Hi,
We are going to Japan next week, and I would like to get some advice or ideas for things to do, around mostly food & gastronomy light trails in nature / sacred area / craftsmanship, live music, 80’s …
French couple, 40 (kids stay at home), it is first time in Japan for my wife, personally I’ve been there 12 times but for work so with just some shorts week ends trips in Tokyo/Kyoto/Yokohama area.
Itinerary and questions :
Day 1 / April 24th : Land in Osaka, go to hotel in Namba, spend the night in Namba / Dontonbori
Day 2 / 25th : Osaka day.
I would like to go to Osaka Central Fish Market but seems to need guided tour, otherwise will only go to Kuromon Market to enjoy food experiences.
For the afternoon, I have read that Nakazaki-Cho was a nice hipster / trendy /arty area. Is it still the case ?
Day 3 Himeji : day trip to Himeji .
– garden and castle first, of course
– Question about going to Engyo-ji temple : does it worth the time ?
Other option could be to stop at Kobe when returning to Osaka
Any other interesting things to do near Himeji castle ?
– go back to Osaka for the night
Day 4 : Koyasan (day + night in temple / shukubo : Ichijo-in)
– take a train in the morning
– drops the bags in the shukubo
– basic idea is to make the 7 mont pilgrimage in 2 steps : first step first day (women’s pilgrim) with a little bit of visit, then 2nd half (Koya Sanzan) route the tomorrow. Each part is said arround 3 hours walking.
– go back early to enjoy Shukubo
-> If we have to choose only one part, which one should we perform ?
Day 5 : Koyasan :
– 2nd half of the trail
– end of the visits
– taking back the luggage in shukubo, and go back to Osaka for the night
Day 6 : Nara :
– train to Nara / leave the luggage at the station (Is there enough lockers ?)
– visit Nara / hike to the top of the mount
– train to Kyoto
Day 7 : Kyoto :
– Southeast part : Fushimi inari
– I have seen we can walk in the mountain to Kiyomisu dera, anyone experienced ?
– other temples / finish early to enjoy Ryokan from 5pm
Day 8 : Kyoto :
– morning at Ryokan
– path of Philiosophy / Northeast temples
– Gyon
Day 9 : Kyoto and trip to Tokyo :
– rent a bike and go to bamboo forest / golden temple / North west part
– Nozomi Shinkansen to Tokyo at 5 pm (already booked, because I feared of Golden week busy trains)
Any specific recommandations for Kyoto ? (Including restaurants)
Day 10/11/12/13/14 : Tokyo
– one day trip to Kamakura and Enoshima
-> I have seem a hiking path from Kita Kamakura (tennen trail ?), is it really in the nature and temples ?
– 4 days in Tokyo. Will stay in Shimbashi for trade off of good suburb connection and lively area
– temples / shinjuku / cocktail night at New York bar on top of Park Hyatt
– harajuku in the week end
– I have loved Shimokitazawa in a 2018 trip, if it is still alive I will go back
– any recommandations around food or art things ?
– Tsukiji fish market does not exist anymore. Any interest to return in the place for the remaining restaurants ?
– I have seen Toyusu is not visitable, right ?
Day 15 : back to France early in the morning from Haneda
Thank you very much for you our advice /recommandations / step out ideas !!!
Best
1 comment
You can visit Toyosu but the public viewing area is behind glass so you won’t hear the auction