KANSAI 15DEC-29DEC

[cpuer]

Bought the the tickets, next is the lodging and itinerary that I have to prepare. Planning to visit Osaka, Kyoto, Nara & Kobe only. From my past experience with the same travelling members, I need to set a side a big portion of the time on shopping and distractions. I got frustrated with the slow pace and dreaded the shopping time. This time round, I will do drop off/pick up approach. Drop them off at a shopping area, pick them up when I have done my portion of sightseeing.

Anyone has similar experiences and ways to tackle this? Should be a common trouble for a mid to large size family travelling

(mine is a 4 women 1 guy team)

 

[coldkey]

Just arrange to meet at meal time and split up. Many malls are located at the train stations so that is an easy place to meet up.

Can even keep them in the Namba area malls in Osaka while you travel to Kobe and Nara. Just base your operation in one city and travel by train to others. Osaka will be best if you get a hotel near the train stations.

 

[kifo]

The major shopping in Osaka are centered around Namba and Umeda. Like coldkey said, get a hotel near either these 2 stations and you will solve a big part of the problem.

 

[cpuer]

BTW, my shortlisted lodging will be the Chuo group of hostels near Shin Imamiya/Dobutsuenmae area. I guess not exactly a shopping mall area, but I like the low price and the good connectivity it provides. Any cheap and better alternative?

 

[marxace]

best is own time own target la.
meet for breakfast can liao. rest of the day, do your own progs so no need waste time go back specially to eat/meet. just leave one or 2 days whereby all of u will go out together.

 

[cpuer]

best is own time own target la.
meet for breakfast can liao. rest of the day, do your own progs so no need waste time go back specially to eat/meet. just leave one or 2 days whereby all of u will go out together.

Trouble is all 4 women are poor in navigation. But they survived London on their own, which I thought it was pure miracle.

As most malls and shopping wont open until noon, I would do some sightseeing in the morning with them. After lunch can just drop them off in the malls and I do my own thing. But at that time sun is preparing to set liao, as the sun sets, my frustration will rise

 

[kifo]

BTW, my shortlisted lodging will be the Chuo group of hostels near Shin Imamiya/Dobutsuenmae area. I guess not exactly a shopping mall area, but I like the low price and the good connectivity it provides. Any cheap and better alternative?

Dobutsuenmae is troublesome lah. No shopping in the area unless they take one stop to Tennouji. Talking about Tennouji, the new shopping district that has sprung up around the station is also a good area to find a hotel. I stayed at Trusty Hotel in Abeno in January this year and it is an excellent choice I would heartily recommend to everyone here on this forum (it is about $150 per night).

 

[kunoichi]

as the sun sets, my frustration will rise

waaaah....!!!
oops, jk jk

but since there's 5 people, will it be better to rent an apartment instead? Namba will be a better location for your ladies, pay a little more for less frustration?

btw it's not a miracle that they survived on their own in London without you

 

[cpuer]

Dobutsuenmae is troublesome lah. No shopping in the area unless they take one stop to Tennouji. Talking about Tennouji, the new shopping district that has sprung up around the station is also a good area to find a hotel. I stayed at Trusty Hotel in Abeno in January this year and it is an excellent choice I would heartily recommend to everyone here on this forum (it is about $150 per night).

from 30 dollars budget to 150 too high liao, we are on shoe string budgets. Will look out for other hostels anyway.

 

[kunoichi]

(mine is a 4 women 1 guy team)

i would also like to add this in

强!!!


cannot resist too funny liao....

 

[kifo]

from 30 dollars budget to 150 too high liao, we are on shoe string budgets. Will look out for other hostels anyway.

150 is per room... Not per person...

 

[cpuer]

i would also like to add this in

强!!!


cannot resist too funny liao....

wah looks like you are very distracted wo.

 

[cpuer]

150 is per room... Not per person...

ic, 150 for how many pax?

 

[kunoichi]

wah looks like you are very distracted wo.

很开心哦 please remember what i posted when you're frustrated during sunset in Japan

and then take a group pic just like that

 

[kifo]

ic, 150 for how many pax?

two

 

[evilerniex]

u can let them F&E for some time and meet back at a certain location.

it depending on how well they can navigate on their own.. can leave them at a mall and meet back in 1-2 hrs at the same place, or can leave them at a shopping area and be back in half a day or in the evening.

for example, when i travelled with some frens who is first time in japan and cant speak japanese, i left them at umeda daimaru for 2hrs while i shopped at yodobashi. on another trip with a different grp who are more familiar with japan, we just go on our own way from the hotel and meet back only for dinner

 

[cpuer]

u can let them F&E for some time and meet back at a certain location.

it depending on how well they can navigate on their own.. can leave them at a mall and meet back in 1-2 hrs at the same place, or can leave them at a shopping area and be back in half a day or in the evening.

for example, when i travelled with some frens who is first time in japan and cant speak japanese, i left them at umeda daimaru for 2hrs while i shopped at yodobashi. on another trip with a different grp who are more familiar with japan, we just go on our own way from the hotel and meet back only for dinner

Since they have been in JP before, I think I will let them venture out themselves by planning some very straightforward shopping malls for them. If nearby have other sightseeing spot, I will make a visit there then return to join them or go our separate ways. Something like your suggestions.

 

[Ghostrider]

Think my itinerary plan quite similar to cpuer for this Dec trip initially , Spent whole trip in based in Osaka and venture to Nara and Kyoto.
Seem most of the time is shopping around Namba and Umeda. Now considering want to spend 10 days based in Osaka or leave for Takayama after the sixth day in Osaka.

Traveling to Tokyo from Osaka , I never done that before. Have not book air ticket yet because the arrival port and departure port not confirmed.

What to do in Osaka for 10 days? Want to spend more time on sightseeing or hiking like what Kifo have done

 

[cpuer]

Think my itinerary plan quite similar to cpuer for this Dec trip initially , Spent whole trip in based in Osaka and venture to Nara and Kyoto.
Seem most of the time is shopping around Namba and Umeda. Now considering want to spend 10 days based in Osaka or leave for Takayama after the sixth day in Osaka.

Traveling to Tokyo from Osaka , I never done that before. Have not book air ticket yet because the arrival port and departure port not confirmed.

What to do in Osaka for 10 days? Want to spend more time on sightseeing or hiking like what Kifo have done

You want to do a Koyan san trip? I will do it. After discussing with my wife, it seems like nobody else like it, so I will be going there myself.

But she is game for Arima Onsen, which I will be going. Going in via Mt Rokko or train, undecided now.

 

[cpuer]

Out of my 13 days there, I have so far allocated these:

1 day Kobe, 1 Day Koyasan, 1 day Arima Onsen, 1 Day Nara, 1 Day Uji, balance 8 days for Osaka & Kyoto.