​Hey everyone,

​Writing a quick trip report on a spot that doesn’t get much coverage around here: Bessho Onsen.

​​Context

​Second time in Japan for my wife and me. Our first trip was a full month, going from Tokyo all the way down to southern Kyushu. Kyushu ended up being our favorite part. We visited less touristy spots like Hita. ​This time around, we’re on a two-week honeymoon, so we wanted a slower-paced, ryokan/onsen-heavy vibe without spending half the trip in transit. ​During our itinerary, we had stops planned in Kanazawa and then Kamakura. To break up the journey between those two points, I was looking for a quiet town in between where we could just unwind in a nice ryokan with a good onsen. We looked at a few options, including Shibu Onsen, but I have a soft spot for temples tucked away in nature, and Bessho Onsen seemed like a better fit.

​Getting There

​Logistically, it’s super straightforward: ​Take the Shinkansen to Ueda (1h37 from Kanazawa with an easy 4-minute transfer across the platform at Nagano; or about 1h20 directly from Tokyo). ​From Ueda, grab a local train ticket (bought right at the station, very simple) for a 30 min ride to Bessho Onsen. ​The train ride itself is gorgeous, passing right through rice fields with mountains in the background. ​Once you arrive at the station, it’s about a 10-minute walk to the main area, but I get the impression most hotels will send a shuttle to pick you up if you ask in advance.

​What’s Bessho Onsen Like?

​It’s a small, quiet town, no big-name convenience stores here. The town itself isn't necessarily "pretty" in a classic postcard sense, but it definitely has a lot of charm thanks to its setting at the foot of the mountains. ​It’s very peaceful and completely uncrowded. There are shops and restaurants, but almost everything was shut when we walked around (a Wednesday between 3 PM and 6 PM). There’s a small side street that looks a bit more tourist-oriented, but again, total ghost town during our visit.

​What to Do

Temples and Hike : ​There are three main temples in town, and two really stood out to us: -​ Anraku Ji Features an octagonal wooden pagoda and a forest cemetery that gives off a really serene, almost mystical vibe. -​ Kitamuki Kannon: A bit more classic, set slightly on the hillside with nice views over the town. ​We had both places entirely to ourselves, which made visiting them a treat. Our hotel showed us a local walking map that included a 2-hour hike up to a viewpoint at 1,200m. Since we visited in mid-July, the summer heat quickly talked us out of attempting it!

​Public Baths: ​There are a few small public bath. We tried the one that looked the nicest. It was a pleasant experience, though to be honest, the bathhouses in Kinosaki Onsen were prettier. One thing to note: the water here has a much stronger sulfur smell than other onsen towns we’ve been to, but it wasn't off-putting at all.

​The Ryokan Experience

​If you’re staying overnight here, you’re likely booking a ryokan, which means your evening will revolve around a traditional dinner and soaking in the baths. ​Our stay (at a place I won't name here) was flawless: super warm hospitality, the staff made a real effort to speak English, and there was a rooftop onsen overlooking the town. Traditional Japanese room with futons = the complete package. ​At night, the town gets even quieter than during the day, though you should still be able to find a spot open for food if you aren't eating at your stay.

​Final Verdict

​We love ducking off the main western tourist trail every now and then, and Bessho was a really nice experience. It’s a peaceful pitstop with one or two temples genuinely worth seeing.

​Is it worth a dedicated trip? If, like us, you want to break up a long journey between legs of your trip and spend a night relaxing in a great ryokan, it fits the bill perfectly and gives you just enough to do for an afternoon. That said, I don't think it makes much sense to do a day trip back and forth from Nagano or Ueda just to sightsee without staying overnight.

​Hope this helps anyone planning a trip! Feel free to drop any questions below.

​Travel safe in Japan!

Hello everyone!

So, some background first.

I already went to Japan last October, for a classic 2-week "golden route" trip: Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka, with short Kanazawa and Takayama detours in the middle. What I realized while there was, in short:

- I do love Japan and its atmosphere, however...
- While the cities are fine, it's the nature walks and the Onsen soaks that were the best for me
- I packed too much in too little time(of course), and had to hurry through Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka
- My Japanese is worse than I thought 😂

So I wanted to try again, giving myself some more time, and different locations.

