Draft 20-day itinerary for Japan

Hi there,

Having already visited some of the "classic" spots during my first trip to Japan in 2006, I’d like to show my partner some slightly lesser-known places (all relative, of course!) for our trip planned in November 2025, while still keeping a few of the country’s "must-sees."

Here’s the rough itinerary I’ve sketched out so far:

- Day 1: Arrival in Tokyo – Night in Tokyo - Day 2: Depart for Kamakura – Night in Kamakura or return to Tokyo - Day 3: Depart for Matsumoto – Visit the castle – Night in Matsumoto - Day 4: Matsumoto – Narai – Tsumago – Night in Tsumago - Day 5: Tsumago – Magome (hike) – Night in Magome - Days 6, 7, 8, 9: Depart for Kyoto – Sightseeing – Nights in Kyoto - Day 10: Depart for Kinosaki Onsen – Night in Kinosaki - Day 11: Explore the area around Kinosaki (Takeno? Izushi?) – Night in Kinosaki - Day 12: Depart for Himeji – Visit the castle – Night in Himeji or Hiroshima - Day 13: Miyajima Island – Night in Hiroshima - Day 14: Depart for Onomichi – Night in Onomichi - Day 15: Bike day to Ikuchi Jima / return by ferry – Night in Onomichi - Day 16: Depart for Tomo-no-Ura then Kurashiki – Night in Kurashiki - Day 17: Depart for Okayama – Visit the garden – Night in Okayama - Day 18: Kibi Plain bike ride – Night in Okayama - Day 19: ??? - Days 20, 21, 22: Tokyo – Nights in Tokyo

I’m struggling a bit to gauge how long the travel times will be, despite my online research, so I’d love to hear your thoughts and advice on this itinerary.

Thanks so much in advance for your feedback!

Hi there,

Great route! That said, if you’ve already visited Kyoto, you might want to skip it—it’s really struggling with overtourism. The authorities have started banning tourists from certain streets, and right now they’re planning a tax of 60 € per person per night to try to reduce the crowds. Locals are pretty fed up with the sheer numbers. In Japan, facing overtourism, Kyoto sharply raises its tourist taxes

Hi there,

After some hesitation, I’ve tweaked (or rather expanded) my initial travel plan, and here’s the final version:

- Day 1: Arrival in Tokyo – Night in Tokyo - Day 2: Depart for Kamakura – Night in Kamakura or return to Tokyo - Day 3: Depart for Matsumoto – Visit the castle – Night in Matsumoto - Day 4: Matsumoto → Narai → Tsumago – Night in Tsumago - Day 5: Tsumago → Magome (hike) – Night in Magome - Days 6, 7, 8: Depart for Kyoto – Sightseeing – Nights in Kyoto - Day 9: Kyoto → Nara – Night in Nara - Day 10: Yamanobe-no-Michi hike (near Nara) then return to Kyoto – Night in Kyoto - Day 11: Depart for Kinosaki-Onsen – Night in Kinosaki - Day 12: Explore Kinosaki surroundings (Takeno? Izushi?) – Night in Kinosaki - Day 13: Depart for Himeji – Visit the castle – Night in Himeji or Hiroshima - Day 14: Miyajima Island – Night in Hiroshima - Day 15: Depart for Onomichi – Night in Onomichi - Day 16: Bike day to Ikuchi Jima / return by ferry – Night in Onomichi - Day 17: Depart for Tomo-no-Ura then Kurashiki – Night in Kurashiki - Day 18: Depart for Okayama – Visit the garden – Night in Okayama - Day 19: Kibi Plain bike ride – Night in Okayama - Day 20: Okayama surroundings (TBD) or Kobe – Night in Okayama or Kobe - Days 21, 22: Tokyo – Nights in Tokyo

Does this route seem realistic to you?

Thanks in advance for your tips and feedback!