10 days with luggage issues

Hi there!

Let's start with your luggage, it does seem a bit much reading about it like that. Most Shinkansen and limited express trains offer a special compartment in each train car to store a suitcase or two, however it may be a problem if you travel locally such as on the Yokohama subway, it's better to avoid rush hour if you travel packed as local trains/subways will be packed with people.

For the itinerary, Matsumoto is very beautiful and well worth a trip! I'd recommend visiting it either on the way to Kyoto or when you travel back to Tokyo/Yokohama. Assuming that you would use a 7 day JR Pass you could do the following travel. A possible itinerary could look like this Yokohama - Matsumoto(1d) - Kyoto(3d) - Nara(1d) - morning train to Nagano (1d) and travel on the following evening to either Tokyo/Yokohama. This is straightforward route without extra travel time. You could also switch out Nagano for a visit to Osaka/Kobe/Hiroshima etc, either way a JR Pass would be very useful, just be sure to be back in Yokohama or at least Tokyo before the pass expires.

Hope this helps!
Daniel

To avoid some luggage hassles, would it be a good idea to use Tokyo and/or Kyoto as bases for day trips?

Would you recommend doing Matsumoto and/or Nagano as a day trip from Tokyo?

Would you recommend doing Nara as a day trip from Kyoto?

Would you suggest any other day trips from Kyoto?

Hi again!

Yes making day trips from either Tokyo or Kyoto would be a great idea. However I would not do so for Matsumoto or Nagano as both take quite some time to get too and you would lose too much time to do a return on the same day.

From Kyoto there are lots of possible day trips! Nara, Osaka and Kobe immediately come to mind. Also if you feel adventurous you could make a visit to Hiroshima.