metcarl

I’m rethinking our itinerary. Here’s what I had planned originally:

Hiroshima - 1 night
Miyajima - 2 nights (one full day)
Himeji Castle on the way from Hiroshima to Kyoto
Kyoto - 3 nights
Kanazawa - 2 nights
Takayama - 2 nights (rent car/return in Kanazawa, drive Shirakawa-go White Road, maybe hike Kamikochi)
Tokyo - 4 nights

As I am starting to book hotels, it seems like all the places we are visiting are in bigger cities or large towns. I was thinking Kanazawa/Takayama were smaller than they are. I would like more of a balance between cities and maybe smaller quaint towns. I would love to be immersed in nature for part of the trip. I know Miyajima will give us a bit of this and possibly exploring the area around Takayama, but I’m wondering if I should cut out Kanazawa/Takayama and go to another area all together.

The above plan might still be ok. I just need some convincing that it’s the best option given that we have almost two full weeks to go anywhere in Japan. The only thing set in stone is ending in Tokyo. We are also flying into Tokyo but then flying to Hiroshima so could change our domestic flight to anywhere.

We are a group of 3 adults and 3 kids ages 14 and 17.

tripplanner001

With the amount of time you have, especially for a first visit, I would cut one or two places, as your itinerary is rushed. For example, if you are visiting Shirakawago on the way from Kanazawa to Takayama and have 2 nights in Takayama, you have no time for Kamikochi. I went on a version of your trip in reserve, but had 3 weeks. None of these places are off the beaten path, but makes sense for a first visit.

plambers

we are staying in takayama for 3 nights this may and wish we had a 4th. will hike in kamikochi for a day, visit hida village and crafts experience center, doing a half day ebike with sawanoya with a visit to the market and tour takayama and hiking path with shrines above. hope we can do it all! also staying in miyajima for 2 nights. can bike and kayak there.

metcarl

It seems like Kanazawa is going to be a bit like Kyoto but maybe in a smaller scale so maybe would be ok to cut this part out. Even if we skip Kanazawa in favor of spending a few more days in Takayama especially to have time to explore Kamikochi,
it doesn’t make sense from a travel stand point. It looks much harder to get to Takayama from Kyoto and to Tokyo.

We can also skip both Kanazawa/Takayama and go somewhere else between Kyoto and Tokyo.

mrwunrfl

Takayama is easy to get to from Kyoto. Just take shinkansen to Nagoya and transfer to Takayama Line limited express. There is a train that goes from Kyoto to Takayama, no change of train required, but runs once a day (pretty sure juist once). Ltd. Express Hida 25, dep Kyoto 8:31, arr Takayama 12:14. The trip via Nagoya is 30 to 45 minutes faster.

From Takayama you take Takayama Line to Toyama or Nagoya and then a shinkansen to get to Tokyo.

There are buses you can take from Takayama to Matsumoto with some interesting stops on the way to Matsumoto where you can visit a fine castlle and then hop a limited express train to Tokyo

metcarl

Ok, good to know that Takayama is reasonably easy to get to from/to Tokyo and Kyoto.

I think I will skip Kanazawa and add a night to both Kyoto (4 total) and maybe Takayama (3 total).

The main question is there a better base or area to explore than Takayama? I’d like to stay in one place for 3 nights and be able to do a few short hikes, see scenery, maybe a waterfall? I also liked the idea of renting a car in Kanazawa to be able to drive the scenic White Road. I need to look more closely at a map, but thought someone more familiar with the area would have an obvious suggestion for an alternative.

And I’m still open to ANY area for 3 nights between Kyoto and Tokyo

mrwunrfl

This the first time that I heard of the White Road. See this:
\Kaga Onsen Travel: Hakusan Shirakawago White Road (japan-guide.com)
and look at the map.

You could spend three days just in that area, especially with a car. You were looking for something off the beaten path and you found it. It would be off the well beaten foreign tourist path. Top right on the map is Kanazawa. Bottom left of map points south toward Fukui where there is more to see. In between, on that map just look at all those onsen towns.

The White Road goes east to Shirakawago. This is shown on the right side of the map. Be aware that it is only about an hour's drive from there to Takayama.

Even better, you could visit Gokayama which KimJapan would tell you is a better version of Shirakawago, only more difficult to get to by public transport. Which is a good thing because that means fewer tourists.

Shirakawago is an administrative district (-go) and the tourists actually visit the village of Ogimachi. I think Gokayama is the same and the villages to visit are Suganuma and Ainokura. In Ogimachi there is a big parking lot that can accommodate several tour buses.

The White Road drive could be a day trip from Takayama or Kanazawa, but you don't have to visit either of those places. From Kyoto you would take a limited express train to Tsuruga and then Hokuriku Shinkansen to one of those stops shown on the map. To get to Tokyo you could fly from Komatsu airport (maybe that could be your rental car pickup and drop off). Or you could take the shinkansen to Tokyo (possible change of trains at Kanazawa).

Check this out Shirakawa-go and Gokayama Travel Guide (japan-guide.com)

metcarl

Yeah, I keep coming back to White Road and renting a car. We could visit Gokayama the same day using Takayama as a base. Then go to Kamikochi another day if we stay 3 nights.

The issue with renting a car, is that we are a group of 6 people so would have to rent two cars to carry all of our luggage. So renting and dropping off in the same place we are staying is more ideal. I’m going to see what rentals are available in Takayama.

mrwunrfl

That makes sense. Good luck with finding a vehicle for 6 people.

Your rental location would be Takayama, Gifu prefecture (aka Hida Takayama). There are other places called Takayama - I think it means eagle mountain, so generic.

You could also try Komatsu Airport. Or Toyama. Or Nagoya. You can send luggage ahead from Kyoto to Takayama.

metcarl

A lot of people have recommended luggage forwarding services. It sounds nice except it seems like it doesn’t usually arrive the same day. It would be hard to unpack/repack the suitcase to know what I even need for the next place we’re going to if I won’t have my suitcase there for that night.