maxinedayhew5637

We have travelled to Japan once before in 2018 for a three-week trip. We visited Tokyo, Nagoya, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Koyasan, Hiroshima (Miyajima), Nagasaki, Himegi self-planned, and had a wonderful time.

Our flights are booked 🙌 to arrive in Fukuoka on 3 September in the morning- flying out of Haneda Tokyo on 7 October following attending the Moto GP.
30-31 nights in Japan before Motegi Moto GP where we will be staying @Utsunomiya.

Arrive 3 Sept 2024 in Fukuoka in morning.
2N - Fukuoka- include visit to Dazaifu on dsy after arrival. Around city on arrival day. Then:
Visit to Yufuin on train trip to:
2 N - Beppu (option to make visit to Yufuin on day trip from Beppu in place of drop in?)
Visit Kitsuki on train trip via Shimonseki - is it worth a look? On way to Hagi:
2N Hagi
OR could travel via Yamaguchi to Iwakuni/Hiroshima then bus to Matsue - slower/longer?

2N Matsue, dropping into Izumo on the way- if that can work or back tea k from Matsue base? Visit Tottori, by train on way to:

2N Okayama, with day trips to visit Onomichi & Kurashiki. Visit Takamatsu? using Okayama station lockers- on day of travel to Kyoto?
Did Himeji pitstop last trip so may not do this time.
6 N - Kyoto - day trip to lake Biwa as not been and sites we missed last trip (we saw a lot but could not see all). Loved Kyoto
Day trip to Nara OR spend ,1-2 N Nara off Kyoto time

Then train to:
2 OR 3 N - Kanazawa- enjoyed Kanazawa & there's more to see. Visit Shirakawa from Kanazawa? or visit on bus trip to
2-3 N -Takayama ?

Then Bus to
1 N - Matsumoto then train to:
5- 7 N - Tokyo
Tokyo- Day trip to Kamakura & Nikko
OR more likely after considering-
take 1-2 N from Tokyo to travel to Nikko, stay 1- 2N and then travel from Nikko to Utsunomiya for our Moto GP stay until leaving Japan 7 Oct 2024
Please excuse the terrible state of this, using phone o ly arm & a struggle updating & copying various updates & iterations of an itinerary!

peolsolutions5684

Your itinerary is a comprehensive exploration of Japan, revisiting some highlights while exploring new destinations like Fukuoka and Beppu. Consider streamlining your itinerary to increase efficiency and ensure each location has enough time to fully utilize its services. Finally, we use our experience to tailor your itinerary to maximize your enjoyment during your trip.

mrwunrfl

I recommend going from Fukuoka (Hakata) to Beppu directly without the stop in over-touristed Yufuin. You could day-trip to Yufuin from Beppu if you wanted, or not.

>> Visit Kitsuki on train trip via Shimonseki - is it worth a look? On way to Hagi:
Kitsuki looks like a nice stop: Kitsuki - Kunisaki Peninsula Travel (japan-guide.com)
Shimonseki is not worth a look on the way to Hagi. You could get fugu in Beppu and might actually be featured in the kaiseki meal at a ryokan (like my Beppu ryokan did). I can recommend an inexpensive tradtional ryokan in Shimonseki, but you can skip it.

>> 2N Hagi
I took a bus from Shin Yamaguchi to Hagi. Probably originates in Yamaguchi. You need to check/consider the weather at that time, i.e. rain. Hagi and Matsue are on San-in coast (San-in, think sun-in = rain). Hiroshima and Yamaguchi are on Sanyo side (Sanyo think sunny) of Chugoku.

>> bus to Matsue
That would be a budget travel option. Better to go by train and you probably could use a JR West regional pass.

>> 2N Matsue, dropping into Izumo on the way- if that can work or back tea k from Matsue base? Visit Tottori, by train
Izumo Taisha is absolutely worth a backtrack visit from Matsue if you can't visit on the way. Skip Tottori.

