Hello - it is our first trip to Japan. we are spending 14 nights. after editing and re-editing our list of places to see we have come up with the following as we can't 'do it all'. We will have jet lag, deal with travel time between locations and the cultural differences.

Arrive Tokyo (Haneda) - 2/3 nights Tokyo (see baseball game at start or end)
Travel to Kyoto - 4 nights - day trips to Osaka and Nara
Travel to Akita prefecture - 2 nights - we know this is out of the way but is a must do as we have family living in that area
Travel to Hakone - 2 nights - our family from Akita will join us here for nature, sights and relaxation
End trip in Tokyo - day trip to Kamakura/Enoshima

Any and all feedback is welcome!

thank you so much.

You are correct in thinking that you can NOT do it all! I'm sure you'll see and experience some wonderful things, but I do have a few questions:

Must you fly into and out of Haneda? If you could switch either your flight to Japan or your flight from Japan to Itami or Kansai, you could avoid backtracking to Tokyo.

Four nights (about 3 days) is, IMO, very little for Kyoto. Whether you would have time for any day trips really depends on your interests. I certainly wouldn't have had the time or inclination to leave Kyoto with so little time there!

Similarly, you have little time in Tokyo and, as you note, you'll have jet lag for at least one day. Again, planning for a day trip may give you some options, but it may prove too ambitious.

If you haven't already done so, I'd urge you to spend plenty of time with japan-guide.com -- a truly outstanding resource!

As kja recommends, why don’t you fly into Tokyo and out of Osaka? That would make your itinerary easier.

Do you have to visit your relatives in Akita if you’re planning to meet up with them in Hakone? Akita is quite a distance and would likely require flights to and from Akita in order to have any time at all there (and what time you would have would be extremely limited!). I don’t see how you can realistically travel to the places you’ve listed in the time allotted. Reconsider going to Akita and, instead, meet up with them at Hakone or somewhere you can access to enjoy your family.

This would leave more time for a more relaxed time in both Tokyo and Kyoto and allow for the day trips that you’re interested in. Right now, you really don’t have the time.

And yes, study the Japan Guide that kja suggests. It’s an excellent resource.

I suggest you cut out Kyoto and add more time to Tokyo. Could add Nara. It will also save you rt train ticket to Kyoto

If you drop Kyoto for your itinerary on this trip, you might consider adding Nikko rather than Nara. Just an idea.

Do you have to include Akita in the middle of the trip? It seems to add unnecessary backtracking. Why do you put Akita at the beginning or end your trip and either fly in or out of Akita? If you fly into Akita connecting at Haneda, then you can at least take a Shinkansen to Tokyo and from Tokyo go to Hakone and Kyoto - or vice versa.

Sorry brain dead. Currently in Palermo. Nikko not Nara. I would fly to HND the connect to Akita on your arrival day if possible with a flight. 2 nights Akita then fly to Osaka for 4 nights in Kyoto.
That gives you 3 full days in Kyoto or 2 plus one day in Nara. Skip Osaka. Train to Hakone for 2 nights.. End in Tokyo.
Better yet probably if you could fly home from Osaka. In which case Akita first, the Hakone then Tokyo, then Kyoto, then home

Unless of course you plan on going to the World Expo in Osaka in which case you take a day away from somewhere else

@ mackie17: When you have a chance, click the orange triangle and ask the moderators to add a tag for Japan to this thread.

My suggestion is to drop Hakone and stay longer in Akita.

Ask your relatives to take you to some of the excellent sights around there, starting with Kakunodate. It's one of the best-preserved Samurai towns in Japan with a good museum, several craftsmen, and spectacular views in spring and fall.
Kakunodate in Fall


For some other sights in the region, try https://www.adumbrate.org/pics/walks/index.html#canyons and scroll down one page to Tohoku.

There's much more than the few sights I have in my photos, such as Lake Tazawa and Lake Towada and several onsen towns.

Akita town has some interesting places, such as an art museum featuring the works of the "Japanese Impressioninst" Leonard Foujita.

As a variation, instead of going straight to Akita, you could take a few days over the journey and visit several sights in Southern Tohoku along the way.

Ah - I missed that! will ask moderators immediately. thank you!

What someotherguy said.

Where in Akita-ken is your family?

>> our family from Akita will join us here for nature, sights and relaxation
IDK why they or you would want to go to Hakone when you can easily find nature, sights and relaxation right there in Akita-ken (Nyufo Onsen, Kakunodate, Tazawako) and more in Aomori. That is a wonderful region of Japan.

Is Hakone on your plan because of Fuji-san? I recommend staying those four nights in Akita-ken and/or elsewhere in northern Tohoku. I don't think that splitting the time into two 2-night stays (with a good amount of travel time between the two stays) just to see Fuji-san is worth it.

You can fly nonstop from Osaka (ITM) to Akita (AXT) for about 13,000 yen. That is less than $100 US.

From Akita you could take the shinkansen to Tokyo or fly to Haneda.

When is this trip?

I will see about opportunity to change flights as recommended.

Our family is in Kazuno City area.

Reviewing your suggestions.

thank you.

Our trip is scheduled for 26 May - 10 June 2025 - very soon.

We had heard that Hakone was a good place to experience many different natural sites as well as relax in onsen. Our family had never been so we thought that would be a good experience to share together.

Will be relooking at all of this taking all these recommendations in mind.

Wow - We have Foujita pieces hanging on the living room wall - this museum will be included in our trip for sure!

We will look into Nikko when reconsidering our trip itinerary. thank you.

This makes more sense. We were trying to figure out how to have Akita and Hakone back to back.

Will be relooking at it all now.

Trip is coming very soon.
thanks.