My husband and I (late 50s) will be visiting Japan from UK, arriving 1 May 2017 at the front end of Golden Week for a 3 week trip. It was an error on my part to arrive at one of the busiest times of year and I now understand that trains, roads and sights are incredibly busy. Should we head straight from Haneda Airport (arriving 7.15am) somewhere out of Tokyo and pick up that part of our visit on the return leg? If at all possible, we would like to do the "big" trips by train from 8th onwards. We like walking, cycling, would like to take in temples, shrines etc but happy to visit less well-known ones Any wisdom you can share, most welcome.

We are the start of the trip-planning but we hope to visit a fair few of the following
Tokyo (first or last?); Nikko, Kamakura; Ise Shrines: Nagoya: Takayama' Kanazawa; Kyoto; Nara; Mount Koya;; Osaka; Hiroshima; Miyajima, Kimeji and back to Tokyo. We plan to do the whole trip by public transport. Hope that's enough background.

Japanese people head out of town to visit the tourist sights, so the best places to be during Golden Week will be the big cities: Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka.

One plan would be to start off in Tokyo for a few days, then Nagoya (I'd hope trains would be OK midweek--make a reservation as soon as you can). The Ise shrines might be busy but the Atsuta Shrine should be OK (same architecture as Ise, though hard to be sure as you are not allowed to see the Ise Shrines themselves). Finish Golden Week in Osaka. Then visit your other sights the following two weeks, ending up with Nikko and the return to Haneda.

Kyoto will be crowded whenever you go. Note that Kiyomizudera is due to be under reconstruction for the next few years.

I defer to someotherguy (and others) on how to manage Golden Week.

I would say that your wish list seems extremely ambitious to me. I also had three weeks -- three very, very busy weeks -- and managed Tokyo, Nikko, Kamakura, Takayama, Kanazawa, Nara, Koya-san, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Himeji, and just two other locations -- Kurashiki for 2 nights (one day) and Gifu / Inuyama for just 1 night (a bit over 24 hours). I think it could be a challenge to find sufficient time to include the Ise Shrines, Nagoya, and/or Osaka. BUT, of course, it all depends on what YOU want to see and experience and your preferred pace of travel.

Have you booked your flights yet? If not, consider flying into Tokyo (Haneda or Narita) and out of either Osaka or Kansai.

And if you haven't already done so, spend LOTS of time with japan-guide.com!

Japan is a delightful destination, and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit in May. Check out the Aoi festival and Kamogawa Odori in Kyoto.

In order to create a realistic itinerary, I think you need to start listing it out, showing how many days/ nights in each place and which day trips (if any) you want to do.

It would make it easier to see what is realistic and what gives you far too little time in a place to make it worthwhile...

Thanks all. I was wondering if the list was too ambitious and I think you are right, it is. Am at the front end of planning the trip. Flights are booked and last night hotel but that's it! Will finesse the thinking a bit more and will then post thoughts for further advice.

Anjo, do get on that as quickly as you can, in Golden Week you may find it very difficult already to book hotels in some places.