Hey everyone, am planning a first time trip for 3 people in Kyoto/Osaka for a week this summer. I’m a bit scared for the weather being too humid hot but hopefully it is okay/bearable. Would love any advices or feedback or suggestions to make this itinerary better (thinking of a day trip to Nara as a possibility). Planning a bit late so it’s pretty bare bones and didn’t include any specific restaurants or shopping as still doing research on those. Thanks so much!
Day 1
Arrive at Osaka airport (KIX)
drop luggage capsule hotel
Osaka Castle ( walk around park )
Dotonbori (night, shopping or walk or food)
Day 2
Osaka aquarium
Tower of the sun
Will probably skip umeda sky building
Teamlab
Perhaps check out a movie theatre to see what it’s like in Japan?
Back to hotel
Day 3
Take train to Kyoto – any advice on how to best travel from Osaka to Kyoto? Not wanting to get the JR pass as it’s a short trip but maybe take the bullet train for I think it is 14,000 yen per person? Are there any cheaper ways to do this?
Fushimi Inari? Depending on time we arrive
Close temples depending on time
/nishiki market / philosopher’s path (or leave this for Day 5)
DAY 4
Ryokan near Kyoto
Day 5
Early morning Arashiyama
Bamboo forest
Monkey park
Togetsu bridge
Day 6
Kinkakuji temple early/other temples places to walk
Walk around eat, chill
Maybe a tea ceremony
Day 7
Train back to Osaka and to KIX
Fly to Korea
3 comments
When do you land at KIX? Osaka Castle park is MASSIVE, and then there’s the castle itself. We walked diagonally across it yesterday, and it took us 2 hours.
In terms of the weather in summer, the humidity is insane, so it depends on what you’re used to. I struggled, but I’m from a part of Australia where it’s a dry heat (35°C+ days but <30% humidity).
You can take the JR Tokaido-Sanyo Line from Osaka to Kyoto. It takes about 30-45 mins and costs ¥580 one way.
Just get an ICOCA transport card and load it up with money to use for any of the trains, subways, and buses in the Kansas metro area. Depending on where you’re going you can take the JR line to Kyoto station or Hankyu lines for more Northern Kyoto as well as the Keihan lines. You can also get a 5 day regional pass good for just JR lines for relatively cheap that you can use for transport to and from the Airport.