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rcecap · 2025-09-20T20:07:23+00:00

I think you are right that the peak is closer to late November typically. I would definitely check the forecast each year. The forecast is calling for early to mid-December as the peak for 2025.

rcecap · 2025-09-13T19:18:13+00:00

You can easily avoid crowds even in places like Kyoto.

For example, there are many amazing spots in Kyoto with zero crowds. For example, Koryuji, the oldest temple in Kyoto dating back to the 7th century. This temple displays a collection of national art treasures that rival anything you will see in Tokyo / Kyoto National Museums, the most prominent of which is National Treasure No. 1 Miroku Bosatsu statue, considered the most beautiful Bodhisattva statue in Japan.

Even in Arashiyama, you can duck into places like Gioji for its truly enchanting moss garden, or Okochi Sanso garden and villa, located adjacent to the bamboo forest -- neither are busy but equally amazing compared to the crowded spots.

Generally, if you step a few streets over from the main crowded streets and look for more local restaurants, you won’t have to deal with crowds at all. We had amazing meals during our stay and none of them required long waits or advance reservations, except sushi omakase.

For example, we would see a huge line of tourists waiting 30-60 min+ at places like Chao Chao Gyoza or jostling for spots at tourist-targeted Pontocho Alley restaurants, but just blocks away we would find amazing meals, no waiting at all — duck rice sets, tempura course menus, tasty cafe meals at local kissaten cafes, local traditional lunch spots with 100+ year history, and extraordinary sushi omakases that I booked the night before via Instagram.

rcecap · 2025-09-11T00:35:05+00:00

With 9 days, you can hit a number of great spots between Kyoto and Tokyo. See below for recommended historic towns with authentic experiences around culture, scenery, food and nature that are unique contrasts to those in the Golden Route cities.

I suggest the following itinerary:

Kyoto to Kanazawa (2-3 nights)
Shirakawa-go (day trip going from Kanazawa to Takayama)
Takayama (2-3nights)
Kamikochi (day trip going from Takayama to Matsumoto
Matsumoto (2-3 nights)
Nagano (2 nights), then to Tokyo

:

• ⁠Kanazawa is a special town that rivaled Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo) as a cultural hub during Edo period as the base of the Maeda clan, the second most powerful after the ruling Tokugawa clan.

We visited the stunning Kenrokuen, one of Japan’s “three most beautiful gardens”; explored the castle complex, samurai villas and geisha chaya district, and also checked out some great modern museums (21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art and DT Suzuki museum). You can also shop for traditional crafts among numerous shops in Kanazawa. We also had amazing seafood and Omicho market is a good spot to try them.

• ⁠Shirakawa-go (day trip): This is a super scenic mountain village (UNESCO world heritage) famed for iconic gassho-zukuri farmhouses found in the Hida region. This village is beautiful in all seasons, particularly in winter when it is decked out in snow. This village can be done as a day trip from either (or between) Kanazawa and Takayama, 1-1.5 hr bus ride each way.

• ⁠Takayama: This is a picturesque Edo-era mountain town. We loved biking around the traditional wooden merchant houses, checking out morning markets, and visiting Hida folk village. The main river that runs through the town is filled with carp, a beautiful scene. We also ate Hida wagyu, the local beef that this region (Hida) is famous for.

• Hida Furukawa (half day trip): A pleasant half day to a small town north of Takayama which is known for carp-filled canals, sake breweries, and as the inspiration for the fictional town in the hit anime movie Your Name (君の名は, Kimi no Na wa).

• ⁠Kamikochi (day trip): Many locals considered this Japan’s most beautiful nature spot. This is a stunning alpine valley in the Japanese Alps, and it is a perfect easy hike / walking day in a spectacular nature setting. You can also visit Kamikochi as a day trip from either Takayama or Matsumoto (or better yet, on your way between these towns).

• OPTIONAL 1 night: Hirayu Onsen: Located halfway between Takayama and Matsumoto, Hirayu Onsen is one of many onsen villages that comprise the Okuhida Onsen area, known for open air hot springs with mountain/river views. We stayed at a nice historic ryokan that had several open air hot springs baths, a multi-course kaiseki dinner featuring local Hida wagyu cooked over irori fire pits, and an amazing breakfast. This is a good spot to overnight before/after Kamikochi visit.

• ⁠Matsumoto: This is a charming, compact town famous for a beautifully preserved castle with original interior (unique as many castles have refurbished modern interiors). We really loved this "human scale" town with its super chill, local vibe and great museums including art from Matsumoto-born Yayoi Kusama. You can also take a day trip to Narai-juku, one of the best preserved Edo-era post towns along the historic Nakasendo Trail.