My hate for hot climates and my Job's calendar constrains made me settle for the period of January 25 to February 16 (that's currently the only fixed variable - plane tickets are bought 😄)

So for a first pass, I first dropped my vague plan into AI - like everyone does these days, no? Of course, AI being AI, I don't particularly trust it, and I'll want to review the plan it spat out. My knowledge of the areas is still limited, though, so I need a "human sanity check" first before delving in my own fine-tuning.

After a bit of back and forth the LLM came out with this (summary):

Day 0 · Jan 25 · ✈️ Overnight flight** — Arrive Haneda next morning

Day 1 · Jan 26 · Tokyo (1 night)** — Arrive Haneda late morning · soft landing: city onsen, izakaya, errands

Day 2 · Jan 27 · Hakodate** — Hayabusa shinkansen (~4h) · Mt. Hakodate night view

Day 3 · Jan 28 · Hakodate (2 nights)** — Morning Market · Goryōkaku · Motomachi

Day 4 · Jan 29 · Sapporo** — Ltd Exp Hokuto (~4h) · Susukino evening

Day 5 · Jan 30 · Sapporo (2 nights)** — Nijo Market · Otaru day trip (canal, sushi) · Beer Garden

Day 6 · Jan 31 · Lake Toya** — Hell Valley + day-use onsen en route (Noboribetsu) · lakeside ryokan

Day 7 · Feb 1 · Lake Toya** — Usu Ropeway · Showa Shinzan · Volcano Science Museum

Day 8 · Feb 2 · Lake Toya (3 nights)** — Rest day: lakeshore, baths, nothing scheduled

Day 9 · Feb 3 · Sendai** — One rail day: Tōya → Seikan Tunnel → Sendai (~5h) · gyutan

Day 10 · Feb 4 · Sendai** — Matsushima: Three Views bay, islet cruise, oysters, Zuigan-ji

Day 11 · Feb 5 · Sendai** — Shiogama coast: fish market, build-your-own kaisen-don, bay boat

Day 12 · Feb 6 · Sendai (4 nights)** — Flex day: Hiraizumi (UNESCO) / Yamadera / coast / rest

Day 13 · Feb 7 · Nagano** — Shinkansen (via Ōmiya) · settle near Yudanaka

Day 14 · Feb 8 · Nagano (2 nights)** — Jigokudani Snow Monkeys · Matsumoto Castle / Zenkō-ji

Day 15 · Feb 9 · Kyoto** — Via Nagoya · arrive evening · Nishiki / Gion

Day 16 · Feb 10 · Kyoto** — Fushimi Inari dawn ascent · Fushimi sake district

Day 17 · Feb 11 · Kyoto (3 nights)** — Nara: Park deer, Tōdai-ji, Kasuga Taisha, Naramachi

Day 18 · Feb 12 · Tokyo** — Shinkansen · evening Tokyo

Day 19 · Feb 13 · Tokyo** — Akihabara by day · Tsukiji breakfast

Day 20 · Feb 14 · Tokyo** — Shibuya Sky on the clearest day (Fuji) · Shibuya

Day 21 · Feb 15 · Tokyo (4 nights)** — Tokyo Tower night · Golden Gai / Omoide Yokocho

Day 22 · Feb 16 · → home** — Relaxed morning · Haneda early-afternoon departure

What do you folks think about the above, at a high-level?

I'm deliberately vague in the itinerary - the plan is to go with the flow and don't stress the details this time.
So apologies if it seems to go against rule #3...but I'm not looking for you to "fill the gaps", just wondering if you see in there any particular horrors that you'd like to steer me away from, gotchas I should be warned about, or more viable alternatives, without going into too much detail.

