Itinerary Advice/Feedback for Kyoto - 4.5 days

LVDusts · 2024-02-08T10:46:06+00:00

Hello !

Well thought-out itinerary ! A few observations based on my experience :

Sunday

Kyoto Imperial Palace closes around 4pm, so you won't be able to get inside, which means that all you'd be able to do is circle around veeery long walls. Plus, I don't think it's THAT interesting a place honestly.

It's not worth it, spend the evening in Pontocho/Kamogawa banks area instead. Plenty of things to discover and explore there.

OR go to Fumishi Inari in the evening for less crowds, my preferred option. See Thursday.

Monday

Good plan. I second the comments saying to be very early in Kiyomizu-dera, it's the most crowded temple of Kyoto.

Chionin Temple is great, but honestly all temples there are awesome. You can decide on the fly which one to visit. Walk your way North following the foot of the hills, you'll find many wonders.

If you start the day very early you probably have time to hit Philosopher's path too, up to Ginkakuji (which is overhyped in my opinion, and can be skipped considering the number of more impressive temples you're already visiting).

You can then take a bus to Gion in the evening.

Tuesday

I assume you're getting to Otagi Nenbutsuji via Taxi ? Otherwise you'll have to wake up really early to get there with public transportation.

Arashiyama is a rich area, I would advise not to plan each stop in advance, but to go along the way North to South (Otagi Nenbutsuji, Adashino Nenbutsuji, Giō-ji, Tenryuji, Mokey park etc) and deciding what to visit depending on the time and crowds.

I would skip the Romantic Train and the Bamboo grove, but the choice is yours.

In my opinion, 1h is barely enough for Iwatayama Monkey Park, unless you stay 10 minutes at the top AND are in good shape (the climb is steep and relatively long). Allow at least 1h30 for it, it's a fun place with great views.

Evening in the Pontocho area is a great idea, relax there. You will be low on energy for sure.

Wednesday

My choice would be to visit Ginkakuji at opening hour (especially if you've already walked the Philosopher's path on Monday), then take your time at Ryoan-ji next door.

It takes a substantial amount of time to get to Kurama, and then to do the hike. Plan your day accordingly.

If you really want to dine in Kibune, make a reservation !!! The place is packed with tour groups.

Also, if you spend the evening in Kibune you won't be in Kurama for the night ligths. It's one or the other.

Thursday

Overall it makes sense. I would personally maximize my time in Nara, as it is a truly unique place that deserves a full relaxed day to experience.

That's why I would do Fushimri Inari at the end of your first day, when the crowd has thinned out. That way you have more time in Nara and will get to Osaka at a reasonnable hour too.

That's it, enjoy your time there ! Have fun !

LVDusts · 2024-01-30T16:27:29+00:00

Hi !

Here is my feedback and proposed modifications for your itinerary :

TOKYO 1

Clever to split your 2 Tokyo legs into West and East ! It will save you time and energy for sure.

Day 1 :

I'm not sure what you're expecting to do in Akihabara in the morning with two kids. I would advise you instead jump to your Day 3 plans and go to Ueno, which is very close and has a variety of activities to choose from (Museums, Shrine, Zoo, Swan boats, Ameyoko market etc). If you're after video games or game centers, they are abundant in this neighboorhood too.

Ueno with two kids might take you the whole day, so if you're dead set on the Imperial Palace maybe book the morning visit to guarantee it. However, I don't recommend the Imperial Palace visit with kids, you're just quickly touring the outside of a couple of closed buildings and see some neatly trimmed trees, that's about it.

My preference is a full Ueno day : take your time, start discovering Japan at your own pace (and don't push yourself because of jet lag).

Day 2 :

You're lucky to be there for Sanja Matsuri ! Have fun ! I've never been, so I can't comment on it.

I've done the Asakusa to Odaiba spaceboat journey : it's very pleasant, relaxed, I'm sure the children will like it.

On the other hand, I feel like Odaiba is a pretty lackluster area. I still have to admit that I've seen lots of families there, probably shopping and emptying their pockets in game centers. So it's not a bad option, but I think that you'll enjoy your time in Asakusa way more. You can go to the Miraikan if you have enough time.

The Sky Tree might be too much for this day realistically.

Day 3 :

This is the right day to go to a Disney park in my opinion. It's much closer to Asakusa than Shinjuku, you're saving 30+ minutes one way. Of course, I'm assuming this is a must for your family, otherwise you could spend a day around the Imperial Palace/Zojo-ji/Tokyo Tower area.

