After nine months of planning, we are headed to Japan for 17 days!

We’ll be traveling after our first night directly to Kyoto and staying 2 nights.

While in Kyoto we plan to visit Inari but approach it from a less frequented section pass by several temples visit before descending up the gates.

The start of our walking route

• Musoshin – Kyoto

• Experiencing the Higashiyama Hanatouro in Kyoto
• Best Way To Hike The Inari Tori Gates
• The Best Way To Hike The Fushimi Inari Shrine and See The Tori Gates

We plan to leave Kyoto at 7 am and head to Hiroshima.  Checking our backpacks for the day will allow us to explore Hiroshima a bit before heading to Kagoshima for the night.

Stopping in Hiroshima the plan is to drop our bags and do a quick morning walking tour before heading to Miyajima in the afternoon and then finally off to Kagoshima for the night.

Walking Map

Planning Helps:

While in Hiroshima try local food such as oysters and Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki lunch before Miyajima? 

There are many oyster bars where you can enjoy grilled oysters from 1 piece. My recommendation would be “oyster curry-pan” which is fried bread-roll stuffed with curry and two pieces of oysters!

Visit Hiroshima – Okonomiyaki

• Our Quick One Day Itinerary for Hiroshima

After exploring a bit we are anticipating relaxing on banks watching the golden hour cast its light on the Great Floating Tori. High Tide is at 3:10 and will be going out during sunset at 6:20.

• An Afternoon in Miyajima

Leaving Yakushima, we head to Fukuoka but plan to spend a little bit of time in Kumamoto to see the castle grounds.

Fukuoka Cherry Blossom Spots:

• https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4807.html
• https://www.kyuhoshi.com/2017/01/26/10-best-places-to-see-cherry-blossom-in-kyushu/

Sights to See:

• Fukuoka Castle (Maizuru Park)
• Uminonakamichi Seaside Park
• Nishi Park (Nishi Koen)
• Atago Shrine

Fukuoka Food: 

Fukuoka‘s open air food stands (屋台, Yatai)

Typical dishes enjoyed at yatai are grilled chicken skewers (yakitori), hot pot (oden) and most famously Hakata Ramen, a local noodle dish featuring relatively thin ramen noodles in a pork bone based soup (tonkotsu). 

• A Few Hours in Fukuoka

Transiting day! We are working our way back towards Toyko but popping into various towns as we go.

From our planning notes:

Himeji Castle

The broad Otemae-dori Street leads straight from JR Himeji Station to Himeji Castle. You can walk from the station to the castle’s entrance gate in about 15 to 20 minutes. Sanyo-Himeji Station, served by Sanyo Railways, is located just a short walk north of JR Himeji Station and provides direct train connections to/from Osaka‘s Hanshin Umeda Station.

OKAYAMA 

Okayama Castle (Crow Castle) and Korakuen Garden admission $6 

Okayama Castle is about 1.5 kilometers or a 25-30 minute walk east of Okayama Station. Trams on the Higashiyama Line can be taken to Shiroshita stop (5 minutes, 100 yen, frequent departures) from where the castle keep can be reached in a 10-15 minute walk.

Osaka: 

• Osaka Castle The recommended approach to Osaka Castle is through Otemon Gate at the park’s southwestern corner. The closest station is Tanimachi 4-chrome Station along the Tanimachi Subway Line and Chuo Subway Line. The closest JR station to Osaka Castle is Osakajokoen Station on the JR Loop Line, a 10 minute, 160 yen ride from JR Osaka Station.
• Sumiyoshi Shrine
• Tsutenkaku Osaka’s most nostalgic downtown area, Shinsekai  
• Umeda Sky Building is a 10-15 minute walk from Osaka and Umeda Stations
• Shitennoji Temple
• Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum
• Dotonbori, the most touristic area with lots of neon lights and gigantic shop displays. 
• Hozenji Yokocho Alley 

• https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5901.html
• https://medium.com/@gocentraljapan/5-reasons-to-visit-hida-takayama-city-4e1c11e1b088

If Wakayama is cherry blossom blooming possible train route–

(Osaka to Hanwa Line in Kansai

Located in Osaka Prefecture of the Kansai Region, the Hanwa Line runs from Osaka City to Wakayama. In late March, the Hanwa Line is ideal for viewing sakura cherry blossoms. You’ll be delighted to find your train view filled with pink or white blossoms, often swaying peacefully in the breeze along both sides of the railway.)

From the notebook:

• http://www.chaptertravel.com/a-day-trip-to-mount-fuji-from-tokyo/#unique-identifier-chureito
• https://en.japantravel.com/kanagawa/hakone
• https://triptins.com/hakone-round-course-day-trip/
• https://www.jrailpass.com/blog/hakone-travel-guide
• https://www.odakyu.jp/english/sightseeing/itineraries/hakone_highlights/

Shiraito Falls (Shizuoka)白糸の滝

https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1512/

You can reach the falls by bus from a few different stations and then a short walk.

Buses running between Shin-Fuji Station, Fujinomiya Station, and Fuji Five Lakes stop at Shiraito Falls. The walking trail down from the road takes less than five minutes. A bus from Shin-Fuji Station takes about an hour, but there are only a few buses per day.

Mount Fuji from the Shinkansen

The Tokaido Shinkansen line is located in the Shizuoka Prefecture of the Kanto Region. The line passes between Tokyo and Kyoto, and right from your seat, you’ll be treated to the famous bullet train side view of Mount Fuji. Plan your seating according to your destination for the best viewing.

If you’re headed south to Nagoya or Kyoto, the mountain will appear to the right of the train; if headed north to Tokyo, the left.Access to the Tokaido Shinkansen line is completely covered by the JR Pass.

From our planning notebook:

• Early morning to hopefully see mt Fuji reflection in the lake
• Check out Mt Fuji Agoda.com
• Day trips from Tokyo:
• NIKKO: https://jw-webmagazine.com/one-day-trip-to-nikko-ce880fb49a10
• https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3800.html
• Toyko Train route map: https://netmobius.freetls.fastly.net/images-stn-japan/JR_Tokyo_map.pdf
• Kotokuin temple in Kamakura south of tokyo

The Great Buddha is located a 5-10 minute walk from Hase Station, the third station from Kamakura along the Enoden railway line. The Enoden is a streetcar-like train that connects Kamakura with Enoshima and Fujisawa. Its terminal station in Kamakura is located just next of JR Kamakura Station.

-Kairakuen Garden

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6201.html

Our last three days will be spent exploring Tokyo. We don’t have a set daily plan yet but check out all of our research we have been combing over by taking a look at our planning notes below.

After we return, we will be updating this page to reflect on how the trip went.