Too Much or Too Little
 

We are an active 50's Australian couple who have 15 days between our arrival in Osaka on Oct24 and our departure from there on Nov 8 for our first visit to Japan - I've valiantly tried to gather advice from guide books, forums and blogs until my head is spinning. By way of example Frommers suggest
Days 1,2,3 - Tokyo
Day 4 Nikko
Day 5 & 6 Takayama
Days 7,8,9 Kyoto
Day 10 Nara & Mt Koya
Days 11 & 12 Kurashiki
Day 13 Hiroshima
Day 14 Depart
This all sounds fine but it seems very tightly stretched with little time to just wander around and soak up some atmosphere. Whilst we like to have a look at the touristy things we aren't the tick the box for every temple, museum etc types as we have found in our past travels it's the little things and people that are often just as important. So - at the risk of incurring the wrath of those who think I should do it all myself - HELP - I need to get this sorted and perhaps your experience can make ours better.

It all depends on you.

I would start out in
Tokyo-Day 1,2,3
Nikko-Day 4 You should be in time for fall foliage here

Skip Takayama(too late for fall matsuri) for:

Hakone or Fuji Five Lakes-Days 5,6 You should be in time for foliage here too

Rearrange schedule

Hiroshima Day 7
Miyajima Day 8
Nara and Mt Koya Days 9,10

Kyoto Days 11,12,13,

Day 14 leave from KIX via Kyoto

I would think of skipping Mt Koya unless you are really into the temple thing and adding a day to Kyoto

Aloha!

That frommers itin is not very doable. Nikko to Takayama would be a fairly long trip, which is why there are two days for Takayama, I think. Nara and Koyasan deserve a day each and Kurashiki ok in a day, given that you will be in that region.

I like how ht has rearranged the schedule to have you in the Kansai region before you departure.

I'd change days 1-4 completely and not even go to Tokyo or beyond. If the fall colors will be out in Hakone at that time, then I would guess (stress the word guess) that the same would apply in Takayama and the rest of the Japan Alps.

You could go from Kyoto/Osaka to Takayama, Shirakawago, Kanazawa, and back to Kyoto/Nara. Then Koya, Hiroshima, Kyoto. Something like that.

No, AfterDark, you'll get no wrath from us, we wouldn't have any fun if you did it all yourself (except for reading your eventual trip report).

You're leaving the day before the grand sumo tournament starts in Fukuoka.

I have the same itinerery planned so far for March/April 2009 (Frommers) + 1 day. I plan Nikko as as a day trip, and then to Takayama from Tokyo. I have the same issue - seems too much traveling (and possible cofusion with finding right trains). I actually booked the accomodation at Mt Koya, but still not sure if I should drop it, and add one day to Kyoto. Or maybe even go to Kinosaki for some relaxing experience.

DON'T MISS NARA- it was the highlight of our trip, but a half day may be insufficient to see it all. The train from Kyoto takes a good 40 minutes, and we arrived at about 10;30 toured, had lunch and left to catch the 3PM train. Can't suggest strongly enough you try the Nara YMCA guides, [email protected], or http://www.geocities.com/egg_nara/
The guide we had, Hiro Masutani, was outstanding!!!