Honey Moon 3 weeks itinerary - comments please :)

luce · (#1 (**permalink**))

Hello all,
My partner and I have finally planned the 3 weeks holiday in Japan in April and need advice/comments on the below rough itinerary (we are going to get the 21 days JR pass):

9 Tokyo - City sightseeing if we are not too tired due to the jet lag.
10 Tokyo City sightseeing
11 Tokyo City sightseeing
12 Nikko 1 day tour
13 Fish market + Hakone 1 day tour
14 Takayama. Hida. Attending the Takayama Festival in the evening
15 Kyoto.
16 Kyoto City sightseeing
17 Fushimi Inari Shrine + Nara 1 day tour
18 Kyoto City sightseeing
19 Kyoto City sightseeing
20 Himeji + Miyajima 1 day tour
21 Fukuoka.
22 Beppu 1 day tour
23 Nagasaki 1 day tour
24 not decided yet
25 not decided yet
26 not decided yet
27 Tokyo check in
28 Tokyo City sightseeing
29 back home

How realistic is this schedule? Are we going to be overwhelmed?

Any and all advice is welcome!

Thank you in advance.

MMM · (#2 (**permalink**))

I think it is pretty realistic...but there isn't a lot of details in there.

It's when people want to see more than three things in a day in Tokyo that I get doubtful.

luce · (#3 (**permalink**))

LOL MMM, thanks for your answer. My husband would definitely agree with you!

Ok this is the plan for Tokyo and Kyoto:

Tokyo day 1 Ueno + Asakusa
Tokyo day 2 Akasaka + Ginza
Tokyo day 3 Shinjuku + Shibuya
Tokyo day 4 Odaiba
If we have time, we will probably go to Ghibli museum too, I want a Totoro!!!!

We will avoid any other museum as we want to spend our time outside.

Kyoto day 1 Nijo castle, Kinkakuji temple, Ryoanji temple, Kiyomizu temple Yasaka Pagoda (I think they are all close to each other...)
Kyoto day 2 Arashiyama Area
Kyoto day 3 Philosopher's Path Area

As for April 24, 25 and 26 we have not decided yet, so we are open to any suggestion.

Is this too packed?

Polar · (#4 (**permalink**))

Your Tokyo plans are fine, you can walk from Shibuya to Shinjuku in roughly 20 minutes. Highly recomend Shibuya Station and Bus Terminal

This is in March

I was doing about 3-4 areas a day like you mentioned just walking around during the day.

luce · (#5 (**permalink**))

Thanks Polar! Those pictures are so bright! I really miss the sun and I hope we'll get plenty of it during our holiday in April!

MMM · (#6 (**permalink**))

I hope you are spending the night in Nikko...that is really the whole point.

luce · (#7 (**permalink**))

Sleep in Nikko? We haven't thought about that... At the moment we are planning to have 1 day tour and go back to Tokyo for the night.

MMM · (#8 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by luce

Sleep in Nikko? We haven't thought about that... At the moment we are planning to have 1 day tour and go back to Tokyo for the night.

Nikko is all about the hot springs and relaxing at the hotel (or ryokan) with a traditional meal.

Firebird · (#9 (**permalink**))

Looks ok to me! I think you could fit in the Museum on the last day with Odaiba. From there you can walk through a nice park (inokashirakoen) towards Kichijoji wich is where lots of locals go to hang out or for shopping.

Doing Himeji and Miyajima in 1 day is possible but i would do Himeji in the morning, than go to Hiroshima and see the A-Bomb dome (the Museum is great as well) and stay there for the night. The next morning visit Miyajima and than drive on to Fukuoka. Fukuoka is a really nice city, might be worth an extra day!
When going to Beppu stay in a traditional Ryokan and take the Bus to the Hells, its really worth it (go to the ones the tourist information recommends, the other are not so good).
What is your plan for Nagasaki? I have been there a day but theres not to much to do.

If you want to do something a bit crazy you could jump over to Korea with the ferry (3h one way) for a day or 2. The ferry goes from Fukuoka to Busan and the visa is no problem.

Otherwise the nightview from the mountains around Kobe is really nice, so you could spend a day around Osaka and have dinner in the Kobe Harbour Area, than drive up with the cable car to see the nightview of Kobe and Osaka (japanese say it a million dollar view).

Have fun

allhailhata · (#10 (**permalink**))

FYI,You need reserved ticket to Ghibli museum.
I don't know where will you stay in Tokyo.
But I think
"Tokyo day 3 Shinjuku + Shibuya" + Ghibli museum in Mitaka is the best choice.

19 Kyoto City sightseeing
20 Himeji + Miyajima 1 day tour
21 Fukuoka.

Going back to Kyoto after Miyajima is not efficient and not usual.
Staying Hiroshima or Miyajima is normal.
If you like Ponyo,I recommend Tomonoura in Hiroshima prefecture.

24 not decided yet
25 not decided yet
26 not decided yet
27 Tokyo check in

On the way back to Tokyo,I recommend Kobe,Osaka,Kouyasan and Fuji.
If you don't mind long train ride,Tōhoku region is another choice.

Btw,according to your itinerary,you are going to visit five or six World Heritage Site.You can add more easily.
1.Historic Villages of Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama(bus ride from Takayama St.)You can go and come back, before you leave for Kyoto.
2.Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima
3.Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range which include
Kouyasan.Stay there or 1 day tour from Osaka.
not so easily,but possible
4.Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine in Shimane Prefecture.
impossible
5.Gusuku in Okinawa

P.S.
If you don't mind ,tell me why do you want to visit Akasaka in Tokyo?
I'm just curious. I think Akasaka is not typical Sightseeing spot.