14 days trip to Japan (November)
 

Hi all, I am travelling for my first time to Japan with my gf in November. Wanted to share my itinerary and hear some thoughts/advice

• D1: Arrival in Tokyo in the late morning, afternoon recovering/Tokyo
  
• D2/3/4: Tokyo
  
• D5: Leave Tokyo in the morning direction Takayama
  
• D6: Takayama and Shirakawa-go
  
• D7: Leave Takayama in the early afternoon for Kyoto
  
• D8/9: Kyoto
  
• D10: Leave Kyoto destination Koyasan
  
• D11: Koyasan
  
• D12: Leave Koyasan in the morning for Osaka
  
• D13: Day trip from Osaka to Nara
  
• D14: Osaka and return flight in the evening
  

I see that the trip to Takayama is not the most straightforward - do you think it's better to skip it and replace it with Hakone/Kamakura? Also are there good Onsen in Takayama?

Is there anything really unmissable which I should fit and remove something else? Or do I just need to remove something?

Thanks in advance

There are many members with way more knowledge that I about getting around Japan. I don't recall our journey to Takayama being especially complicated and it was a highlight of our first visit to Japan For some reason I didn't get around to posting much on our blog about Japan but I did post about Takayama https://accidentalnomads.com/2008/04...ans-miso-sake/ . Really enjoyed our choice of accommodation - Sumiyoshi Ryokan.

What I do recall as a rather complex and long journey was the one to Koyasan from Kyoto which seemed to involve a lot of changes. No one was more surprised that I when were arrived right on time. It was a great experience though. One of the highlights, even for me, a confirmed carnivour, was the food. If all vegetarian food was like that, I would turn veggie tommorow

On thing I noticed when planning our trips to Japan was that sometimes, just rearranging the order of places o be visited can save a lot of time.

Thanks a lot for the reply (and for the link to your blog)! I'll keep in mind the trip to Koyasan!

>> D6: Takayama and Shirakawa-go
You don't want to do this. You don't have enough time. Takayama derserves at least a full day, imo. You could visit Hida no Sato as a substitute for S-go.

>> I see that the trip to Takayama is not the most straightforward -
It is pretty simple: shinkansen from Tokyo change to a limited express train to Takayama. You would change trains at Nagoya or Toyama. I would go via Toyama because I have read that Toyama-Takayama is very scenic. Then from Takayama you continue south (to Nagoya and change to the shinkansen for Kyoto). You would ride the length of the Takayama Line without backtracking

>> do you think it's better to skip it and replace it with Hakone/Kamakura?
Up to you. It sh/could be a choice between Hakone or Kamakura, but that depends on how in depth/ how much you want to do in Kamakura. If you just want to visit the Daibutsu then you could visit it in a morning or just drop Kamakura. Hakone has onsen. You can consider Hakone an onsen destination with other attractions.

>> Also are there good Onsen in Takayama?

No, not really. That is to say it is not at all an onsen town/destination. I think there is only one hot springs bath in Takayama and it is at a tourist hotel that was called Green Hotel, but I think it changed names. I tried it and it was a good onsen bath, it is just that it is in that fairly large Japanese tourist hotel. If you won't be visitng an onsen elsewhere then it is worth visiting for an onsen expreience.

I still haven't visited Koya-san as it just didn't fit well with other places of more interest to me. My thinking, I think, is that I know I would not stay for more than one night, not at all interested in a temple stay, and not worth the travel time (this travel is not the "most straightforward"). TO ME. But you would be visiting it from nearby and only going to Osaka after (so it is not like you had Koya between Takayama and Hiroshima, or something).

Bookmarking because I'm planning a very similar trip for Fall 2024. I'm also debating between Hakone or Takayama area.

crellston made a good point about arranging the order of destinaions, You have things in a good order, Given the positive experience that crellston had i am reminded that I should move Koyasan higher on my Japan to-do list.

I reread the OP. Having not visited Koyasan and therefore not knowing what I missed, I still have to say that you probably don't need two nights there, especially given that your travel to/from there is fairly local; all in Kansai region. You could take that second night from Koyasan and add it to Takayama or Kyoto.

Which airport on D14?

(with an extra night am thinking of: early morning shinkansen from Tokyo to Kanazawa and then bus to Shirakawago for a night then bus to Takayama for two nights then on to Kyoto. But that just means passing through Kanazawa, which is ok given that Kanazawa was not on your itinerary anyway)

Thanks a lot, that's really helpful. I really want to do an "Onsen Day", even better if the Onsen has a traditional Ryokan attached to it (is that common at all, forgive my ignorance). This considered I may skip Takayama and go to Hakone instead (unless there is a better "Onsen Place" which is quite scenic as well!).

Thanks, that's very helpful. In this case I'll probably ditch the second night in Koyasan and just leave from there in the late afternoon direction Osaka.

D14 airport is Osaka-Kansai

D14 airport is Osaka-Kansai

Bookmarking as I’m also planning a trip in the fall. I’ll be in “planning mode” very shortly!

Traditonal onsen ryokan are common in hot springs locations in Japan. There are several in Hakone (which is the only hot springs location that the OP has mentioned)

Ryokans have rules, esp. traditional ones, Onsen baths have rules. The word "rules" has a bit of a sharper meaning that I don't intend to convey. Lets just say that onnsen and ryokan have their own traditions, customs, ways of behavior, and expectations of you, when you visit, and expectationns that you can have of the place. I mean, this is a Japanese thing, and it is not like staying at a hotel with pool. You can enjoy your experience more by learning, behaving, experiencing the Japanese Way. I'm rambling. Staying at a traditonal onsen ryokan is a quintessential Japan experience.

Don't be scared away by the prices. It is worth it, and there are options. I have booked via ryokan websites, and had great experience using japanican.com. Might also have used agoda.com for ryokan booking.

The japaneseguesthouses website has info about ryokan and hots springs (I have not booked with them)
Your Japanese Ryokan Experts | Curated Ryokan Selection and Personalized Reservation Service. (japaneseguesthouses.com)

You should get to knpw japan-guide.com. Here is a start:
Ryokan - traditional Japanese inns (japan-guide.com)
Onsen - Beginner's Guide to Japanese hot springs (japan-guide.com)

Many thanks for the very useful information!

traditional ryokan
figure that half the cost of a stay is for the meals: kaiseki dinner and breakfast.
charges are per person, not per room
some ryokan allow stays without meals (i don't recommend this)
onsen ryokan often have their baths open to the public during cerftain hours for a small charge
​​​​​​often a bath can be reserved for private use, family time
often require two guests per room, but japanican got me a solo booking at a place whose website required two guests
it is bad form to cancel a booking with short notice

Many thanks for the useful tips mrwunrfl