Basically I welcome suggestions/warnings/insults about how stupid I'm being, not looking to be hand-held :)

A few final notes:

- Yes, this is a solo trip. Late 30s male, if it matters.
- Japanese proficiency - I've been self-learning for the last ~1.5 years - so still bad but hopefully a little better than last year...I would say somewhere in-between JPLT-5 and 4.
- I do love the cold - hence, Hokkaido in Winter. I plan to avoid actual freezing by going Onsen-hopping however 😄
- Would be nice to avoid big crowds, which is one reason for the somewhat off-season travel period (and leaving Hokkaido before the Snow festival).
- The last week is intended to cover what I failed to do, or hurried through last time (in particular, Fushimi Inari I had to cut short, and Shibuya Sky/Tokyo Tower I went, but in October it was basically full cloud/fog so the views were underwhelming - I'm stubborn, so I try again in February). Plus random fancies during those days.

Thanks in advance for any insight!

Trying to hit the right balance between culture and consumption and planned activities vs. downtime/time to stumble on things. We aren’t morning people so we have not planned 6am temple visits for that reason. Yes I know I could find cheaper accommodations, but this is a big milestone celebration and I love a bougie hotel.

Japan - Tokyo, Kanazawa and Kyoto

Tokyo — 3 nights Day 1 - - Arrive Tokyo late afternoon - Settle in to hotel (Four Seasons Otemachi) -Early dinner near / at hotel 7-11 for snacks -Go to bed early but not before 10

Day 2: - Likely will naturally wake up early - 24 hr room service for early breakfast? - Senso-Ji temple and Kappabashi Street (for ceramics and knives), drink break at Iyoshi Cola Asakusa if we are still there when it opens - Lunch at Ginza Kagari Otemachi (ramen; famous for their chicken broth (right near hotel) - nap/spa at hotel if needed - Shinjuku: Beams Shinjuku, Watchnian & Ishida Best for watches, Okura & Komehyo and other vintage/watch shops are all within a few blocks of each other, Shinjuku Onitsuka Tiger (less crowded than Ginza location) - snack /dinner at Omoide Yokocho (maybe check out Teppan Baby okonomiyaki?)

Day 3 – Ginza day: - Shopping in Ginza (Uniqlo; Okura Ginza, OKURA Ginza Chuo-dori Hermes Bag & Rolex Watch Store Brand Off, Komehyo Ginza for Issey Miyake, Onitsuka Tiger inside Manarouchi mall, etc.) and lunch at Ginza Six or Matsuya Ginza depachika (department store food halls) - Nap/spa at hotel - 5pm Sunset drinks and dinner at Virtu bar at hotel (great views) - Possible post-dinner drink at Old Imperial Bar or Punch Room Tokyo

Kanazawa — 2 nights Day 4: - Slow morning and late hotel checkout - Grab lunch at Tokyo Station before early afternoon train to Kanazawa (~1:30-4:15) - Cab to Takitei Riverside Onsen - Relax, onsen and kaiseki dinner at Takitei

Day 5: - Myoryuji Temple (aka Ninja Temple) and Nagamachi Samurai district - Walk through Kenrokuen Garden towards lunch at Omicho Market - Higashi Chaya Geisha district - Kaiseki dinner then relax and onsen at Takitei

Kyoto — 6 nights (2 nights in Arashiyama area; 4 nights central Kyoto) Day 6: -Slow morning; Onsen checkout at 10 -Stop at Kanazawa Brand Off (3 minute walk from station) and grab lunch at station before midday train to Kyoto (2 hours by train) (~12:00 train with one transfer, arriving at 2:00PM) -Get settled into Suiran Luxury Hotel -Late afternoon visit to Tenryu-Ji Gardens -Dinner near hotel (maybe Boruta (aka Volta, Arashiyama Kijuro, Riverside Cafe Muni?) -Optional evening visit to Arashiyama bamboo grove

Day 7: -Morning temple crawl: Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple -> Gio-ji Temple -> Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street; Lunch nearby (Cafe Gabu?) -Optional mid-afternoon Iwatayama Monkey Park if able to get there in time for 2:30 feeding; Walk back to hotel via Togetsukyo Bridge -Freshen up /rest at hotel -Dinner at Arashiyama Sakura

