First time travelling solo and seeking advice for travelling in Kansai Prefecture. Trip will be from Oct 9 – Oct 23 (two weeks or so).
**Priorities**: Food, minimal accomodation switching, and rural/historical roads and scenic landscapes.
* Day 1-2, Day 4-5 Kyoto: Arashiyama, Kifune Shrine, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Train Museum, Kinkaku-ji, Ninen-zaka and Sannen-zaka (Slopes at Kiyomizu-dera), Yasaka Pagoda, Gion, Nishiki Market
* Day 3 Shiga: Omihachiman/canal
* Day 6-7 Mt Koyasan – 2 Days, 1 overnight stay, plan around Okunoin
* Day 8 Nara: Kasuga Taisha Manyo Botanical Gardens, Yoshikien Garden, Isui-en Garden and Neiraku Museum of Art. More putting this in here due to accessibility and fill up time. Nara Park doesn’t really interest me aside from the parasol decor at the tea house. Or should I skip Nara in favor of spending more time in Osaka?
* Day 9-13 Osaka: Aquarium, Osaka Castle Park, Osaka Tennoji Park, Settsukyo Park, Spa World
I’m passing on the sites in Hyogo due to commute as they don’t really interest me aside from Zuihoji Park with the parasols to admire the fall foliage. Hoping I’ll find a similar site in Kyoto.
Questions:
1. I’d like to fit Shiragawa-go in but nothing of interest stood out to me in Kanazawa or Takayama to visit (the traditional old roads and canals are already covered by Kyoto and Shiga from what I’ve read). The gassho zukuri look beautiful but I’m not planning to stay overnight. Thoughts?
6 comments
Kanazawa is worth visiting for Kenrokuen – it is for a reason one of three greatest landscaping gardens of Japan and there is nothing in similar gardens.
Skip Osaka Castle Park area and do a day trip to Himeji (castle, Koko-en) and either extend it to Engyo-ji or one of the ropeways above Kobe.
If you want to see gassho zukuri you could try visiting Miyama. Much closer to Kyoto.
Especially as Nara is an easy day trip from Kyoto or Osaka, one day should be enough for what you listed.
Ryokan often only open booking 3 months in advance, they are not fully booked, just not taking booking yet.
Shirakawago is a bit long to reach from Kyoto/Osaka, either spend a night in Kanazawa or skip it.
I’d probably stay in Kyoto and do your trip to Shiga from there. After move down to Mt Koyasan since you’re staying over night there and then Osaka for your final lodging. Nara is closer to Osaka then Kyoto
Nara has the deers also
Kansai is not a prefecture. It’s a region made up of a couple of prefectures.
u/JudeandFloyd20