Hello, planning for a couple trip to Japan and have the rough itinerary planned out below. It is our first time to Japan so we would love to hear your thoughts and any improvements we can make. One thing that cannot be changed due to booked accommodations is we will be in Kyoto for the first 4.5 days and Osaka after that. We are also unsure of if it is worth going to Mt. Yoshino on 31st March. Will it be too early to see cherry blossoms there?
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**Day 1 – 24 Mar**
\- Landing at 4pm, going straight to Kyoto via Haruka express
\- Dinner at Kyoto Station area.
**Day 2 – 25 Mar**
\- Kiyomizudera, Sannen-zaka and Ninnen-zaka, then Maruyama-koen Park
\- Chion-in Temple & Shoren-in Temple
\- Nishiki market for lunch
\- Fushimi Inari
\- Pontocho alley for dinner
**Day 3 – 26 Mar**
\- Keage incline
\- Nanzen ji temple
\- Path of philosophy to Ginkakuji temple
\- Kyoto imperial palace,
\- Kyoto botanical gardens
\- Not sure if there is time for anything else(?)
**Day 4 – 27 Mar**
\- Arashiyama Monkey park
\- Tenryu ji temple
\- Bamboo forest (lunch recommendations)
\- Otagi Nenbutsu-ji
\- Kinkakuji
\- Nijo castle (might not have time to do all these)
\- Gion area for dinner
**Day 5 – 28 Mar**
\- Checkout and head to Osaka (not sure if there are any other places to go in Kyoto)
\- Shinsekai
\- Dotonbori for dinner
\- Teamlab
**Day 6 – 29 Mar**
\- Universal studios
**Day 7 – 30 Mar**
\- Osaka castle
\- Osaka aquarium (lunch at tempozan marketplace)
\- Rest of the day at Osaka station area
**Day 8 – 31 Mar**
\- Kintetsu railway to Mt. Yoshino (cherry blossoms?)
\- Nara (If no time, move to next day)
\- Back to osaka
**Day 9 – 1 Apr**
\- Kuromon market
\- Nara?
\- If not, stay in Osaka area (not sure where else is worth a visit)
**Day 10 – 2 Apr**
Heading back home
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Thanks in advance for any useful tips.
6 comments
Amanohashidate in Kyoto is nice but it’s a 2 hour trip (one way). It’s also not far from kinosaki onsen. Kobe was enjoyable as well, found it more lively than Osaka in my opinion
I can’t fully answer your cherry blossom question, but I don’t think it will be too early. We saw 3 bloomed trees in Tokyo today (our last day of the month long trip 🙂 )
You will be at universal the same day as us!
> Will it be too early
The night before you go, check google maps for “latest” photos and decide if the views are good enough to justify the trip.
> Day 4
Get up early and go to the bamboo forest first thing, it’s super crowded after 8-9.
> Useful tips
1. Wakayama and Shiga prefectures have cherry blossom viewing sites that are more low-key than the top ones in Kyoto, especially if you go on a weekday where locals are at work / school.
2. I feel quite strongly that Nishiki Market and Kuromon Market have both become such touristified “covered markets selling food” that one is enough, but many people disagree (which is okay!) and enjoy doing it twice.
Day 2 is A LOT of walking. Without information of how old you (couple) are and where you are flying from (jetlag), I can’t comment on it but double-check yourself. Also depends if you want to go all the way up @ Fushimi Inari.
Day 3 is similar, but if you rest a little in day2 it shouldn’t be a problem.
Day 4: I’d like to share my current planning of the same area. As I am going with my mom, so only 1/2 of the walking I’d do if I am alone 🙂
Take train to Umahori Station, just to take the Sagano Romantic Train back.
Bamboo forest (TBH, I don’t fancy it, but if I get off the train at Arashiyama Station, it is just right there).
Small walk around this area (well Tenryu ji temple is here, so not that small).
Lunch
Monkey park
(chilling here because I plan to go to Unagi Hirokawa for dinner)
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So you can see my day4 planning is like 1/3 of what you are planning to do. Are you going to drive around?
I’d skip Otagi Nenbutsu-ji, well I am not interested in it haha. Also I think a lot is closed in Kyoto quite early 4pm you probably can’t even enter anymore etc.
I am currently planning on going Fushimi Inari combined with going further south to Uji later that day FYI.
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For Osaka, you can check over the facilities included in the Osaka Amazing Pass and plan from there.
https://www.japan-guide.com/sakura/
This is the latest update of cherry blossom. So I think Mar 31 is early for Mt Yoshino.