Mid-Nov Japan

[ABuNeNe]

First time heading Japan for 14 nights in mid Nov this year. Itinerary plan as below, please comment.

Tokyo - 4 nights
- arrive at Haneda airport @ 10pm
- take bus to Shinjuku
- check in hotel at Via Inn Shinjuku
- check out hotel and take bus to Mt Fuji

Mt Fuji - 2 nights
- check in at hotel West Inn Fuji-Yoshida
- check-out hotel and take express bus to Takayama

Takayama - 3 nights
- check in Country Hotel Takayama
- rent car and drive to Shin-Hotaka Ropeway/Shirakawa-go
- Gujo Hachiman (maybe take bus from Takayama and stay a night here)

Kyoto - 3 nights
- check in Hotel IL Verde Kyoto

Osaka - 3 nights
- USJ
- depart to Singapore

 

[cqwrish]

It’s a nice varied itinerary. However, are you mainly travelling by buses or including trains? Number of side trips (if any) will be another factor to consider.

Between Fuji Five Lakes and Takayama - buses are quite long rides and infrequent - can consider breaking the journey somewhere in Nagano (eg Matsumoto).

Shin-Hotaka/Shirakawago are better covered by buses imo, parking is limited. When I went to Shin-Hotaka in late November 2017, it was very wintery and blizzards, so no hiking possible (just ropeway to the top and “enjoy” the snow storm lol)

Access by highway bus to Gujo is quite inconvenient - it drops you off along the highway and need to walk some distance. Easier direct bus access to the town centre from Gifu or Nagoya (can also consider Gero Onsen as a stop)

Takayama to Kyoto will be another long journey and may need transfer of buses/trains in Nagoya - so may want to break up the journey too. Alternative route is via Kanazawa: i.e. Takayama-Kanazawa-Kyoto (by Limited Exp Thunderbird), skip Gujo and consider Kanazawa instead)

First time heading Japan for 14 nights in mid Nov this year. Itinerary plan as below, please comment.

Tokyo - 4 nights
- arrive at Haneda airport @ 10pm
- take bus to Shinjuku
- check in hotel at Via Inn Shinjuku
- check out hotel and take bus to Mt Fuji

Mt Fuji - 2 nights
- check in at hotel West Inn Fuji-Yoshida
- check-out hotel and take express bus to Takayama

Takayama - 3 nights
- check in Country Hotel Takayama
- rent car and drive to Shin-Hotaka Ropeway/Shirakawa-go
- Gujo Hachiman (maybe take bus from Takayama and stay a night here)

Kyoto - 3 nights
- check in Hotel IL Verde Kyoto

Osaka - 3 nights
- USJ
- depart to Singapore