Hello! Our family is planning a vacation to Japan in July/August next year with our two teenager sons. We like to stay busy on vacation---as you can tell from our itinerary, lol. We love the outdoors and hiking and are not crazy about cities--but don't mind spending a little time in them but in general I have a low tolerance for crowds and tourists. Yes, I know I am a tourist, too, lol. I know this is not the typical vacation--if we could travel in the off season we might consider Kyoto or Osaka, but as a teacher I am traveling in the high season until I retire.

I would love it if you could share your thoughts on this plan

Day 0: Saturday July 25: Fly out of Seattle

Day 1: Sunday, July 26: Land in Tokyo, take NEX (Narita Express Train directly to Shinjuku Station (80 minutes)) check in to hotel in Shinjuku (Hotel Century Southern Tower?) go to Omoide Yokocho for dinner For a panoramic (free!) view of Tokyo, visit the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observation Decks in Shinjuku (open until late, usually 10 PM, but check current hours go after sunset or early in the morning, Don Quixote discount shop, if time Check out Shibuyu crossing, but it is a subway ride

Day 2: Monday, July 27: : Go to Asakusa and Senso-ji temple, Nakamise-dori, melon pan bread. Lunch, melon pan,(get there very early, about 2 hours) Tokyo Sumo Entertainment Show with Chicken Hot Pot and Photoevening: take sumida river cruise to odaiba (asakusa pier), fuji observation deck, Tokyo Ramen Kokugikan Mai to taste different types of Ramen, take monorail back. If energy Shimbashi for Izakaya

Day 3: Tuesday, July 28: DisneySea

Day 4: Wednesday, July 29: Tsukiji Outer Market (some stalls closed on Wednesdays), Ginza Mitsukoshi department store (B1 or B2) restaurant (1-2 hours) TeamLab borderless (2-3 hours) Baseball game meiji jingu stadium

Day 5: Thursday, July 30: Day trip to Kamakura,Jochi-ji Temple, Daibutsu Trail, Zeniarai Benten Shrine, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasadera Shrine, Sometaro for lunch, Komachi-dori , Laundry Fishing Restaurant Zauo Shinjuku

Day 6: Friday, July 31: Shinkansen to Kanazawa, (check into hotel: Mitsui Garden Hotel Kanazawa?) Explore Kenrokuen Garden and Shiguretei tea house, do tea ceremony and Kanazawa Castle Park.

Day 7: Saturday, Aug 1: Early: Take the bus to the Higashi Chaya District take the bus to the Nagamachi Samurai District do the Omicho market tour

Day 8: Sunday, Aug 2: rent car, drive to Shirakawa-go visit, drive to Gifu, check into hotel–Juhachiro, If feeling energetic take the ropeway to Gifu castle, and squirrel park, cormorant fishing tour in the evening

Day 9: Monday, Aug 3: drive to Magome-juko (~1.5 hours)–hike to Tsumago-juko on old samarai road 4.5 miles (~3 hours) Drive to Matsumoto ~2 hours. Visit Matsumoto castle, soba noodle making class? Maybe soba noodles or gohei-mochi (skewered, grilled rice cakes with a sweet miso glaze). Matsumoto Marunouchi Hotel

Day 10: Tuesday, Aug 4: ,visit castle be there at opening, Rent bikes & go to Daio Wasabi farm (4 hours), laundry

Day 11 Wedensday, Aug 5: , Ishii Miso factory tour (1 ½ hour) leave at noon Drive to Sawando Parking area (1 hour), take bus to Kamikochi (30 min) Hike from Kamikochi, stop at Myojin Pond,If you have extra time the trails around Taisho Pond for different views of the valley. stop at Tokusawa Lodge (3 hours) If bored walk toward Yakoo Hutte, partly

Day 12: Thursday, Aug 6, Hike to Chogotake Stay at Chogotake Mountain Hut

Day 13: Friday, Aug 7, Complete descent, Drive to Hammatsu City stopping at Narai-juku and Tsumago-juku: These are two of the best-preserved old post towns in Japan. Walking through the Edo-period streets, with their traditional wooden buildings and lanterns, feels like stepping back in time. Atera Valley: A scenic valley known for its emerald-green river and peaceful walking trails.Nezame-no-Toko: A scenic spot where the rapids of the Kiso River have created unique rock formations. It's a great place for a quick break and a photo.