- day trip to lake Biwa
Not sure what your interest there is.Biwako looked pretty from the Kanazawa train. Maybe stop at Biwako on way to Kanazawa. It would be a bit of a trip as a day visit from Kyoto, especially if you took the wrong trains. Hikone Castle is in that area and well worth a stop.

- take 1-2 N from Tokyo to travel to Nikko, stay 1- 2N
That is a better idea. There is more in Nikko than the obvious. It is a national park.

Utsunomiya is the gyoza capital of Japan (if not the world!). There is a restaurant on the corner across the street from the front of the station. Have the ramen with gyoza in it. I was just thinking of that place last night - had a bowl of ramen and a side of gyoza and I just dumped the gyoza in the soup. There is a nice cigar shop a couple blocks from the back side of Utsunomiya Station.

someotherguy

This looks like the basis for an enjoyable trip. A few observations:

With mrwunrfl, I'd also skip Yufuin unless you are going to stay there.

There are some useful earlier threads on Hagi/Matsue. Here's one: Western Honshu

Your route to Okayama is likely to pass through Bicchu Takahashi which has an original mountaintop castle and a very fine temple and garden. https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5775.html

Onomichi: do you know about its association with Tokyo Story (widely considered the greatest movie ever made)?

Ishiyamadera at the Southern end of Lake Biwa is a very interesting and attractive temple with major historical associations Ishiyamadera Temple - Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage

someotherguy

The JNTO used to have a page of excellent pdf guides. Google can still find the guides but the index page seems to have disappeared.

Matsue: https://partners-pamph.jnto.go.jp/simg/pamph/636.pdf
Hagi: https://partners-pamph.jnto.go.jp/simg/pamph/639.pdf

maxinedayhew5637

I recommend going from Fukuoka (Hakata) to Beppu directly without the stop in over-touristed Yufuin. You could day-trip to Yufuin from Beppu if you wanted, or not.
- Yes Good advice, since looking further it is better to travel directly to Beppu. Can consider a visit, don't think a sray likely.

>> Visit Kitsuki on train trip via Shimonseki - is it worth a look? On way to Hagi
Kitsuki looks like a nice stop: ..........
Shimonseki is not worth a look on the way to Hagi. You could get fugu in Beppu and might actually be featured in the kaiseki meal at a ryokan (like my Beppu ryokan did). I can recommend an inexpensive tradtional ryokan in Shimonseki, but you can skip it.
- Kitsuki in, Shimonseki out, will be focused on getting to Yamaguchi for connecting bus to Hagi

>> 2N Hagi
I took a bus from Shin Yamaguchi to Hagi. Probably originates in Yamaguchi. You need to check/consider the weather at that time, i.e. rain. Hagi and Matsue are on San-in coast (San-in, think sun-in = rain). Hiroshima and Yamaguchi are on Sanyo side (Sanyo think sunny) of Chugoku.
- the weather in September especially is a worry. Should we skip Sanin area after Hagi, heading back to Sanyo area with 2 N elsewhere before Okayama? We are still in planning stage, so very open and I have not been able to access much advice on this , very glossed over/not mentioned

>> bus to Matsue
That would be a budget travel option. Better to go by train and you probably could use a JR West regional pass.
- my bad writing, definitely train planned to Matsue

>> 2N Matsue, dropping into Izumo on the way- if that can work or back tea k from Matsue base? Visit Tottori, by train
Izumo Taisha is absolutely worth a backtrack visit from Matsue if you can't visit on the way. Skip Tottori.
- Izumo in, Tottori out, if Sanin area still the plan after Hagi.

- day trip to lake Biwa
Not sure what your interest there is.Biwako looked pretty from the Kanazawa train. Maybe stop at Biwako on way to Kanazawa. It would be a bit of a trip as a day visit from Kyoto, especially if you took the wrong trains. Hikone Castle is in that area and well worth a stop.
- saw a regional tourism thing that has rwall great day trips with many options. You took a specific teain and then depending on activity arranged to meet at various locations, by booking taxi to meet guide. It all looked good

- take 1-2 N from Tokyo to travel to Nikko, stay 1- 2N
That is a better idea. There is more in Nikko than the obvious. It is a national park.
- 2 N Nikko a winner, then over to Utsunomiya

