Hello fellow Japan Travelers,
My wife and I had just returned from a week-long trip from Tokyo and Kusatsu Onsen. We already miss Japan and would like to return for the 2024 Sakura season with our then 2-year old baby (which we did not bring on our last trip).
Personally I’ve previously been to: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima/Miyajima, Nagano, Fuji/Hakone, Kanazawa. While my wife has been to Kyoto and Lite Osaka (USJ + Dotonbori only). It will be the first time our baby is going to Japan.
We will be going in early April, and I want to go to a new area – which I’ve narrowed down to Kyushu or Hokkaido. It seems that Kyushu is more suitable the weather in April + transport system is more baby-friendly.
The plan is to arrive in Fukuoka and depart from Osaka for ease of airline connection. We want to focus on eating, shopping and animals/nature, and this would be at a leisurely 70% pace with a baby.
Here is my draft itinerary:
Day 1 / 4th April (FUKUOKA):
\- Arrive at Fukuoka before Noon, check in hotel near Hakata Station
\- Explore shops near Hakata Station
\- Shops at Canal City
\- Dinner at Yatai
Day 2 / 5th April (FUKUOKA):
\- Teamlabs Fukuoka
\- Ohori Park
\- Maizuru Park -> hopefully still some Sakura sighting here
\- Shopping in Tenjin area
Day 3 / 6th April (OSAKA):
\- Take Shinkansen to Osaka, check in hotel near JR Osaka (Kita)
\- Lunch at Kuromon Market
\- Shopping at Shinsaibashi
\- Dinner at Dotonbori
Day 4 / 7th April (KOBE DAY TRIP):
\- Kobe Animal Kingdom
\- Sannomiya / Kobe Chinatown for dinner
Day 5 / 8th April (OSAKA):
\- Osaka Castle -> hopefully still some Sakura sighting here
\- Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
\- Dinner in Umeda area
Day 6 / 9th April (ONSEN Overnight trip):
\- Check out Osaka Hotel; Leave big luggage at Osaka Hotel
\- Travel to \[Kinosaki or Arima Onsen\] -> undecided
\- Overnight stay at Ryokan
Day 7 / 10th April (Osaka):
\- Travel back to Osaka Hotel and Check-in
\- Tennoji Zoo
\- Shinsekai
Day 8 / 11th April (Fly Back home):
\- Check out from hotel
\- Last minute shopping
\- Afternoon flight back home
What do you guys think about the itinerary? Any other suggestions for activities suitable for a family with a 2 year-old?
I also have a few questions/thoughts:
1) It seems that sakura full bloom has been in the 3rd/4th week of March in the past 2 years. Would we still be able to see meaningful Sakura in 1st/2nd week of April in either Kyushu/Kansai?
2) May also consider doing the itinerary in reverse (enter Osaka depart Fukuoka) depending on airline ticket prices? Any thoughts on this?
3) Any suggestions on Arima Onsen vs Kinosaki Onsen?
4) I may be able to extend the trip by 1 day. What other places are worth going for a Day Trip or Overnight Trip? I am considering Nagasaki / Yufuin-Beppu from Fukuoka or Nara from Osaka.
5) Doesn’t seem that I need a JR Pass (JPY 50k), as I calculated its cheaper to do One Way Sanyo Shinkansen Hakata->Shin Osaka (JPY 10.9k) plus RT Osaka<->Kinosaki (JPY 12.2k) for my major travels.
1 comment
1. Sakura basically only lasts for one week after peak and are extremely fickle (rain, high winds, etc.), so you’re really stretching the dates if flowers are a priority. Of course there are “late sakura” locations in every city (Mt Yoshino from Osaka, for example) but that will require canceling other things and may not be desirable with a child, due to travel time.
2. Same difference
3. Kinosaki is about going around the town visiting public baths (some ryokan have onsen, although these tend to be less grand/luxurious since town policy is to encourage public bath use), which seems counterproductive given the child presumably will not be reliably potty trained (i.e., can’t go into onsen) and needs constant supervision in the ryokan. No comment on Arima as I’ve never been.
4. Do Nara for the deer, make it a day trip to avoid changing hotels.
5. For RT Osaka-Kinosaki look into whether the JR West Kansai Wide Area Pass makes financial sense for you.