Day 14: Saturday, Aug 8- Do Eel catching class and Soy Sauce Making Class in Hamamatsu City Firework show in the evening?

Day 15: Sunday Aug 9 Drive to Fuji Midori no Kyuka-mura go to Onsen - Fuji Yurari Hot Spring (open until 9 pm) and a sightseeing boat on Lake Kawaguchiko in the afternoon You can then do Saiko Iyashinosato Nenba (1-2 hours with lunch), laundry

Day 16, Monday Aug 10, ,Drive to Mt. Fuji,Subashiri 5th Station (45 min drive) (arrive by 11 am) Stay at Taiyokan at the New 7th Station (check in by 5pm)

Day 17: Tuesday, Aug 11: Finish hike to summit, hike back to car, return car to Ofuna Station take the Narita Express train back to Narita airport and spend night at Capsule hotel near airport (Nine Hours Narita Airport) if there is time: Naritasan Shinshō-ji Temple and Omotesando Street (near airport)

Day 18: Wednesday, Aug 12: Fly home to Seattle
Thank you for taking the time to look over this--would love to hear feedback and recommendations!

I wonder: Did you use AI to come up with this itinerary? Sure sounds like it! Doesn’t mean it won’t work, but I (for one) would want to do a bit of research before committing. If you haven’t seen it, spend plenty of time with Japan-guide.com.

IMO, this is definitely a “busy” vacation. Your trip, your call, but think through your priorities in case you need a break.

Day 1: Ambitious, given that you will have jet lag.

Day 2: Sounds like you plan to get up very early.

Day 5: Ditto.

Day 8: Why take a tour for cormorant fishing (ukai) instead of just watching it on your own?

Day 17: A capsule hotel? Really? I’d give one no more than an hour.

BTW: Please don’t use bold text.

Hope that helps!

Kja,

Thank so kindly for your thoughts and taking the time to read through my messy itinerary! I started with an original itinerary and then ran it through Gemini, then read travel blogs, watched travel videos, edited, ran it through gemini again, etc. This is probably my 60th iteration, lol.

Yes, I am worried about the busyness of the trip...but my husband and I are both marathoners, workaholics, type a people, we just love to go go go on vacation! We're definitely meant for each other!

In regards to the river fishing, would you suggest skipping the tour and just watching from shore? I thought we might learn something from the tour...?

Sorry about the bold text! I will try to fix it!

I spent a glorious day in Yokohama with my two teenagers. We went to Sea Paradise, an aquarium complex with multiple buildings and a few really wild rides, including a coaster that takes you way out over the water. We must have done that about five times. We then went to TaYa cave. It is a cave carved out by monks at a temple. They give you slender paddles that hold a candle to walk through the cave, and there are stations within the cave where you can replenish your candle as it melts down. It is an adventure just to find this place, but well worth it. I brought along print out maps (in Japanese) to show a cab driver. Even then, it was a challenge.

We then went to Cosmo World, an outrageous amusement park right among the skyscrapers of Yokohama. And we wrapped up our day at the Yokohama Ramen Museum which is a two-story recreation of a Tokyo street scene form the Showa period. It is basically an excuse to eat ramen at 7 famous ramen vendors from throughout Japan. They offer mini portions so you can try more different types of ramen.

Tokyo is a throbbing mass of humanity, so you are hurtling yourself straight into the belly of the beast. Good luck!

First, for late-July to Early August, prepare to be hot and sweat a couple liters (or pints) a day. Yeah, you may think you are used to being hot at wherever you come from, but Japan's mid-summer heat and humidity combo is in a class of its own, especially when walking around sights in low elevation cities like Tokyo, Kamakura, Kanazawa, and Gifu. You will feel wiped out by mid-day.
Up in Nagano Prefecture it'll be welcomingly less humid (maybe...) and on hikes it will usually start to feel cooler during the day above 1500 or 2000 meters.
Also take note that the Obon holiday week starts on Saturday Aug 8. Everywhere will be busier than usually from then, so book everything for then and after as far in advance as possible.
And August 11 is coincidentally Mountain Day, so expect Mt Fuji to also be at capacity then.

>> if we could travel in the off season
Summer is off-season in Japan, though your timing coincides with Obon.

shelemm. Thank you so much for your detailed description of your wonderful day in Yokohama! I love this! And what wonderful memories you made with your kids I think I might add a day or take out a Tokyo day to do this.

