Planning a 5 days 4 nights trip to Osaka, planning to use 2 days JR west Kansai pass, any suggestions/recommendations to make full use of my pass ?
Day 1: Arrive in Kansai Airport -> Kyoto (visit Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Higashiyama District)
Day 2: Using JR 1 day pass to Himeji castle -> Kobe Iku Shrine -> Nara park (if there is time) -> back to Kyoto
Day 3: In Kyoto -> Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Tenryu-ji Temple, Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji)
Day 4: Head to Osaka explore Dotonburi,Osaka castle
Day 5: Stay around osaka and train back to Kansai airport
1 comment
Not sure when your flight arrives but plan on some time with immigration/customs, 90 minutes KIX-Kyoto, 30 minutes dumping your bag at your hotel (I recommend choosing one near Kyoto station given your itinerary), another 30-60 minutes getting to Kiyomizudera, and the temple closes around 5 or 6.
You only need one day of the JR West Pass (day 2), during which you won’t have time for Nara Park. On Day 1 you can use the “ICOCA and Haruka” foreigner discount.
Unless you are viewing plum or cherry blossoms or trying to collect the 100 castle stamps, Osaka castle is a waste of time after Himeji castle. I would do Nara Park on day 4 and head to Dotonbori afterwards.