Can’t decide: Nikko, Nara, Mount Koya

Hi there,

First of all, thank you so much in advance for any advise and feedback!
We are currently planning our first Japan trip in May for 19 days - so so excited!!

I am currently planning our itinerary. I feel that Nikko, Nara and Mount Koya seem all to be great and I am currently debating whether it is worthwhile to visit all three place or if they are somewhat similar and we could save some time by skipping any?

Any recommendation?
Our plan will looks somewhat like: arrive and stay first few days in Tokyo, head up North to Hakodate to enjoy the cherry blossom, visit Nikko, head all the way South to Hiroshima, then Osaka with side trip to Kobe and Nara(3 days), Mount Koya, Kyoto(2 full days), head to Fuji (Hakone and Five Lakes), bus back to Tokyo for final days.
Is this feasible? I am afraid it may be a bit cramped?

In order to judge better if your trip is crammed or not, it would be helpful to see it in a list. (Day 1 in X, day 2 in Y...) That makes it easier for us here to see it at one sight.

I guess you are planning to use trains for traveling. Have you considered a flight from Hakodate to Hiroshima? It would safe you nearly a day. (And do Nikko on the way up). Also going up all the way by train to Hakodate, have you considered to visit some other places in Tohoku? Eg Tono village, Yamadera, Hiraizumi...? They are all nice and much less touristy than places in Kansai/Kanto. You would need to skip though some places South ( eg Hakone). I just think that you are missing out on an opportunity to visit the less besten track.

feel that Nikko, Nara and Mount Koya seem all to be great and I am currently debating whether it is worthwhile to visit all three place or if they are somewhat similar and we could save some time by skipping any?

I would say all 3 destinations are quite different. Nikko is a special shrine in the woods. I would say you can not compare it to any other shrine on your list of places you visit.
Nara is after Kyoto for me the top destination in Japan, it has some amazing temples (Witg great Buddha), a nice shrine that features prominently lampions ( and make very nice motif for photos), and the deer. But it is also the more touristy of all locations. My personal suggestion would be to stay IN Nara , get up early in the morning and visit the Buddha first and then everything else. I personally also like inner Nara prefecture (have a look on possible places on this webpage). So you could easily stay 3-4 nights in Nara without running out of interesting places.
Finally Koyasan is a unique temple town ( more like a village) with a very scenographic graveyard. An overnight stay in a temple lodging is advised also for the food. I went about 10 years ago but I am hearing that it is getting more and more crowded. I had one of my best culinary experience in Japan there.

All three destinations are worthwhile to visit and are different. So your choice. Nikko in my judgement is the only one that is doable as a daytrip (but even that is hard tourist work). For all other places I do need at least 2 days. I realize however that many people do Nara as a daytrip only. Which is doable from a transportation time perspective but I think you just don�ft have the time to see all the marvelous places that it offers.

Enjoy your trip to Japan!

I am a huge Nara fan, in fact I like it more than Kyoto as it is a lot greener and you can find space away from the crowds. I would rather spend 3 days at Nara than at Kyoto for that reason and we have been back quite a few times (I'll recommend Nara Hotel while I am at it). The deer and forests are a bonus, and staying overnight means you pretty much have the place to yourself before 8AM if you are an early riser.

Nikko didnt grab me as much. It is pretty enough and the Hotel Kanaya is very nice, but it isnt as easy to get around. I'd spend the night, but more to revisit Kanaya than anything as that is a spectacular old hotel.

Cant help with Mt Koya unfortunately.

I'd liken those places to Kamakura/Enoshima which I would put in front of Nikko, personally.

Thank you for the feedback! Especially Yamadera and Hiraizumi look so lovely, that I would love to include these in my itinerary.

So here is th overview of our itinerary:

Day 1 - Tokyo
Day 2 - Tokyo
Day 3 - Tokyo to Hakodate, experience cherry blossom
Day 4 - Hakodate to Nikko, arrive in early afternoon
Day 5 - Nikko
Day 6 - Nikko to Hiroshima, arrive early afternoon and visit Pace Park and Museum
Day 7 - Miyajima n the early morning, head to Osaka later in the day ( possibly early dinner in Kobe)
Day 8- Osaka, possibly half day trip to Himeji Castle
Day 9- day trip to Nara
Day 10- go to Mount Koya and stay at a temple
Day 11- spend the morning at Mount Koya, head toy Kyoto
Day 12- Kyoto
Day 13- Kyoto
Day 14- Kyoto to Hakone, spend the day in Hakone
Day 15- from Hakone to the Fuji Five Lakes (fujikawaguchiko)
Day 16- head back to Tokyo
Day 17- Tokyo
Day 18- final day in Tokyo with out flight at night

Happy to hear any thoughts!

I don't know if it's your first trip in Japan if it is I would not do what you intend to do.

Day 3 - Tokyo to Hakodate, experience cherry blossom

Is it really worth going so far, 4 hours one way to see the cherry blossom? I guess you will go in late April early May so you have no choice, but I would not go so far just to see cherry blossom. I've been in Tokyo and Kyoto during cherry blossom and everything is so beautiful yes, but I would not do what you do just to see . If you are in time and just want to see cherry blossom, I'd consider Kakunodate, 3 hours from Tokyo, it's a small place but many of my Japanese friends said it's a really nice place. In fact I am going there this summer to see the samurai district.

Day 4 - Hakodate to Nikko, arrive in early afternoon
Day 5 - Nikko

I would do Nikko as a day trip from Tokyo, depart early morning and coming back at evening, it's doable I did that 11 years ago.

Day 6 - Nikko to Hiroshima, arrive early afternoon and visit Pace Park and Museum
Day 7 - Miyajima n the early morning, head to Osaka later in the day ( possibly early dinner in Kobe)

Again, this one I would do that as a day trip from Osaka or Kyoto, there are trains until around 9 pm to come back. Depart early and start for Peace Park and then lunch and go to Miyajima and come back, if you can afford it overnight at Miyajima

Day 8- Osaka, possibly half day trip to Himeji Castle

Ok, better start early Himeji and then go Osaka, you will enjoy Osaka nightlife.

Day 9- day trip to Nara

Ok, go early to see Kasuga Taisha and Nara Park and Todaiji specially, I'd stop on the way back to Kyoto at Fushimi Inari Taisha.

Day 14- Kyoto to Hakone, spend the day in Hakone
Day 15- from Hakone to the Fuji Five Lakes (fujikawaguchiko)

Not sure about this, never done that. Sorry