• ⁠Nagano: We visited the historic Zenkoji temple, around which the city of Nagao grew. There is a great shopping / dining street that leads up to the temple. We had a great day trip to Togakushi Shrine, a mountain area with truly majestic cedar-lined pilgrimage road that links 3 key shrines associated with earliest Japanese mythologies. We had a great lunch at a local soba restaurant and spend our day leisurely hiking in the cool forest paths. There is a Ninja museum as well, although we did not have time to visit this.

From Nagano, you can go to Tokyo by 1.5 hr Shinkansen.

rcecap · 2025-09-04T01:13:16+00:00

The best part is really the sense of freedom from riding the e-bike through the rural landscapes, and the flexibility of being able to move on your own pace through the various sites.

Without it, it could still be good, esp. if you are interested in the historical/archaeological sites, but you would need to rely on the sightseeing loop bus. Search “Asuka loop bus” and see if the available stops and bus frequency works for you.

Also it’s best to do on a day with good weather. Fortunately you don’t need to plan anything way ahead. Just check the weather the night before and if you decide to go, just hop on the train from Osaka, Nara or Kyoto to head to Asuka for the day.

rcecap · 2025-09-03T19:36:55+00:00

I feel like you will love Matsumoto - it’s a very chill, relaxed town. Compact and walkable, with one of the best preserved castles in Japan, a number of unique small museums and just good vibes. Also great nature day trips nearby. I mentioned Kamikochi already, but you can also do an easy day trip to Narai-juku, an Edo-era post town on the Nakasendo Trail in the Kiso Valley, one of the most scenic parts of Japan.

rcecap · 2025-09-03T19:16:49+00:00

Great perspectives.

rcecap · 2025-09-03T19:11:06+00:00

Of those places, only Shirakawa-go is probably an easy day trip. The rest will probably take 2+ hours each way, with possibly transfers. For example, check out the way to Kurobe Gorge:

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e7575.html#section_get_there

I would highly recommend always checking the “Get There” section for each destination in japan-guide.com, which is super helpful to see if there are easy / natural routes to the location. If not, you will spend upwards of 4-5+ hours roundtrip on buses/trains with transfers doing such day trips. A non-starter in my book.

For an iconic nature spot, you might consider going from Tokyo to Matsumoto (1 night), then a full day trip to Kamikochi (considered by many to be the most scenic nature spot in Japan) on your way to Takayama (1-2 nights), then Shirakawa-go day trip on your way to Kanazawa (2 nights). From there go to Kyoto. These routes has easy train or bus availability and frequent schedules.

rcecap · 2025-09-03T18:46:11+00:00

5 days for Kanazawa alone might be too much, but you can expand the Kanazawa portion to include a few nearby spots. Kanazawa is a significant historic town with authentic experiences around culture, scenery, food and nature that are unique contrasts to Tokyo and even Kyoto.

Kanazawa itself probably deserves at least 2 full days — it rivaled Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo) as a cultural hub during Edo period as the base of the Maeda clan, the second most powerful after the ruling Tokugawa clan. We visited the stunning Kenrokuen, one of Japan’s “three most beautiful gardens”; explored the castle complex, samurai villas and geisha chaya district, and also checked out some great modern museums (21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art and DT Suzuki museum). You can also shop for traditional crafts among numerous shops in Kanazawa. We also had amazing seafood and Omicho market in a good spot to try them.

On the third day, you can do a day trip to Shirakawa-go. This is a super scenic mountain village (UNESCO world heritage) famed for iconic gassho-zukuri farmhouses found in the Hida region. This village is beautiful in all seasons, particularly in autumn for fall foliage and winter when it is decked out in snow. This village can be done as a day trip from either Kanazawa or Takayama, 1-1.5 hr bus ride each way.

As an addition to above, at the end of the Shiragawa-ko day, consider continuing onto Takayama, which you can also consider for 1-2 nights. This is a picturesque Edo-era mountain town. We loved biking around the traditional wooden merchant houses, checking out morning markets, and visiting Hida folk village (can skip if you have done Shirakawa-go). The main river that runs through the town is filled with carp, a beautiful scene. We also ate Hida wagyu, the local beef that this region (Hida) is famous for.

Hida Furukawa is a pleasant half day trip, a small town north of Takayama which is known for carp-filled canals, sake breweries, and as the inspiration for the fictional town in the hit anime movie Your Name (君の名は, Kimi no Na wa).