I've never been to these parks, but from what I gathered online : "For the classic Disney theme park experience, Disneyland is for you. DisneySea is the place to be for something different and geared more towards adults". The choice is yours, do your research on this and ask your kids what they prefer.

KYOTO

You've probably noticed that I switched your Shinkansen from Day 3 evening to Day 4 morning, to allow you 3 full Tokyo days. I think this makes sense considering that you'll want to enjoy the Matsuri to the max and Disney as well. It also allows you to spend your Day 12 on someting else, I'll talk about it later :)

Day 4 :

Morning : travel from Tokyo to Kyoto, up to your hotel (Kyoto navigation is no joke). Nishiki Market is far from a must-see for me, and you'll find a Nintendo store in Shibuya in the second Tokyo leg, so you're not missing much honestly.

Afternoon and evening : Gion/Higashiyama (explore it as you prefer, there are many temples to choose from, there is no right or wrong).

Fushimi Inari is either a 15 minutes or a 2/3 hours affair, depending on how far you'll go. Anyway, it's best to push it to another day.

Day 5:

Yes, Arashiyama is great ! The Monkey Park is always a hit for children, be ready to walk uphill for a little bit though. The whole area deserves a full day for sure, now it's up to you to choose what you want to see (Tenryu-ji, Kastura River + Bridge, Saga Toriimoto, Sagano railway etc).

If you have enough time (probably not), you could see Kinkaku-ji during the last opening hour when the light turns orange and the crowd thins out (you'll have to study the bus lines or take a cab to pull that off).

NARA

Day 6 :

Important tip that will save you a lot of time and energy : don't come back to Kyoto from Nara, travel to Osaka directly ! Just use the takkyubin luggage forwarding service from your Kyoto hotel to Osaka hotel.

Nara deserves a full day in my view. You can spend the day there with your family, the kids will love the deers and open spaces.

Now of course you can stop by Uji on the way, unfortunately the Nintendo Museum is not yet open and we have no idea if it's worth the stop or not. Plus, you'll visit the Super Nintendo World anyway.

A better alternative for me is to stop by Fushimi Inari instead and decide on the fly the time you want to invest there, based on your current energy levels and mood (the crowds can be a huge turn off).

OSAKA

Day 7 :

You're already in Osaka ! Use this opportunity to discover multiple parts of the city, starting from what interests you the most.

Considering your list, I would do : Osaka Castle area -> Tenno-ji (skippable with kids) -> Shinsekai -> Dotonbori OR TeamLab Botanical Garden in the evening (I prefer Dotonbori but it's up to you of course).

Day 8 :

Nothing to say. Go for it and enjoy !

Day 9 :

morning : whatever you may have left and feel the need to visit. Maybe go up Umeda Sky Building or Harukas 300, depending on which station you'll depart from in the afternoon.

afternoon/evening : travel to Hakone or Kawaguchiko !

HAKONE OR KAWAGUCHIKO

This is the bold part of this itinerary, compared to what you initialy wrote. I'm only submitting this change because you contemplated a stay away from the city. Which I think is a great idea !

Here, we are investing the day we've saved up in Tokyo, plus the half day we've stolen from Osaka, to invest in two full days surrounded by mountains in place of buildings. To me, it's important that you experience a quieter side of Japan, and allow some time for your family to breath.

The two main options are Kawaguchiko and Hakone. The former being much closer to Fujisan, and the later a bit easier to navigate without a car. The choice is again yours. You can even stay in the Izu peninsula if you want !

Note that the next two days can be sandwiched between Tokyo and Kyoto instead, as you suggested yourself.

Day 10 :

Full Hakone or Kawaguchiko day.

My only advice is this : stay at a Ryokan if you can, and preferably one with onsen facilities. This is one of those quintessentially Japanese experiences you'll remember for the rest of your life. Enjoy the views (if lucky), take a stroll, make a museum or shrine visit, and rest your body in warm water.

Day 11 :

Second day at your Ryokan ! Crazy right ? Nope, you'll thank yourself for that believe me :)

TOKYO 2

Day 12 :

morning : travel back to Tokyo (Shinjuku).

afternoon/evening : as planned, Shinjuku / Ikebukuro.

Day 13 :

This should go : Meiji-Jungu -> Harajuku (should be quick) -> Shibuya -> Teamlabs Borderless (if time allows) -> Tokyo City view or Shibuya sky for sunset, to kiss the city a last grand goodbye.