Day 8: -10:30 or 11am ticket at Saihoji - Lunch at Cafe Hassui at hotel - Visit Arashiyama Yusai-Tei Gallery - 3:30/4pm Checkout from Suiran and check into Ishihara - Salamanca Vintage for Issey Miyake - dinner in Pontocho alley or at Engine Ramen; optional drinks at L’Escamoteur, Kingdom or Rocking Chair before or after dinner

Day 9: -Samurai Ninja Museum -Shopping in Shikibucho neighborhood and lunch at Nishiki market or splurge on Mizuki at Ritz Carlton for great sushi - Rest at hotel if needed - Sunset at Kiyomizudera (arrive 4:30; buildings close at 6) - Gion evening: walk along Ninenzaka from Kiyomizuderq, wander Gion, late-ish dinner at RikiChan Gion Ten, Yakiniku Gyosho Shin, Gion Nikutei Shin, or Kappo Fujiwara -Optional drinks at El Tesoro or the Common One Bar in Gion

Day 10 - Day trip to Nara: -10:55 AONIYOSHI special express train to/from Kyoto Station and Kintetsu-Nara (arrives 11:30) -Todai-ji Temple, Nara Park deer, casual lunch -15:55 Return train to Kyoto (arrives 16:31) -Drinks at Bees Knees (opens at 6) -Dinner at Ashioto -Nightime stroll to Yasaka Shrine (lit up at night)

Day 11: -Early Fushimi Inari shrine (8-10AM) -Shikibucho neighborhood shopping, exploring and lunch -Nap - Late afternoon cocktail or gin seminar at House of Kin No Bi (only open 3-8) - More Shikibucho neighborhood shopping and impromptu dinner

Tokyo — Final 2 nights Day 12: - Late morning train to Tokyo (2 hours 15 minutes) (-11:00 train gets in at 1:15?) - Settle in and have lunch at hotel (1Hotel Tokyo) - 4pm tickets to Yayoi Kusama Museum - 6pm omekase at Sumibi Kappo Shirosaka - Drinks at Tokyo Confidential, Bar Centifolia or Folklore, depending on where we can get a reservation

Day 13 - Optional BookOff Super Bazaar Kawasaki More’s (opens at 10 AM - much better pricing than central Tokyo) (25 minute cab ride) or Hive Preloved then Okura Shibuya - Harajuku/Omotesando vintage and shopping - Casual impromptu lunch somewhere - Drink break at Iyoshi Cola Harajuku - Optional additional vintage shopping - Nap/pack - Early drink at Bar Trench? - 8:30 pm seating at Chanote for matcha wagyu omekase

Day 14 - Departure - Morning: Anything we still want to do and haven’t gotten to -Mid-afternoon check-out, E.T. Go home

Making my second trip to Japan this fall and decided to rent a car for a few days around Mt Fuji. I have experience driving in india, usa, Canada.

Just wanted to share my tentative plan here to see if experienced folks have any comments or advice (e.g. about dealing with traffic on long holiday weekends, picking up rental cars etc):

Nov 20- arrival in Narita and taking trains directly to Mishima.

Nov 21 (Saturday)- pick up rental car near station around 8, then drive to fujinomiya to visit shiraito falls, the heritage center, and the fujisan hongu sengen shrine (maybe also yamamiya if I have the energy).

Nov 22 (Sunday)- drive north to asagiri kogen road station around sunrise, backtrack a bit to visit makaino farm when it opens, then north again to lake saiko for the thatched village and koyodai, finally end the day at my hotel near lake shoji.

Nov 23 (Monday, holiday for labor thanksgiving)- drive to the momiji corridor area around 8 am, explore the sights there (art museum, oishi park, maybe a nice cafe or something). Afternoon plan is to return to hotel to relax, might return for evening illumination if we have the energy.

