Itinerary check – 16 day first time trip to Japan October 2023 – Tokyo-Kyoto-Kinosaki-Osaka – suggestions and recommendations appreciated.

My wife and I are headed to Japan October 2023. We are doing the typical Tokyo to Kansai round trip and are very excited. Thanks to this sub, we have already been able to create a mostly complete itinerary for the 17 days that we will be spending in Japan. I believe this is the fourth or fifth iteration, and we are definitely open to making changes based on this sub’s experience. The only thing that can’t change is the number of days in Kyoto, as I have already booked the Airbnb for that leg of the trip.

**10/1** We land at NRT at 1:00pm. We will grab a suica card at the airport and head to our hotel in Tokyo.

* Previous posts from this sub have me leaning towards something easy like booking a room at Sotetsu Fresa Inn in Akasaka.
* We plan on checking in, grabbing food around the hotel, and then easy walking around the area (tokyo tower, zojo-ji, roppongi hills).

**10/2** Full day in Tokyo.

* Team Lab in the Morning (they are keeping the attraction open until late 2023)
* lunch at Yurakucho Station (better places for train station ramen?)
* Head over to Akihabara and Jimbocho Book town for the afternoon/evening.
* Planning on doing an Airbnb experience that night that will take us bar hopping around the Kabukicho area. Without a good grasp on the language, I am feeling overwhelmed trying to explore this on our own.

**10/3** Lake Kawaguchiko day trip. Leave Akasaka station around 8:00am.

* Walk around and hopefully get pretty pictures of Mt. Fuji.
* Head back and walk around Shibuya that afternoon/evening.

**10/4** Morning in Tokyo, afternoon shinkansen to Kyoto.

* Meiji Jingu Gaien, Cat street, Takeshita street, lunch, Meiji Jingu Shrine.
* Shinkansen to Kyoto
* Check into Airbnb. We are staying about a 2 minute walk from the Higashiyama Subway Station. Plan to eat food and probably crash.

**10/5** Kyoto Day 1

* Ninnen-zaka, sannen-zaka hill, Kiyomizu-dera, Shoren-in temple, Yasaka Shrine.

**10/6** Kyoto Day 2

* Fushimi inari, tokufu-ji temple Rengeoin Sanjusangendo.

**10/7** Kyoto Day 3

* Nanzen-ji Temple, path of philosophy, Higashiyama Jisho-ji.

**10/8** Nara Day Trip or Mt. Koya Day trip

* Temples, Buddha statues, and Deer.
* How long should I plan for this day?
* Would a day trip to Mt. Koya be better?? ↵

**10/9** Kyoto Day4

* Toji Temple, gekkeikan Okura Sake museum, pontocho alley, Nishiki market.

**10/10** Kyoto Day 5

* kurama to kibune hike, Lunch at Hirobun, Kinkaku-ji temple
* Taxi to “famous” daisugi tree. Just something small and dumb that I really want to see.

**10/11** Kyoto Morning, Train to Kinosaki afternoon

* Arashiyama walking tour (4 hours)
* Head to Kinosaki onsen hotel by way of The Limited Express Hashidate Train.
* Staying at Nishimuraya Honkan

**10/12** Kinosaki area Sake Tour???

* My wife loves sake, so I bookmarked all of the [sake breweries](https://goo.gl/maps/7dpQq6Cmj5tnkDL37) in the area. How expensive/reasonable would it be to visit all of these, some of these, one of these?
* Bounce around all of the different onsens and eat Tajima beef.

**10/13** Kinosaki to Takeda Castle Ruins to Himeji to Osaka

* 7:50 early train (san-in line) to takeda station, hike ruins for 2 hours, train from takeda station to himeji at 11am (Batan Line). Himeji castle in the afternoon.
* Are the Takeda Ruins worth the time???
* Train to osaka that evening.

**10/14** Osaka Day 1

* Sumiyoshi Taisha, Korea Town, tsutenkaku tower, kushi-katsu/shinsekai.
* I have not put in a ton of thought regarding Osaka. Recommendations would be appreciated

**10/15** Himeji/Kobe Day Trip

* I know we already have the Himeji castle on the list, but this is for a specific festival
* The Nada no Kenka Festival in Himeji 11:00am to 2:00pm
* Train to Kobe to drink more Sake??? is this even worth it? Should we stay in Himeji for the day/evening?

**10/16** Osaka Day 2

* Namba Yasaka Shrine, Den Den Town, Sonezaki Ohatsutenjin-Dori.
* Goryo-Jinja Shrine Autumn festival ↵

**10/16** Osaka to Tokyo, fly home

I guess the main things I need help with are:

* What is the best way to get to Lake Kawaguchiko? How long should I plan for that trip (getting there, walking around, getting back?)
* Deciding between Nara and Mt. Koya. Or do I have too many days dedicated to Kyoto that I could fit both in?
* Are my train trips to and from Kinosaki reasonable? Will it be hard for a first timer
* What am I missing in Osaka?
* JR pass research is hard. Based on this itinerary, will it make more sense to just by single tickets at a time, or would it make sense getting a 14 day pass on the 3rd?

Thanks in advanced!