10-day Japan itinerary check

Your itinerary is quite fast, but it is doable. You know best what you like and what you are looking for, so if you are happy with that plan, I would go for it. With 11 days, I wouldn't include more destinations.

If possible, I would travel to Kyoto (by Shinkansen) on day 4, so that you have 3 full days in Kyoto, there is so much to do and see there, especially if you like temples, shrines, gardens and walking around and discovering interesting neighborhoods. I dont think that a JR Pass will pay off, but do compare individual fares on www.hyperdia.com with the JR Pass to make sure. If your budget allows for it, do splurge for 1-3 nights and overnight in a Ryokan. Go for one with an onsen, and with half-board included. This is a great and very unique experience in my opinion.

Personally, I would stay on Miyajima and visit Hiroshima on a day trip from there (as opposed to staying in Hiroshima and visiting Miyajima on a day trip from there). The island gets a lot of day visitors, and before they arrive and after they leave, its just so much more relaxed and very peaceful (and there is more to it than the famous Tori in the sea). Miyajima is a great place to stay in a Ryokan, especially if you like sea food. And staying there will give you another experience than staying in big cities like Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima.

I haven't been to Hakone, so can comment on that. Personally, I would probably include a day more in Tokyo (its such a fascinating city and there is so much to do and experience there) and cut of Hakone, but that's me and my interests. If you decide to go there, this is another place to consider staying in a Ryokan.

The order of the trip totally makes sense.

Pretty fast, particularly considering that you will run a marathon as well.

Generally it is best to travel between cities in the late afternoon/early evening (because sunsets are early and sights also tend to close early in Japan).

Personally I'd move one of the HIroshima/Miyajima days to either Tokyo or Kyoto, which do deserve more time IMO. Currently you have basically the same amount of time for Hiroshima/Miyajima as for Tokyo and Kyoto.

If you don't mind getting up early you could visit Hiroshima/Miyajima as day trip from Kyoto, but perhaps a bit more relaxed would be if on day 0 you travel to Hiroshima in the evening, sleep there, do the sightseeing on day 1 and return to Kyoto in the evening of day 1.

I agree it is fast, but not unworkable.

I agree with bamse, you could cut down on Hiroshima/Miyajima. Miyajima is worth spending the night and exploring a bit, but you need not spend that much time. Hiroshima is incredibly powerful, but can easily be completed in a couple hours. The peace park and abomb museum are not larger at all.

I would cut down on the long disntace travel by putting Hiroshima/Miyajima in the middle of your Kyoto stint. Travel to Miyajima in the later afternoon, stay the night. Get up early and explore the island. Head to Hiroshima for lunch(Okonomiyaki), see the peace park and abomb musuem, and then head to Kyoto as dark falls. If you like you can try and squeeze Himeji castle in along the way to or from. Then head from Kyoto to Tokyo in the evening of another day. Either way that saves you 3/4 of a day in Kyoto.

Hi nathalie2, bamse, rpbourne,

thank you for your feedback! So the schedule below seems to make sense if I understand your comments correctly? :)

1. Feb 22: Arrive in the evening in Tokyo
2. Feb 23: Tokyo
3. Feb 24: Tokyo
4. Feb 25: AM Tokyo marathon / PM train to Kyoto
5. Feb 26: Kyoto
6. Feb 27: Kyoto - Nara (day trip)
7. Feb 28: AM Kyoto / PM train to Miyajima
8. Mar 01: AM Miyajima / PM Hiroshima + evening train to Kyoto
9. Mar 02: AM Kyoto / PM train to Hakone
10. Mar 03: AM Hakone / PM depart at Tokyo Haneda at 23h50.

We would cover days 4-10 with a 7-day Railway Pass.

Thanks!

Yes, this itinerary does make sense.
And it does indeed pay off to get a 7 day JR Pass.

As I said before, it is really rushed. And when you are there, maybe decide to skip the day trip to Nara, to have another day in Kyoto.

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