I’m going to Japan in about two weeks . I already went in 2019 and already did the main touristy routes. (Kiyomizudera and neighbourhood, Gion, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Ginkakuji, Kinkakuji, Arashiyama)
We have 9 days in Kyoto, but I felt this one was getting too boring, so in a bout of crazyness I just scraped most of my Kyoto Itinerary. The days in **bold** are the ones I didn’t change. The thing is, my parents are coming with me and it’s their first time, so would a “Kyoto Highlight’s” Day would be enough for a taste of the old Kyoto?
I’m looking for a mix of small towns, hiking, castles, temples and gardens. What do you think? I’m I missing somewhere amazing? We all love hiking, but my father has some mobility problems, so we can’t go on hikes that are too hard or long.
Here’s my new itinerary:
**Tuesday 9 – Fushimi (Half a day)**
Wednesday 10 – Hikone & Omihachiman
Thursday 11 – Takao to Arashiyama Hike
Friday 12 – (Me) Kurama to Kibune & Kyoto Teahouses / (Parents) Kyoto Highlight’s
Saturday 13 – Ohara
**Sunday 14 – Uji (Reservation at Nakamura Tokichi Honten)**
Monday 15 – Yamanobe-no-Michi
Tuesday 16 – Himeji
**Wednesday 17 – Guided Tour (Gardens of Kyoto)**
I have a few questions as well:
1. How hard is the hike from Takao to Otagi Nenbutsu-ji? Is there enough time hike it in the morning and visit a few Arashiyama Temples in the afternoon? I saw that the temples at Takao only opens at 9h so It would be a kind of a late start.
2. Is it worth to take something off the list to visit Kayabuki no Sato or Mt. Hiei?
3. Is it feasible to visit both Hikone and Omihachiman in the same day?
4. I’m not sure if my father can walk the full Yamanobe-no-Michi. Are there bust stops along it?
The full trip in a nutshell is:
Arrive Tokyo > 9 Days Kyoto as HQ > 2 Days Wazuka/Parents in Osaka> Nagoya > Tokoname > 4 days Tokyo > Kamakura > Enoshima > Yokohama > 2 Days Tokyo
But you can find it detailed here: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iCIAQRH-fzjWC4tj6e\_CErk\_e8XYMrTm/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iCIAQRH-fzjWC4tj6e_CErk_e8XYMrTm/view?usp=sharing)
1 comment
One of Hikone or Himeji is enough and two get duplicative, especially if your parents have limited mobility for the insides of castles. The only exception is if they are super into the history of Japanese castles. If it were me I would do Omi-Hachiman one day and either Hikone or Himeji on the other day.
Kayabuki No Sato looks easier to abort/leave than Yamanobe No Michi which could be a consideration for your father?