Itinerary check - 14 days in Japan

Hi there,

Nice trip! I think the planning looks good and you've spread your travel around nicely. For instance by visiting Hiroshima in between Osaka and Kyoto. One thing you could optimize here is to visit Himeji on the route from Hiroshima to Osaka, it is a stop directly on the route and you would not have to make the day trip there later. Himeji is perfect to walk around in for a couple of hours before traveling on.

You could then visit a different place on the 21st instead, such as a day trip to Kobe (try some Kobe beef and drink some of the local Sake!). Another option would be to include a visit to an Onsen and experience Japanese bathing culture. Think of a visit to Kinosaki Onsen (north of Kyoto) or Arima Onsen, near Kobe.

All the places you will go to have good train connection and you won't have to worry about getting stuck anywhere.

Hope this helps,
Daniel

Hi,
A few impressions:
For your time in Tokyo, you can use your pass on the Yamanote Line, which goes to many popular areas. If you want to use a subway, you might consider a 2 or 3 day subway pass. IC cards are convenient, but there are no savings from them.

For Apr. 16, please be aware that the pass can only get you partway there. Take the bullet train from Tokyo and get off at Odawara Stn., then to save money, buy a Hakone Free Pass. After seeing the area, return but go to Mishima Stn., then catch the next bullet train to Kyoto. The Hakone Loop Course is a common way to see the area.

For Kyoto, try to time your visits to places to be more effective. The Fushimi Inari Shrine is open 24/7, so fitting it in early in the morning or evening allows you to add other places in between, and you can avoid a lot of the crowds at either time. The Honganji Temples open at the crack of dawn and are within walking distance of Kyoto Stn. so they are easy to fit in too. Like Tokyo, try to stay in one part of the city for the day and avoid zigzagging or backtracking to make better use of your time.

As is, you are only putting it about 1½ days for Kyoto, which is not really doing the city justice. After the temples of Kyoto close down around 5 PM, keep Osaka for the evening. At night the city comes alive and has some nice places to see, such as Dotonbori, plus the night views from the Umeda Sky Bldg, and Abeno Harukas Bldg are superb. I would use that time on Apr 22 for more of Kyoto.

For Apr 20 if you decide to stay on Miyajima, you'll find the whole place becomes very tranquil after the day trippers leave. Take some time to stroll around a bit in the evening. Accommodations there are a bit pricier, however. The island is by far one of the biggest tourist draws in the area, but aside from the Itsukushima Shrine with the giant "floating" torii, the Daishoin Temple is also a must-see place. There are several other pagodas and temples, and climbing Mt. Misen offers a fantastic view over the island and whole area.
Here's a tip. Near the entrance to the shrine you'll find a board where it lists the times of high & low tide. At low tide the shrine is rather lackluster, but you can walk on the beach right up to the giant torii. At high tide the shrine looks much better. If you have the chance, and your timing is good, see the shrine at both times for a memorable experience. After Miyajima, if you still have some time, Iwakuni is close by and its iconic bridge is one of the most beautiful in Japan.

For Apr. 21, in Himeji, the castle of course is the crown jewel. But don't miss the Kokoen Garden next to it, as well as going up Mt. Shosha.
For Apr 23 - I also agree that visiting a hot spring (onsen) at least once is well worth it. Kinosaki is a big resort area and would take about 2½ hours to get there. You could combine it with a visit to Amanohashidate which is regarded as one of the most beautiful views in Japan, or to save a lot of time, just go to Kobe. If in the end you pick Kinosaki, you might get an onsen day pass.

For Koyasan, the JR Pass won't help much. Look into getting a Koyasan World Heritage Ticket.

Finally, you'll be missing most of the cherry blossom season, unfortunately, but if you can squeeze it in, you can go see the shibazakura.

Good luck.