OSAKA TRIP

[dimitri_can]

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same here</p>
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<p>usually i leave the cities to the end of the trip, coz that is when i do my shopping before returning to sg.

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<p> </p>
only that, imagine if u miss e train for e flight back to SG?

 

[James Tang]

Also

6. Nijo Castle

7. Ginkakuji

8. Arashiyama

9. Ninnaji Temple

10. Ryoanji Temple

11. Tofukuji Temple

Now with these 2 days not enough liao

 

[hoshiyume]

I will go at the end of trip.

Gion got lots of shopping to do.

what to buy in gion? ehem i not rich so must be ok price

 

[anyhowsaysay]

what to buy in gion? ehem i not rich so must be ok price

Snacks sweet food souvenir handicraft

Quite a lot actually.

 

[jooyeo]

JR Pass definitely No. Since it is quite expensive and the only way it is worthwhile is using Shinkansen. Like Osaka->Tokyo roundtrip or Osaka->Hiroshima round trip.

Kansai rail pass also hard to justify. Osaka->Kyoto local train only 540 yen
Unless u take the Haruka from KIX to Kyoto then worthwhile to buy 1 day pass

oic. i was thinking getting the Kansai pass since it was $6k for 4 days... so i can get the local train pass at japan right? coz my fren keep saying cannot buy pass in japan must buy in sg... i think was referring to the JR pass.. anyway i also do more research and find tt JR pass is useless unless i go to Tokyo..

i was thinking to buy a Haruka pass which i read online to get from KIX airport.. so that i can travel to Kyoto once i reach KIX airport...

 

[jooyeo]

Beginning of e trip

same too.. once reach KIX airport then i heading to Kyoto and stay for around 3 nights.. then head back to osaka and do day trip to nara and kobe...

 

[dimitri_can]

oic. i was thinking getting the Kansai pass since it was $6k for 4 days... so i can get the local train pass at japan right? coz my fren keep saying cannot buy pass in japan must buy in sg... i think was referring to the JR pass.. anyway i also do more research and find tt JR pass is useless unless i go to Tokyo..

i was thinking to buy a Haruka pass which i read online to get from KIX airport.. so that i can travel to Kyoto once i reach KIX airport...

JR Pass: Must buy in SG
JR West Pass: Can buy in Japan

 

[anyhowsaysay]

oic. i was thinking getting the Kansai pass since it was $6k for 4 days... so i can get the local train pass at japan right? coz my fren keep saying cannot buy pass in japan must buy in sg... i think was referring to the JR pass.. anyway i also do more research and find tt JR pass is useless unless i go to Tokyo..

i was thinking to buy a Haruka pass which i read online to get from KIX airport.. so that i can travel to Kyoto once i reach KIX airport...

4 days for 6000 yen.
First day u can use the Haruka-> It is covered by the Kansai pass. (That is around 3000 yen).

Quite worthwhile for that kansai pass

you can refer to this
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_03.html

 

[evilerniex]

oic. i was thinking getting the Kansai pass since it was $6k for 4 days... so i can get the local train pass at japan right? coz my fren keep saying cannot buy pass in japan must buy in sg... i think was referring to the JR pass.. anyway i also do more research and find tt JR pass is useless unless i go to Tokyo..

i was thinking to buy a Haruka pass which i read online to get from KIX airport.. so that i can travel to Kyoto once i reach KIX airport...

u may want to calculate and see if 4 days its worth it. coz i think it is unlikely that u will spend 6000yen on transport for 4 days.

from japan guide:

Assessment
This pass is a good deal if you intend to use the Haruka limited express train for the journey between Kansai Airport and Kyoto, since the price for a regular one way ticket is already 2980 Yen, compared to 2000 Yen for a one day pass. Apart from the above journey, it is difficult to cover a distance worth 2000 Yen by local trains within the designated area in one day. One of the few other itineraries, which justify the purchase of the JR West Kansai Area Pass, would be a day trip from Kyoto or Osaka to Himeji.

even for kix to kyoto, there are cheaper alternatives by normal train, but it is slower and require transfer

 

[lillyelf]

Felt like being helpful. Hopefully other first-timers to Kansai will benefit.

KIX - Kyoto:
1 day JR West pass 2000 yen
(*there are other ways to get to Kyoto via local trains if your hotel is in the heart of Kyoto.)

Travel within Kyoto:
One-day subway pass 600 yen (3 rides to be worthwhile)
One-day bus pass 500 yen (can consider if your itinerary can be covered by bus)

Kyoto - Osaka:
JR direct local 540 yen (to Osaka station/Umeda)
(*other options if your Kyoto hotel is in the heart of Kyoto, or if your Osaka hotel is not in Umeda)

Within Osaka:
One-day subway pass 800 yen (600 yen on weekends)

Osaka - Nara:
JR direct local 780 yen
Osaka subway + Kintetsu line 710 yen (covered by Kansai Thru pass)

Osaka - Kobe (note that Kobe city centre is at Sannomiya)
JR direct local 390 yen
Hankyu or Hanshin line 310 yen (covered by Kansai Thru pass)

Osaka - KIX
JR airport direct 1160 yen

Tip: Kansai Thru pass also covers the following trains:
Shijo-Omiya - Arashiyama (within Kyoto, 200 yen)
Sannomiya - Arima onsen (from Kobe, 900 yen)
Shichijo - Fushimi-Inari (within Kyoto, 150 yen)
All subways in Kyoto, Kobe, Osaka

Tip: Kansai Thru pass can be used on non-consecutive days. JR West *must* be used on consecutive days.

 

[hoshiyume]

Felt like being helpful. Hopefully other first-timers to Kansai will benefit.

