Maximising trip from Hakone-Kiso Valley-Kyoto

Hi all!
I'm currently in the process of putting together a trip for April 2024. This is my 4th trip to Japan and I'm really wanting to check out Hakone and Kiso Valley.

I hope it's not too crazy a plan, but I'm planning to travel from Sendai to Hakone, spend one night in Hakone, then travel to a ryokan in the Kiso Valley (specifically Nukumorino-yado Komanoyu), spend one night there and then travel to Kyoto.

I note that the travel times between Moto-Hakone and Kiso-Fukushima where the ryokan is located are quite long, between 5.5-6.5 hours by bus/train. However this is the only place in my trip that I can fit these locations in and after missing them on my previous trip, I really want to get there this time, even if it's only for a night in each place!

I'm posting this hoping that folks who have visited these places before could help me put an itinerary together to maximise my time in these locales? Right now I have it down to arrive in Motohakone around midday, explore around Hakone Shrine and the Ancient Cedar Avenue, and if time visit Amazake Tea House. Then in the morning of the next day, travel to Kiso-Fukushima as early as possible (I guess I will arrive around 3pm latest, hopefully) , explore the town there and then return to the ryokan for dinner. In the morning of this day, take the train to Narai and explore it, then jump on the Shinkansen to Kyoto at about 3pm.

Does this sound at all feasible or am I rushing it too much? And what are the unmissable attractions in these two places? (I'm a hobby artist and have planned the trip around beauty spots that I can paint! Nature, historical buildings and shrines are my particular favourites.)

Thank you in advance from this anxious but excited traveller!

Hi!

I really like Kiso Valley but Kiso Fukushima isnt that exciting and Narai is super quiet (but super pretty, it looks exactly like it does in pictures). I wouldnt go unless I had a full day at least so that you can walk a leg of the Nakasendo, and preferably on a weekend as weekdays a lot of places are shut, also these places dont tend to liven up until late morning anyway. but if you do go, there is quite a nice bushwalk up a hill behind the school at Kiso Fukushima that leads to a nice secluded shrine.

To be honest I'd give up one of the two destinations because of the logistics, probably I'd miss Hakone if it was a weekend (too busy) and Kiso Valley if it was on a week day (too quiet).

But if you go to Hakone, consider Fukumiziro ryokan, just fantastic.

I think you donft have enough time in Hakone. Just an afternoon. It would be better to arrive early in the morning.
Per google maps from Sendai the earliest you can make it to Hakone is 10:00. I would try to do that to maximize your time and have a chance at completing the loop.

Lazy Pious and LikeBike, thank you for your responses! I'll consider extending my time in Hakone since I'll most likely be there midweek.

Would you say that Kiso-Fukushima and Narai are too quiet to bother with at all midweek, or would the peace and quiet be appreciated during the busy cherry blossom season? I don't really mind about shops and restaurants being shut, as long as I can get coffee and food from somewhere (even a conbini is fine :)

Hi! I've been to Kiso Valley a few times, in December and at end Feb. I'm not sure whether my experience is typical as they may be more lively during the week in spring and summer.

At Kiso Fukushima there are plenty of places to eat. Not sure about coffee as I dont drink it in Japan given it is routinely disappointing but there is a good bakery and a few little restaurants, also a couple of places across from the train station. It is a nice country town, busy enough with locals, and great as a base. I'd stay again for sure, mid week or not.

We saw Narai on a Friday and there was not much open at all but it is really pretty, maybe even prettier as it was so quiet. We were going to do the Nakasendo leg from there but it was too icy on the stairs to start. There is still plenty to see, the temple there has some fantastic dragon paintings on the ceiling. I also like Magome a lot, it is more touristy, but really pretty with the surrounding mountains.

Thanks Lazy Pious! Your tips are great and I'm even more excited to visit now :) sounds like exactly what I'm looking for, quiet country towns in beautiful settings.

How you view the transportation segments and how you experience the sightseeing venues and lodging will determine how much you get out of such a trip. If you see the transportation as a necessary evil and the hours spent on trains and buses as essentially undesirable use of time, if you try to cram as many gmust-seeh spots into your day as possible without taking the time to linger and enjoy their finer points, and if you see a ryokan as just a place to sleep and eat, you will be missing out on a lot. There are many tourists who spend their entire time on a train glued to their cell phones or sleeping (while the train is passing by some marvelously scenic or interesting areas) and rush around trying to visit five or six (or more) gmust-seeh spots in a day, and then get to their unique and wonderful ryokan barely in time for dinner.

I think that fear of missing out and the concept of gunmissableh locations lead to people getting a lot less out of their trips to Japan than they otherwise could.

Enjoy your travel times, pick a small number of venues to visit and enjoy them to the fullest, and spend some relaxed time at your ryokan appreciating its finer points.

If you are looking for interesting and beautiful places to paint in Japan, all you have to do is slow down and keep your eyes open rather than wasting time worrying abut the places you might be missing.