First Japan Trip! 25 Days: Osaka – Kyoto – Yamagata Itinerary

Hi! It’s my first time going to Japan, but I am travelling in a group of 5 – 3 of whom have been to Japan previously. For my week in Kyoto we are also meeting up with some more friends who have been to Japan many times, so the itinerary in that area is more theirs than mine.

This is my itinerary so far, would love to hear any recommendations/criticism on it that you have for me. If there’s anything you think I should skip/add to my itinerary that would be great also!

Interests: shrines, nature, shopping (street wear, vintage, video games, art), food (very adventurous eater), and Japanese experiences I can only get in winter.

Worth mentioning is I’m not a fan of zoos/animal cafes or anything of the sort. I’m very much tossing up the Osaka Aquarium on Osaka Day 4, so would love to hear peoples’ experiences there.

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# OSAKA 14 Jan – 19 Jan

*-Sun 14 Jan: \[OSAKA 1\]*

* Kansai Airport 9:25am
* Get to accommodation, drop off luggage
* Check out surroundings, grab some food, maybe a bit of shopping – get situated
* Osaka Castle at night (Winter Illumination)

*-Mon 15 Jan: \[OSAKA 2\]*

* Sumiyoshi Taisha (early)
* Shittenoji Temple
* Shinsekai/Tsutenkaku
* Dotonbori

*-Tue 16 Jan: \[OSAKA 3\]*

* Hiroshima day trip
* Miyajima Island, or come back and do Kuromon Ichiba/Dotonbori

*-Wed 17 Jan: \[OSAKA 4\]*

* Kaiyukan Aquarium/Ferrris Wheel
* Tempozan Marketplace
* Shinsaibashi (Midosuji Street lights, Daimaru, UNIQLO)

*-Thu 18 Jan: \[OSAKA 5\]*

* Send luggage ahead to Kyoto, pack a day bag for Koya-san
* Others in my group are going to USJ, but I have no interest in going (disliked Universal Singapore)
* Free day right now, potentially some shopping/Nakazachiko or even Okayama City day trip

*-Fri 19 Jan: \[KOYA-SAN 1\]*

* Shukubo stay at Koya-san
* Central Koya-san (Kongobuji, Daishi Kyokai)
* Okuno-in Night Tour

# KYOTO 20 Jan – 27 Jan

*-Sat 20 Jan: \[KYOTO 1\]*

* Travel from Koya-san to Osaka to Kyoto
* Nishiki Market
* Nijo Castle
* Kyoto Imperial Palace
* Higashi Hoganji
* Gion (at night)

*-Sun 21 Jan: (KYOTO 2\]*

* Arashiyama temples (Otagi Nenbutsuji, Gioji, Enri-an, Jojakkoji)
* Toriimoto Preserved Street
* Southern Arashiyama (Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji, Togetsu-kyo Bridge, Monkey Park, Kimono Forest)

*-Mon 22 Jan: \[KYOTO 3\]*

* Kifune Shrine
* Kurama Shrine
* Kinkaku-ji

*-Tue 23 Jan: \[KYOTO 4\]*

* Yasaka Jinja
* Kodai-ji Temple
* Kiyomizu-dera
* Fushimi Inari Taisha (hike to summit)

*-Wed 24 Jan: \[KYOTO 5\]*

* Uji Shrines (Byodo-in, Ujikami, Manpuku-ji, Uji-jinja)
* Uji Bridge
* Tale of Genji Museum
* Teahouses – do a tea ceremony

*-Thu 25 Jan: \[KYOTO 6\]*

* Day trip to Nara

*-Fri 26 Jan: \[KYOTO 7\]*

* Day trip to Kobe

*-Sat 27 Jan: \[KYOTO 8\]*

* Day trip to Himeji

# YAMAGATA 28 Jan – 29 Jan

*-Sun 28 Jan \[YAMAGATA 1\]*

* Train to Osaka, fly to Yamagata, option to arrive at either 9am or 2pm depending on flight
* Drop luggage, get some food
* Group splits up, some want to snowboard/ski on Mt Zao, others want to just chill in onsens
* Okama Crater
* Snow monsters
* Sulphur hotspring (public bathhouse Mt Zao)
* Eat Yonezawa beef somewhere

*-Mon 29 Jan \[YAMAGATA 2\]*

* Ginzan Onsen day trip

# TOKYO 30 JAN – 7 FEB

*-Tue 30 Jan \[TOKYO 1\]*

* Train to Tokyo

*-Wed 7 Feb \[TOKYO 9\]*

* Fly out of Haneda at 11:55pm

The itinerary from Tokyo hasn’t been sorted out yet, would love any recommendations for here! Day trip-wise I would love to do Nikko and Hakone but I am yet to figure out my days.

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# QUESTIONS

1. Do you have any recommendations for me on Osaka Day 5? At one point I was considering switching Day 3 and 4 around and staying a night on Okayama City (going there directly after Hiroshima trip) but am unsure how much there is to do there in winter?
I love fruit and Kurashiki also interests me – but with the Gardens and main fruits being out of season, and Chichu Art Museum also being closed, I am unsure if it is worth the time on this trip?
2. Anything you feel I should cut/add in the Kyoto itinerary?
3. Are there any must-do’s/recommendations for my day trip locations – apart from the obvious (Nara, Kobe, Himeji)?
4. Best way to get to/explore Ginzan Onsen? This is a Winter Japan bucket-list item for me, so I would really like to make it there. Have read a lot about the bus and taxi but curious to hear from anyone who has done this trip.
5. Recommendations for onsens/accomodation in Yamagata? Is it better to stay in Yamagata City or Mount Zao? (currently I’m planning on Yamagata due to making travel to Ginzan easier)
6. Any food recommendations I must try at any of these places? I love food and would especially love to try regional + seasonal specialties!