15 day trip, need advice

Hi,

I'm going a 15 day trip to Japan on the first 2 weeks in October.

I will arrive in Tokyo early in the morning and i intend to pass that day there, visiting Sensoji and something else that i may have time for.

After that, i want to leave straight away in the next morning to the West.

I think i can stop at Nagoya in that ssecond day but is it worth it to stay there for the night and spend another day or just one day is enough? I have this doubt because i am unsure if i should take some time to visit cities close by like Gifu and Inuyama, and if i do, the second day is enough to cover both of them?

Then, i think i'll stay in Kyoto and i can spend the 3 days visiting the town. Then, the next 2 days i could visit Nara (1 day enough?) and then another day could be for Himeji and Okayama. But... I was curious about going further to the west to see Hiroshima and i don't know if i should either do a 1 day visit and return at night to Kyoto or if i should stay there for the night. Also, i read about Hagi but it seems a bit far to include on my schedule unless i'd extend my stay on the area for another day.

Either way, in order to include Hiroshima, i think i would have to opt between that or scratch the second day from the Nagoya area.

After 7/8 days, returning to Tokyo. I might be able to see some parts of the city, then 1 or 2 days after coming back from the West i have a special plan, since i want to go to the Tokyo Game Show. That will be held on 2 days, but i think i can fit in more stuff to do and see after i leave the show on each day. After that i still have 2 days left. I wanted to dedicate one to Nikko and one to Kamakura. Also, is Kawagoe a good side trip and how should i fit it in?

Then it's getting some sleep and take a flight back to Europe in the next morning.

I'm confused about some choices i can or cannot make and if i should either spread my travels to various places or if i should focus on some places. I've been there already but i've seen mostly Tokyo and Kyoto, although i think i missed a lot of Kyoto.

Help in order to making me come up with a definite schedule is much appreciated. Thank you in advance.

I suggest you to see the suggested itinerary of japan-guide.com, just because it includes all the top tourist attractions of Japan. You dont have to obey it completely, though:).

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2400_tokyo_13.html

You do have a lot of territory to cover. Assuming you want to squeeze in as much as you can (which is not recommended), I think you can do the following:

1 day for Hiroshima and Miyajima

1 day for Kurashiki and Okayama

1 day for Himeji and Kobe

1 day for Nara and Horyu-ji

1 day for Nagoya and Inuyama


Other thoughts:

Hagi IS a bit too far west.

You didn't mention Osaka, be there !? Osaka may not be appealing, but it's a good base for visiting the famous Koya-san. Well, I suppose you can go there from Kyoto if you want to, just take a longer journey.

Kyoto deserves more days, depending what places you'd already visited.

Ukai, cormorant fishing, will end mid. Oct. in Gifu, even earlier in Inuyama.

Kawagoe can be done in half a day, being only about 30 min train from Tokyo.

Thank you for your suggestions.

Ok, so i've come to a somewhat final plan, although i'd wish to put it here and get an opinion from you guys.

1st day: Tokyo
2nd day: Nagoya and Inuyama (spend or not the night? Not sure)
3rd to 6th day: Kyoto
7th day: Nara/Horyu-ji
8th day: Himeji and Okayama (I know i've been recommended Himeji and Kobe but i don't see too much of my interest in Kobe)
9th day: Hiroshima and Miyajima (spend the night here, all the previous days would be in Kyoto by the way)
10th to 12th day: Tokyo
13th day: Kamakura
14th day: Nikko
15th day: I only have time to go the airport or do a few shopping, so it's goodbye, unfortunately :P

I've been to Osaka and i think i've seen most of the interesting spots. I also have been to some places i'm gonna visit again but i liked them so much that i'm looking forward to see them again. That and the fact that i'm taking a friedn who hasn't been to places like Nikko and Himeji.

In Kyoto i've seen Ginkakuji, Kinkakuji, Kyomizu-dera, Fushimi Inari, etc. I will see some again, but i will definitely also try to see some that i haven't yet. Suggestions are welcomed :)

So, anyway, is this a good and wise plan?
3rd

Your itinerary looks good, just a pity you don't see fit to include Kurashiki and Kobe. It's OK, different people have different preferences.

