I've traveled full-time for 12 years, but haven't done Japan. Planning to give it a whirl next spring en route from South Korea to USA.
My main interests are walking and wandering aimlessly, photographing historical architecture or gardens, relaxing in quiet cafes, learning about history, visiting temples/religious sites and exploring charming neighborhoods. I'm not into shopping, big cities, nightlife or pop culture (anime, video games, etc...). I'll be traveling exclusively by train or bus.
I'm also trying to avoid the giant crowds of Cherry Blossom season and Golden week (which feels like navigating minefields lol).
This is what I've laid out so far....
April 14 – 15 : Osaka (arrival via ferry from Busan. Not particularly interested in the city, feels like 24 hours is enough.)
April 15 – 20: Kurashiki/Okayama (hopefully quiet, slow paced)
April 20 – 24: Onomichi
April 24 -- 29: Fukuoka
April 29 – May 6: Matsue/Shimane? (hopefully not as packed for golden week? Thought I could hunker down here. Is there a better option for chilling & avoiding crowds during golden week?)
May 6 – 10 : Kyoto (when golden week and cherry blossom season have passed)
May 10 – 14: Kanazawa
May 14 – 17: Tokyo (flight to US from here)
This is faster than my normal travel style, but I want to get a sense for a few different areas of Japan to see where (or if) I might want to return for longer stays in the future.
I only carry one mid-size backpack, so moving around/public transpo is easy. I'm open to other cities/towns in lieu of any of these. All advice is appreciated.
Thanks!