Is my itinerary too ambitous?

Hi

I have created a draft itinerary and would like some feedback.

4 April
Arrive in Tokyo

5 April
Hakone Day Trip (typical course)

6 April
Tsukiji Fish Market
Tokyo Tower
National Diet Building
Imperial Palace
Imperial Palace East Gardens
Ueno Park
Sensoji Temple
Nakamise Shopping Street

7 April
Train to Kamakura
Kenchoji Temple
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu
Zeniarai Benten Shrine
Great Buddha
Train to Nikko

8 April
Toshogu Shrine
Edo Wonderland
Taiyuinbyo
Train to Nagano

9 April
Jigokudani Monkey Park
Train/Bus to Magome

10 April
1/2 day at Magome
Bus to Tsumago
1/2 day at Tsumago
Bus/Train to Kanazawa

11 April
Higasiyama Chaya Street
Nagamachi Samurai District
Myoryuji Temple

12 April
Kenrokuen
Bus to Shirakawago
Gassho-zukuri Minkaen
Shiroyama Viewpoint

13 April
Bus to Takayama
Hida Folk Village
Walk old town

14 April
Morning markets
Takayama Festival

15 April
Train to Nara
Horyuji
Naramachi
Todaiji
Nara Park
Train to Osaka
Umeda Sky Building (night)

16 April
Osaka Castle
Osaka Mint
Koyasan Free Sabic ticket
Train/Cablecar to Koyasan
Kongobuji Temple
Garan
Daimon

17 April
Okunoin Temple
Cablecar/Train to Himeji
Himeji Castle
Train to Hiroshima
Hiroshima Castle
Peace Park

18 April
Itsukushima Shrine
Senjokaku
Misen
Daisho-in
Train to Beppu


19 April
Umi Jigoku
Honbouzu-Jigoku
Oniishibozu Jigoku
Shiraike Jigoku
Yama Jigoku
Kamado Jigoku
Oniyama Jigoku
Kinryu Jigoku
Chinoike Jigoku
Tatsumaki Jigoku
Train to Kyoto

20 April
Ryoanji temple
Kinkakuji
Kitano Tenmangu
Imperial Palace
Nijojo
Nijo Jinya
Pontocho (night)
Kyoto tower (night)

21 April
Toji Flea market
Toji
Katsura Villa
Kokedera
Arashiyama
Sagano Romantic Train
Hozu River Boat Tours
Bamboo Groves

22 April
Sanjusangendo
Kiyomizudera
Philosopher's Trail
Heian Jingu Shrine
Maruyama Park

23 April
Funshimi Inari Shrine
Byodoin Temple
Train to Tokyo

24 April
Edo-Tokyo Open Air Museum
Train/Bus to Kusatsu Onsen

25 April
Yubatake
Mount Shirane Hiking
Yumomi
Bus/Train to Tokyo
Meiji Shrine

26 April
Toh-go no mori Antique Market
Shinagawa Inter City Flea Market
Train to Airport (mid afternoon)

Yes, it is too ambitious. And you underestimate the time it takes to travel between places and cities. You will have to drop some places in order to make it enjoyable.

Furthermore, the sequence of places is not efficient. I recommend the following sequence for optimal use of your time:

Tokyo and surroundings (including Kamakura, Hakone and Nikko) - Nagano - Takayama - Shirakawago - Kanazawa - Nara/Osaka - Koyasan - Himeji - Hiroshima - Beppu - Kyoto - Tokyo

You can't visit the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, you can only visit the gardens and get a glimpse of the palace.

To visit the Imperial Palace in Kyoto you need to go on a tour, this requires you to take your passport half an hour before the tour starts and fill out an application to go on the tour. From memory the tours are at 10am and 1pm (you better check that though) and the tour lasts about 1 hour. It is quite time consuming and I would recommend going to Nijo castle instead.

Thanks for your advice Uji. What would you suggest that I take out?

The reason why my route is Kanazawa - Shirakawago - Takayama is because there's a early bus to Takayama at 6.53am whereas the earliest bus to Kanazawa is 11.10am.

If this is your first time, I think there is way too much planned. Take a look around this site for recommended trips and advice.

Seeing a place like Hiroshima is not just seeing the sites, but can be emotional and is best to be taken slowly rather than simply seeing stuff and taking photos and then moving on.

You will also find that walking around all day can tire you out when doing it day in day out for a couple of weeks.

This looks like my first rough draft of my 2 week trip to Japan. Of course Uji is right. I started out with a lot of things to do just like this worried that I would not make the most out of the trip. First dont worry no matter what the trip will be a blast. You have done some serious homework here; now all you have to do is go through this list and give each thing a priority number of 1-10. This will help with your decissions on what to leave out. Also I found it was not how much I did but how well I did it. As a rule I would keep only 3 attractions a day. If you end up with more time then try a 4th one.

As for a place to cut out I would cut Osaka... I have been there. It is not a bad place at all you just have so many more interesting things on you plan.

I dont know if Beppu is the furthest point south you are planning to go but if so you might want to cut it just because it will save a lot of time and open up more time somewhere else like Kyoto. Never been there though so ask around on that one.

Well good luck!

I would make your choice based on your personal interest. In terms of effort, the Beppu side trip causes you about an additional 5 hours in the train within a 24 hour period. It looks like a lot of effort for not much time in Beppu. And the Jigoku are not worth the effort alone.

Thanks for everyone's advice. I will revise my itinerary by limiting to 3 places and may remove Beppu, Osaka and Kiso Valley to free up some days.