Japan Winter Itinerary Check - 2023

Hi all,

This has been a really tough one. I've been to Japan 3 times without much of a plan. This is the first time I'm getting the JR pass and I'm looking to explore GIFU and the Alps as I'm going in Feburary, looking for a mix of traditional, scenic (onsen!) and photogenic. I have previously been to Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Hakone and Yokahama. Tokyo is by far my favourte place, where I'll be spending about 5.5 days.

Just want to sense check the below itinerary - I'm a solo traveller and whilst I don't usually like moving around so much I mapped this out based on a lot of research, connnections and no backtracking.

Total days: 16
Day 1 & 2 - Arrive early midday in Tokyo - Take evening train to Matsumoto on day two. Sleep in Matsumoto.
Day 3 - Explore Matsumoto and Narai-Juku. Sleep in Matsumoto
Day 4 - Take early train to Nagano and go straight to Monkey park, then go to Shiba Onsen and spend the night in a Ryokan.
Day 5 -7 - Go to Takayama with a stop over in the big temple in Nagano. (These two are reversible, I could go from Matsumoto to Nagano for half the day, check into the Ryokan in Shiba and monkey park the next day) Any thoughts on this? Explore Takayama for what would be two full days.
Day 8 - Transfer to Ryokan in the mountains for the night OR a small Ryokan near Shirawa village. I'm still conflicted on this as the onsen experience sounds nicer, but would require traveling back to Takayama to transfer.
Day 9-11 - Travel to Kanawaza and explore for almost 2 full days. Travel to Osaka in the evening to spend the night.
Day 12 - Travel to Koyasan to spend the night at a temple.
Day 13 - Travel to Osaka to explore most of the day. Sleep in Osaka.
Day 14 - 17 Travel to Tokyo in the morning and have four full days in Tokyo, leaving on the next day early in the morning.

This is packing a lot in because I've squeezed in Kanazawa. Would love your advice, if I had to skip a place, it's looking like it would be Kanazawa or the ryokan near Takayama?

Tokyo wise, I'm staying in Akihabara the first evening but conflicted about staying in Shibuya the last 4 days. In the past, I've stayed in Asakusa, Shinkuju and Otsuka. Love the local feel of places like Otsuka and considering Ikebukuro but basing myself more on hotel quality than anything else.

Thank you!

Hi! I really like your plan. Regarding Kanazawa, we have been there at the beginning of January and it was very slushy as it is prone to rain. Everything got wet, it was a total PITA. I am not sure when you are going, but I probably would skip it unless it was later in January, when there is less rain. But kenrokuen was really nice with snow.

If you are looking for a place between Takayama and Osaka to replace it, Hikone would be my pick for a night, or maybe kiso-Fukushima (havent been there yet but we are using it as a base for 3 nights in Feb to trot up and down through the post towns).

Thanks so much for the feedback! I'm going mid Feb, so hoping it isn't too bad. I also posted on Trip Advisor to get some guidance and I think I will skip the Ryokan in the mountains and do Nagano from Tokyo and go to Takayama via Matsumoto to make it more straightforward.

Thanks for your input on the kiso valley towns, I'll definitely have a look and see if it's worth a bit if a detour!

That itinerary haves you going back and forth over the same routes.

I'd go Nagano, Matsumoto, Takayama, Kanazawa, Osaka, Koyasan. Saves 1-2 hours of travel 2 of 3 days.