10 Day Itinenary

Day 1: Arrive Narita (Arrival 8am) -Tokyo
Accommodation - Tokyo

Day 2: Tokyo
- Accommodation -- Tokyo

Day 3: Tokyo -- Kyoto(arrive noon)
- Accommodation - Kyoto

Day 4: Kyoto
Day 5: Kyoto

Day 6: Kyoto(leave 8 am) -- Takayama(arrive 12.30pm)
- Takayama Festival
- Accommodation - Takayama

Day 7: Takayama(leave 8 am)bus -- (arrive 9.am) SHIRAKAWGO (leave 4pm)
bus -- Kanazawa(arrive 5.20pm)
- Shirakawago Village
- Accommodation - Kanazawa

Day 8: Kanazawa(leave 12.30pm) -- (arrive 3.30pm) Tokyo St (Bus leave 4.20pm/7.20pm) -- (arrive
6.20pm/9.22pm) Kawaguchiko (MtFuji)
Accommodation - Kawaguchiko

Day 9: MtFuji(Bus leave 6.50pm) -- Tokyo St(arrive 8.30pm)
- MT Fuji
- Shibazakura Festival
- Accommodation – Tokyo

Day 10: Tokyo
Accommodation - Tokyo

Day 11: Tokyo (leave 7am/8am)-- Narita Airport (11am flight)

The problem I having is Day 8 to Day 9..its pack and did spend most of time in transport.
Would love to include a trip to Mt Fuji n also go for the Shibazakura Festival..
Kanazawa was include to have easier transport back to Tokyo with train so if have another option I really appreciate it very much.
Still searching for a way to travel from Shirakawago -- Kawaguchiko/Mt fuji -- Tokyo
so can leave out Kanazawa to spend more time in between Kawaguchiko/Mt fuji/Tokyo

You spend so much time in transport because the locations you are travelling between are very far from each other. The Hokuriku shinkansen is probably the fastest way to get back to Tokyo from the Takayama/Shirakawago/Kanazawa area.

Also, Kanazawa is a beautiful city that is definitely worth visiting, so don't regret having it in your itinerary! It has one of the three best gardens in Japan, two preserved geisha districts, and is famous for gold leaf.

I do think you are being a bit too ambitious for only 10 days. If this is your first trip, I would skip Takayama/Shirakawago/Kanazawa altogether and focus on Tokyo/Kyoto/Fuji. 10 days is not a long time.

I think 3 hours in Shirakawa-go is enough. It is small village (and unfortunately quite touristy).
Bus ticket (Nohi bus) from Kanazawa to Shirakawa was hard to get - we had to change our plans because of availability. It may be same from Takayama side. So take it early.

I agree with a previous poster - you're spending a high percentage of your sightseeing time travelling between sights. My suggestion would be to choose either Kanazawa or Kyoto rather than trying to see both.

What time of year is this trip? You'll want to factor in the shorter amount of daylight and earlier closing hours if travelling in the winter.

I once went to the Shibazakura festival near Fujisan and it was a beautiful clear day with gorgeous blue skies. The bus trip to the site was nearly 2 hours and the return about 1.5 hours (to Kawaguchiko Station). If it's nice out, expect traffic congestion and plan accordingly

Hi,

Have you considered travel back to Tokyo instead of spending the night at Kanazawa? You can take bus from Shirawkawago - Toyama and take Hokuriku Shinkasen to Tokyo at night.

The next day you can take early bus to Mt Fuji.

But for this, you will have to take out Kanazawa from your list.

Another option, since you are flying out Narita, why not focus on Kanto only and add Takayama for side trips.

Skip Kyoto so you can focus on Kansai next time!

Hi . Thanks people.
Yes I agree that its taking travel time that's why I'm trying to maximize the sightseeing and minimizing the time travel.(Day 7 to Day 9 I know I need to make more improvement) Yup 10 days is to little.

This round will be avoiding Kanazawa first as I believe 1 day won't do it justice. Still wondering after Shirakawago where to head next or direct just take a trip direct back to Tokyo which also take around minimum 5hours with train OR Bus coach from Shirakawago to Toyama to Shinjuku Bus terminal by overnighting in the bus. Thanx for @faza2018 suggestion.

The reason I was thinking to overnight at Kawaguchiko is so that by morning have more time for the Shibazakura Festival are hope with 10 hours of daylight might have a chance to see the shy Mt Fuji.

The reason for Kyoto is because I have other girls in our group who is hoping to travel there since they are in Japan as they are on even tighter budget than I am. I know few days cannot see all especially the hidden gems.

@SkipperL . Yes we are travelling during spring and already check daylight is from around 6am-6pm only.

Hi.

I will make a stop at Nagoya if you think its a long journey back from Takayama.

In fact, there is a bus from Shirakawago straight to Nagoya (check Gifu Bus), it will take around 2.5 hours.

You can either stay a night there or proceed to Tokyo.

You will pass by Hakone (through Odawara) from there you can see Mt Fuji. Or you can make a trip to Hakone and continue to Kawaguchiko ( 1 hour ++ by Bus) since you will be staying at Kawaguchiko.

Hope this helps.