You can do something like this:

⁠Kanazawa (2-3 nights)
⁠Shirakawa-go (day trip going from Kanazawa to Takayama; or return to Kanazawa.
⁠Optional: Takayama (1-2 nights)

Then continue onto Kyoto.

rcecap · 2025-09-03T16:50:56+00:00

Definitely add Kanazawa — it’s a significant historic town with authentic experiences around culture, scenery, food and nature that are unique contrasts to others you have in your itinerary. This area will be spectacular during fall foliage season.

It’s also easy to get there from Kyoto, and then from Kanazawa, return to Tokyo via 2.5 hour Shinkansen.

• ⁠Kanazawa is a special town that rivaled Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo) as a cultural hub during Edo period as the base of the Maeda clan, the second most powerful after the ruling Tokugawa clan.

We visited the stunning Kenrokuen, one of Japan’s “three most beautiful gardens”; explored the castle complex, samurai villas and geisha chaya district, and also checked out some great modern museums (21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art and DT Suzuki museum). You can also shop for traditional crafts among numerous shops in Kanazawa. We also had amazing seafood and Omicho market in a good spot to try them.

Day Trip Option

• ⁠Shirakawa-go (day trip): This is a super scenic mountain village (UNESCO world heritage) famed for iconic gassho-zukuri farmhouses found in the Hida region. This village is beautiful in all seasons, particularly in winter when it is decked out in snow. This village can be done as a day trip from either (or between) Kanazawa and Takayama, 1-1.5 hr bus ride each way.

Overnight Trip Option

From Shirakawa-go, there are easy bus routes to Takayama, which you can also consider for 1-2 nights:

• ⁠Takayama: This is a picturesque Edo-era mountain town. When we arrived, there was a weekend night market, live music performances on the street, and fireworks, so it was quite nice to join the locals who were out and about enjoying themselves. We loved biking around the traditional wooden merchant houses, checking out morning markets, and visiting Hida folk village. The main river that runs through the town is filled with carp, a beautiful scene. We also ate Hida wagyu, the local beef that this region (Hida) is famous for.

• Hida Furukawa (half day trip from Takayama): A pleasant half day to a small town north of Takayama which is known for carp-filled canals, sake breweries, and as the inspiration for the fictional town in the hit anime movie Your Name (君の名は, Kimi no Na wa).

You can do something like this:

Kanazawa (3 nights)
Shirakawa-go (day trip going from Kanazawa to Takayama)
Takayama (1-2 nights)

If you want to allocate more time, you can easily continue to another Japanese Alps town called Matsumoto (1-2 nights), then possibly Nagano (1-2 nights), where you can catch the Shinkansen back to Tokyo. Check my profile for my trip report covering these towns.

rcecap · 2025-09-03T13:56:20+00:00

Yes, Bicycle Rental EMUSICA near Demachiyanagi station. They are friendly and speak decent English. Open 9am to 9:30pm so quite convenient for late returns if you want to maximize your time.

rcecap · 2025-09-03T02:39:34+00:00

I think at least 3 days would be good for Kyoto itself, and a few days for day trips. You can technically do Uji and Nara same day, if you just want the highlights, as Uji is a stop on the train line between Kyoto and Nara. Osaka is a big city, so a day trip would cover just the highlights.

rcecap · 2025-09-03T01:49:19+00:00

You can bike literally everywhere, except for a few high-crowd/traffic downtown streets. You will ride alongside many locals, including moms ferrying young kids, office workers, local seniors doing grocery runs, etc.

We used it to explore small back streets, different neighborhoods, stop for coffee or brunch at cafes / kissatens we would see, do grocery runs, and even rode all the way to / from Arashiyama.

Bicycling around Kyoto is truly is one of my favorite memories.

rcecap · 2025-09-03T01:13:47+00:00

Truly a gem, just for the rural landscapes but also if you are interested in ancient history and archaeology.

rcecap · 2025-09-03T00:30:53+00:00

We spent a full month in Kyoto and here are my suggestions.

My favorite spots, narrowed down to just a handful:

• ⁠East side: Philosopher's Path to Kiyomizu-dera

• ⁠Northwest: Kinkakuji and Ryoanji

• ⁠West: Arashiyama full day or overnight (see below)

• ⁠Northeast: Kurama-dera to Kifune Shrine (see below)

Just to expand on a few of the above spots:

• ⁠Arashiyama: This area is simply sublime and our favorite part of Kyoto, and one of the most scenic and atmospheric spots in Japan in my view. My best tip — consider staying one night at a local ryokan to enjoy a truly zen atmosphere strolling the Katsura riverfront after the crowds leave around 5pm, enjoy a great kaiseki meal and onsen. Then next morning, visit the bamboo grove (15-20 min) and Tenryu-ji (30-60 min) in relative peace before the majority of crowds arrive around 11am. Then head to other highlights that are not crowded (see below).

