Video summary

Beyond Tokyo & Kyoto: A Scenic Japan Itinerary with Less Crowds

Main summary

Key takeaways

Lifestyle

2-Week Japan Itinerary (Countryside-Focused, English-Friendly, Public-Transport Oriented)

Start: Tokyo (2 nights)

Use this time to get your bearings before heading out.

Travel tip: booking & transit

  • Shinkansen tickets
    • Especially from Tokyo Station, book online ahead to avoid long lines at counters.
    • Mentioned website: ekinet
  • IC card
    • Get/use an IC card like Suica
    • If it’s the physical type with a number, use that number when booking online
    • Then tap through the gates with the IC card.

Stop 1: Kusatsu Onsen

How to get there

  • Shinkansen: Tokyo Station → Karuizawa Station
  • Bus: Karuizawa Station → Kusatsu Onsen

Why go

  • One of Japan’s best onsen towns
  • Public onsens are tattoo-friendly

Classic onsen-town evening experience

  • At night, wear a yukata
  • Walk the town and hop between different baths/onsens

Where to stay

  • Example mentioned: Hotel 1913
  • Alternative: stay at a traditional Japanese inn (ryokan) with:
    • Traditional rooms
    • Multi-course Japanese meals

Next move

  • Stay one night
  • Then return by bus to Karuizawa
  • Transfer via shinkansen to Nagano City

Stop 2: Nagano City + Day Trips (2 nights)

What Nagano is best for

Not the most “standalone” city, but a great base for day trips.

Worth seeing

  • Area around Zenkoji Temple
  • A traditional shopping street leading to it, with street food

Local food to try

  • Oyaki (dumpling-like with fillings)
  • Soba noodles

Day trip #1: Togakushi Shrine

  • ~1 hour by bus from Nagano
  • Shrine surrounded by mountains, with a long tree-lined approach and tall trees

Day trip #2: Yamanouchi (Snow Monkey Park area)

  • ~45 minutes by bus or train
  • Famous in winter, but also interesting in summer
    • Monkeys may be seen bathing in hot springs

Stop 3: Matsumoto (2 nights)

Transfer

  • ~50-minute express train from Nagano

Top highlight: Matsumoto Castle

  • One of the few surviving original castles in Japan
  • View from outside, and also from the top (steep stairs)

Pro tips

  • Wear shoes that are easy to take off (required inside)
  • In colder months, bring warm socks (floors can be chilly)

Other things in Matsumoto

  • Traditional street: “Frog Street”
  • Art museums (example artist mentioned: Yayoi Kusama)

Food

  • Sanzoku-yaki (Matsumoto’s fried chicken specialty)

Stop 4: Japanese Alps (Base Areas via Bus Network)

Travel into the Alps

  • From Matsumoto to the Alps by bus: ~1.5 hours
  • Direct and non-direct buses available
  • Book online in advance for popular routes

Main areas mentioned

  • Kamikochi (most famous)
    • No private cars allowed
    • Access only by bus
  • Hirayu Onsen
  • Norikura Kogen

Kamikochi experience

  • Beautiful valley; a base for longer/multi-day hikes
  • Includes boardwalks that can be done in a couple of hours

Where to stay

  • Limited accommodation (campgrounds and hotels; hotels can be pricey → book ahead)

Hirayu Onsen

  • Good for a traditional Japanese inn stay
  • Nearby Shinhotaka ropeway
    • Access starting point for longer hikes or scenic rides to viewpoints

Norikura Kogen

  • Easy hikes on Mount Norikura
  • Has hot springs

Stop 5: Takayama

Transfer out of the Alps

  • Bus to Takayama

Why go

  • Old town atmosphere in a valley; strong “live here” vibe

Main activities

  • Visit the Old Town District
    • Shopping + souvenirs
    • Street food
    • Food highlight: Hida-gyu (local beef)
  • Morning market

Day/easy add-ons

  • Hida Folk Village (gassho-style houses)
  • Bus ~1 hour to Shirakawa-go (larger-scale gassho villages)

End of Itinerary: Choose 1 of 2 Options

Option 1: Takayama → Kanazawa

How to get there

  • Direct ~2-hour bus, bookable online

Vibe

  • Often compared to a “little Kyoto”
  • Very walkable

Key sights

  • Kanazawa Castle
  • Kenrokuen Garden (one of Japan’s top three gardens)
  • Higashi Chaya (old entertainment district with traditional streets)

Experiences + food

  • Ability to book geisha experiences
  • Try gold leaf ice cream
  • Omicho Market (seafood market; recommended for first-timers)

Option 2: Nakasendo Trail (Takayama → Tokyo / “Back End” Route)

How to reach it

  • Express train: Takayama → Nagoya
  • Then train: Nagoya → Kiso Valley

What it is

  • A historic mountain route that once connected Tokyo and Kyoto
  • Portions are still hikeable

Most popular section

  • Magome-juku → Tsumago-juku
    • ~6 km, a few hours

Another section

  • Yabuhara → Narai (less popular)

Along the trail

  • Traditional towns with old buildings
  • Possible to stay overnight and buy food
  • Access to starting points via local trains or buses (depends on section)

Closing Logistics

  • After either ending option, return by train back to Tokyo to finish the trip.
  • Note: An alternative approach (doing the itinerary by car or camper van) is mentioned elsewhere, but details are not included here.

Notable Locations / Products / Food / Speakers Mentioned

Locations

Tokyo, Karuizawa, Kusatsu Onsen, Nagano City, Zenkoji Temple, Togakushi Shrine, Yamanouchi / Snow Monkey Park, Matsumoto Castle, Japanese Alps (Kamikochi, Hirayu Onsen, Norikura Kogen), Takayama, Hida Folk Village, Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa (Kenrokuen, Higashi Chaya, Omicho Market), Kiso Valley / Nakasendo Trail (Magome-juku, Tsumago-juku, Yabuhara, Narai)

Products / Services

  • Shinkansen
  • Suica (IC card)
  • ekinet (shinkansen booking)

Food Specialties

  • Oyaki, Soba, Sanzoku-yaki, Hida-gyu, Gold leaf ice cream

Ropeway

  • Shinhotaka ropeway

Speaker Names

  • Aimee (mentioned as traveling partner)

Original video