Feasibility of Japan itinerary: Kyoto - Iya - Honshu

Hi there,

We’re arriving as a group of three in Tokyo on Saturday, October 17th, then heading straight to Kyoto by direct train. On Sunday and Monday, we’ll explore Kyoto, and in the evening, we’ll take a train to Osaka to spend the night. On Tuesday, we’ll pick up a rental car at Itami Airport for a 6-day/5-night road trip around Shikoku: - 2 nights in the Iya Valley - Thursday morning, we’ll head to Matsuyama for 2 nights. - Saturday, we’ll visit Mima (town, a few temples + overnight stay) and return on Sunday to drop off the car in Osaka. We’ll leave very early on Monday the 26th by plane for Aomori in northern Honshu, where we’ll pick up another rental car at the airport for a 5-day/4-night trip: - Day 1: Tsugaru Peninsula (Takayam Inari, Cape Tappi, Kanita); overnight in Kanita - Day 2: Ferry transfer to the Mutsu Peninsula (cliffs, Lake Usori); overnight in Shimofuro - Day 3: Head to the Hakkoda Mountains and onsens galore; overnight TBD - Day 4: Return the car in Aomori by noon and explore the city before taking the train to Tokyo in the evening We’ll spend Friday night in Tokyo, wander around on Saturday, and head home on Sunday.

Thoughts on the road feasibility of this trip? We’ll be there right in the middle of Koyo season, so it’ll be busy... I know it’s a lot of driving, but there are two of us who can take turns. We’re not afraid of driving, even in the mountains and on the left side! Just wondering, are we going to be rushing, or is this manageable? AI says it’s all good, but it’s not the one driving... Any tips for booking accommodations in the Iya Valley? Not many places have email addresses or websites (I know Booking.com exists, but not all listings are on there... and given the season, I think it’s better to book ahead!). Same question applies for northern Honshu. For the rental car, I’m thinking of going with Alamo since at least it’s in French and straightforward, but are there any direct rental companies with user-friendly websites (Toyota Rentacar, ugh... 🏴‍☠️)? Another question: With so many trains, is it even necessary to book them in advance? Can we just go to the ticket counter and grab seats on the spot? For paying for the rental car, do we need a credit or debit card?

Thanks for your help!

Hello,

The itinerary is doable, but it seems quite rushed—almost like you're sprinting through. I think you might end up skimming over the places and spending a lot of time on the road. Driving is slow in Japan, especially on mountain roads. In some parts of the Iya Valley (depending on where you go), the roads wind, can be narrow, and sometimes have poor visibility.

Personally, for a trip of this length, I’d suggest choosing between Aomori Prefecture and Shikoku, as both mountainous areas require time to truly appreciate. And since you’re already going to Kyoto, Shikoku makes the most geographical sense.

That said, it’s your itinerary, and I get that on a first trip, you want to see a variety of things. Just keep in mind that driving times will be longer than what Google suggests—at least half again as long—and factor in transfer times at airports, even though Japan’s system is pretty efficient.

We arrive as a group of three in Tokyo on Saturday, October 17, then head straight to Kyoto by direct train. On Sunday and Monday, we’ll explore Kyoto, and in the evening, we’ll take a train to Osaka to spend the night. On Tuesday, we’ll pick up a rental car at Itami Airport for a 6-day/5-night road trip around Shikoku:

Just so you know, Kyoto and Osaka are only 30 minutes apart by train. Are you planning to return the car at Itami Airport too? Watch out for extra fees if you return the car to a different agency.

Shikoku: - 2 nights in the Iya Valley - Thursday morning, we’ll head to Matsuyama for 2 nights. - Saturday, we’ll visit Mima (town, a few temples + overnight stay) and return on Sunday to drop off the car in Osaka.

Are you referring to the town of Mima in Tokushima Prefecture? If so, I’d recommend considering Takamatsu instead of Matsuyama—it’s more geographically logical. Takamatsu has one of Japan’s most beautiful gardens (Ritsurin-koen).

We leave very early on Monday the 26th by plane for Aomori in northern Honshu, where we’ll pick up a rental car at the airport for a 5-day/4-night trip: - Day 1: Tsugaru Peninsula (Takayam Inari, Cape Tappi, Kanita); overnight in Kanita - Day 2: Ferry transfer to the Mutsu Peninsula (cliffs, Lake Usori); overnight in Shimofuro - Day 3: Head to the Hakkoda Mountains and onsens galore; overnight TBD - Day 4: Return the car in Aomori by noon and explore the city before taking the train to Tokyo in the evening

I’m not familiar with this area, but I did some research, and while waiting for more knowledgeable folks to chime in, I’d still caution you about driving times.