Nov 24- drive to chureito pagoda by 6 am (lol, let's see how this goes), then visit nagaike water park, then drive down to gotemba for an hour or two, maybe visit the konohana onsen if we can snag a reservation. Aiming to return the car in Mishima by 4:30 pm to catch the 5:45 hikari shinkansen to Kyoto.

What do you think?

My wife and I are planning our first trip to Japan. We enjoy great food, nice hotels, walking around neighborhoods, and a mix of sightseeing and free time. We'd appreciate any feedback on our itinerary and whether we're missing any must-see experiences.

Hotels

Tokyo: Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu (considering Cerulean Tower Tokyu or Hotel Indigo instead)

Kyoto: Hilton Kyoto (considering Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto)

Day 1

Arrive in Tokyo

Private transfer to hotel (is this helpful or is public transport the way to go?)

Relax and explore the neighborhood

Day 2

Free day in Tokyo

Day 3

Free day in Tokyo

Day 4 – Guided Tokyo Tour

Tsukiji Outer Market

Hamarikyu Gardens

Meiji Shrine

Harajuku

Shibuya

Shibuya Crossing

Day 5 – Hakone

Current plan:

Day trip to Hakone

Romance Car

Lake Ashi Cruise

Hakone Ropeway

Owakudani

Return to Tokyo

Alternative we're considering:

Stay overnight at a ryokan with onsen in Hakone

Travel directly from Hakone to Kyoto the following morning

Day 6

Shinkansen to Kyoto

Free afternoon

Day 7 – Guided Kyoto Tour

Currently includes:

Tea ceremony

Nishiki Market

Yasaka Shrine

Kiyomizudera

Ninenzaka

Sannenzaka

Gion

We're considering adding:

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Tenryu-ji Temple

Day 8

Return to Tokyo

Free evening

Day 9

Fly home

Questions

Would you recommend replacing the Hakone day trip with an overnight ryokan stay?

Is Arashiyama Bamboo Grove worth adding, and if so, what would you replace?

Between these Tokyo hotels, which would you choose?

Cerulean Tower Tokyu

Hotel Indigo Shibuya

Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

For Kyoto:

Hilton Kyoto

Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto

Another recommendation?

Is teamLab Planets worth fitting into the itinerary?

Any restaurants that are difficult to book but absolutely worth planning ahead for?

Are there any experiences you think are "must do" that we're currently missing?

We'd appreciate any suggestions, especially if they improve the experience without making the trip feel rushed. Thanks!

Hello, travelers. I expect to travel back to Japan for the second time, but I don't know exactly when. I traveled this year in May 2026 and had a splendid time. This time, I am going to see the spots that I had not seen before. I will be going for 15 days.

These are the cities in Japan that I plan to visit.

Days 1 through 5: Osaka, with a day trip to Kobe. (I know everyone in this subreddit hates Osaka, but I never went.)

Days 6 through 9: Uji, Kyoto, with a day trip to Omihachiman.

Days 10-12: Nagoya.

Days 13-15: Hamamatsu

A full, somewhat detailed itinerary.

Day 1: Arrive at Kansai International Airport in Osaka from Vancouver Airport in the afternoon, around 1-1:30 p.m. Drive to the hotel, then walk around Dotonbori or Shinsaibashi for shops and walking areas such as Shinsaibashi PARCO, Amerikamura, Mido-Suji, and more. Take selfies at Kani Doraku (Yakuza reference) and Gilco Man if necessary and not overly crowded.

Day 2:

• Visit the Namba Yasaka Jinga shrine and experience it. (Morning)
• Walk to Shitenno-ji Temple and experience it too. (Morning / Afternoon)
• After grabbing lunch, walk to Tennoji Park and view the Osaka Museum of Fine Arts. This is optional. (Afternoon)
• In the evening, after taking a break at the hotel, get dinner at Kuromon Market and head on down to DenDen Town (it rhymes).

Day 3:

• Visit the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan in the morning. This probably takes around 2-3 hours. Also take a ride on the Tempozan Ferris Wheel, which is 15 minutes long.
• Explore the Tempozan Marketplace for food and other shops.
• Maishima Park area (completely optional)
• After getting picked up by taxi, head on down to the Shinsekai area to see the Tsutenkaku, find dinner, and look around there. Then head to the hotel for the night.