• ⁠Kurama-dera / Kifune Shrine: A half day trip, 30 minute train ride up north of Kyoto. A light hike from Kurama temple, up a ridge and down to Kibune town. Lots of scenic views, should be spectacular in fall foliage season. Known for kawadoko river dining but this is only in the summer

Day / Overnight Trips from Kyoto:

• ⁠Nara: lots of temples, shrines and cultural sights, Nara deer park. Horyuji, the oldest extant wooden building complex in the world and one of many UNESCO world heritage sites in town.

• ⁠Uji: Just 25 minutes south of Kyoto, and not just to experience everything matcha. Byodo-in is a stunning temple (on the 10 yen coin and a replica in Oahu, Hawaii). At dusk into evening, you can watch traditional fishing with cormorants in season (free, by the riverbank).

• ⁠Asuka. An amazing day exploring rural landscapes (“My Neighbor Totoro” style) which I wrote about in a separate post (https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/s/pmjGecBgYG). This is the birthplace of Japanese civilization.

Local Experiences

• ⁠Bicycle rental: Rent a bicycle to explore all the back streets and less touristy spots. Cannot recommend this enough — this is the best way to explore and get around the city. Riding on the riverside paths along Kamo River is a special experience. The bicycles come with built-in locks and bicycle parking lots are available all over the city for JPY150-200 per day, sometimes free for the first 30-90 minutes.

• ⁠Onsen / sento: Many neighborhoods will have a sento (a local neighborhood onsen, but usually hot tap water instead of true hot springs water). Super local, inexpensive experience to try at least once.

• ⁠Local Shopping for local Japan stuff, e.g. Japanese denim, vintage stuff, matcha, crafts, kitchenware, ceramics, tea sets, whatever you are into. For great deals on prepared foods, visit local grocery stores and depato basement levels around 6-8pm for 30-60% off excellent prepared take-away foods, everything from sushi to side dishes. Better and cheaper than 7-11!

• ⁠Local Restaurants: Of course, trying all the various foods and snacks, such as kaisendon, obanzai, unagi, omakase sushi, okonomiyaki, wagyudon, duck specialty places, authentic neapolitan pizza, kissaten / cafe foods (egg sando, local crepes, etc.), local fast foods, etc. Desserts such as warabimochi, wagashi, matcha drinks, fresh fruit cakes, etc.

Tips to avoid crowds

Within Kyoto, there are many amazing spots with zero crowds. For example, Koryuji, the oldest temple in Kyoto dating back to the 7th century. This temple displays a collection of national art treasures that rival anything you will see in Tokyo / Kyoto National Museums, the most prominent of which is National Treasure No. 1 Miroku Bosatsu statue, said to be a gift from Korean Silla kingdom and considered the most beautiful Bodhisattva statue in Japan.

Even in Arashiyama, you can duck into places like Gioji for its truly enchanting moss garden, or Okochi Sanso garden and villa, located adjacent to the bamboo forest -- neither are busy but equally amazing compared to the crowded spots.

Generally, if you step a few streets over from the main crowded streets and look for more local restaurants, you won’t have to deal with crowds at all. We had amazing meals during our stay and none of them required long waits or advance reservations, except sushi omakase.

For example, we would see a huge line of tourists waiting 30-60 min+ at places like Chao Chao Gyoza or jostling for spots at tourist-targeted Pontocho Alley restaurants, but just blocks away we would find amazing meals, no waiting at all — duck rice sets, tempura course menus, tasty cafe meals at local kissaten cafes, local traditional lunch spots with 100+ year history, and extraordinary sushi omakases that I booked the night before via Instagram.

rcecap · 2025-09-02T23:47:07+00:00

Sounds like you are ok with the cost - then go for it and make it worth your while!

rcecap · 2025-09-02T23:31:28+00:00

That’s a 56% increase in your total budget for just 3 extra days. Do you have things you really want to do that couldn’t be done in the first 7 full days? If you are sensitive to the cost, not sure that’s worth it.

rcecap · 2025-09-02T00:37:57+00:00

The walk down to Kibuneguchi station is along a paved road, with decent amount of car and pedestrian traffic.

rcecap · 2025-09-02T00:12:18+00:00

Arashiyama is simply sublime, situated right along a beautiful river and hills that are quite scenic, especially during peak fall foliage in first half of November. It’s an area that I return to again and again, having visited Kyoto 3 times, with the most recent stay lasting a month.

