Hello Fodorites! After reading several of your extremely helpful trip reports and a couple guidebooks this is our tentative itinerary:

Day 1 April 6: Arrive Tokyo Narita 2:30pm, then train to Kyoto
Day 2: Kyoto
Day 3: Daytrip to Nara
Day 4: Kyoto
Day 5: Daytrip to Hiroshima
Day 6: Kyoto
Day 7: Train from Kyoto to Hakone
Day 8: Hakone
Day 9: Train from Hakone to Tokyo
Day 10: Tokyo
Day 11: Tokyo
Day 12: Tokyo
Day 13: Arrive at Narita by 8am for flight home

I want to begin the trip in Kyoto instead of Tokyo because A) I’m hoping to catch the end of Sakura and would rather see it in Kyoto and B) our flight time returning home is early and it will be easier to get to Narita if we’re already in Tokyo.

The idea with Hakone was to give ourselves a break from the big cities and relax for a couple of days in a beautiful place. But I’m now questioning a couple of things. First, there are so many amazing sites in Kyoto I think I need 4 full days there instead of 3. Second, I’m wondering if 2 nights in Hakone isn’t enough to really relax and the extra travel hassle to/from Hakone might cancel out any relaxation. So here are the alternatives I’m considering:

1) Skip Hakone and add 1 night in Kyoto and 1 night in Tokyo. The extra time in Tokyo could be used for a daytrip to Kamakura.

2) Keep the nights in each city as-is, but skip either the daytrip to Nara or Hiroshima to give more time to Kyoto.

3) Keep the nights in each city as-is, and keep the daytrips to Nara and Hiroshima, and just pare down the list of sites to see in Kyoto.

4) Instead of Hakone, go to Miyajima for 2 nights, seeing Hiroshima then rather than a daytrip from Kyoto.

What do you think??

My first question is: Why are you going to Kyoto only to day trip to other places? STAY IN KYOTO and cut out Nara and Hiroshima. You don't really have time and in sakura season you will just be.....just stay in Kyoto.
Hakone is a good idea, skip Hiroshima and Miyajima this trip. You probably will be back

Aloha!

IMO, no bad choices here -- just difficult ones!

Although it clearly depends entirely on personal preferences, I think your idea of skipping Hakone is well worth considering, and I think adding a day to Kyoto is a good one -- many of us think Kyoto and Nara, together, easily merit 5 or 6 days, even for a first visit geared to seeing just the highlights.

With 3 days in Tokyo, you may find that you have time for a day trip.

So my personal preference would be to give serious consideration to an overnight (or two!) in Miyajima after your visit to Hiroshima. Even a night there -- with a bit of time on the island -- might give you a bit of a relaxing break from big cities. And IME it can be a lovely place to unwind after the emotions of visiting Hiroshima.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3401.html

JMO! Hope it helps...

I agree, I'd skip Hakone for this one and give more time to Kyoto. I'd also add in Hiroshima and Miyajima, you can do that with a single overnight (but taking virtually all of the preceding day and much of the next one) or you could do 2 nights if you like. We found 1 night fine but could have happily enjoyed a second on Miyajima.

Nara is lovely, we did an overnight there but it's your call whether you do that or stick to accommodation in Kyoto.

You could add in a trip to Koya-san if you like - it's a slightly convoluted journey but the trip itself is beautiful anyway and the experience of staying overnight in a temple, observing the monks' prayer session, visiting the cemetery and eating traditional buddhist temple meals is amazing.

Go to Nikko as a day trip from Tokyo.

Thank me when you get back.

Thanks everyone for your input — it’s always helpful to get different perspectives, please keep it coming! OK, so if I decide to rearrange, here are the two ideas for how the itinerary might look. Both allow extra time for Kyoto.

REPLACE HAKONE WITH HIROSHIMA - MIYAJIMA:
Day 1 April 6: Arrive Tokyo Narita 2:30pm, train to Kyoto
Day 2: Kyoto
Day 3: Kyoto
Day 4: Kyoto
Day 5: Daytrip to Nara
Day 6: Kyoto
Day 7: Train from Kyoto to Hiroshima, see Hiroshima, overnight in Miyajima
Day 8: Miyajima relax day
Day 9: Train from Hiroshima to Tokyo
Day 10: Tokyo
Day 11: Tokyo
Day 12: Tokyo
Day 13: Arrive at Narita by 8am for flight home

Question about Miyajima: I understand there is a ferry involved in getting there/back. How long does it take to travel to Hiroshima station from Miyajima? The nonstop Nozomi from Hiroshima to Tokyo is 4 hours, which is why I think we’d need 2 nights in Miyajima instead of 1 so we have a full day to enjoy it rather than just a couple hours in the morning.

KYOTO + TOKYO + DAY TRIPS
Day 1 April 6: Arrive Tokyo Narita 2:30pm, train to Kyoto
Day 2: Kyoto
Day 3: Daytrip to Nara
Day 4: Kyoto
Day 5: Daytrip to Hiroshima
Day 6: Kyoto
Day 7: Kyoto
Day 8: Train from Kyoto to Tokyo
Day 9: Tokyo
Day 10: Daytrip to Kamakura or Nikko
Day 11: Tokyo
Day 12: Tokyo
Day 13: Arrive at Narita by 8am for flight home

The nice thing about day trips is that you can decide not to go if you don’t feel like it, without concern of rearranging hotel or train reservations.

More feedback appreciated!

Not enough time for Kyoto as others have noted and a bit too much for Tokyo. I'd move one Tokyo day to Kyoto, giving you 5 full days for Kyoto. I think for a first trip, that is sufficient time that still allows you to keep your Nara and Hiroshima days.

Your call, but I think the option that includes Hiroshima and Miyajima adds to the diversity of your experiences.

You might consider a small adjustment to that itinerary: Instead of spending 6 nights in Kyoto, consider just 4 or 5 nights there -- then go to Hiroshima in time to visit it, go on to Miyajima for the evening, and instead of going all the way back to Tokyo the next day, spend some time on the island and then go back to Kyoto or Nara for a night or two (so you still have at least 6 nights in Kyoto and Nara). Then add your newfound "extra" night to either Kyoto or Tokyo, depending on what bests suits YOUR interests.

For information about transportation to Miyajima, consult
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3454.html and
rome2rio.com

I think the first of those two revised itineraries is more enjoyable, personally.

The ferry takes about 25 minutes but you'll need to get from the area of Hiroshima where the peace park and museum are to the location of the ferry terminal, I think that took about 45-55 minutes, but double check.

>>Question about Miyajima: I understand there is a ferry involved in getting there/back. How long does it take to travel to Hiroshima station from Miyajima?

About an hour, including the connection time to a Nozomi.

Instead of a second night on Miyajima, you could spend that night in Hiroshima. Definitely worthwhile.

MIYAJIMA was added to hyperdia some time in the last year, I think, so you can get schedule info that includes the ferry.

The link below is Miyajima to Tokyo. Ferry departure at 09:25 and Nozomi departure at 10:21. Add time to get to the ferry terminal and to get to your actual location in the Tokyo area.

http://www.hyperdia.com/cgi/en/searc...d&sum_target=7

Thanks again everyone for your feedback!

kja -- WOW, rome2rio is super cool, I had not heard of it before!

mrwunrfl, thanks for the link, I didn't realize Hyperdia could do ferry too.

Time to review with my husband and see what he thinks about the options...

Yes, rome2rio is great, isn't it? I wouldn't recommend relying on it exclusively, but it certainly gives a great starting point for transportation planning.