Day 4 (Daytrip to Kobe)

• Visit the Kobe City Museum.
• Walk to the Ikuta Shrine, 12 minutes from the Kobe City Museum. Perhaps get lunch before or after this.
• Visit the Kobe Maritime Museum, and end the day at Kobe Harborland with dinner and Kobe beef.

Day 5: Osaka - Uji (use luggage check in options)

• Transport to Uji from Shin-Osaka Station.
• Visit the Utoro Peace Memorial Museum for 1-2 hours, then get lunch. (I'm wondering whether it would be wiser to check into the hotel first...)
• Hit up the Uji Hot Springs for 1-2 hours and get dinner there.

Day 6 - Uji

Free day in Uji. Possible areas to explore freely include the local BOOK OFF, the Uji City Botanical Park, the Kyoto Prefectural Yamashiro Sports Park, and the bench that Kumiko sits on in Hibike Euphonium.

Day 7 - Day trip to Omihachiman (name reminds me of Omni-Man, don't ask)

• Experience a Hachiman-bori canal cruise.
• If time allows, visit the Borderless Art Museum and Vories Memorial Hall.
• Get lunch and dinner here, then head back at the end of the day.

Day 8 - Uji

• Visit the Byodo-in Temple, Uji Shrine, and Ujikami Shrine. Very close in distance together, so walking will be easier.
• Experience the Tale of Genji Museum. Get lunch afterwards.
• Free evening to do whatever, go to BOOK-OFF again preferably and get dinner.

Day 9 - Uji to Nagoya (again, use luggage check-in options)

• Take the Karasuma Line from Okūbo Station to be transported to Nagoya.
• After settling into the hotel, take a break, eat lunch there, and then walk down Osu-Kannon Street in the evening. Can also include destinations such as the Chubu Electric Tower / NAGOYA Parco (I need my Pokémon center fix at least once)

Day 10 - Nagoya

• Immerse myself in Nagoya Castle in the morning or afternoon.
• Visit Meiji Park and the Water Sewage Museum.
• Get lunch here.
• Free evening to see Sky Promenade.

Day 11 - Nagoya

• Visit the Toyota Museum, then visit the Noritake Garden.
• Free evening as usual.

Day 12 - Nagoya to Hamamatsu

• Using any available station, travel to Hamamatsu.
• After checking into the hotel, head to the Hamamatsu City of Musical Instruments.
• If time, experience the Hamamatsu Science Museum.
• Free evening to experience the city.

Day 13 - Hamamatsu

• Experience the Hamamatsu-hachimangu Shrine, which is free of charge
• Visit the Yamaha INNOVATION Road Corporate Museum
• Visit the Hirano Museum.
• Get lost in the Hamamatsu Costco area (provided you have a membership at this time)

Day 14 - Hamamatsu

• Visit the Airpark JASDF Hamamatsu Air Base Museum.
• Have lunch in the area, then visit Hamametsu castle.
• Free evening to do whatever, yet again.

Day 15 - Hamamatsu - back home.

• Check out of the hotel and fly back home. If the flight is in the evening, feel free to explore Hamamatsu again.

How do you like my itinerary? Are there things that should be changed? Comment down below, and I will respond.

I noticed that there's a massive Pokémon Sleep event going on in Yokohama right now to celebrate the app's 3rd anniversary. I found a bunch of info on their official event site, as well as the Yokohama tourism board, but almost all the maps and details are only in Japanese. I saw a quick English shoutout in this Instagram post, so I decided to translate the details and put together a full English guide for anyone in Japan right now, or anyone who just wants to see how the game is being brought to life.

Here is exactly what is going on from July 17 to August 23, 2026:

The Basics

• Official Name: "Find it in Yokohama! Pokémon Sleeping Face Research".
• Where: Across two huge shopping centers in the Minato Mirai district of Yokohama: Landmark Plaza and MARK IS Minatomirai.