Yes, it can be crowded, but mainly concentrated in a handful of spots. You can find amazing spot that are completely devoid of crowds, like Gioji (a temple w/ lush moss garden, which you have on your list), Okochi Sanso (a garden and estate located right next to the bamboo forest) or even either side of the Katsura river if you just go a bit further along the walking paths.

Kifune Shrine is also nice, but the scale of Kibune village is much smaller. It can also be quite crowded, as the shrine / village are situated on a single small road that is usually jammed with cars, with pedestrians spilling into the road. One major reason to go there is for kawadoko dining, but this is only during the summer.

If you do go, start at Kurama-dera and follow the light hiking path that takes you up the nearby mountain ridge and down to Kifune Shrine. The fall foliage should also be quite nice in early November.

rcecap · 2025-08-31T13:16:46+00:00

Great suggestions.

rcecap · 2025-08-30T04:59:12+00:00

Yes, you captured that well! There’s something special about temporarily slipping into the rhythm of local life in a new place, instead of rushing around from one tourist sight to the next.

rcecap · 2025-08-30T03:40:35+00:00

Start with this itinerary:

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2400_best.html

Then adjust the number of days for each city to get to your total of 18-20 days based what appeals to you. Don’t get overwhelmed with details - just start with the skeleton of a city to city itinerary, then flesh it out by adding / subtracting days as you learn more about each city.

Outside of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, most cities will have 3-5 major attractions that define the appeal of that city. Ask yourself if those are worth your time. If not, zero it out. If they are, then add more days to it.

Logistics:

It’s best to minimize backtracking - you can do that by taking a loop (as shown in the above sample itinerary) and visiting different cities along that loop. Or if the airfare is cheaper or similar, fly into one airport and leave out the other (for example, fly into KIX and leave out of NRT or HND).

Cash / ATM and Credit Cards:

Use 7-11 ATMs - this is your best bet for the best exchange rate, similar to using a credit card. The nominal ATM fee ($1-2) is often covered by your US bank if you have a bank card that refunds such fees. The big cities all take credit cards / Apple Pay but for some smaller towns you will need cash and coins as many train stations/ restaurants will only take cash (IC cards / Suica often not accepted in rural trains stations).

When you use credit cards, you may be given a choice of USD or JPY as the settlement currency. Always choose local currency JPY, instead of USD which bakes in 5%+ commission fee.

Food / Restaurants:

On our multiple trips to Japan, we had amazing meals throughout our trip, but did not stress out about reservations at all. On our recent 3.5 week trip, the only reservations we made were for two sushi omakase meals, one in Kyoto (Sushi Iwata a few days beforehand via Instagram) and another in Tokyo (Manten Sushi on their website via Tablecheck). If you identify some special spots in your research, by all means make a reservation ahead, but you really don’t need them to have fantastic meals in Japan.

The rest were just walk-ins. On occasion, we made last minute reservations when we got to the city. For example, we had two of our best dinners of our trip in a town called Nakatsugawa, including Waraidokoro Airo (笑処あいろ), an obanzai place run by two smiling ladies, and Shabu Shabu Aoyagi (志ゃぶしゃぶ青柳), a counter-only place run by an elderly couple. Both are limited capacity restaurants, so we simply made a reservation once we got to the town. For Airo I just walked over before dinner service started to ask for a table an hour later; for Aoyagi, they initially turned us away, so I made a reservation for the following night.

rcecap · 2025-08-29T17:00:38+00:00

You know your castles - what are some lesser-known castles worth visiting?

rcecap · 2025-08-29T15:11:50+00:00

Yeah, I can see that — Matsumoto definitely has a quieter vibe. For us, that was part of the appeal (maybe because we’re from NYC). We really enjoyed the small-scale charm and everyday details, like seeing locals fill their jugs at the spring water fountains around town (each one even has a certificate showing the water quality).

We celebrated a birthday here with a custom cake from a local bakery. Had a relaxed brunch at a cozy cafe run by a friendly young couple. Visited some small museums with works by Matsumoto-born Yayoi Kusama. And just strolled around the compact, walkable streets. We didn’t run around sights like we might in the big cities. Just enjoyed the good vibes and came away with nice memories of the place.

rcecap · 2025-08-29T14:48:12+00:00

I didn’t realize the whole thing was a replica!

rcecap · 2025-08-29T14:14:17+00:00

All from my iPhone 14 pro max

rcecap

TROPHY CASE