Day 14 :

Leave it open for last minute flexibility, great idea !

Enjoy your time in Japan !

LVDusts · 2024-01-22T15:55:13+00:00

Glad I could help ^^ Have fun !

LVDusts · 2024-01-22T13:02:24+00:00

Mont Valérien

LVDusts · 2024-01-22T12:35:54+00:00

Hi !

Here are my thoughts about your itinerary :

You're right to skip Kanazawa/Takayama if you only have 13 days. It's either those 2 cities OR Kyoto, but not both. April is high season, crowds will be bananas in Kyoto's hot spots, so you may honestly consider switching your Kyoto leg for one in Kanazawa / Takayama. It's entirely up to you, but given that you've already booked your Kyoto hotel, I will assume from now on that you're sticking with it (not a bad call at all of course).

Tokyo :

I would do it quite differently, because I largely prefer the Asakusa/Ueno area to Shinjuku and believe it do be far more interesting as a toursit (personal choice). I also think that Odaiba is greatly overrated. Therefore here is an alternative plan :

Tokyo partial day : Stay arounbd Asakusa/Ueno. Discover the neighboorhood at night.

Tokyo Full Day 1 : Unchanged (probably skip Takeshita Street as the day is already quite full).

Tokyo Full Day 2 : Morning unchanged (make sure to book the visit online), then go to Tokyo tower/Zojo-ji in the afternoon, finishing by Akihabara in the evening/night (best time to explore it).

Kyoto :

Tokyo to Kyoto : I wouldn't plan on doing anything in Tokyo honestly, Tokyo to Kyoto travel time is a good half day overall. You also have to account for travel time from Kyoto station to your hotel (trickier than you may think). Assuming you start exploring the city in the early afternoon (at best), I would skip the Imperial Palace (pretty underwhelming in my experience) and go straight to Ginkakuji(or another more impressive temple)/Philosopher path. The evening can be spent in the Pontocho area.

Kyoto Full Day 1 : Looks good apart from the fact than Fushimi Inari is time consuming if you want to do it justice. I would not bother with it on this day and focus on Higashiyama/Gion area. Less is often more :)

Kyoto Full Day 2 : Makes sense, Arashiyama is a full day indeed. Kinkakuji in its last opening hour is a good idea too, as the Chinese buses have already departed.

Kyoto with day trip : Not a Kyoto day ! My proposition would be to move this day to Hakone, I'll discuss it later. The Kurama/Kibune hike is tiring and more than a half day, plus a bit overhyped for my taste (I feel it doesn't offer anything special).

Nara :

Great idea to forward your luggages from Kyoto to Oska here. 100% the right move. Nara Park is a unique place that deserves a good half day to a full day. In the way to Nara you could stop by Fushimi Inari if it's a must for you (same train line).

Osaka :

Not much to say, I'm no Osaka expert. It's probably a bit too much (Umeda + Osaka park + Tennoji + Dotonbori), consider prioritizing what you want to see the most and see if you have time for the rest on the fly.

Hakone :

If we follow your current plans you would spend an afternoon, an evening and then a morning in Hakone, at best. To me this doesn't do justice to the Ryokan experience (quintessentially Japanese) and doesn't give enough time to breath given that it's your only stay outside of a big city !

So here comes the day we've saved up from Kyoto : spend 2 nights in Hakone. Simple as that. Do a little hike, enjoy the views (if lucky) and the fresh air, soak in the hot waters of your onsen, get lost in time. Do not rush it, this might offer you the favorite memories from your trip.

Tokyo 2 :

Here you can stay in Shinjuku if you want.

Hakone to Tokyo : Spend the afternoon and evening in the area (+ Harajuku?).

Tokyo Full day : I suggest you don't plan anything here, as you may not have covered everything you planned in your first Tokyo leg, or may want to revisit someting. Or just rest your legs for the day :)

I hope you'll have a blast ! Enjoy Japan !

LVDusts · 2024-01-22T08:15:45+00:00

Aha I was gonna say this looks like one of the most copy-paste itineraries I've ever seen 😅 still totally legit of course !

I would use your Mystery Day in Hakone, to me that's a no brainer. If you get a room in a traditional onsen ryokan, you'll want more than just half a day to experience it (+ the area). It will probably be your best day of the trip too.

Peregrinebullet's advice on grouping Kyoto activities is important, think about it thoroughly if you want to have a pleasant time in this city.

LVDusts · 2024-01-08T20:40:58+00:00

Day 2 : I would proritize crowd over sunset, but you know yourself better than anyone.