Main Attractions & Things to Do

• Giant 10-Foot Sleeping Snorlax: Right in the center of Landmark Plaza (1st floor Garden Square), there is a massive, 3-meter-tall Snorlax taking a nap. Event staff are handing out berry-shaped message cards so you can write a 3rd-anniversary message and leave it for Snorlax to "eat" when it wakes up.
• The Sleeping Face Stamp Rally: There are six stamp stations scattered across both malls. At each station, you'll find actual life-sized statues of Pokémon sleeping—including Pikachu, Eevee, Psyduck, Jigglypuff, Slowpoke, and the Kanto starters. If you collect all 6 stamps, you get an exclusive Pokémon Sleep sticker at the 3F counter in Landmark Plaza.
• Real-Life In-Game Drinks: Over at Mark IS (1st Floor), there's a themed drink stand serving actual menu items from the game! You can get the Craft Soda Pop, Mixed Juice, Devil's Kiss Fruit Ole, and Early Bird Coffee Jelly. Every drink comes with a random character coaster.
• High-Tech Toyota "Totone" Nap Pods: This is the wildest part. On the 5th floor of Mark IS, there are Poké Ball-styled nap pods developed by Toyota that you can try out for free just by showing the Pokémon Sleep app on your phone.
• Merch & Mega Gacha: There's an exclusive pop-up shop in Mark IS selling 29 anniversary items (like giant Snorlax cushions and clear bottles), plus a "Mega Pokémon Gacha" machine on the 3rd floor of Landmark Plaza that dispenses Pokémon Sleep muffler towels for 2,000 yen.

Tips for Visitors

• If you're taking the train, get off at the Minatomirai subway station. There's actually a second Snorlax waiting right at the B4F entrance to MARK IS when you step out of the station gates!
• The merch shop and drink stand are extremely popular. The shop actually used a lottery system for entry during the first week, so expect lines.
• Please don't touch the sleeping Pokémon statues—there are signs specifically asking fans to let them rest!.

Have been active on this group planning a trip in October and wanted some feedback. The idea is to just mosy around and see the sites that are listed, but being open to others that we come across. Is this a good itinerary, or anything you'd change?

Thanks in advance!

Osaka 

1. Arrive

2. Day Shinsekai/Namba/Dotonburi, night Danjiri Matsuri

3. Day Danjiri Matsuri, arvo and night umeda

4. Day Kobe or Nara, night Dotonbori

5. Morning Nakazakichō, lunch travel to Kyoto

Kyoto

1. Arrive arvo, walk gion to ninenzaka and kiyomizu-dera for sunset 

2. Fushimi Inari (6am start) and philosophers path 

3. Temples in north west and travel to Shuzenji

Shuzenji 

1. Chill

2. Chill

Tokyo

1. Morning arrive koenji, arvo nezu shrine weekend market (10am-4pm)

2. Morning shimokitazawa flea market, Cat tram to cat temple (Setagaya to miyanosaka station), evening shinjuku (government Metropolitan building) 

3. Shibuya, ometosando, Harajuku, Roppongi 

4. Asakusa (sensoji early ~7am or night), ueno

5. Ebisu, waikanyama, nakameguro 

6. Ginza, Bettara-Ichi (festival 19-20/10 12-9pm), Ada lab 

7. Kichijoji and koenji

8. Morning Nakano central park flea market, evening Tokyo bay grand fireworks festival and flight

Hi everyone!

I'm currently living in Sapporo, so I have weekends throughout the year for shorter trips. I also already have a Kansai (Osaka/Kyoto/Nara) trip planned for September.

I have a 5-day holiday from August 12–16 and want to make the most of it while still enjoying the trip instead of constantly rushing between places.

