A guide on Japan and itinerary planning for first-time visitors.
Dear Jane,
Welcome to the first of four posts on my Japan Itinerary. Trying to write this as one post got a little tedious, so I hope this and the following posts are pleasant to read. This post is intended as a hub for the following 3 posts, and provides information and resources on itinerary planning for Japan.
Once each post has been published, they’ll be easily accessed through these quick links (if you find yourself back on this page):
Week 1: Explore Tokyo and Mt. Fuji
This itinerary explores the greater Tokyo Metropolitan area and Mt. Fuji.
Week 2: Dive into Kansai’s History, Cuisine, and Nature Escapes
This itinerary explores the Kansai region, including Kyoto and Nara, two former Japanese capitals, and Osaka, Japan’s food capital. Bonus: A day trip to the island of Kyushu.
Week 3: Wrapping Up Your Japan Adventure with Miyajima and Shikoku
This itinerary, which isn’t a full week, explores some outdoor activities in Kansai and Shikoku and ends back in Tokyo.
Planning Your Own Trip
Japan is one of those ultimate bucket list destinations for many people, and there is so much to do and see.
The Golden Route
Many first-time visitors stick to the Golden Route, which follows the Tokaido Road that connected Kyoto and Edo (now Tokyo). For tourism, the Golden Route expands past Kyoto, down to Hiroshima and Miyajima.
The Golden Route offers a great mix of Japanese history and modernism. It was made incredibly accessible by the JR Pass, though I haven’t seen any reports about how the 2023 price increase on the JR Pass has affected the number of people on the Golden Route.
My itinerary follows the Golden Route from Tokyo down to Miyajima, and then it extends beyond, hitting the islands of Kyushu and Shikoku, which see significantly fewer foreign tourists. It’s a good jumping off point for planning your itinerary, whether you have an extended period of time in Japan like I did, or even if you only have one week.
Weeks 1 and 2 of my itinerary can each be used as standalone itineraries if you only have one week to visit Japan. If you follow Week 2, don’t fly in/out of Tokyo. Osaka and Kyoto share Kansai International Airport, and using that airport will maximize your time and budget.
Customize the Itinerary
You’re going to find, or you might already be aware from my previous posts, that my itinerary will include a mix of tourist hot spots and things you’ve never heard of or thought to do. Don’t forget to customize any trip you take around what you like.
Remember why you want to go to Japan and start there. You’re going to see an abundance of videos and blog posts about the 10 or 20 Best or Must Do things in Tokyo, Japan, etc. Every list will be the same, but in the preferred order of that particular influencer who wrote the post or produced the video.
Do Your Research
Research is key! Even when you’ve decided you want to see/do something.
For example, Teamlab Planets is one of the hottest things to do in Tokyo, but when I did my research, locals mentioned that the water was stinky and their feet itched after they went. The experience was designed with Japanese hygiene in mind, but it attracts more than Japanese people, hence the stink and the itch.
Here are some great resources for planning your trip to Japan:
- Japan Navitime App – A useful planning tool if you think you’re going to use public transportation.
- Lonely Planet’s Experience Japan – One of Lonely Planet’s guidebooks for Japan. (That’s an affiliate link.)
- Tabelog – I haven’t used this myself, but learned about it at a roundtable hosted by the Tochigi Prefecture and Fun! Japan. Another participant, who plans his travel around food, uses it for his trip planning.
- Atlas Obscura – A worldwide guide for some(times) lesser known places to visit. (Ghibli fans, if you can’t score tickets to the museum or park, you can find some Ghibli things here.)
- Anime Tourism Association – If you’re an anime fan, you can use this website to find the real life locations or the locations that inspired the places in your favorite shows. You can even collect stamps at some locations.
Keep Your Eye Out
That’s all I’ve got for today. Keep your eye out for my next three posts to learn about my itinerary.
<3 Katherine