Please help us improve our 3 week itinerary to Japan
 

Me and my girlfriend are going to be in Japan for 22 days. Our current itinerary looks like this, but we are trying to find what to do with two extra days ,if we are missing anything, and really want to be able to see some snow while there. We also would appreciate any ideas concerning ryokans and where the best place to stay at one during our trip would be. Thank you for any advice!

December 27th-January 1st: Tokyo and side trips to Nikko and Kanazawa

January 2nd: Ise Shrines/Nagoya

January 3rd: Nagoya

January 4th: Takayama

January 5th-6th: Kanazawa

January 7th-January 10th: Kyoto and Nara day trip

January 11th: Mount Koya

January 12th: Osaka

January 13th: Hiroshima/Miyajima

January 14th: Himeji Castle

January 15th: Tokyo

January 16th: empty

January 17th: empty

Those last two empty days can be put anywhere into our schedule, please let us know if we are missing anything!

Depending on your interests, I'd add the extra time to Kyoto.
There's SO much to see in the area, not just in Kyoto itself but also nearby.
You have Mount Koya and Osaka but you can also visit Kobe and Arashimaya and, if you're interested, Uji for green tea or Yamazaki whisky distillery. http://www.petedrinks.com/2012/11/wh...hisky-library/
We did an overnight in Nara rather than day trip, and because our ryokan was so wonderful and so wonderfully located too, that was a wonderful idea. http://www.kaveyeats.com/2013/01/kai...o-in-nara.html We did it as the first night having taken early morning train from Takayama, and then did Kyoto nights after that.

Himeji will still be under wraps, in large part, in January.

Where are you staying each night?

Osaka doesn't have much for tourists - primarily a commercial/industrial city. We had a half-day stop that seemed like enough.

I always advocate more time in Kyoto.

hakone at the hyatt

I'd add the time to Kyoto and Nara, stay overnight in Nikko, maybe add a day to your time in Takayama and Kanazaws.

why don't you go to North Japan? There are nice places in North. If I have 22 days, I'll start from Hokkaido to down the Kyusyu area.

>>December 27th-January 1st: Tokyo and side trips to Nikko and Kanazawa

Please explain that, especially the Kanazawa part. Did you mean Kamakura?

That's what I assumed, mrwunrfl.

That must be it.

I suggest visiting Inuyama castle from Nagoya. Spend another night in Takayama and make a day trip to Shirakawago. Skip Himeji. You will be in Tokyo during a sumo tournament.

Here is my opinon. Stay in Kyoto and Higashi Hiroshima. Visit Kyoto (Sanjusangendo, Fujimiinari, Kiyomizu, Kinkakuji, Monkey Park, etc., etc. etc.), Mt Heie, Nara, Koyasan, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Hemeji, Rent bikes ($10 a day) and spend a day on the Kibi plain bike ride in the countryside. We didn't pay over $90 for lodging and never spent more than $5 to $10 for a meal. We stayed in Kyoto for a week and Higashi Hiroshima for 5 days. Buy a JR 7-day pass and spend the first week in Kyoto/Nara area, then use the pass for the last 7 days and go South down through the Hiroshima area.