sumo tournament but go ahead and try.

When you get back to Tokyo you can see if you like to do several day trips to places like Kamakura and Hakone. I strongly suggest a hot-springs day trip somewhere in the area.

- First of all, are you arriving in and departing from Narita Airport? That information would make it easier to suggest any itenerary that makes sense :)

- For a completely no experienced climber, I would not really recommend climbing Mt. Fuji, alone, on top of it. You could visit the Hakone area,
from where you *might* be able to view Mt. Fuji, though the chance is not good in summer, where there is a lot of humidity in the air (thus clouds).
You could visit Hakone over two days, if you want to stay at a budget ryokan, this has been mentioned in this forum:
http://www.kappa1059.co.jp/
I think their day-visit bath is mentioned under Hakone section of Travel of this website as well.

- After hearing which airport you are flying out of, some others with more knowledge than myself can give you suggestions about rail passes I'm sure - note that you have to buy the Rail Pass voucher before your leave.

AllyoucanJapan; yes i also think its few time in Tokyo, but the problem is that i want to see the kyoto festival (15 - 17 July?)
About Nagoya, i read you can go in weekdays and have no problems getting a ticket for sumo tournament

AK: yes, im arriving and departing from Narita Airport... About Mt Fuji, well i have never climbed any mountain, and before yesterday, i never thought about climbing... The thing is that yesterday i was reading about this, and everywhere it said it was not that difficult, that many people of different ages do it (kids included), that you just have to follow the trail, that theres a lot of people "climbing" in this season.. so i would not be alone, etc etc.

I even thought about seeing sunrise, also i dont have any health problems and i dont think im out of shape. This past 2 months i have barely do any exercise (school didnt allowed me), but i train (intense) swimming in the university swimming team. Im 23 years old.

I thought about staying in Fuji Hakone Guesthouse

About the railpass, yes i know i have to buy it in my home country, i still dont know which one

So far this is what i think:

Tokyo July 7 - 13. I arrive at narita airport the 7 July at 2:20pm, explore tokyo from the 7 to 11, then July 12, day side trip to kamakura. I will be sleeping in Sakura Hotel Ikebukuro (Mixed 8 bed Dorm) from July 7 to July 11 (4 nights) and Annex Katsutaro Ryokan July 11-12 (2 nights, want to try it.... and afer weekend). Had other options like Kimi Ryokan and Shigetsu (but they dont have room availability all the days i will be in Tokyo, just some days)

Hakone - Mt Fuji July 13 - 15. Go to Hakone July 13 and overnight there at Fuji Hakone Guesthouse http://hakone.syuriken.jp/hakone/ (they havent responded yet)....ask if i can leave my luggage there if not, send it to Kyoto (next destination). 14 July go to Kawaguchiko 5th Station to climb Mt Fuji, climb all the way to the 7 or 8 station and sleep some hours there. (15 July) Wake at dawn and climb to the summit to see the sunrise. Then free time... but get to Kyoto to sleep there

Kyoto July 15 - July 25. I think would be getting to Kyoto in the evening (15 July), still dont have where to sleep from the 15 to the 18 (fully booked everywhere!), i will stay in J-Hoppers Kyoto from July 19 to July 25 (6 nights). Explore Tokyo 5 full days (16,17,18,19,20), the rest; day side trips to Osaka, Nara, Nagoya(sumo) and dont know if Okayama also or leave that for later. Too much time in Kyoto area???

Koyasan July 26. Overnight in one temple, one day is enough?? which temple do you recommend??

Then from here on, i just have a vague idea... go to hiroshima, miyajima, okayama (if i didint visited earlier), fukuoka??

but dont know where and how much time spent in each and what else to add.... I want to go to kanazawa, takayama and the farm village between these two (forgot the name),but dont know when to add them, after visiting what??

So what do you think so far??

and what rail pass best suits me

Thank you all!!

Anyone???

I think your plans so far sounds good. And i dun think you've added too much time in the Kyoto/Kansai area - there is plenty too see and do there!

Other ideas for day trips in the area if you want a break from Kyoto are Ise Shrine in Mie-ken, hiking around the Biwa lake, or visit some of the mountain villages north of Kyoto (Ohara, Kurama etc).

