21 days in Japan

My girlfriend and I will be in Japan from 5th - 25th August. We would greatly appreciate any thoughts on our itinerary below (day trips are listed in brackets):

5-7 Tokyo (+Nikko)
8 Mount Fuji
9-10 Kamakura (+Hakone)
11 Osaka (Summer Sonic Festival)
12-13 Hiroshima (+Mujimayi)
14-17 Kyoto (+Hijemi, Nara)
18-20 Takayama
21-23 Kiso Valley (+Matsumoto)
24-25 Tokyo

Apart from the first few nights in Tokyo we have not booked any accommodation yet. Considering that August is a very busy time of year, how likely are we to find somewhere to stay, at such late notice, in each of the places above?

Not entirely sure what we'll be doing during the Takayama/Kiso Valley period, but just hoping to relax, maybe go hiking and stay in some old-style Ryokans. Again, any suggestions would be appreciated.

p.s. We have bought 21-day JR passes.

8 Mount Fuji
9-10 Kamakura (+Hakone)

Tokyo - Mount Fuji - Hakone - Kamakura seems more efficient. Note also that there are not many hotels in Kamakura, as most people visit the city in a daytrip from Tokyo. Did you find one?

12-13 Hiroshima (+Mujimayi)

Do you mean Miyajima? In any case, I strongly recommend to visit Miyajima while you are in the Hiroshima area.

18-20 Takayama
21-23 Kiso Valley (+Matsumoto)
24-25 Tokyo

I recommend to visit Matsumoto on your way from the Kiso Valley back to Tokyo, rather than in a day trip from the Kiso Valley. Maybe spend the second night in Matsumoto instead of the Kiso Valley...

Considering that August is a very busy time of year, how likely are we to find somewhere to stay, at such late notice, in each of the places above?

High. I think you should have little problems finding accommodation now in all of the places you intend to visit. You don't visit any of the really popular summer holiday destinations such as Hokkaido, Okinawa or alpine resorts.

About the Kiso Valley:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6075.html

Thank you so much Uji - we have adjusted our itinerary to take onboard your advice. We are now frantically booking inns for each of these places!

We have also decided to hire a car for the middle week around Kiso Valley, Takayama, Matsumoto, etc.

p.s. I did mean Miyajima (bad typing on my part!) - it looks beautiful and we are trying to spend the night on the island.

Takayama accomm.

My wife and I stayed at the ryokan YAMAKYU
http://www.takayama-yamakyu.com/

English translation of site (google)http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http

The staff were friendly and the ryokan was excellent. The bath was also quite interesting with piped in birdsong- very relaxing...

DJDD

we just got back

your itinerary is totally insane

you might die of heat
exhaustion trying to accomplish that

ask anybody... august is unbelievably HOT, and ......

wow....

have fun... you will still have a super time even doing only half the stuff you want to

Kirk M,
I too was in Japan last week, I did not find it hot. Sunday 15th was rain in Tokyo and Monday 16th rainshowers in Kyoto, the next day fine with a sunny afternoon and rain only late evening. I had a full day walking in Matsuyama and Dogo and an other in Uji and Inari shrine all in good weather and not exhausting, including the walk uphill Inari shrine
lan,
your revised schedule would be doable for me.

Thanks for the replies. I do think we are insane, but only because we've left the bookings so late. Never again! I advise anyone doing this to book months in advance and not do a spur of the moment thing like us!

So we've had to completely rearrange our schedule to fit in with hotel/ryokan availability. But we are still without accomodation on several nights (13th, 17th and 21st). (daytrips are in brackets)

5-10 Tokyo (+Kamakura,Nikko, Hakone)
11-12 Fuji (overnight climb)
13-16 Takayama (+Matsumoto, Kamikochi, Kiso Valley)
17-20 Kyoto (+Iga Ueno)
20-21 Hiroshima & Miyajima
22 Osaka
23-24 Kyoto (+Nara)
25 Tokyo
26 Fly home

We are going to hire a care at Fuji (11th) and drop off in Gifu (17th). This will give us the chance to explore the Nagano area more easily and avoid the busy trains during Obon. At least, that's our theory...

No accomodation for Kyoto? What I did when I wanted to visit Kyoto July 17th (Gion Festival ) and learned that "all" accommodation in Kyoto is fully booked, I booked a room in ShinOsaka Hotel http://www.shinosakahotel.com/index_e.html
what is next to the east exit of the Shin Osaka station. ( Of course there are further hotels around ShinOsaka station, too ). With your JR Rail Pass you are in Kyoto within 15 min by hikari or kodama shinkansen.

If nothing better works out regarding accommodation Hiroshima or Miyajima 21th, you can stay in ShinOsaka as earlier mentioned. First hikari in the morning leave ShinOsaka 06.25 h arrive Hiroshima 07.58 h, last one back 21.51 h / 23.25 h and many in between. Miyajima is 30 min by JR train and further 15 min by JR ferry from Hiroshima station. Of course I see this will mean no overnight on the island, but maybe an alternative to avoid your whole journey to break apart.

Thanks Peter, I'm going to give it another couple of days (waiting on a few responses), but it's good to know we have this option! :-)

hey peter!

THATS COOL

i was in osaka sunday... killer hot

glad you had great time