This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/rogue_kahena on 2025-05-28 18:13:48+00:00.
Hi everyone!
So basically I'll be going to Japan for the first (and maybe last) time this September as it has always been a dream (excited yay!). While my first intent was to slow travel I'm not sure I've quite achieved that with this itinerary. I want to take my time, take local trains and everything but JapanTravel app has quite discouraged me. Main problem was that I wanted to go both to Aomori up north and down to Onomichi (now Aomori is no more part of the plan as sad as it is).
I like art and want to take in the nature and the shrines (not quite sporty but you see the mood). I have watched countless videos and read countless threads but I guess slow travel doesn't have as much ressources as the golden route... Here is my itinerary:
- Wednesday 10/09 Narita —> Sendaï (2 days/3 nights) 3 hours train
Yamadera temple and Matsushima bay
- Saturday 13/09 Sendaï —> Nagano (2 days/2 nights) 2h30 train
Zenkoji, Togakushi maybe Matsumoto castle if I have time
- Monday 15/09 Nagano —> Kusatsu (1 day/1 night) 2h10 train
spend a day in an onsen city (tattoo friendly)
- Tuesday 16/09 Kusatsu —> Kanazawa (2 days/2 nights) 3h50 train
visit the castle and take in the city
- Thursday 18/09 Kanazawa —> Nagoya (2 days/2 nights) 5 Hours train (taking a beautiful scenic route Hida Limited Express) : maybe only stopping if I get Ghibli Park tickets
chill and try to get Ghibli park tickets
- Saturday 20/09 Nagoya —> Kyoto (5 days/4 nights) 30mins train/1h30 bus
explore the city + day trips to Osaka and Uji and maybe Lake Biwa
- Wednesday 24/09 Kyoto —> Okayama (2 days/2 nights) 1 Hours train
base for Naoshima Island, take a bicycle
- Friday 26/09 Okayama —> Onomichi (2 days/2 nights) 1h20 train
explore the cute sea city, the nature around, the shrines and do a part of the Shimano Kaido
- Sunday 28/09 Onomichi —> Kamakura (2 days/2 nights) 5hours train
explore another sea city, shrines maybe go to Enoshima
- Tuesday 30/09 Kamakura —> Nikko (2 days/1 night) 3h10 train
for obvious reasons
- Wednesday 01/10 Nikko —> Tokyo (9 days jours/8 nights) 2 hours train: but 7 full days since I arrive around 9pm from Nikko and then travel back home on the last day
the list of things to do there is never ending but I'm a bookseller so Jimbocho, Asakusa, Ikebukuro, Ginza, parc Ueno, Shibuya, Shinjuku...
- 10/10 travel back home
Don't know if I should cancel Nagoya to have more chill time in Tokyo of if my itinerary is to packed for the kind of travel I was going for, any advice would be appreciated 🙏