help - 13 days in japan during new year

Hey all,

No idea of where to go in Japan for 13 days!

Arriving in Narita on Dec 31 and plan to go to tokyo and kyoto.
Where else wud u recommend?
Would u recommend the travel pass?
Is everything closed from dec 31 - 3 jan?

Thanks all any recommendations are greatly appreciated!

If you arrive in Narita on Dec 31st, I suggest staying at least 1 night in Tokyo as many people go down to Kyoto/Osaka area for New Year's holidays.

Many shops are closed on Jan 1st but shrines are open even on Jan 1st.
Please check "Travel" section of this site. You can find "Travaling during New Year holidays."

yours is the type of question people hate to answer because it is so vague!. how can we recommend anything if you don't tell us first what you like and dislike!??
How about looking at all the travel info on this site and also reading Lonely Planet and other guidebooks to learn about Japanese culture and about various sights. by the way you don't even have to see Tokyo, kyoto etc .You could decide to see only Kyushu and Shikoku islands for example.. it is all up to you. Once you have a basic itinerary then we can give you specific info about the times it takes to go from here to there, recommend hotels etc. etc.

Sorry all for the previous vague posts.

New Itinerery:
31st-4th jan - Tokyo - 5 days
5th-6th jan-Hiroshima-1.5days
7th-8th jan - Osaka - 2 days
9th-11th Jan - Kyoto -2.5days

Do you think there are enough days in osaka & kyoto?

Using the rail pass for 7 days so that is why i'm trying to cram!

Me and my wife will also be in Japan from the 29th of december untill the 3rd of January and I was wondering:

We want to visit Tokyo and Nikko. Is it best to visit Nikko on the 30th and go to Tokyo for New Years eve (in the shrines, not the pubs.... we like culture) or the other way around (visit Nikko on New Years eve and jan 1st and the go to tokyo)?

Regards,

Derk Jan

To paddy111199

During your stay in Osak and Kyoto from 7th to 11th,you can arrange your itinerery very flexible,becos All cities(Osaka,Kyoto,Nara and Kobe) are within 30minuets distance by local train. So if you choose Kyoto as your base city and then you can travel from city to city.

To Derk Jan

If you like culture rather than happy hour,then I (personal opinion) recomend staying in peace and calm Nikko on new year eve and visit shrines there,if you can reserve an accomodation.

And,you can also find many cultural places in Tokyo to visit later on. But on the new year eve day in Tokyo,things get very hectic.

Im not travel specialist so its just my personal opinion and im sure there are many options for you to choose from.