As for Koyasan, i stayed at the Ekoin temple and can highly recommend it! Beautiful garden, great food, and the monks are very friendly. You can make reservations directly to the temple via email.

After Koyasan i continued to Shirahama on the Kii-hanto coast. It's a nice beach resort with some onsen too - one is right on the beach. Could make a nice change from all the temple watching.

I'm no expert on rail passes so i can't comment on that, sorry!

Are you on tight budget? If you are - Rail passes might not be the best way to travel especially if you are staying at certain places for a longer period of time. However if you plan to cover as much as possible - maybe 7 or 14 days would be a good bet.

You can go from Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka/Hiroshima and cover the Kansai etc prefectures in 7 or 14 days. Up to you. Note: Kyoto would at least require 3 full days!! And I love Osaka - not much on historical sites but different vibes than Tokyo. Alternatively - midnight bus are quite comfortable considering the cheap price. Just make sure you choose the 3 seater bus.

My advise to you is to make tokyo as your base and have daily visit to certain places like Kamakura/Yokohama etc. If not Hakone - do consider Kawaguchiko. Better view of Mt. Fuji if po

Must visit place in Tokyo would be Akihabara, Harajuku, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Ueno (Park and Ameyoko market), Tokyo Imperial Park, Tsukiji Market. In order not to be too tired do plan only 2 -3 places in one day. You might want to consider using Suica (just a prepaid pass) or daypass from Tokyo Metro/JR pass if ypu are planning to hop on and off the train often. My rule of thumb - if I am planning to visit 3 or more places - I would take the daypass (assuming that there are train lines that go to the destination i have in mind) This was due to my travelling friends who were quite impulsive and love to make spontaneous stops esp when they see sthg interesting outside the trains.

Make sure you go to see the summer festivals!! Super awesome!!! Do ask if you need to know more!

Thanks Sara

I have a question, do you know how to get from Takayama to Nyuto Onsen??? I cant find how... or whats the fastest route..

and how to go from hakone to Kawaguchiko 5th Station (to climb fujisan).

Time from Kanazawa to Shirakawago? and buses all day??


So this is my semi final itinerary:



Tokyo (7 - 12 July) *base
Kamakura (12 July) *sidetrip
Hakone (13 July)
Fujisan (I want to climb it!) (14 - 15 July) (sleep at the 7 or 8 station and see go-raiko! at summit!)
Kyoto (Gion Matsuri!) (15- 24 July) *base
Nagoya(Sumo Tournament!) (21 July) *sidetrip
Nara (22 July) *sidetrip
Osaka (23 July) *sidetrip
Koyasan (24 July) (Shojoshin-in temple)

From Here on, not very sure:

Hiroshima ( 2 days??? 25-26 July??)
Okayama (26 July also??)
Miyajima (27 July? overnight there)
Kanazawa (28 -29 July?? long trip from miyajima)
Shirakawa-go (29 July? overnight here)
Takayama (30 July? overnight here)
Tsurunoyu Onsen (31 July?)

1 to 3 August return to Tokyo??? "Free Time"
4 August Return to Home country

I think i will go with the 21 Rail Pass.

and still no place where to stay in Kyoto from the 15 to the 18 July!! (All fully booked)!!

Thanks MK88!!

Well my budget will be 310,000 Yen for the 28 days, this is for accomodation, food, souvenirs, subway, bus, etc transportation (not counting the rail pass here). I would also bring a credit card, just in case i need it.

Yes, i think a 21 day pass will not pay off... but i think it will be much confortable knowing i have "unlimited" transportation for the rest of my trip. and not having to deal with buying individual tickets...

I will spend some big time in Kyoto as base... but then i will move a lot and also backtrack..

... but why go to Okayama between Hiroshima and Miyajima? Miyajima is just a short ferry trip from Hiroshima.
I'd consider stopping in Okayama (or rather Kurashiki), Nagoya (if you really have to) and Osaka or Kyoto on the way to Kanazawa to break it up a bit.
Check out Sunroute Hotel in Kyoto. They might have something available. I've stayed there twice.