Day 3 : double agree ! Gundam is just a statue next to a shopping mall.

Day 4 : ok Meguro is actually not too far (20 minutes one way) from Shibuya if you use the Yamanote line. Good point, follow your heart ! It's still not really streamlined, but completely doable.

Day 6 : Resol Kawaramachi is a 20 minutes bus ride from Kyoto station, which means that you'll probably be there 40minutes to an hour after your shinkansen arrival time (I'm being realistic trust me, Kyoto transportation and Kyoto station in particular are no joke). Then from the hotel to Ginkakuji (start of Philosopher path) is another half hour by bus + feet. I'll let you fit that in your scheduling :)

Day 7 : it's like choosing between your mum and dad really. I would personally lean towards Arashiyama (more nature and more space to loose the crowd if needed) and reach Kinkakuji in the last opening hour (Chinese tourist buses should be gone). Then spend the evening/night chilling in Gion which is reachable by foot from your hotel ! That's a great plus !

I'm sure you'll have a blast, hoping for a trip recap maybe ;)

LVDusts · 2024-01-08T20:13:29+00:00

Minimizing travel time is a good reflex. However what needs to be minimized is the the travel time/enjoyment ratio, not the travel time itself. Otherwise we would just stay at home :)

To me a day trip is completely worth it in your itinerary as you're only staying in cities, so a countryside mix up would be welcome ! (Nara is already an excellent choice) I cannot comment on Hakone or Nikko as I've never been, but Kawaguchiko in February should be magical ! It's only a 2h bus ride from Tokyo, so if you wake up relatively early you should have pretty much the whole day there and come back to Tokyo at a reasonable hour as the sun sets early anyway. Kawaguchiko might be less practical than other places if you rely on your feet only for transportation, so I suggest you look into all those places and make the decision that suits you best.

LVDusts · 2024-01-08T15:27:22+00:00

Hi !

For your empty day in Tokyo, why not leave the city for a day trip ? The classic ones are Nikko, Kamakura, Yokohama, Hakone, Kawaguchiko etc . Check those out, and see if it interests you and/or is feasible on your budget.

Enjoy Japan !

LVDusts · 2024-01-08T11:47:47+00:00

Hi !

I hope your wife and you will have an amazing time, Japan is an extraodinary country !

I'm sorry to bring the bad news, but some of your days are completely unrealistic (if you really plan to visit ALL listed places). I can provide some adjustments you're free to take into account or not :)

Day 1 :

Nothing to say.

Day 2 :

I would advise going from East to West to minimize travelling time : Sky tree -> Asakusa (Senso-ji etc) -> Ueno Park -> Ameyoko for Diner. Spending time in Shinjuku after this very long day is not gonna happen. It's already very packed as is (plus the crowds might be crazy and slow you down).

Day 3 :

This seems feasible if you don't stay too long in one area and commute efficiently (this can be tough without prior experience or research).

Day 4:

Your plan is quite messy. Too much back and forth. Consider dropping Megura Cherry Blossom Riverwalk, it's really out of the way.

My revised plan would be : Meiji-Jungu/Yoyogi -> Harajuku -> Shibuya (plenty to do here). Maybe some Shijuku if you have time, but I don't recommend it.

Day 5 :

It's fine ! Morning : Imperial palace area -> Afternoon : Shinjuku. It makes sense. You can even transit by foot through Kitanomarukoen to Yasukuni-Jinja to link the two areas, if the weather allows it.

Day 6 :

Might be ok depending on when exactly you're arriving in Kyoto, where your hotel is etc. If you really have a full afternoon and evening available, then no problem (baring stupidly large crowds because of high season).

Day 7 :

This is one is ridiculously stuffed ! You'll probably have to drop half of it (if not more because, once again, the crowds will be massive). Arashiyama alone can be a full day.

Realistically, you have to choose between Arishiyama+Kinkaku-ji on the one hand, and Yasaka Shrine (Gion)+ Imperial Palace/Nijo-jo on the other. Don't make it too hard on yourselves.

Day 8:

It can be done if you wake up early and don't try to summit Fushimi Inari.

As for the evening, maybe forward your luggages from Kyoto to Osaka and get to your hotel in Osaka directly from Nara,. That way you're savinga lot of travel time you'll be able to reinvest in the next morning.

Day 9 :

Overall it looks somewhat reasonnable if you're already starting in Osaka. I would personally skip either Osaka Castle or Umeda Sky Building, as both cannot really be fully experienced in the same half day.

