How to plan a luxury Japan honeymoon

Pick the month first. Late March to mid April is blossom, mid October to late November is foliage, and the good rooms for both are gone 6 months out. May and early June are mild and quieter. We steer couples away from Golden Week in early May and Obon in mid August.

Then decide how many cities. Two is right for 10 nights. Tokyo and Kyoto, with a ryokan between them. Three cities in 10 nights means 3 days lost to trains and check-ins.

Book the ryokan before the hotels. Hoshinoya Karuizawa and the better Hakone houses have a handful of rooms and fill first. Dinner is included and it is the point of the night.

Leave one day empty in Kyoto. Temples at opening, then nothing planned. The best afternoon of the trip usually happens on that day.

Fly into Tokyo and out of Osaka, or out of Kanazawa via Komatsu, so nobody doubles back.