Yes, I am really scared of the "throbbing belly of the beast!" But I know I can handle it for a couple days

Wilk67,

Thank you so much for the tips! Although I live in the Seattle area now, I lived in Maryland and Virginia for about ten years and I am picturing Tokyo being similar to that, but perhaps not cooling off as much in the evening--is that correct? It will definitely be a challenge coming from paradise (the PNW but we have no other option other than waiting until retirement. I am a teacher and can't take off three weeks in the middle of the school year.

Thank you for the heads up about Obon and Mountain Day. This is really critical information and we might adjust our dates to avoid those times.

Have a great day!

I have been to Tokyo three times in August.

The sun can really beat down on you. But step into the shade and you should be fine. The good news is that you can bring shade with you wherever you go, it's called a wide brimmed hat. At Tokyo Disneyland, I took a travel umbrella, and not because of the rain. Many Japanese women with their parasols. I had no problem with the humidity, and it is nowhere near as bad as Shanghai or even worse, Hong Kong. Your kids might balk at wearing hats, but it is at their own peril.

I use an umbrella/parasol in the sun although I wasn't in Japan past early June. I am not a hat person but a few years back one of my Japanese friends was using an umbrella in the sun and I sort of laughed at her but it works - I use it at home now in NYC too....

You might learn something from the tour; I had read enough in advance that I didn't feel the need and I wanted the freedom to move around at will. I think the tours probably take you closer to the fishing boats, which could be an advantage.

Re: the weather. You might consult weatherspark.com

And seriously, spend some time with japan-guide.com

Okay, My husband and I synced up work calendars and we are changing our trip so that we leave Mid-June returning early July--hopefully the weather will be a bit better!

Also, will be getting a parasol!

That would be better timing. Less chance of a typhoon.

The July Grand Sumo Tournament is held in Nagoya, July 12 to 26, 2026. You will be passing through Nagoya on the way to Hamamatsu. (I would probably schedule the trip around this, expecting not to get tickets for the first day; I have not been to the Nagoya tournament). Would be an afternoon, ending probably at 6PM and with luck there would be a Chunichi Dragons home game at 7PM
Grand Tournament Schedule - Nihon Sumo Kyokai Official Grand Sumo Home Page

You can get that parasol at Don Quixote (or elsewhere in Japan; i.e. advise not to bring one from home).

Your itinerary sounds ok, some good ideas. The daily plans need some work.

Day 1 you can cut one of the 4 stops. The Metro Gov building would be easy to cut if weather is not good. Your hotel is not far from those buildings. Walk over there in the morning and maybe see Mt Fuji. Then get on the subway at Tochomae Station (the station name meaning 'in front of <that gov building>') and head out elsewhere.

If you go to Don Quixote then you can just have dinner on that side-street in Kabukicho. DQ is on the corner of a big avenue and a short street. You come out of the store and go up that street and see several restaurants before you see Godzilla. Do that and you can save Omoide Yokocho for another day. Am not sure but Shibuya crossing is probably busier mid-day and on a weekday.

Day 2 you go to Asakusa in the morning. See the temple, attend the sumo show.at noon where you have the chanko nabe for lunch. Then there is a gap of maybe 5 hours until the evening "cruise" from Asakusa. Am thinking "evening" would be 7PM. In fact, sunset in Tokyo is at 7PM at that time of year.

When you look at the baseball schedule make sure that you know the stadium where the game will be held. It will say. It might look to you like the Dragons (for example) is the home team when they actually are the visitors. Or they are the home team but playing in a different city. I saw a game at Tokyo Dome, home of the Giants, between the Fighters (from Sapporo) and the Hawks (from Fukuoka). Saw another NPB game in Kanazawa which does not have its own team.

You saying that you would go to a game at Meiji Jingu Stadium is the right way to put it. That is different, possibly, from saying you want to go to a Swallows home game.
Nippon Professional Baseball Organization

Mid June to mid July is rainy season.

Rainy season for Tokyo typically starts about the second week of June and goes into mid July. Rainfall varies. Sometimes one gets little rain and sometimes you get a lot. You have an itinerary full of stuff with the expectation that all will go as planned. I would want to be more flexible and plan to do some out door stuff based on weather forecasts.