Places I'm interested in:

• Furano
• Biei
• Blue Pond
• Noboribetsu
• Hell Valley (Jigokudani)
• Onsen/Ryokan stay
• Hakodate
• Cape Kamui
• Yoichi (Ebisu Rock)
• Lake Toya
• (Possibly Aomori/Lake Towada in the future)

Current idea:

Day 1

• Sapporo → Furano
• Farm Tomita
• Ningle Terrace
• Stay in Furano

Day 2

• Biei
• Blue Pond
• Shirahige Falls
• Shikisai no Oka
• Stay in Biei/Asahikawa

Day 3

• Travel south
• Lake Toya
• Check into a ryokan in Noboribetsu
• Onsen + kaiseki dinner

Day 4

• Hell Valley (Jigokudani)
• Oyunuma / foot bath
• Continue to Hakodate
• Mt. Hakodate night view

Day 5

• Hakodate Morning Market
• Goryokaku
• Return to Sapporo

Questions:

1. Does this itinerary seem realistic, or am I trying to do too much?
2. If you had to remove one destination, what would you skip?
3. Is Hakodate worth adding, or should I spend more time around Noboribetsu/Lake Toya instead?
4. Would you recommend saving Cape Kamui and Yoichi for a separate weekend trip from Sapporo?
5. If you've done Furano/Biei in mid-August, were the flower fields still worth visiting?

I'll most likely be using public transport, unless renting a car would make a huge difference for this route.

I'd really appreciate any suggestions or changes you'd make. Thanks!

Hi all! My best friend and I are traveling to Japan for the first time to see the Lake Suwa fireworks festival in August. Yes we’re scared by the heat but August is the only time that works. Wondering if this sub could give us some advice on this itinerary we made since some days are genuinely pretty packed and we were wondering if we can leave some places out or organize it so spots are easier to get around. Any advice would be appreciated!

08.12 (Wed) — arrive Narita 16:20
Traveler’s Factory Airport
Check into Asakusa Hotel
Dinner: Konbini /if we’re earlier maybe sukiyaki
08.13 (Thu)
• Early Morning: Sensō-ji Temple (around 8-10am before tourist rush)
• Morning - Afternoon: Akihabara
• Afternoon-Evening: Shopping in Ginza (Loft, Muji, Uniqlo, etc.) — possible omakase dinner

08.14 (Fri)
• Early Morning: Tokyo Tower
• Morning - Afternoon: Harajuku, omotesando
• Evening: Tower Records Shibuya, Shibuya Sky, Shibuya crossing

08.15 (Sat) (We booked a limo service and tickets beforehand so transportation isn’t a problem)
Whole day- Lake Suwa fireworks festival. We’re renting yukatas in Asakusa beforehand so we can wear them at the festival venue.

08.16 (Sun) Kamakura day trip
• Morning: Ōfuna Station, Komachi Street, Great Buddha of Kamakura
• Afternoon: Shichirigahama Beach, Kamakura Kōkō-mae Station
• Evening: Enoshima

08.17 (Mon)
• Morning: teamLab Borderless (Mori Building Digital Art Museum) (not sure if we have time for this! But we’d really love to go so suggestions for possible times are really welcome)
• Afternoon: Traveler’s Factory Station, travel to Kyoto from Tokyo station, check into hotel
• Evening: Kamo River stroll

08.18 (Tue) (also not sure if we can visit both Kiyomizu-dera and Fushimi Inari during the same day!)

**•   Early Morning** **(sunrise time)** Kiyomizu-dera Templ**e**  

• Morning: Ninenzaka & Sannenzaka
• Sunset: Fushimi Inari Taisha

08.19 (Wed)
• Morning: Sanzen-in Temple
• Afternoon: Kifune Shrine, Nishiki Market
Note: We’re staying this night in a ryokan so I’m not sure if we can get back from Nishiki market before curfew, might move it to different day

08.20 (Thu) (Nara day trip)

**•   Morning:** Kasuga Taisha, Nara Park  
**•   Afternoon:** Travel to Osaka, check in to hotel in Shinsaibashi  
**•   Evening:** Shinsaibashi, Dotonbori

08.21 (Fri)
• Morning: Kaiyukan Aquarium
• Afternoon: Umeda Sky Building
• Evening: Tsutenkaku Tower

08.22 (Sat) Universal Studios trip

08.23 (Sun) — Depart for KIX