Need help with my Cherry Blossom Japan itinerary
 

Hello everyone!

It is the first time I post here. I could use some help for my trip to Japan this April 2017.
My husband fly in and out from Tokyo, we have 18 days in total to travel around Japan. We are a young couple, late 20´s and young 30s. We love Japanese food and are very open at meeting new people and culture.

I have been looking at places to go and kind of thought out this itinerary (or better, these are some of the places Im interested in):

Tokyo
Hakone
Kyoto
Nara (day trip)
Osaka (day trip)
Kanazawa
Shirakawa-go (day trip)
Takayama (want to see the festival on April 14)
and back to Tokyo

We are more into seeing the off beat path of Japan. For this, we decided not to see Naoshima, Hiroshima nor Mijayima Island.

I would love to hear more advice on places (more old Japan or nature, we are not really into beaches since we come from Mexico and have many beaches here as well). Also, it is easy to travel from Kyoto to Kanazawa and then down back to Tokyo? Other wise we wouldnt be able to see the festival in Takayama.

Thanks so much in advance!!!!!

Have you already booked your flights? If not, consider flying into Tokyo and out of Kyoto or vice versa.

Although it depends on what you want to see and do, I would suggest that your wish list might be a bit ambitious for your time frame.

I’m not sure I understand your comment about “off beat” Japan – everything you have listed is squarely on the beaten tourist path – and for good reasons!

If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to study japan-guide.com – although imperfect, it is, IMO, the best single available source of information on travel in Japan. And each destination page on that site has a section on transportation – there’s a place near the top and near the left that says, “Getting there and around” – click on it.

I would also encourage you to look at many of the planning threads for trips to Japan here on Fodor’s – you’ll find a wealth of information!

Hope that helps!

In addition to kja's excellent points, I'd encourage you strongly to get your itinerary set and get hotels booked now!! Cherry blossom time is perhaps the busiest tourist time of the year throughout Japan and it is less than 3 months away.

>>Also, it is easy to travel from Kyoto to Kanazawa and then down back to Tokyo?

Yes, it is. The travel network for the region is shown on page 3 of the pdf available here: http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/pdf/viewer...-409.pdf&la=en

Kanazawa is in the lower-left of that diagram. See the limited express (LEX) route going to Kyoto at the bottom. See the shinkansen line on the left going to Tokyo. Find the triangle: Kanazawa - Toyama - Takayama and you will see the bus routes to Shirakawago.

Hi,
Well first, you don't say even if you are trying to see the cherry blossoms. The first week of April is often the best week, but every year is a bit different. In the latter half of April, you'd need to go to the higher mountains or go farther north to see them. One other idea is going to see the shibazakura near Mt. Fuji.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6919.html

Just for reference though, you can look at some popular places for the blossoms:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011.html
And if you go in season, yes, they will be packed with people.
You can also use these forecast sites - try looking at them from February or so.
http://sakura.weathermap.jp/
http://www.jnto.go.jp/sakura/eng/index.php
http://www.rurubu.com/season/spring/sakura/

I'd say you can do your full itinerary in 18 days, though the most cost effective way is still an open question. A 7 day pass could pay off but not a 14 day one. For Hakone there is the Hakone Free Pass. But for others, you might look at these regional passes or full JR Pass.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_arch.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_t..._hokuriku.html

As you can see, it's easy to take the shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo to Kanazawa. From Kanazawa to Kyoto there is the Thunderbird Ltd Express (2 hours 15 min).

If you're interested in food, then have a look at
http://www.bento.com

You say you want nature, but you're mostly targeting cities. In Nara though you should concentrate on Nara Park
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...TIKwkioxuAKwt5
and you can go beyond Kasuga Shrine to do as much forest walking as you like. For Tokyo, you could go to Mt. Takao or Okutama. And for Kyoto there is Kurama and Kibune.
I'd also say you could mostly skip Osaka in the day since you are already seeing Tokyo. After the shrines and temples close around 5 PM though, you can see Osaka at night when it is very active and lively.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...K2bcKCzr2pJQh2
Instead, you could see Himeji, with Japan's best castle. The Kokoen Garden next to it is nice, and you could also see the huge temple complex at Mt Shosha where part of the movie The Last Samurai was filmed.
Please be aware that for Shirakawago you must take a must - there is no rail access there.