Hello all! I’m a 28F and will be travelling solo in Japan in early June – I know it’s the start of rainy season 🙁 but hoping for some good weather. And this trip was an impulsive decision as well. I’ll be arriving at Kansai and travelling straight to Kyoto for a few days and then back to Osaka for a few days. And then departing from Kansai airport again. I’m looking for a laidback trip, hoping to spend some time in each location rather than rushing around. I also think that I’m in quite good shape so should be ok to walk a lot. I would really appreciate some feedback on my draft itinerary for my trip. THANK YOU ALL IN ADVANCE.
ACCOMODATION IN KYOTO: 1 MINUTE WALK FROM KARAWAMACHI STATION, 7 MINUTES WALK FROM GION-SHIJO STATION
ACCOMODATION IN OSAKA: 5 MINUTES WALK FROM NAMBA STATION
**DAY 1 Tuesday (KYOTO)**
* Arrive Kyoto around 1pm
* Lunch near hotel in Kawaramachi
* Nishiki market
* Gion tour at night
**DAY 2 Wednesday (KYOTO)**
* Early morning (7am) for Yasaka temple view
* Kiyomizu-dera
* Kenninji temple
* Breakfast
* Explore Gion area and small shops
* Walk along Shirakawa canal
* Maruyama Park
* Yasaka shrine
**DAY 3 Thursday (KYOTO)**
* Early morning (6am) Togetsukyo bridge and Arashiyama bamboo forest
* Otagi Nenbutsu-ji temple
* Tenryu-ji temple
* Kinkaku-ji temple (not sure about this yet because it’s out of the way)
* Rest in hotel
**DAY 4 Friday (KYOTO)**
* Early morning (6am) Fushimi Inari Taisha, hike to summit, spend around 3-4 hours
* Train to Uji for lunch and tea houseB
* ack to Gion and souvenir shopping *OR* Kimono forest at night (not sure about this as well as it’s in the Arashiyama area)
**DAY 5 Saturday (KYOTO)**
* Amanohashidate day trip *- what do people think about Amanohashidate? Should I do Kurama-Kibune instead?*
* Sunset view for Kiyomizu-dera if possible
**DAY 6 Sunday (KYOTO + OSAKA)**
* Nishiki Market or somewhere in Kawaramachi/Gion for breakfast
* Leave for Osaka around 12pm
* Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi-Suji shopping street
* Shinsekai
**DAY 7 Monday (OSAKA)**
* Kuromon Ichiba Market for breakfast
* Osaka Castle
* Nara day trip *(if people think to give Amanohashidate a miss – I can go to Nara on day 5? Or substitute day 5 with something else? Or do something interesting in Osaka?)*
**DAY 8 Tuesday (OSAKA)**
* Himeji in the morning
* Kobe for lunch and then back to Osaka around 5pm
* Umeda Sky Building
* Back to hotel to rest + shopping
* TeamLab botanical garden
**DAY 9 Wednesday (OSAKA)**
* Minoh Park falls and Katsuoji temple
* Last minute shopping
**DAY 10 Thursday (OSAKA)**
* Early morning flight from KIX
\- I think my biggest question is whether I should do Amanohashidate? Would people recommend a day trip for this during the summer?
\- Initially I was going to travel to Nara from Kyoto but decided that Kyoto is more my scene compared to Osaka so I’m thinking of going to Nara from Osaka instead to free up an extra day in Kyoto. Unless people have more suggestions of things to do in Osaka? Not thinking of visiting USJ.
\- I’m keen to visit Katsuoji temple but looks like its only accessible from Minoh falls via roads? Can I walk on this to get to the temple?
Thanks all
by FunnyNectarine1445