For Kyoto, I would add Ryoan-ji, Nijo-jo, Tetsugaku no Michi (Philosopher's Walk), Nanzen-ji, Heian-jinga, Sanjusangen-do, To-ji and the Gion district. If you're going to Nanzen-ji, I would also recommend lunch at nextdoor Okutan restaurant which is famous for its tufu hot-pot meal, esp. memorable enjoying it in the outdoor surrounding of the Chosho-in garden.

If you have time for side trips in Kyoto, there are some suggestions: Arashiyama, Byodin-in, Miho Museum, Enryaku-ji, Amanohashidate. Arashiyama is the most popular, though I think it's better to go there in late Nov. when autumn foliage is at its best.

While you're in Kamakura, if you grow tired of too many temples and shrines, consider a short visit to the nearby island of Enoshima.

Enjoy your trip and have a safe journey.

Thanks for the input on my plan.

I did find Kurashiki an interesting proposal but if i'm going to Himeji on the same day as Okayama i don't think i'll have enough time to include it.

Kobe seems a lot more modern for my taste. Unless it had something videogame related i can't really make a connection with that city since i'm usually more inclined to see castles, temples and everything that has some piece of Japan's secular history in it.

I will research the ideas for Kyoto and also for the places around the city.

I still have things to deal with, like which JR pass to use but i suppose i have to calculate all my trips to figure out between a 7 day or 14 day pass.

One other thing i noticed just now was that there's the Sports Day in October and it might coincide with either my trip to Kamakura or Nikko. I'm not sure with what services or places i can't count on visiting on that day. It wouldn't be very nice to go all the way to Nikko just to not be able to visit Toshogu or that i'd arrive to Kamakura and had all the temples closed.

One other thing i noticed just now was that there's the Sports Day in October and it might coincide with either my trip to Kamakura or Nikko.

Public holidays in Japan means that everything will be open, especially in tourist areas. In particular, most temples do not even have closing days, at all.

Make sure not to visit Nikko on a weekend or public holiday, especially if you plan to see the Okunikko region (Lake Chuzenji, Kegon Falls, etc.), because it is autumn leaf season and Nikko will be packed and the road to Okunikko is a constant traffic jam. Even during the week you have to expect delays, but it is not as bad as on weekends.

Kobe does have 2 historic sites. The Kitano-cho district was an important residental district for the first foreigners who came after the Meiji Restoration. More recent yet more moving is the Port of Kobe Earthquake Memorial Park with an untouched pier ruin by the shore which serves as a monument to the tragic 1995 January earthquake that killed more than 5000 people.

Share my "bad" experience for a day-trip to Nikko. I, like the majority of visitors, went first to Tosho-gu area and then take the bus to Chuzenji-ko and Kegan Falls in the afternoon. By then the bus was full, I had to stand all the way and the bus had to negotiate nearly 50 sharp curves, plus the traffic was bad. Coming back was even worst, I'd to wait in line for 4 buses before getting on one, again stood almost the entire journey while traffic sometimes grinded to a complete halt ! So I would suggest to go to Chuzenji-ko (i.e. if you're going) in the morning first and do Tosho-gu in the afternoon. You can't escape the crowd at Tosho-gu anyhow.

To Uji:

Thank you for the information. I'll make sure i'll go to Nikko the day after Sports Day, so i guess that's fine. I will go to Kamakura on that day though, but being a bit closer to Tokyo i hope it's not a problem. I do hope to see how Nikko looks like in Autumn, should be pretty.

To William:

Yes, i do know Kobe is well known for that foreign district, but i don't want to see Western style houses :P Nor do i want to eat, sleep or live like i would in my country, if you know what i mean. Meiji was a huge point in history for Japan but i might be more nostalgic about the times before that, if i'm even allowed to be nostalgic about a country that isn't in fact mine. Anyway, the Kobe earthquake was a tragic moment and i recall seeing it in the news back then. Even more terrific were the shameful bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Going to Hiroshima will be a lot because of that. But i don't think this will be my last time in Japan (this will be my 3rd) so some other time. :)

Also, i've been to Nikko last year in August and it was great. There were a lot of people visiting but it was never a problem. However, i didn't make it to Chuzenji, since i spent a lot of time in the Toshogu area. I will try to change that this time around, although i'm not too sure if at the time i'm going this year i will have many problems when it comes to overcrowding. I surely hope not, after all, the day after Sports Day should be calm, right?