3 weeks Japan trip

I live in Japan for the year and my parents are here to visit for 3 weeks. The plan so far:

Feb 04 - 08 Sapporo (Yuki Matsuri)
08 Arrive Tokyo evening
09 Tokyo
10 Day trip to Kamakura
11 Day trip to Yokohama
12 Day trip to Nikko
13 Tokyo
14 Yamanashi
15 Yamanashi / Mt Fuji
16 Mt Fuji / Shizuoka
17 Shizuoka / Hamamatsu
18 Hamatsu / Nagoya
19 Kyoto
20 Kyoto
21 Day trip to Nara
22 Day trip to Osaka
23 Nagoya
24 Day trip to Ise
25 Nagoya
26 Leave from Chubu Airport

Questions I have are:

1. Are you able to do Yokohama in one day?
2. Would it be better to have day trip to Yamanashi rather than staying there for one night?
3. Is it worth going to Nikko?

I would rather stay for longer in Kyoto than Tokyo as my parents are older, they would find Kyoto better. Personally, I find Kyoto better too.

I hope this is a realistic itenirary. If it is not, please advise.

Thank you

Well, no doubt others have a different opinion but I don't think there's much to see in Yokohama that you can't see elsewhere...Chinatown excepted, maybe. If you just HAVE to see a Chinatown in Japan, Yokohama's the one to go to. Otherwise Yokohama is just another city. Yokohama lovers, feel free to chime in and disagree!
Yamanashi is a big prefecture, was there something in particular you were interested in? I'm not sure how to answer your question about going there. Are you going to Fuji Five lakes? Yamanashi City?
The only other comment is that you are really on the go here; I'd prioritize the day trips a bit to be able to knock one off if people are getting a bit tired.
Oh, and I like Nikko. It's a long trip but it's very scenic and majestic. I'd go to either Kamakura OR Nikko, just to prevent temple overload, but that's just me. I'm not a temple person.

Thank you for the reply
I think I might just spend a relaxed day in Yokohama just for the sake of it, it's so close and train there is pretty cheap. I guess if my parents are tired, then we can take that out. Thank you :)
I looked at JTB Sunrise's tour to Nikko, it looks awesome so we probably will join the tour. I know it's probably overpriced but I know I will be tired and I'd rather spend some money being picked up and told where to go than figure everything out by myself, seeing as my parents doesnt know any Japanese.

Regarding Yamanashi, I looked into it and I think there's not much in Kofu, so will probably base around Mt Fuji and take trips around the five lakes. I found a good website that tells you that the Hakone Free Pass allows you to go on trains / buses to go around the five lakes.

One other thing that is annoying me though, is I can't seem to find any hotels in Shinjuku that are free during that period. I tried www.asiarooms.com and it keeps telling me they are free. Does anyone know any other good websites that would allow me to book hotels cheaply?
I also use www.japanhotels.net

Thank you in advance :)

Kamakura has Zen style, quite spartan-looking temples. Nikko has gorgeous, elaborate temples and shrines. If you are going to Nikko, I might recommend staying there overnight if your schedule allows it.

please try www.japanhotel.net
you deal with the hotels and their sites give the normal price and the special internet price if there is one. each site has photos of the rooms. maps etc.
by the way, there isn't anything relaxing with Yokohama! it is just a big town by the water. Their Chinatown is OK but then so is the Chinatown in Kobe..you can relax in Tokyo by going to a park, Ueno for exemple, or, if the weather is hot enough, to the small beach at Odaiba.
Nikko is truly great. Don't miss it!

Does anyone know any good websites, where it actually tells you if the place is available or not, rather than filling in a request form and then finding out the next day none of it is available, as that is really time consuming?

www.japanhotel.net is really good, but it doesn't tell you if it is available or you can't book it directly, which is really annoying.

Thank you

Your plan looks OK for an average traveller, good for those who are interested in mordern japan, could be improved for those who are interested in historical Japan.

This is just for a reference,

Feb 04 - 08 Sapporo (Yuki Matsuri)
08 Arrive Tokyo evening
09 Tokyo
10 Day trip to Yokohama
11 Day trip to Nikko
12 Tokyo
13 Mt Fuji
14 Mt Fuji to Hamamatsu
15 Hamamatsu
16 Kyoto
17 Half day trip to Himeji / Kyoto
18 Day trip to Nara
19 Day trip to Osaka
20 Kyoto
21 Kyoto
22 Hiroshima / Miyajima
23 Nagoya
24 Day trip to Ise
25 Nagoya
26 Leave from Chubu Airport

I am not good at hand in English, sorry.

You wrote:
One other thing that is annoying me though, is I can't seem to find any hotels in Shinjuku
that are free during that period. I tried www.asiarooms.com and it keeps telling me they are free.
Does anyone know any other good websites that would allow me to book hotels cheaply?


I sometimes use this hotel, in Kobe, Osaka. There are this groups hotels in Tokyo.

Althogh it does not stands in Shinjuku, I think it might be available to stay for you in Ginza where stands near Tokyo station.


Nikko to Tokyo
1) If you arrive in Tokyo station by Shinkansen, it takes 9 minetes from Tokyo station to Ginza Itchome station.

(( Tokyo station )) ----- (JR Keihin Tohoku Negishi line to Sakuragi-cho 130 yen) 1min ----- ((Yurakucho station))
------ (Metro Yurakucho line to Shinkiba 160 yen)2min ----- (( Ginza-itchome))

1 min walk from gate 10 of Ginza Itchome station (available time is 7:00 - 22:00)
3 min walk from gate 9 of Ginza Itchome station (at early morning and late night)


or

(( Tokyo station )) ------ (Metro Marunouchi line to Ogikubo 160 yen) 3 min ------ ((Ginza station))

4 min walk from Ginza station to Hotel.

You can buy 1 day ticket by 600yen for metro Tokyo at Narita airport.

http://www.tokyometro.jp/e/open_ticket/index.html

2) If you arrive in Asakusa station by Tobu line, it takes 9 minetes from Asakusa station to Higashi Ginza
station. 4 min walk from Higashi Ginza station to Hotel.

(( Asakusa station )) ------ (Toei Asakusa line to Nisimagome 210yen) 11min ------- ((Higashi Ginza station ))



( Hotel URL )

http://www.hotelmonterey.co.jp/ginza/eng/index.html

I hope your trip with your parents in Japan will be great.

Thank you for all the replies
I finally booked a hotel from Rakuten in Shinjuku.
Shinjuku Shirakawago Hotel hope it's a good hotel.

Rakuten is quite a good website! I am also booking Hakone Hotel from there. I'm booking Hienkaku Hakone for 2 nights. It looks good enough :)

Thank you for all the replies, I will post some more questions along the way if I have any!

Thank you

JTraveller,

Thank you :)

I've been to Himeji Castle, Hiroshima and Miyajima. They were really good but I think as my parents are older best t not go too many places, besides they wouldn't appreciate the history as much as others would!

I think there will be enough for them to do in Kyoto ... I was there for two weeks few weeks ago and had such a great time with so much to do. Kyoto is so far my favourite place :)

I understand ^ ^ enjoy your travel!