Utsunomiya is the gyoza capital of Japan (if not the world!). There is a restaurant on the corner across the street from the front of the station. Have the ramen with gyoza in it. I was just thinking of that place last night - had a bowl of ramen and a side of gyoza and I just dumped the gyoza in the soup. There is a nice cigar shop a couple blocks from the back side of Utsunomiya Station.
- Utsunomiya looking good

someotherguy ,
This looks like the basis for an enjoyable trip. A few observations
With mrwunrfl, I'd also skip Yufuin unless you are going to stay there.
- I'm with you!

There are some useful earlier threads on Hagi/Matsue. Here's one: ...
- excellent
Your route to Okayama is likely to pass through Bicchu Takahashi which has an original mountaintop castle and a very fine temple and gardener............
- also excellent, even if itinerary change, this may be a worthwhile trip

Onomichi: do you know about its association with Tokyo Story (widely considered the greatest movie ever made)?
- I'm going to educate myself to be well informed for Onomichi

Ishiyamadera at the Southern end of Lake Biwa is a very interesting and attractive temple with major historical associations.....
- Lake Biwa area looks very nice

The JNTO used to have a page of excellent pdf guides. Google can still find the guides but the index...... very good!

mrwunrfl

>> The JNTO used to have a page of excellent pdf guides.
So very true. Those Practical Travel Guides from JNTO really were exccellent. The one for Matsue is dated November 2019, so not too out of date. The descriptions are still relevant and the transportation network will not have changed much. Used to travel with a few of those, some pages torn from my Japan Solo book, and a printed JR timetable for all the JR lines in the country.

- Kitsuki in, Shimonseki out, will be focused on getting to Yamaguchi for connecting bus to Hagi
I mentioned that bus only because you had mentioned Yamaguchi. If you visit Yamaguchi then the bus would be an option. But you can take JR from Beppu to Hagi - am surprised to see that trip takes 4 hours or more (which is my limit, learned the hard way, though I might travel up to, but absolutely not more than, 5 hours in a day. That is, if my plan has me traveling more than 4 hours then I look to replan, unless I really really want to, need to, make that trip. It is a no-go at 5 hours. The next day would need to be a no-travel or short travel day).

Am a little unclear about your proposed plans. I think they are to go from Beppu to 1) Hagi or to 2) Yamaguchi / Hiroshima (Sanyo) area. In the latter case the travel would be easy. Going to Hagi is pushing the (my) travel time limit and I could recommend an overnight stop in Shimonoseki to break up the trip, or maybe Yamaguchi if that is of interest to you. In either plan you would head to Matsue next. That trip would be easy from Sanyo side. The trip from Hagi to Matsue is long, especially if you don't get a good connection at Masuda.

Hagi would be less interesting in the rain. Matsue and Izumo Taisha would be good, though, even in rain. If you are a pottery fan and want some Hagi-yaki then go - 4+ hours travel and all-day rain - no problem. Actually, the stroll out to the castle ruins, the pottery shops, and samurai thing would be pretty mellow under an umbrella. IF it came to that.

It's Japan, rain happens.

HappyTrvlr

You asked about Takayama. Yes! Include this wonderful small city set on a rushing river in the Japanese Alps. It was my favorite place in Japan.

ParisMetro

First of all, at this time of year, most parts of Japan have daytime temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius and High humidity. Moving around under the scorching sun every day can be physically draining and exhausting, so it is best not to pack too much into your itinerary.
Transportation and indoor spaces are air conditioned, but those not used to air conditioning may become ill.
Also, if you are unlucky enough to be hit by a typhoon, you may be stranded.
The Chugoku region is mountainous between the Seto Inland Sea side (Sanyo: Meaning the sunlit mountain side.) and the Sea of Japan side (Sanin: Meaning of the shade of a mountain), and the number of buses and trains is limited, as are the places to get on and off the trains.
Therefore, it is more efficient to come to Hiroshima in the Sanyo after visiting destinations along the Sea of Japan from Hagi.