Hello all! Headed to Japan with my partner on my second visit and her first. We’re very interested in gardens, spiritual activities, cultural events, food and drink, shopping for ceramics and other crafts, and, in general, exploring off-the-beaten path areas.
High-level questions:
1. Is there anything near us (shops, restaurants, town, etc) that you think we should consider visiting based on our interest?
2. Are there are places on the Nakahechi trail that you’d encourage spending a bit of time at? We’ll be on a fast pace, but want to be mindful of places where we may want to stop.
3. We don’t have many food reservations in Kyoto. Is that a bad idea? What areas can we go to at night and have a good set of options that we’d be able to walk into?
4. How would you spend 8 hours in Osaka?
Thanks for your help!
**Tokyo**
Day 1: Arrive 3:20pm, check in to hotel in Chiyoda City
Day 2: Dinner at MAZ
Day 3:
– Borderless at 1030am
– Dinner at Butagami
Day 4: Lunch at Ebisu Endo
Day 5:
– Train from Tokyo to Kyoto, drop off main bags at hotel near Nijo Castle, eat lunch (no plans of of now?)
– Train from Kyoto to Kii Tanabe, taxi pickup to hotel near Kumano Kodo Trailhead
**Kumano Kodo**
Day 6: Hike to Tsugizakura
Day 7: Hike to Hongu
Day 8:
– visit Yunomine Onsen
– bus to Shingu
– pickup rental car and drive to Koyasan
Day 9:
– explore Koyasan
– drive to Kyoto, drop off rental car, check-in to hotel near Nijo Castle
– lunch at Juu-go
**Kyoto**
Day 10: Afternoon visit to Katsura Imperial Villa
Day 11: Morning visit to Saihoji (moss garden)
Day 12: Train to Osaka, ?
Day 13: Fly home
by SirFern
