Draft End-Nov/Early-Dec Kyoto/Osaka Trip Itinerary review and suggestions (please help)…..

3 comments

1. Nothing pops out to me as too tight or undoable, though it’s odd that you’re splitting Arashiyama into two days. The bamboo forest is literally adjacent to Tenryuji, and monkey park is across Togetsukyo.

   If you can spare an extra day by merging those two, I’d put it towards Himeji castle or Koyasan by moving the Nara day trip under Kyoto, and make use of that former Nara day. Alternatively, you can prolong your Arashiyama trip further by taking the Torokko train one way, and back on the [Hozugawa river ride](https://translation2.j-server.com/LUCHZGWK/ns/tl.cgi/https://www.hozugawakudari.jp?SLANG=ja&TLANG=en&XMODE=0&XCHARSET=utf-8&XJSID=0). In that case, you’d probably need to move Nishiki market and Kinkakuji to another day.

   I’m always partial towards Kawaguchiko as the no.1 spot for a ryokan experience, though everywhere has its own charm. Never been to Takaragawa though.

2. – ryokan: your choice. they are somewhat unique experience and i think awesome. but they can be expensive. on the other hand, with 4 people, it may turn out to be financially viable. however, make sure you have separate rooms for the “kids”, I know, family loves and all, but you do not want to be sitting on each other for days in one room. I would consider a hotel or vaction home for 4 people before I would put 4 people in one room
   more important than “suggestions” is to make sure you are in a great location. higashiyama is popular because of the high density of stuff you can walk to, and you can do things in the evening. try to keep close to a train or subway station so you can easily get to other places.

   – 4
   arrival kyoto am/at around lunch: afternoon available to at least do something. maybe good chance to do nishiki market? or maybe kinkakuji (+ ryoanji?)

   – in general, you are somewhat over the place. for example, I might try to combine day 7 and 8 so you are in arashiyama once. gion and hanamikoji is the same area. pontocho is next to nishiki,

   here is a rough in my opinion omptimized suggested plan of your pois assuming you will be staying in walking distance of gion/nishiki/higashiyama OR the train station

   – 4: ryoanji, kinkakuji
   because both can be done in one afternoon without stress, and its hard to combine them with other days, its always a bit out of the way to get up there…

   – 5
   fushimi, toji, nijojo, nishiki, …, [pontocho/gion]

   – 6 higashiyama:
   kiyomizudera (open 6am), todaiji, nanzenji, eikando, philosophers path (taxi/bus/bike?), ginkakuji
   (that day is full af, and you may need to call it a day after eikando)

   – 7: arashiyama
   train (if you must, and when your scheduled to go), bridge+monkeypark (if you must), tenryuji, bamboo grove, gio-ji
   I dont think the train ride will be sooo awesome at that time of year. skip.
   you can head early to arashiyama and see the bamboo grove first thing if you need to.
   you will see and go over the bridge to get to the monkey park.

   – 8 can be used if you missed something you MUST see

   – any day you want: after 6pm, gion/hanamikoji, pontocho, yasaka

   – maybe you get to see nighttime illuminations? keep your eyes open

3. > Do we stay at a Ryokan in Kyoto? (If yes, suggestions welcome) or better to stay in a hotel?

   Your choice; personally I simply do not have the patience/mindset for genuine ryokan (where the customer service/omotenashi is a huge part of the value proposition) for more than one day at a time. Especially since you are already planning on an onsen ryokan earlier in the trip, I’d opt for a more anonymous hotel here.

   > family onsen

   Friendly reminder that onsen in Japan do not allow clothing (even for chartered private baths the expectation is still like this). As your daughters are older, a friendly reminder to please discuss with them beforehand whether they wish to do this with their parents or indeed even with each other, since comfort levels with nudity can vary even within a family.

   > Takaragawa Onsen

   This specific choice of onsen town seems a bit inconvenient between Tokyo and Osaka as it is in the opposite direction?

   > Osaka

   Do a night illumination or two at the shopping centers. I like what Namba Parks puts up.