[huntergal]

Hi! It's my first time travelling to Japan, after much research on the internet and the threads on this forum, I've come up with my own itinerary. Feel free to comment and feedback on it! Thanks!

All the timings are estimated using google map

Day 1 (1/4/2013) Osaka Kansai International Airport 6am
- Buy 3-day Kansai Thru Pass and breakfast at the airport
- Travel to Hotel (1.5h)
- Check into Hotel
- Go to the Aquarium
- Dotonbori/Shinsaibashi

Day 2 Nara
- Day Trip to Nara

Day 3 Osaka
- Floating Garden Observatory
- HEP Five Ferris Wheel
- Shi(tennoji Temple
- Natural Open Air Hot Spring Spa Suminoe

Day 4 Osaka
- Kema Sakuranomiya Park
- Osaka Castle
- Dotonbori/Shinsaibashi

Day 5 Kyoto
- Travel to Kyoto (1.5h)
- Check into Ryokan
- Kyoto Imperial Palace
- Philosopher's path
- Fushimi Inari Taisha

Day 6 Kyoto
- Rent a kimono for a day
- Jishu Shrine, Kiyomizudera Temple
- Yasaka Shrine/Maruyama park
- Gion District

Day 7 Kyoto
- Arashiyama
- Any other ideas?

Day 8 Tokyo
- Travel to Tokyo (3.5h) where to buy Tokaido Shinkansen, Nozomi/Hikari train tickets? anywhere to get any discount?
- Check in Hotel
- Shinjuku Gyoen
- Chidorigafuchi /Yasukuni Shrine

Day 9 Tokyo
- Tsukiji Market
- Ueno Park
- Sumida Park
- Koishikawa Korakuen

Day 10 Tokyo
- Disneyland

Day 11 Tokyo
- Harajuku
- Shibuya

Day 12 Tokyo
- Asukayama Park
- Akihabara

Day 13 13/4/2013 Tokyo
- Limousine Bus to Narita Airport, Flight at 12 noon




Are there any anime theme cafes in Osaka/Kyoto/Tokyo? I can't seem to find any of such, only maid cafes =\

Can Suica be used on all the lines in Osaka and Tokyo?

[angcsbenny]

There is a santa maria cruise which is included in ur 2day pass just outside the aquarium but take note of the timing

[huntergal]

angcsbenny wrote:

There is a santa maria cruise which is included in ur 2day pass just outside the aquarium but take note of the timing

noted on that! thanks!

[huntergal]

Do help to comment! thanks

[Hisashiburi]

Kyoto:
Slightly outside of Kyoto are more hotsprings(onsens) that seem interesting.
Dont recall their names though.

Tokyo:
There is a Ghibli museum if u are a fan of their anime movies.

[snap99]

- You can slot in Odaiba (tokyo) in the afternoon and evenings - for shopping and eating.
- I am not aware of discounted shinkansen tickets available. You can buy tickets at Kyoto station the JR ticketing counters on the day of travel .....
- You may want to go to japan-guide and check the recommend kyoto itineraries on the temples to maximise the sights. Since you are smack in sakura season (hopefully), try the unused railway track park area outside Nanzenji. Nanzenji should be grouped together with your trip to philosopher's walk since they are nearby).
- Osaka its dontonbori for eats and shopping. make sure to catch tokyu hands at shinsaibashi ....
- How about a day-trip to nikko or to enoshima area ?

[huntergal]

okays, thanks for your comments!

[huntergal]

what should i wear from 1st april to 13 april? can just jeans and a thick blazer do? is it too cold to wear shorts and flats?

[jimmy_sg]

You are not getting JR Pass for your trip? It's unlimited ride on JR lines including Shinkansen for 7 days!

Btw, What airlines are you travelling by? How come can alight in Osaka then back from Tokyo?

[samtcy]

jimmy_sg wrote:

You are not getting JR Pass for your trip? It's unlimited ride on JR lines including Shinkansen for 7 days!

Btw, What airlines are you travelling by? How come can alight in Osaka then back from Tokyo?

For just a 1 way Shinkansen between Kyoto and Tokyo, it's not too worth it to get the 7day JR Pass for it...since the other locations in his itinerary are short-distance local train rides.

For a 1way ticket (unreserved seat) on Shinkansen between Kyoto and Tokyo is 12710yen, whereas a 7day JR Pass is 28300yen. Judging from the other places he'll be going, he's not going to make up the 15590yen price difference on the short journeys. It's only worthwhile to get the JR Pass if you take Shinkansen both ways between Tokyo and Kyoto.

[SpinFire]

Can share about which accommodation you're staying in Tokyo??

[feryl]

You can also check out intra-Japan budget airlines instead of shinkansen, sometimes it's cheaper. Alternatively, also overnight buses, you save on one night accoms and travel in your sleep

Temperature in Kyoto/Osaka in early april will be 18-25C, which might be too cold for shorts, but don't be surprised to see Japanese girls walking ard in mini skirt, coz they are used to it.

There is a scenic 'torokko' train in the arashiyama area, you can check it out
SAGANO SCENIC RAILWAY

[huntergal]

i'm arriving in osaka via jetstar and leaving tokyo via scoot, i purposedly planned this way so that i can save on the shinkansen expenses and this method saves more money anyway

i'd be staying in hotel metropolitan tokyo near ikebukuro station.

i think i'd still take the shinkasen from kyoto to tokyo just for the experience. haha.

is normal jacket sufficient? i dun really wanna bring a winter jacket cos it'd be so bulky =\

[James Tang]

Probably need to bring jacket and just in case, one with heat tech. The weather at night may be too cold without. Especially when it rains.

[huntergal]

feryl wrote:

You can also check out intra-Japan budget airlines instead of shinkansen, sometimes it's cheaper. Alternatively, also overnight buses, you save on one night accoms and travel in your sleep

Temperature in Kyoto/Osaka in early april will be 18-25C, which might be too cold for shorts, but don't be surprised to see Japanese girls walking ard in mini skirt, coz they are used to it.

There is a scenic 'torokko' train in the arashiyama area, you can check it out
SAGANO SCENIC RAILWAY

how long does the whole journey from arashiyama to kameoka and back to arashiyama take? 1 hour plus? so both ways would be 1200 yen each person right?