Japan summer trip 10 days itinerary

[Japansummertrip]

We are going to Japan next year for 10 days second half of August. We are thinking 3 nights in Tokyo, 4 nights Kyoto, 3 nights Japanese Alps. Never been so wondering if this sounds reasonable?

Can’t go other time of the year as we are stuck to school holidays and doing is as a part of a big trip to another country so need 4.5 weeks. 2 adults and 2 kids 17 & 13 at the time.

Thank you

Try go to Okinawa in japan , paradise

Thank you, will check it out

The Alps is quite a long way from the other two. Around 4 hours Shinkansen from Tokyo. Okinawa is an Island/beach area so very different. You could try around Hakone or go all the way to Hiroshima. When we did a similar length of time, we went to Hakone. Not totally sure this was best for us though. We also stayed in Tsumago at a ryokan. You can then walk part of the Nakasendo Highway. Very hot in august though but it’s lovely! The highway is an old post route snd a long distance path. Around Kyoto you also have Nara. Loads to see in that area. I’m hoping to go back to Japan in 2024 ish. Absolutely loved it.

Out of interest why wasn't Hakone great for you? We are doing an Inside Japan trip to Japan next April and stopping in Hakone (two nights one day) on our way down to Kyoto (followed by Hiroshima and Osaka).

@LondonMummer We did the standard circuit trip in that area which included going across lake Ashi on a replica galleon. The sulphur from the hot springs was overwhelming and we got the worst room in the hotel we stayed at overlooking the bins. We loved the sculpture park and part of the scenery and railways. Just aspects of it didn’t suit and we, with hindsight, should have gone somewhere else. We did see Mt Fuji clearly from the train though. So it just was the part of the holiday we liked the least.

Thanks so much. Good to know. Yes not particular interested in sulphur pools or the random fake galleon but my kids love trains and I love sculpture. I suspect it may even be the same hotel as us as I'd read online that the rooms at the back overlook the car park so I have specifically requested that we have rooms facing the valley.

I am doing 10 days similar itinerary but staying in Osaka over Kyoto as cheaper and close together.

Probably visiting Kobe over Nara, from Osaka.

And visiting universal studios and Disney when there.

Oh there is a train museum somewhere, I read about it recently!

Yes train museums in both Kyoto and Nagoya

I dont really get the hype over Kyoto. When I went it felt like a big tourist trap. Overcrowded and not really the experience I was expecting.

I personally did like Hakone. I also loved Tokyo, so much to see and do, and there's actually loads of day trips that can be done from there.

We did a day trip to Nikko from Tokyo. Very beautiful.

Nara is worth a visit. You might also like a night in a monastery on Mount Koya. It’s a very unusual and interesting experience.

Do most of you do organised tours or just arrange flights and research your own accommodation / travel?

How expensive is it as interested for a trip for 2 adults and 2 teens.

Would it be best to visit at Easter or in our summer?

Sorry I know nothing about this so any info appreciated.

Japan is hot as hell at that time of year. Try and avoid Obon if you can, as that is a big annual holiday and everywhere will be busy, accommodation booked etc. That said, Tokyo might be quiet if everyone is away in the tourist spots!

I mightn't spend all 4 days actually in Kyoto. There is loads to do - Higashiyama with Heian Jingu and walk up to Kiyomizudera is lovely, Maiko spotting in Gion in the evening is fun, and another day you could do Kinkakuji or Arashiyama. There are other really nice places in Kansai though like Nara, or Koyasan if you stay in shukubo (temple lodging) for a completely unforgettable experience. Koyasan is nice and cool usually as well. If you get templed out (high risk of this) you could go to Universal Studios Kansai and Osaka would probably be fun for teenagers especially Shinsaibashi and Dotombori on a Friday or Saturday night.

@Saynowt
Definitely go at easter rather than summer if you are able to - summers are horribly hot and humid, but easter weather is usually warm and dry, and you often overlap with cherry blossom season (it varies in different parts of Japan so you can probably get the cherry blossom viewing experience somewhere on your route). The only downside with that time of year is that it is a very popular travel season so hotels and trains can get booked up and major tourist destinations can be quite crowded.

I would also recommend Kamakura as a day-trip from Tokyo if you want a mini-Kyoto type experience, with lots of temples, a big buddha statue and so on, but on a smaller and more manageable scale. There are also good trams and it is by the sea.

My favourite place in Kamakura is Hokokuji temple, which has a lovely bamboo grove where you can sit and drink tea: https://en.japantravel.com/kanagawa/hokokuji-bamboo-garden-in-kamakura/9049

PP is right, Easter is better @Saynowt as the summer is really hot and humid. It's knackering to do anything. June is rainy season. September can be nice although still warm.

I am doing own hotel booking but flights being sorted got me as I want to also do Hong Kong and China

But I will pay fir escorted trips in the main cities for one day blast of seeing stuff. Just more efficient I find. Other days I will go to say Osaka aquarium on my own.

@exexpat thanks

@EmpressSoleil Kyoto has 17 world heritage sites. We went to a Geiko/maiko theatre show. We went to amazing gardens. We saw the Chrysanthemum festival. So for us, more than worth it. When you are not in a country for very long, there are choices that have to be made. Kyoto is fantastic. Japanese culture at its best. We also did a cookery lesson. So it just depends what interests you.

Yes, August will be hot. Some people don’t mind the heat. We went in May. Hopefully next time it will be October for autumn colours.

Thank you everyone. Will look into the places recommended; was thinking of the alps as will be cooler,

Maybe we should based ourselves just in Kyoto and Tokyo? Can we do most of the trips from there; don’t want to change accommodation all the time

Crazy Horse Bar in Nagasaki is one of my fondest memories. They take a Polaroid of your group and add it too the thousands covering the walls. We watched a brilliant Jspanese Beatle tribute band there.

are you going on a tour or self directed trio?

We just went to 4 bases in 12 days. 3 in 10 days is ok but of course, you are right, the Alps will be cooler. You just need to decide if the travelling time and logistics works for you. You can send bags ahead of you so you do not trundle bags around with you if you don’t went to. Just a small bag on the day of travel. The high speed trains don’t have much luggage space. Lots of sights in Japan are outside. So unfortunately August won’t provide much respite from the heat unless you go into air conditioned buildings.

Nikko looks beautiful. Did you go by train? How long?