Just wondering—are we going to be rushing, or is this manageable? AI says it’s all good!! But it’s not the one driving...

From where I’m sitting, it looks like a rocket trip. And from my experience, AI doesn’t handle distances in Japan well or account for realistic travel logistics. Plus, AI is there to please the user, so if you don’t have prior knowledge of Japan, it’s not a great travel planner in my opinion. Others might disagree, though...

Any tips for booking accommodations in the Iya Valley? Not many places have email addresses or websites (I know Booking.com exists, but not all are listed there... and given the timing, I think it’s better to book ahead!). The same question applies to northern Honshu.

Accommodations aren’t plentiful since the area is very mountainous. I booked through Booking.com without any issues back in 2019. Here are two ryokan names: - Iya Onsen (higher-end but a great experience): https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/iya-onsen.fr.html - Kazuraya Hotel, more affordable but less luxurious—though still excellent—right next to the famous vine bridge and Biwa Falls, with absolutely charming staff. https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/kazuraya.fr. I talk about it here https://voyageforum.com/forum/escapade-japonaise-shikoku-kyushu-yakushima-tokyo-d9999494-2/ - And I stumbled upon this one while searching: Kazurabashi Hotel

For car rental, I’m thinking of going with Alamo since at least it’s in French and straightforward, but do you know of any direct rental companies with user-friendly websites (Toyota Rentacar, pppfffffff🏴‍☠️...)?

Tocoo is a great option for rentals. Here’s the link

Hello, Thoughts on the road trip feasibility? We're right in the middle of Koyo season, so it'll be crowded... It's a long drive, I know, but there are two of us to take turns. We're not afraid of driving, even in the mountains or on the left! Just, are we gonna be rushing or is it manageable? AI says it's cool!! But it's not the one driving... Any tips for booking accommodations in the Iya Valley? Because few places have email addresses or websites (I know, there's Booking, but not everyone's on there... and given the season, I think it's better to book ahead!). The question also applies to northern Honshu. For car rental, I'm thinking of going through Alamo since at least it's in French and clear, but are there any direct rental companies with understandable websites (Toyota Rentacar, pppfffffff🏴‍☠️....)? Another question: with so many trains, is it unnecessary to book them in advance? Can we just go to the ticket counter and get seats on the spot? For paying for the rental car, do we need a credit or debit card? Thanks for your help!

Hi,

Hmm.. it’s still gonna be a bit of a rush.

Try looking up the Iya Valley on Google Maps—you’ll see some hotels pop up (old-school style). In my opinion, yes, if you can book ahead, it’s better.



Watch out for trains—during holiday periods like Koyo, I’m afraid it’s better to book train tickets in advance too.

Looks like a credit card is needed.

Good evening

Thursday morning, we're heading to Matsuyama for 2 nights.

And that Thursday is October 22nd

And every October 22nd in Kyoto, it's:

Jidai matsuri

My best memory from my 8 trips to Japan

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Y296iqZ41RA6dqBs6

My advice: in 15 days (which is really short), stick to Tokyo - Kyoto - Osaka - Shikoku and save northern Honshu for another trip.

Happy travels

Hi there, A few tips about accommodations: 1/ On the National Tourism Office website (and several other regional or local ones), you’ll find useful links. 2/ There’s a national association of hotels and ryokans.

As for trains, it depends on several factors: the time of year, the railway company, the type of train, etc.

To avoid breaking any forum rules, I haven’t included any URLs. If needed, feel free to contact me directly.

Hello, Thanks for your replies. Nathalie, I was able to tweak the Shikoku part of the trip a bit. From Kyoto, we're heading to Okayama to spend the night and pick up the rental car early in the morning (that'll be way less driving than from Osaka). We'll visit Kotohira-gu and Temple No. 1 on Shikoku, then spend the evening and night in Mima. Next, we're off to Day 2 in the Iya Valley for two nights. On Day 4, we'll head to Matsuyama for two nights before returning to Okayama and heading back to Osaka.

For northern Honshu, we're doing a loop from Aomori (it's just a tiny part of that region, I know!). I've averaged the driving times over the 4 days to keep the pace manageable. With three people in the car, it's doable, but I realize everyone's requests filled up the schedule pretty quickly 🙂, for the two weeks.

For car rentals, I booked through a well-known site, and we only pay on the spot, by card or cash. Do we need a debit or credit card? It's not always clear.

For trains, you're advising me to book. Which website should I use, please? The pass isn't cost-effective for us.

Up north, we have to take the ferry with the car between Kanita and Wakinosawa. Has anyone taken it before, please?

Thanks for your help,