Hi, my family of 5 is planning to visit Japan in mid December for a week. We won’t be experiencing jetlag as we live in Southeast Asia. Please let me know if there is any major mistake in this itinerary! We are all physically fit but we want to make sure that we aren’t squeezing too many activities in a day.
Day 1 – Kyoto
* Land in KIX at 6am
* Take the Haruka Express to Kyoto Station and drop off luggage at a nearby hotel
* Eat and shop at Downtown Kyoto (Nishiki Market, Daimaru, Takashimaya)
* Check in at \~3pm and rest for a bit
* Visit Fushimi Inari Taisha in the evening (and maybe hike the entire thing depending on how tired we are)
Day 2 – Kyoto
* The whole day will be spent around the Southern Higashiyama/Gion area
* Morning: Ninnenzaka/Sannenzaka, Kiyomizudera, Kodaiji, Yasaka Pagoda
* Afternoon: Maruyama Park, Gion
* Night: Gion/Pontocho
Day 3 – Kyoto -> Osaka
* Visit Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Tenryuji in the morning
* Return to the hotel before lunch and check out
* Head to Osaka and check in at a hotel in Namba
* Stroll along Dotonbori & Shinsaibashi from evening – night
Day 4 – USJ/Kobe Day Trip
* Me and my 2 siblings will spend the entire day at USJ
* My parents will take a day trip to Kobe
* Ikuta Shrine, Kobe Harborland, Nunobiki Trail & Mt Rokko/Mt Maya
Day 5 – Osaka
* Osaka Amazing Pass for Days 5 and 6
* We’ve visited Osaka Castle before and we aren’t keen on going again
* Morning/Afternoon : Umeda Sky Building Art Museum & Observatory, Osaka Museum of Living and Housing, The National Museum of Art
* Afternoon/Night: Osaka Aquarium, Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel
Day 6 – Osaka
* Morning: Nagai Botanical Garden and Osaka Museum of Natural History
* Afternoon: Kuromon Market, shop in Nipponbashi & Shinsekai, Tsutenkaku Tower Observation Deck & Slide
* Night: Free space
Day 7 – Nara Day Trip
* Morning: Nara Park, Nara National Museum, Kofukuji & Kasuga Taisha
* Afternoon: Todaiji
* Night: Free space
Day 8 – Flight
* Our flight is at 10am so we’re checking out by 6 am
The free space on Day 6 & 7 will be used to get an early sleep.
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Thanks!
1 comment
Honestly, looks relaxed and achievable to me. Day 5 with three museums + aquarium might be a bit much “looking at things” for me but that’s personal taste. Note that Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is full with tourists, so best to get an early start, especially if you want to be back at the hotel before lunch! Since Arashiyama is a bit out of the way of central Kyoto it might be better to check out before you leave and ask them to hold your bags or use coin lockers, so you won’t be stressed with check-out if Arashiyama takes longer than expected.