Japan Trip Planning

TICKETED: March 21 – April 17th

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Mar 23 Mar 24 Mar 25 Mar 26 Mar 27 Mar 28 Mar 29
Mar 30 Mar 31 Apr 1 Apr 2 Apr 3 Apr 4 Apr 5
Apr 6 Apr 7 Apr 8 Apr 9 Apr 10 Apr 11 Apr 12
Apr 13 Apr 14 Apr 15 Apr 16 Apr 17 Apr 18 Apr 19
Apr 20 Apr 21 Apr 22 Apr 23 Apr 24 Apr 25 Apr 26

Sakura forecast: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011_when.html

  • Tokyo: 2009: March 25, Avg March 28; March 20-March 31
  • Kyoto: 2009: March 27, Avg March 31; March 25-April 2
  • Kanazawa: 2009: April 1, Avg April 6; March 29-April 7
  • Sendai: Avg April 12; April 6-14

Main Cities:

Other Cities / Side Trips (order: West to East, more or less…)?

  • Okayama – Okayama Prefecture; 50 km West of Himeji
    • Korakuen Garden – One of Japan’s 3 “great gardens”
    • Okayama Castle

    • Kibitsu Shrine
    • Shizutani School
    • Yugasan Rendaiji Temple
    • Syorenji Temple
    • Cherry Blossoms: Along the Asahi River (East side of Korakuen park) ~ Beginning of April ~ 2 weeks; 300 trees with hanging lanterns that are lit after sunset.
    • Sega Joypolis – Huge arcade.
    • Yuba Onsen – Not well known, shabby exterior, can stay in ryokan
    • Lots of Museums
  • Himeji – Hyogo Prefecture, W of Osaka and Kyoto
    • Himeji Castle – Japan’s largest and “most beautiful”
    • Shoshazan and Engyo-ji Temple – temples and hiking
    • Cherry Blossom viewing party: ~ 2nd Sunday in April – koto and taiko drumming
  • Kyoto – Kyoto Prefecture
  • Many temples have their own lodging shukub? where you can stay the night cheaply.
  • NW Kyoto Temple Complexes – many temples 15-30 min walk apart.
  • Arashiyama (W Kyoto) – Walk thru bamboo forest to Nonomiya Shrine
  • Tenryu-ji – One of 5 great temples of Japan; building just “ok”, gardens excellent
  • Otagi Nenbutsu-ji – Temple with 1200+ small (waist high) statues
  • E Kyoto – Kiyomizu-dera Temple Complex – v. popular with tourists ;|
  • Many other temples in E Kyoto.
  • S Kyoto – Fushimi Inari Shrine – Hundreds of torii gates up hill behind shrine; best photos in late afternoon
  • Ise, Mie prefecture – Skip it.
  • Kashiwazaki, Niigaga prefecture – Skip it
  • Sendai, Tohuku prefecture
    • Cherry blossoms around Apr 12 (latest on my iten)
    • Seems kind of boring on its own, but good spot for day trips to:
    • Matsushima
      • Matsushima Bay; 260 tiny islands covered in pines; ranked one of Japan’s three great views

        • Kanran-tei Pavillion; largest Momoyama-style tea house in japan

      • Fukuura-juma island; long bridge to island, covered in paths, light hiking, one hour to circle island, supposedly very beautiful.
      • Ootakamori: View of sunet over the bay and island; 4km hike from Pila youth hostel in Oku-Matsushima
    • Kinkasan, small island
      • Koganeyama shrine; with ryokan
      • Shrine serves whale meat ;)
      • Lots of hiking trails

    Train Fares

    Compare: Japan Rail Pass:

    • 14 day: 45,000 – 61,000 yen.
    • 21 day: 51,000 – 80,000 yen
    • Tokyo – Kyoto; 3.5h; 14,000 yen
    • Kyoto – Osaka; 1h; 590 yen
    • Osaka – Himeji; 2h; 1,650 yen
    • Himeji – Kanazawa; 4; 10,250 yen
    • Kanazawa – Tokyo; 4.5h; 19,000 yen – Note ALL trains N have to go thru tokyo
    • Tokyo – Sendai; 2.5h; 10,750 yen
    • Sendai – Tokyo; 2.5h; 10,750 yen
    • Total:: 52,990 yen

    Things:

    • http://wikitravel.org/en/Japan%27s_Top_3
    • http://wikitravel.org/en/Off_the_beaten_track_in_Japan