Hello, I will be traveling for my first time to Japan on the 21st of March as a solo female. I’m landing in Osaka at 9:10pm and realized I messed up as trains stop around 11:30? My Airbnb is an hour away from Kansai so I thought I would stay in their airport pods instead of risking it as I have no subway experience and might get lost lol.
For Osaka I’m mostly interested in exploring alleyways, the blade runner aesthetics and eating all the street food. What else is fun to do here?. Kyoto is where I plan to soak in all the culture and cherry blossom views. Tokyo is for shopping and just having the culture shock of a mega city.
Questions:
1. Would Asakusa be the best place to do a Kimono experience since my Kyoto stay is packed (again I messed up and should have booked more days there) ?
2. I’d love to see a Kabuki show but none are showing with an English guide, would it still be worth it as I love listening to Kabuki songs/performances without subs anyway?
3. I really need help finding an Onsen..I’d love a more nature-esque one in the rocks but all i can find is modern ones or bathhouses.
4. Is Arashiyama bamboo grove worth it? Everytime I read trip reports people say it was just crowded and meh.
5. I’m so worried about going places that are an hour+ train ride away from my general location as I am worried about spending too much time traveling..should I be so stressed about this?
Some days are still a bit empty..
**DAY 1 – 22nd**\
Land in Osaka 9:10pm
Stay at First cabin
**DAY 2 – 23rd**
head to airbnb drop off bags
Kuromon Ichiba Market
Dotenbori for the evening/ OKONOMIYAKI
**DAY 3 – 24th**
Conbini breakfast?
Explore Nakazakicho
green pepe ⭐(horrible name lol)
Taiyō No Tou
Umeda Sky Building
PC and Retro Bar Space Station ⭐
**DAY 4 – 25th **
Osaka castle gardens
Hanamaruken Namba Hozenji (best pork rib ramen ever)
RBCB Rock Bar Cherry Bomb ⭐
**DAY 5 – 26th**
Shinsaibashisuji ⭐
Takoyaki Wanaka
Hanamaruken Namba Hozenji
Bar Mustang
**DAY 6 – 27th**
Shinsekai ⭐ At night?
**DAY 7 – 28th**
Day Trip to Kyoto
Kinkaku-ji
Daitoku-ji
Kennin-ji
Book the kitano odori (geisha dance) at the tourist information center on the 2nd floor of Kyoto Station
**DAY 9 – 29th**
Head to hotel in Kyoto
Shinbashi Dori ⭐
Komyo-in Temple and gardens⭐
Hanamikoji Street ⭐
Kitano Odori (Geisha Performance) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Old Textile Art Chingireya
Kyoto National Museum
Rengeoin Sanjusangendo
**DAY 10 – 30th**
Go to Fushimi Inari and Kiyomizu dera
Is bamboo forest worth?
Pontocho Park
Nishiki Market
Harajuku Chicago Kyoto Store
Shinkyogoku Shopping Street Union
**DAY 11 – 31st**
Got to Tokyo
Conbini food
**Kabuki show during the day? **
Omoide Yokochō ⭐
Golden Gai ⭐
Okashi No Machioka
**DAY 12 – 1st**
YAKINIKU LIKE ⭐
Omoide Yokochō
Shibuya Nonbei Yokocho
Dogenzaka Church -The Church
**DAY 13 – 2nd**
Akihabara and sensoji/asakusa
Don Quijote Asakusa ⭐
Koyama’s Archery Equipment
Go home then go back for these below
Jackson’s Hole ⭐
Time Machine Record store
BAR Sardina
**DAY 14 – 3rd**
Koenji Pal Shopping Street⭐
Nakano Broadway
Shibuya shopping
sanrio vivitix SHIBUYA⭐
UOHIDE 渋谷 Udagawa
**DAY 15 – 4th**
Shimokitazawa?
Teamlabs?
DAY 16 – 5th
Help plz
**DAY 17 – 6th**
Head to Narita