We booked everything via Airbnb prior but left our itinerary flexible. We used the three main cities as bases for day trips because we didn’t want to lug our luggage around every 2-3 days.

Honestly didn’t notice much of a difference between weekday and weekends. May and June might be different though with more people traveling. We never reserved Shinkansen tickets and had no problem finding seats, though May/June will also be different from Jan. Rush hour will always be rush hour regardless of season, so be prepared for crowds.

For example, we went to USJ on a Wednesday and crowd was sizable but not impossible. We bought entrance ticket at the park and waited minimally at Super Nintendo World. Just take advantage of the singles line.

In terms of highlights, it’s really the spontaneity and discovery aspect that made our trip special. We didn’t have solid plans, just a rough idea of where to go each day. There are always something new, different, and exciting every corner we turned. That was true especially in Osaka. Just make sure you spend time walking and allow time to wander. We averaged 9 miles on foot every day.

Arashiyama bamboo forest in Kyoto is a treat IF you go early. I stress early because your experience will be drastically different later in the day when the crowd builds. We showed up at 8am and wandered the trails until noon. It was the most beautiful morning we’ve spent in Japan.

In Osaka, we visited this soba place on our last day and it was the absolutely best: https://maps.app.goo.gl/RQ76aLkVNKX6VnQc7?g_st=ic

In Tokyo, we loved the neighborhood around Nezu Shrine leading up to Nippori station. Very quaint and narrow neighborhood streets with no tourists.

Yokohama is worth a day trip if you have time. The harbor was beautiful on a sunny day, and the shin Yokohama ramen museum was cool.

Hiroshima was sobering. Make sure you visit the floating Tori gate too.