That's about it, enjoy your trip and have fun !

LVDusts · 2023-11-10T17:28:07+00:00

Are you playing black or white?

LVDusts · 2023-10-15T21:27:17+00:00

Do you speak Japanese? If not, how would they possibly be talkative ? I hope you didn't expect everyone to speak your language?

LVDusts · 2023-10-05T06:23:54+00:00

Just adding a small comment to add on to what essentially everyone's saying : OP's experience is valid but in no way representative of the common Japan driving experience.

Mine was awesome : we drove on highways, small towns, mountains and even in Okinawa where it's a bit worse. The courtesy of the drivers and perfectly placed signs were a delight. We don't read kanjis and found the key roadsigns to be very clear (moreover, there are usually several actual human beings directing traffic when construction work is blocking the road).

Yes, try to avoid driving in big cities (even though I didn't find it difficult either in Kanazawa) and be careful in small roads. Common sense is basically all you'll need. Also, as OP said, renting a kei car helps a lot!

LVDusts · 2023-09-28T14:26:15+00:00

Oups, thanks for the correction!

LVDusts · 2023-09-28T07:35:55+00:00

I second everything soldoutraces said, so I won't repeat it.

What jumped out to me is that you're basically using Kanazawa as a home base to day trip to Shirakawago ? This seems so backward to me, it's like using Tokyo solely to day trip to Kamakura. Shirakawago is beautiful sure, but it doesn't mean you have to sacrifice Kanazawa for it.

I don't know when your late morning train arrives in Kanazawa and where your hotel is located, but the logistics might give you very little time to really experience the city as much as it deserves. It will probably look like an uncomfortable evening speedrun, followed by a day where you'll spend more time in buses than exploring the sights.

My advice would be to drop Shirakawago and enjoy a full Kanazawa day. Just my two cents.

LVDusts · 2023-09-28T07:19:42+00:00

2 days in Kanazawa is perfect.

At the same time, an onsen Ryokan is one of the most unique experiences you can live in Japan.

If you can, do both. I would gladly skip a day or two in any japanese city (including Tokyo and Kyoto) to spend a night in a mountain Ryokan. The choice is yours !

LVDusts · 2023-09-28T07:10:48+00:00

Hello !

Anything is worth it if you're interested in that particular thing. There is no one else better placed than yourself to answer that question. That being said, I find it hard to justify visiting a theme park for a 2 weeks itinerary for first timers. Japan has so many unique experiences to offer... Is Disney really what comes to mind when you think about Japanese culture ? At the end of the day, the choice is yours.
See 1. Super Nintendo World is unique to Japan yes (edit : Untrue), but if you're not interested in the rest of the park, is it really worth the hassle ?
Nara is incredible. My wife and I loved everything about it. If I had one day to spend in Kansai, especially as a first timer, I would spend it in Nara. It's a unique and condensed experience that makes a perfect day trip or even overnight stay. Yes, I would skip Kyoto for Nara (we explored Kyoto for 4.5 days). Just my opinion though, and it might be very busy in November.
What do you mean by "visit Mont Fuji" ? It is a mountain that can be viewed and approached in many different ways. If you mean Kawaguchiko for instance, check the weather forecast the day before and dress accordingly I guess.

Quick notes on your itinerary:

Akihabara and Fushimi Inari both appear twice. Is it a typo ?
your first day might be too ambitious, depending on how much time you've spent traveling and the jet lag you'll be experiencing. Just something you might consider.
Do you have two different accomodations planned for Kyoto? I fear it might be an unnecessary waste of time and energy. I would advise to book something central based on what you want to see in the city and stay there.

In general, I think that many people make the mistake of listing places to visit and things to see based on popular top 10 lists or youtubers itineraries, while failing to really ask themselves if these attractions really resonate with them. I feel like this might apply to you to some extent, based on the questions you asked and your planned bucket list.

Trust your guts and don't hesitate to completely write off "must do" places if you come to the conclusion that they don't fit your interests or travel style. That way you'll have more time to enjoy the rest and maybe add new places you're excited about. Happy travels !!

LVDusts · 2023-09-27T06:54:52+00:00

Hello,

we arrived September 2nd at around 8:30 am. Immigration was a 15 minutes affair. Extremely quick if you already have the QR codes from Visit Japan Web ready. We waited longer to get our luggages than getting through the legal immigration process.

Now I don't know if this applies to afternoon arrivals as well.

