Hi I am going to japan this November with my partner to see some autumn leaves, below are my daily plans on where to visit. Would like some feedback on my itinerary if its too pack or I should go to places which are more recommended for the autumn foliage. Also which area is it better to rent a kimono?(we are thinking of Arashiyama). Which travel pass is more worth it or I should just stick to the IC card(thru apple pay). I would be bring around 120k yen for the whole trip not including the flight and hotel is it more than enough? I added kiyomizu dera on two days to visit the temple in the morning and night. Would also like some suggestions on food and desserts which are nice in both places. Thanks!
**Kyoto**
**Day1**
• breakfast around hotel
• Nishiki market
• Gion
• Kiyomizu-dera
**Day2**
• Hokan-ji Temple
• Kiyomizu-dera
• Kodai-ji Temple (night)
• Gion District (Shopping night)
**Day3**
• Arashiyama forest/ monkey park
• Tongetsukyo Bridge
• Kinkaguji
• Philosopher path
• Gion District (Shopping night)/pontocho
**Day4**
• Nishiki Market
• Fushimi Inari Shrine
• Kamo River (rent a bike?)
**Osaka**
**Day5**
• Check in Hotel
• Breakfast/Brunch
• Osaka aquarium
• Tempozan Giant Ferris
**Day6**
• Minoh Fall
• Katsuo-ji
**Day7**
• Namba Shrine
• Dontonburi
• Shinsekai
**Day8**
• Nara
• Todai-ji
• Nara park
• Kasuga Taisha
• Isuien garden
• Kofukuji temple
• Nakatanidou
• Wakakusa mount?
• Back to Osaka
**Day9**
• USJ
**Day10**
• Osaka Castle
• Umeda Sky Building
• Pokemon Center
6 comments
to travel within and between osaka and kyoto and you dont need any travel pass. there are a few options, but I dont think your planned travel will take advantage of them. and even if they did, the potential savings are, in a week, maybe a few hundred yen.
a IC card will be plenty of preparation…
Kimono I would have said Higashiyama because I have seen a lot more offers there. But I am certain arashiyama has some as well. I think it will more depend on where do you want to wear one…
Day 3: I liked Tenryuuji in spring, and it’s also where the famous bamboo grove is – should be an easy add while you’re out in Arashiyama. The grove gets busy very quickly, though.
Day 4: start with Fushimi Inari, the earlier you can get there the better. You have Nishiki Market on Day 1 already, also?
I like Fushimi Inari -> Nara, which you currently have on Day 8. You can pretty easily do both in the same day and it’s on the same train line.
I assume that these places are in order, my recommendations as below.
Day 2 you should probably start off in the morning in Kiyomizu-dera to avoid the crowd, then work your way down to Hokan-ji etc.
For day 3 in Kyoto you’re kinda going all over the city. Arashiyama is on the west side, Kinkaku-ji is on the northwest, and Philosopher’s Path is East and Gion would be south of that and you’ll probably need to take a bus to each locale. You miiiight want to shift one of these locales to another day. Though if this is the plan, getting a one day Kyoto bus pass would be very useful.
I’m not sure what dates you’re visiting, but there is a special night time illumination event at Kiyomizu-dera that runs from 18 – 30 November that you might be interested in: [http://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/en/visit/special_night_viewing/](http://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/en/visit/special_night_viewing/)
Outside of these dates, the temple closes at 6pm.
To-Ji has night-time illumination (Oct 29 to Dec 11 in 2022)
Hey thanks for the replies and advice guys! I might move nara to the day I visiting Fushimi Inara, so I get a free day in Osaka.( any recommendation on where I should visit or a day trip?) Unfortunately I will travelled to Osaka a few days earlier before the Kiyomizu-dera light event in kyoto is worth using my free day from Osaka to make a day trip back to just watch the temple lights at night?