Hi. I hope to make a solo visit to Japan between Sept 22 and Oct 14. Its my first visit and I've worked out I can't go everywhere. I have booked a walking tour starting in Kyoto on Sept 29 and ending in Tokyo on Oct 9. This leaves me with a week on either side.

I'd like to visit Kyoto, Hiroshima, 3 full days in the Naoshima area in the Inland sea, Kanasawa, the 5 lakes area near Mt Fuji and possibly 2 days in Tokyo. I would love to go to Kyushu too but think this might be too much. Please advise me if you think Kyushu should take precedence over other places.
Can I do all this in the time given? I don't like rushing around and like time to explore and look.
Which order should I visit these places?

Where should I fly into and out of. I'm considering Kyoto, Osaka or Tokyo. Tokyo seems easiest but I can research other routes. It appears that return flights are by far cheaper than flights in and out of a different city.
Love to hear what you think.

It really depends on your interests, but FWIW, many of us think Kyoto and Nara together merit something on the order of 6 days for a first visit; Hiroshima and Miyajima 2 or 3 days; Kanazawa 3 days; Tokyo itself 2 or 3 days plus time for day trips (e.g., Nikko or Kamakura). What order will depend on what you finally decide to visit.

Consider flying into Narita and out of Kansai or vice versa.

Spend LOTS of time with japan-guide.com and read some of the trip reports and planning threads here on Fodor's

Japan is easily visited solo and is delightful -- enjoy!

Since your walking tour starts in Kyoto and ends in Tokyo, I'd try to fly in to Kansai, spend a week in/near Kyoto, then start the walking tour.

After completing the walking tour, move on to either exploring Tokyo and taking day trips outside of Tokyo or go to Kanazawa.

Check those plane fares - don't search for two one-way tickets, but "multi-destination" tickets.

You don't really have time for Kyushu, given your other interests. Your time on Honshu is already tight.

You have 6 full days in Japan before your tour and 4 full days after the tour.

3 days Naoshima
1 day Hiroshima
2 days Kyoto
1 day Fujigoko
2 days Tokyo
==
9 days and you will be traveling on several of those days. And that plan leaves out Kanazawa.

Where are you flying from when you arrive in Japan? There are many ways to arrange the flights around the places you want to visit. Or arrange the places around the flights.

For example, you could fly from USA to Tokyo Haneda arriving in early morning. Then you could connect to a flight to Hiroshima or Okayama (for Naoshima). You can probably get one-way special fares for about US$110.

I don't see how a JR Pass would work with your itinerary, so would be pay as you go. If you want to consider destinations based on travel costs, then figure that your visit to Hiroshima would cost $200 or so in travel costs. A visit to Kanazawa from Kyoto would be about $145.

I haven't visited Naoshima. How firm is your plan to visit there for three full days?

Three days does sound excessive, but I am no fan of modern art, and there is a triennial on right now.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5410.html

Your previous post said you are an amateur artist so I guess that's why you are interested in the Triennial - which thursdaysd mentioned above. However the Autumn Session opening time is from 10/8 to 11/6 which doesn't work that well with your dates listed above - you would have to go after your walking tour if I'm understanding correctly....

No one could give you a good advice if you do not explain your 11-day walking tour. With this length, I could omit any days for Kyoto and Tokyo. Doesn't that include Kanazawa nor Mt Fuji? Or, you are planing to move from Kyoto to Tokyo on foot?

Setouchi Triennale Autunmn Session is already started on Oct 9. You could spend your later week on Naoshima area. Japan-guide.com estimates at least a week to see everything. The 3-day pass on that page does not include Inujima, one of the three main sites there.

Then, your former week could be devoted for Kyushu. If the 11-day tour does not cover Hiroshima, then Kyushu and Hiroshima. Hiroshima and Naoshima are rather near to each other in your interested sites, a plan of Hiroshima in-and-out could be considered.

Hi again. Thanks for your help. I'm working with your info, checking other visit reports. It seems as if the best order is Hiroshima and Miyajima, Kyoto and Nara (or the other way round; then the tour which doesn't include Kyoto or Tokyo siteseeing (its the nakasendo walking trail). THen Tokyo, 5 lakes, and Naoshima. The rest seems as if it needs to wait till next time.

>>THen Tokyo, 5 lakes, and Naoshima.

Except that you only have 4 full days for that.

Hi. I'm back with a definite plan and another question. Thanks for your direction while I was searching in the dark. Many of my initial thoughts did not work out so I've reverted to this quite standard plan:

Arrive Japan Nagoya 21 Sept. Travel to Takayama.
Takayama 2 nights,
Kawazawa 3 nights. One of these days is a Sunday and I don't do much more than walk on Sundays - therefore the Saturday to look around Kawazawa.
Kyoto 2 nights. (I know not enough)
Nakasendo trail Walking tour - until Sat 8th October.
Hakone area? 2 nights?
Naoshima or Okayama For the art exhibition 2 nights/3 days
Kyoto 2 nights. Or should/could I go to Hiroshima for a night and then Osaka? Does this make things too hectic? Should I drop Hiroshima totally and stick with Kyoto?
Fly out Osaka KIX 10AM, 21 October

Does this work? It seems to be going in circles but I don't know how to straighten it out. Any suggestions would be good.

