Kindly requesting suggestions for Japan trip over 40 days begining Oct 8
 

Hi,

I'm travelling to Japan (flying into Tokyo) on Oct 8 2013 for 37 days. A solo trip for...perhaps, self-discovery, stress release, travel challenge, cultural experience, etc. Had the idea several years only to find time to do it now.

Initially thought of following main rail routes then visit nearby places before proceeding to next destination:

Northbound : Tokyo - Utsunomiya/Nikko - Sendai - Ichinoseki - Hachinohe - Aomori - Hakodate - Sapporo - Asahikawa
Head back South: Asahikawa - Hirosaki - Sakata - Niigata - Kanazawa - Fukui - Nagoya - Kyoto/Osaka/Nara/Kobe - Himeji - Hiroshima - Shimonoseki - Fukuoka - Saga - Nagasaki - Kagoshima
Head North back towards Tokyo : Basically like a counter-clockwise travel around Japan.

However, change of plans (not wanting to deal with reservations, baggage, etc), deciding to base in Tokyo. Maybe add Osaka, Aomori & Fukuoka as hubs, then travel back and forth with Japan Rail Pass (3 weeks) while remaining days are optional depending on your suggestions, either buying additional 2 weeks JRP or just spend time somewhere. Intending to spend 7 - 10 days in Tokyo as I have relative in the city.

Almost finalising to:
Oct 9 - 15 : Tokyo
Oct 15 - Nov 5 : Journey
Nov 6 - 14 : Tokyo

About myself / my travel:

Asian male in late 20's : first time solo travel : budget trip : don't understand Japanese : open to cultural interactions / conversations at restaurants, bars, etc. : not intending visits to museums : not too big on shrines (fee / free) except to the must visit shrines (if you suggest) : don't really have much must see places to visit : flexible time frame to spend in each location : walk fast, quick view, light weight.

Minor shopping activities, looking for clothings (unfashionable guy, perhaps image change, Uniqlo?), a casio protrek and maybe a canon g15 (maybe cheaper in Japan? if I haven't bought it already within the next 2 weeks) : minor souvenir shopping.

Big on food so any recommended restaurants, street stalls, snack shops anywhere along the mentioned cities would be great. Nothing on the extreme in terms of cost (I'm a poor guy). I can eat 2 sets of Mcd and immediately proceed to family dinner but I don't eat snail, squid and anything of similar taste : intending to walk a lot, willing to walk jungle tracks and hidden areas for must see places : will be trying out photography scenery, macro (can't do much about self-portraits since travelling alone)

Any idea about temporary phone/data line for gps/data usage?

I know it seems a bit much to cram many places into one trip but it might be my only one trip to Japan in many years to come so just hope I can visit and do as much as possible in one trip.

Any suggestion and advise would be highly appreciated. Anyone travelers with similar plans?

bring lots of $$$

have fun

My guess is that these 37 days will pass really quickly! I think you might do well to try doing a bit less -- find the places that best suit your interests and are most affordable and spend a bit longer in those places. Enjoy!

I will point out that your time in Tokyo adds up to at least 13 full days. That does not match your intention of spending 7-10 days there. You have relatives in Tokyo, so does that mean free/cheap lodging and that is the reason for the long stay? I assume so, and that is ok. Otherwise, if you are paying for lodging in Tokyo then just be aware that you can get more for less elsewhere in Japan.

Obviously, you had too many destinations (I think I counted 23) in your original go around.

I am not familiar with Aomori and not clear on what you would do from that base. I could see basing in Kakunodate to see things in that area, like Tazawako. http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/rtg/pdf/pg-204.pdf

Osaka pretty obvious as a base: Kyoto, Nara, Koyasan, other stops along the Sanyo shinkansen line down Hiroshima. But again, you likely can find less expensive lodging outside of that big city.

Fukuoka, as a base? For what? Ok, Saga is 47 minutes away and would be an easy day trip. But you could just stay over in Saga at maybe half the cost of Fukuoka (or course Saga would not be as lively at night as Fukuoka, but that is not necessarily a bad thing). Nagasaki would be 3 hours roundtrip from Fukuoka. Beppu is over 3 hours roundtrip.

I would rather spend a week traveling Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Shimabara without all the backtracking involved with hubbing.

Agree, my first advice if you want to not only fly around ticking things of a list but see Japan, learn about the culture and de-stress is to visit far less places. Even with 37 days.

Secondly, I would strongly suggest you do have more than just Tokyo as your base, it's not difficult moving around, as long as you're not doing it too often.

You have over 5 weeks so you could do

5 nights Tokyo
5 days journey North of Tokyo
8 nights in Kyoto (and do day or overnight trips in the area to Nara, Osaka, Kobe, Arashimaya/Sagano)
2 nights Koyasan
2 nights Hiroshima/ Miyajima
10 day tour in Kyushu
5 nights back in Tokyo

You could easily take 2 nights off Kyushu and add them to Kyoto area, there is SO much to do and see both in the city and the surrounding region. If you do that, focus on part of Kyushu rather than all of it.

37 nights sounds amazing but would not try and cram in so much that you don't get to see what you do visit...

PS We didn't think we were much intro Shrines, we're not religious ourselves and we thought they'd be a bit samey but actually we loved all the ones we went to and found each one different and enjoyable. We never got "shrined out" as people had warned could happen.

Thanks for the suggestions & advise so far. Am seriously taking them into account. I wrote the opening combining random thoughts about the trip accumulated over time from my phone, so yes, appreciate the correction for the contradictory 7-10 vs 13 days wording.

Cost is my main reason for staying longer in Tokyo (Lodging will be at relative's place, 21-day Japan Rail Pass for travel preferably not an additional 7/14-day JRP for another 28300yen++.)

As per advised, will be cutting down on destinations. Any additional advise would be helpful.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357.html

There are many rail passes available besides the JR Nationwide Pass - so depending on your itinerary you might not even need a 21 day pass....

You really need to try to tie it down and do some math...also it is inexpensive often to fly but that is when you buy the ticket about two months in advance. However, with an international flight you can get special domestic tickets - usually must be purchased before you leave home:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2364.html

Enjoy!