My family and I are going to Japan this coming Dec. (Early part of Dec)
As it is going to be our first time there, we are just going for the common route of Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo. We would appreciate any advice for our itinerary below.
We have booked a hotel in Kyoto as our base for our Osaka and Kyoto leg of the trip, before taking the Shinkansen to Tokyo. We wondering if it would make sense for us to get the JR rail pass before the price hike on 1 Oct.
Our Itinerary is as follows:
Any advice will be appreciated.
Day 1: Land in KIX in the afternoon. Make our way to hotel in Kyoto and have dinner, explore surroundings if time permits.
Day 2: Early start –> Arashiyama area, Bamboo grove, Tenryu ji, Monkey mountain, Nishiki Market Shopping District. (Was thinking of Kinkaku-ji in the afternoon but its abit out of the way, is it worth it?)
Day 3: Early start –> Fushimi Inari, then to Osaka to explore/ eat in the Dotonbori area, Osaka castle, Umeda Sky Building and TeamLabs at the botanical gardens at night. (Will this be too heavy?)
Day 4: Plan to sign up for guided tour to Amanohashidate & Ine Funaya
Day 5: Nara, then Gion at night.
Day 6: Shinkansen to Toyko. Hotel in Shibuya. Explore Shibuya once settle down.
Day 7: Asakusa, Sensoji Temple, Tokyo Skytree, Odaiba (Is this too heavy? Any other possible alternatives?)
Day 8: Plan to sign up for guided tour to visit Mt. Fuji 5th Station, Mt. Kachi-Kachi Ropeway, Hana no Miyako Park at Lake Yamanaka
Day 9: Shinjuku, and (Akihabara OR Ueno) before flying home in the evening.
Do let us know if you feel any day might be too heavy and there are some better alternatives to what is currently planned.
Thank you!