KIX - Kyoto:
1 day JR West pass 2000 yen
(*there are other ways to get to Kyoto via local trains if your hotel is in the heart of Kyoto.)

Travel within Kyoto:
One-day subway pass 600 yen (3 rides to be worthwhile)
One-day bus pass 500 yen (can consider if your itinerary can be covered by bus)

Kyoto - Osaka:
JR direct local 540 yen (to Osaka station/Umeda)
(*other options if your Kyoto hotel is in the heart of Kyoto, or if your Osaka hotel is not in Umeda)

Within Osaka:
One-day subway pass 800 yen (600 yen on weekends)

Osaka - Nara:
JR direct local 780 yen
Osaka subway + Kintetsu line 710 yen (covered by Kansai Thru pass)

Osaka - Kobe (note that Kobe city centre is at Sannomiya)
JR direct local 390 yen
Hankyu or Hanshin line 310 yen (covered by Kansai Thru pass)

Osaka - KIX
JR airport direct 1160 yen

Tip: Kansai Thru pass also covers the following trains:
Shijo-Omiya - Arashiyama (within Kyoto, 200 yen)
Sannomiya - Arima onsen (from Kobe, 900 yen)
Shichijo - Fushimi-Inari (within Kyoto, 150 yen)
All subways in Kyoto, Kobe, Osaka

Tip: Kansai Thru pass can be used on non-consecutive days. JR West *must* be used on consecutive days.

Can I check if Kansai Pass thru covers from osaka to mt rokko cable car station (at the bottom)? Kobe city bus no.16 is the Kobe public bus right?
↓Osaka
Hankyu Mikage (54min 500yen)/ Hankyu Rokko station (56min 540yen)
↓Kobe city bus no.16 (10-30 minutes)
Rokko cable Shita (lower) station (31min 200yen, 17min 200yen)
↓Rokko Cable Car (10 minutes, 570yen)
Rokko cable Sanjo (upper) Station
↓Rokko Sanjo Bus (7-11 minutes)
Mt. Rokko area

 

[lillyelf]

Yup, as long as you take the Hankyu from Umeda. Both that and the Kobe city bus are covered. I think you also get a discount on the cable car if you show them the Kansai Thru pass.

 

[coldmilk]

Yup, as long as you take the Hankyu from Umeda. Both that and the Kobe city bus are covered. I think you also get a discount on the cable car if you show them the Kansai Thru pass.

With the Kansei Thru Pass, the following discount applies for Rokko Cable cars;

Adult one-way: Normal fare ¥570→ ¥460
Child one-way: Normal fare ¥290→ ¥230​

 

[kiatkiat]

Nice thread I will be going Kasai area too. And will be in Kyoto during the Jidai and Kurama festival. Anything did I need to look out for during the festival? thanks.

 

[lillyelf]

Pray that it doesn't rain.

Seriously though, rain will definitely affect your plans and photos. I was at the Kurama Fire Festival 2 years ago and the rain made it so smoky! It was hard to take pictures while holding an umbrella too. But I guess the rain reduced the number of visitors so it balanced out in the end. Expect lots of fire and bare-bottomed guys. It will be an eyeful.

I've never been to the Jidai Matsuri (been to the other 2 only), but I've heard of people who recommends the Sanjo-dori near Sanjo Keihan station if you want to take pictures. Of course, expect photographers to be there at least a couple of hours before the parade starts. If you don't want to spend the whole afternoon watching it, head to the Imperial Palace early. They parade through lunch so bring some snacks if you're planning to sit through it.

If there's no rain and you want good spots for the Kurama festival, head straight up north with food and drink once you're done with the Jidai Matsuri because everyone else will be heading the same way. Be ready to stay late 'cos the action happens at the temple at 8pm. After that, everyone will head to the station together so expect a long wait for trains.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[kiatkiat]

Pray that it doesn't rain.

Seriously though, rain will definitely affect your plans and photos. I was at the Kurama Fire Festival 2 years ago and the rain made it so smoky! It was hard to take pictures while holding an umbrella too. But I guess the rain reduced the number of visitors so it balanced out in the end. Expect lots of fire and bare-bottomed guys. It will be an eyeful.

I've never been to the Jidai Matsuri (been to the other 2 only), but I've heard of people who recommends the Sanjo-dori near Sanjo Keihan station if you want to take pictures. Of course, expect photographers to be there at least a couple of hours before the parade starts. If you don't want to spend the whole afternoon watching it, head to the Imperial Palace early. They parade through lunch so bring some snacks if you're planning to sit through it.

If there's no rain and you want good spots for the Kurama festival, head straight up north with food and drink once you're done with the Jidai Matsuri because everyone else will be heading the same way. Be ready to stay late 'cos the action happens at the temple at 8pm. After that, everyone will head to the station together so expect a long wait for trains.

Good luck and have fun!

thanks for the info

 

[onob]

I am planning on a 7-day trip to Osaka. These are some of the places that I would like to visit -
1) Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
2) Dotonburi
3) Shinsaibashi
4) Minami
5) Nanba Grand Kagetsu
6) Sumiyoshi-taisha shrine
7) Universal Studios
8) Osaka Castle
9) Umeda Sky Building
10) Kids Plaza Osaka
11) Tempozan Ferris Wheel
12) Tenjimbashisuji Shopping St
13) Shitennoji Temple
14) Kuromon Ichiba
15) Shinsekai
16) Osaka City Central Hall

a) Any more places in Osaka noteworthy that I've missed out on?
b) Will there be time for a 2-days visit to Kyoto or anywhere else, besides Osaka?
c) Is it better to get a one-day subway pass based on this list?

Cheers all!