I also have accommodation problems in Hakone. Does anyone know of any good budget accommodation in the area that's easy to get to using public transport, clean and is not a pod or dormitory style place? I've looked on this site, the japan site and trip advisor type sites but most people ask about top end places.

If there is no decent budget accommodation is there another place nearby that is worth visiting instead? Is Nara a worthwhile alternative? I like to see art things and scenery more than temples.

Hope you can help again.

You could skip the first stop in Kyoto. You could add Shirakawago or Gokayama, or Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine route, or Unazuki Onsen. Use the Hokuriku area pass. Your travel back to start your walk would be via Takayama.

For the second part you could skip Hiroshima just based on the extra cost of travel.

I agree with mrwunrfl's suggestion to put all your time in Kyoto into a single stop.

I loved Nara; whether it makes sense to fit it in depends entirely on your interests. There are parts that I thought quite scenic (e.g., the upper reaches of Todaiji), the Kofukuji Treasure Hall has the most exquisite sculptures I saw anywhere in Japan, and the National Museum in Nara has a good collection of arts, too.

Although I visited Hiroshima -- and was deeply moved by the Peace Museum, Peace Park, and A-Bomb Dome -- I did not visit its art museum, which gets some rave reviews. If you go to Hiroshima, consider a night on Miyajima, which is, IMO, extremely scenic.

While in Takayama, don't miss the Hida Takayama Museum of Art.

For accommodation, look at booking.com

Hope that helps!

The trouble with putting all your time in Kyoto into one visit is that, from what I can see, you'd be left with only two nights in Kyoto in total.

Speaking personally, whilst I really enjoyed Kanazawa, I'd never prioritise it over Kyoto, especially if Kyoto is allocated only 2 or 3 nights.

I'm not sure how best to fix given your desire to visit so many places, and the start/end point of the booked tour in the middle.

You people are wonderful. Thankyou.

I just discovered my Hakone weekend is a public holiday. No wonder budget is impossible to find! I'm thinking of giving it a miss and going elsewhere. If someone has suggestions? Somewhere easily accessible to Tokyo and Osaka.

Re Kyoto: What about if I go to either Takayama or Kawazawa and get to Kyoto before the weekend. Which of the two is the better? I need to be in Kyoto for the beginning of the tour.

Thanks for the words about Hiroshima. I'll leave it for another trip.

Add the time you would have spent at Hakone to your Kyoto time.

As Kathie says, give that Hakone time to Kyoto. You really won't regret having at least 5 nights there, 6 if you want to visit Nara, Osaka and other nearby destinations such as Uji, Kobe, Yamazaki and more.

And it's hard to answer which is "better" out of Takayama and Kanazawa as they are very very different.

I prefer the more extensive historical districts of Takayama to the fairly tiny tea districts of Kanazawa. There is also a charming small town feel, a lovely scenic temple walking route, and the morning markets are charmingly rural and appealing. There are two shrines and some historical museums to visit, and a museum showcasing the traditional grasshouse architecture of the area.

Kanazawa's Kenrokuen Park is one of the most amazing parks in Japan, I thought that was hyperbole until we visited for our third Japan holiday earlier this year - I adored it! The tea districts left me underwhelmed - the historical areas of Takayama and Kyoto are more extensive and hence, for me, more interesting. The food market here was fantastic - for a foodie, it really was heaven to walk around. There is also a reconstructed castle, a very well regarded contemporary art museum and a variety of other attractions. It's a small city in feel, so very different from Takayama.

If you are interested in scenery, go to Kamikochi after Takayama. Then on to Matsumoto for a day or so. You are then on the train line to the start of the Nakasendo (assuming you are going from Magome or similar). If you have spare days before your hike, go to Gokayama from Takayama, or to the sights north of Nagoya before you head to Takayama.

Don't attempt to go anywhere on a public holiday!

Am not understanding something. Your tour ends Oct 8 and then you have 2+2+2 nights after that which gets you to the 15th. The next thing is your departure on the 21st. What about those 6 days?

Hard to answer, as you specify that scenery and art are of higher priority for you than temples.

Much as I loved Kyoto -- and I did! -- I did not find it as scenic as either Takayama or Kanazawa. But, of course, there are parts of Kyoto that are delightfully scenic!

And arts can mean so many things! Kanazawa is definitely a center for some extraordinary crafts and Takayama has the exquisite glass and Art Nouveau of the aforementioned Hida Takayama Museum of Art. And I've already mentioned some of the art in Nara. But then, every temple I visited in Japan had some exquisite "art" -- sliding screens (BTW, I thought those in Kyoto's Nijo-jo absolutely stunning), lacquerware, carved wood, whatever!

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