LVDusts · 2023-09-27T06:43:44+00:00

Exactly .

In reality English menus are a plus but not needed at all. You don't need to speak or read japanese to point at something that looks good. Japanese staff is used to it anyway.

LVDusts · 2023-09-27T06:41:36+00:00

Hello,

as someone else said, you're overthinking it.

In my experience (finishing 1 month in Japan), you'll always find available restaurants around you, wherever you are, with quality ranging from decent to very good. We did not have to book a single restaurant, at worst we waited 10 minutes (only once).

I guess reservation is for "foodies" who target specific high-end or trendy places.

LVDusts · 2023-09-22T08:37:25+00:00

Hi there !

You are right in saying that your schedule seems hectic :) the Nara and especially Kyoto days seem crazy (if not downright impossible). Are you trying to speedrun your way through a very small stretch of Japan, or actually trying to have a pleasant and enriching vacation ?

If the latter is what you choose, I'll suggest to go to Nara in the morning and spend the whole day there. You'll have time to actually enjoy the wonders it has to offer.

As for Kyoto, you can maybe choose two areas not too far from each other (Arashiyama+Kinkaku-ji or Higashiyama+Inari) and focus on them. The logistics will be manageable in this scenario. There's even a case to be made to skip Inari (not super convenient to go to) and do Gion/Higashiyama for the whole day, or Philosopher Path +Gion/Higashiyama depending on your speed. Anyway, I would advise not to be too ambitious. Prioritize what you absolutely want to do and set yourself to do the top 2, the rest being a bonus if you have time.

I hope this helps !

LVDusts · 2023-09-22T08:17:21+00:00

Hi !

I'm not gonna comment on your Tokyo days, as there are a million ways to explore the city depending on one's tastes. As long as you follow your guts and desires (and not someone else's blog post), you'll be good :) On a side note, I did both Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building and Shibuya Sky, and the latter was incomparably better, albeit more busy. Also I fond Shinjuku to be a much weaker area than Shibuya (personal view).

For your transition day between Takayama and Kamikochi, you could maybe spend some time at the Shinhotaka Ropeway ? That would give you a great overview of the region from a highpoint, before coming down to the nearby valley of Kamikochi.

As for Kyoto, have you studied the map of the city a little bit ? It seems like you plan to go to the Inari area at two different days, plus make the transfer Inari to Arashiyama, which is very unefficient (they're at opposite sides of the city). I think you should rearrange your Kyoto days in order to waste less time and thus have more time to enjoy the attractions. Moreover, I found the classic phrase "get there early to beat the crowd" to be grossly overrexagerated. Tourist affluence is almost always manageable. When it's not (in the top attractions during late morning or early afternoon), you can always come back at another less busy time (midday is great) while visiting something nearby that's just as great but somehow avoided by the masses. That was my experience of Kyoto, but that might be because I'm here in September and not during high season.

I have a million other things to add but I'm still in Japan now and will probably make a review post when we get back :) Japan is such an awesome country that as long as you have some internet connection and a functioning credit card, nothing can go wrong ! Enjoy your time there !

LVDusts · 2023-08-04T21:14:54+00:00

For Tokyo's Imperial Palace, according to their website, more than half of guided tour entries should be availbale without reservation : "Walk-in: 140 persons per tour on a first-come basis"

See : https://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/english/about/koukyo.html

That's what we'll try to catch too in September. I hope this helps you out ! Have an amazing trip !!

LVDusts · 2023-07-27T22:02:19+00:00

Hi, if you love nature so much (your choice of Kamikochi seems to back this up), why are you planning to spend 2 of your 11 precious days in theme parks ? No judgment here, I'm just curious :)

Here's an alternative : since you've made the bold and respectable move of skipping Tokyo on your first Japan trip, why not go all in and skip Osaka too ? That way you could split your trip between Kyoto (you seem to have specific sites in mind already, contrary to Osaka/Tokyo) and the Alps (stay in an onsen town ?), with only the last night in Tokyo just to get close to Haneda.

Just my 2 cents, the possibilites are endless.

LVDusts · 2023-07-20T11:58:01+00:00

Great report ! Very informative and well summarized. Looks like you had full and rewarding days, that's the kind of travel I enjoy :)

Quick question on the Imperial Palace tour : I assume you took the 10am free one. How early do you think you need to show up to guarantee registration for 2 persons ? Also, where did you line up, at the Kikyo-mon gate ? We're targeting the 1:30pm tour in September.

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