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What to improve on my itinerary? 2020/3/6 19:55
Hey all, yesterday I posted my rough itinerary and today I specified it more, I am almost done and was wondering if I made some dumb mistakes or if I forgot some things.

I have the JR Tail pass for 21 days and will get more subway passes if needed.



April 1 - Tokyo

-Arrival, just walking around in the Shinjuku area;

-A bit of shopping, I have some nice shops I want to go to written down;

-Shinjuku Gyoen.


April 2 - Tokyo

-Exploring the Shibuya district;

-More shopping, Takeshita street & Center Gai;

-One Piece Museum;

-Golden Gai in the evening;

-Eating at ‘Seiko en Harajuku’ and ‘uobei’.


April 3 - Tokyo

-Go to Sushi Dai & Tsukiji market early;

-Hamarikyu garden;

-Ginza;

-UDX parking lot, Ueno and Ueno park;

-National museum;

-Some temples/ shrines.


April 4 - Tokyo

-Exploring Midtown area;

-Hinokicho park;

-Zojoji Temple;

-Imperial Palace;

-Science museum;

-Mori tower.


April 5 - day-trip to Kawagoe

-Taking the train at around 9AM, it takes an hour;

-Kawagoe Castle Ruins;

-Hikawa shrine;

-Warehouse district;

-Taisho Roman dream street;

-Kita-In temple;

-Train back to Tokyo.


April 6 - Tokyo

Haven’t decided yet want I want to do, might do a day-trip, might just do another day in Tokyo


April 7 - Tokyo ―> Kamakura

-Taking the train at around 7/8AM, it takes an hour;

-See some temples;

-Enoshima;

-Just exploring.


April 8 - Kamakura ―> Hakone

-Taking the train at around 8AM, it takes about an hour and a half;

-Haven’t really made a plan for Hakone yet, suggestions are welcome!


April 9 - Hakone ―> Tokyo

-Again no concrete plan for Hakone yet;

-Taking the train in the evening, I’ll be using Tokyo as a place to sleep.


April 10 - Tokyo ―> Nikko

-Taking the train at around 10AM, it takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes;

-Shinkyo bridge;

-Toshogu temple;

-Kanmangafuchi abyss;

-exploring.


April 11 - Nikko ―> Tokyo

-Not a concrete plan for this day yet;

-Taking the train at around 5/6PM, it takes about 2 hours.


April 12 - Tokyo

-Last day in Tokyo, just going to walk around and explore.


April 13 - Tokyo ―> Matsumoto

-Taking the train at around 8/9AM, it takes about 3 hours;

-Matsumoto castle & shrine;

-Exploring;

-Eating at Doon Shokudo Indoyama;

-Matsumoto city alps.


April 14 - Matumoto ―> Takayama

-Taking a bus in the morning;

-Exploring the city and watching the festival;

-Visiting some temples if they are open.


April 15 - Takayama

-Enjoying the festival;

-Walking course;

-Some more temples if they are open.


April 16 - Takayama ―> Osaka

-Going to the morning market in Takayama;

-Maybe going to the folk village, otherwise just some more exploring and wandering around;

-Taking the train at around 3/4PM, it takes a solid 4 hours;

-Just eating something in Osaka, using it as a sleeping place.


April 17 - Osaka ―> Kobe

-Taking the train at around 10AM, it takes 45 minutes;

-Exploring;

-Sorakuen garden;

-Kitanocho;

-Ikuta shrine;

-Meriken park;

-Watching sunset from Venus bridge.


April 18 - Kobe

-Going to Himeji;

-Himeji castle & gardens;

-Exploring;

-If I’m done early I might go back to Kobe and do some thing I missed the day before.


April 19 - Kobe ―> Okayama

-Taking the train at around 12PM, it takes about 45 minutes;

-Korakuen & castle;

-Kibitsu shrine;

-Exploring and reading in the park.


April 20 - Okayama

-Going to Kurashiki;

-Historical quarter;

-Ivy square;

-Kurashiki park;

-Outlet;

-Denim street;

-Sunset at Washuzan;

-Back to Okayama


April 21 - Day-trip to Hiroshima

-Taking the train at around 10AM, it takes about 50 minutes;

-Atomic bomb dome;

-Peace Park

-Hiroshima castle;

-Kobe bar;

-Miyajima;

-Back to Okayama.


April 22 - Day-trip to Matsue

-Taking the train at around 9AM, it takes about 2 and a half hours;

-Matsue castle, some shrines;

-Rakuzan park;

-Exploring;

-Back to Okayama.


April 23 - day-trip to Takamatsu

-Taking the train at around 10AM, it takes about an hour;

-Ritsurin garden;

-Kitahama alley;

-Tamamo park;

-A bit of shopping;

-Back to Okayama.


April 24 - Okayama ―> Osaka

-Taking the train at around 11AM, it takes about an hour;

-Tennoji park;

-Shitennoji;

-Keitakuen garden;

-Nipponbashi;

-Eating something at kuromon market.


April 25 - Osaka

-International peace center;

-Osaka Castle;

-Aquarium;

-Eating at Endo sushi;

-Dotonbori in the evening.


April 26 - day-trip to Nara

-Taking the train at around 10AM, it takes about an hour;

-Nakatanidou for some Mochi;

-Todai-Ji;

-Nara Park;

-Back to Osaka.


April 27 - Osaka

Not much planned for today, might be going to Kyoto today so I have an extra day in Kyoto?


April 28 - Osaka ―> Kyoto

-Taking the train at around 10AM, it takes about 20 minutes;

-Exploring west Kyoto, see some temples/ shrines.


April 29 - Kyoto

-Explore East Kyoto;

-Nineizaka;

-Nanzenji;

-Honen-In temple;

-Sunset at fushimi Inari;

-Gion in the evening.


April 30 - Kyoto

-Will probably rent a bike today;

-Bamboo forest;

-Monkey park;

-Exploring.

May 1 - flying back in the evening

-Enjoying my last day




Did I make some mistakes or plan thing to tight? If you have any feedback or nice places to eat please let me know!
by Pepijn (guest)  

Re: What to improve on my itinerary? 2020/3/7 05:34
This is better than the first rough draft.

I like your day trips from Okayama. I have used Okayama as a base, and did several of these day trips. If you get a Green JR Pass, try to get in the first car for the trip over the Seto Inland Sea to Shikoku Island. I remember it being a wide view. The same is also true from Takayama to Nagoya.

I was not that impressed by Matsue Castle, but I enjoyed the Izumo Shrine. It helped that I just happened to go on the 100th anniversary of the local line to the shrine, and the train was converted into a festival train with vendors and a singer.

I prefer to visit Nara from Kyoto. The Inari Shrine is a stop on the JR line between Kyoto Station and Nara. I usually will go to Nara in the morning, the Inari Shrine in the afternoon, and then the Gion District in the evening. If you do this, drop a day in Osaka, and add a day in Kyoto.

You have a few extra days here and there. There are two day trips that you could add, if you are not too worn out. You already have Miyajima Island, which is considered one of the top three views of Japan. You could add the other two as side trips.

Matsushima Bay, which is near Sendai is close enough to do a day trip from Tokyo, after you activate your JR pass.

Amanohashidate is close enough to do a day trip from Kyoto, you should have an active JR pass there.

I would leave these as optional trips, and only do them if you manage to complete everything else.

Good Luck, in planning your trip.
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