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Travel May trip

Cg1990

Registered
2 Mar 2018
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Hi guys,

Can you please help review my below itinerary, thanks

Sat, May 12
Syd (SYD) --> Osaka (KIX)
Land in Osaka (7.10pm)
• Leave customs, get cash from ATM
• Get pocket wifi from post office
• Purchase ICOCA + Haruka
Kansai Airport station → Kyoto Station (JR Haruka)
Quick bite to eat, Check in to hotel and rest

Sun, May 13
kinkaku-ju, Tenryu-ji, Ryoan-ji
Bamboo Grove, Monkey Park, Okochi Sanso Villa
En Tea Experience?

Mon, May 14
Fushimi Inari Shrine (2-3 hrs hike?)
Nishiki Market, Kamogawa Odori (Geisha)
Gion

Tue, May 15
Kyoto --> Hiroshima
Visit Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Castle, Hiroshima Peace Park & Museum
Hiroshima --> Miyajima
Check into Accommodation (Ryokan?)

Wed, May 16
Mt Misen Hike
Miyajima --> Tokyo
Check into accommodation and dinner somewhere

Thu, May 17
Shibuya, Harajuku
Shinjuku (VR zone?)

Fri, May 18
Asakusa (Sensoji Temple)
Ueno (Temples, Shrines, Museums)
Check out Sanja Matsuri

Sat, May 19
Tsukiji Fish Markets (morning)
Ryogoku (Sumo )

Sun, May 20
Mitake-San Hike
Michelin Restaurant

Mon, May 21
Tokyo --> Hakone
Cruise on Lake Ashimo, Onsen
Hakone --> Osaka
check into accommodation

Tue, May 22
yamazaki distillery tour
Dotonbori, City walk sights of minami

Wed, May 23
Explore Osaka (Osaka Castle, Osaka Aquarium, Umeda Sky Building)
Leave for Kansai Airport
8.40pm Osaka (KIX) --> Sydney (SYD)
 
The 13th seems a bit tight, the 15th (Hiroshima) is too packed. I'd say less is more, unless you're aiming at an entry in the Guiness Book of Records.
 
You sound well-organised! May be worth taking more time in Hakone - there's a well-known loop that you can do in a day trip from Tokyo that involves cable cars, funicular trains, the pirate boat etc. The Hakone freepass, which allows you to do everything, is not particularly expensive either.
Unless there are particular exhibitions you wish to see, I'd miss out Ueno - by the time you get there, you'll be pretty familiar with Japanese cities. Have a good trip.
 
Thanks for all the feedback. I have decided not to stray too far from my latest plan. But I have decided to take out the Hakone day and add in another day in Kyoto. My revised thoughts below:

Day 1: arrive in osaka at night, purchase icoca and haruka, take jr haruka to kyoto

Day 2: arashiyama area

Day 3: fushimi inari, nishiki, kamogawa odori, gion, pontocho

Day 4: higashiyama area, aoi matsuri festival, kaiseki dinner

Day 5: activate JR pass, train to hiroshima via meiji castle, explore park and museum, ferry to miyajima

Day 6: itsukushima shrine, mt misen hike, train to tokyo

Day 7: shibuya, harajuku, shinjuku

Day 8: asakusa, ueno, sanja matsuri

Day 9: mitakesan hike

Day 10: tsukiji markets, ryogoku

Day 11: train to osaka, dotonbori, minami

Day 12: explore osaka

a couple more questions :
- is it still worth getting a JR pass?
- i was still keen on experiencing an onsen, do i have time for it? Could i fit it in one of the kyoto days?
 
Hi CG.
My personal thoughts are you are doing too much travelling and will miss out on a lot of culture that you would get by staying in a smaller area.

Have you thought of getting an Airbnb in Osaka for five nights, then an Airbnb in Hiroshima for five days returning to Osaka for the last night, or somewhere on the way, and stay in a Ryokan? Airbnb's tend to be in more suburban areas and simply walking around you find some amazing things and experience how people live away from the tourist areas.

An example is our second last trip we used a 3LDK in Nasushiobara in Tochigi for a week for a total of $280 and really enjoyed being in the area, travelling on local trains and visiting local places.

Re the japan rail pass - For what you are planning it is definitely worth it. If you like trains you can use the Sunrise Seto/Izumo and it leaves Osaka just after midnight arriving in Tokyo at 7.08 saving a nights accommodation and is covered by the rail pass. (you can also travel by local train down to Takayama and catch it from there) You can also use it coming back from Tokyo saving another nights accommodation.

But for me I would spend half in Osaka and half in Hiroshima. Bullet train down to Hiroshima ($100) and local train it back along the coast for the views ($60) maybe staying a night along the coast at somewhere like Tadanoumi to break up the trip.

Of course it depends on what kind of trip you like. I much prefer off the path a bit than usual tourist places.
Have fun.
 
Japanese flower festival in May.
"Fuji Shiba-Sakura festival"
From Saturday April 14, 2018 to Sunday May 27, 2018
8:00 to 17:00
Fuji Shibazakura festival

"Hitujiyama park" Saitama-ken
Flower season: Mid April - Early May There is a new sight of Chichibu "Shiba Sakura no Hill" at Hitujiyama park where you can overlook Chichibu city area. Multicolored turf cherry blossoms are designed and planted.
Chichibu Travel: Hitsujiyama Park

"Misato Shiba-Sakura festival" Gunma-ken
http://www.city.takasaki.gunma.jp/_files/00032612/2018shibap.pdf

Other areas, (Hokkaido)
It is the beginning of June from the end of May at the flowering time of Shiba-sakura of Hokkaido.
北海道の芝桜の名所は?時期や見頃は?滝上公園のアクセス方法は? | あそびば北海道!

Other flowers, "藤 (Fuji) Wisteria"
"Kawachi wisteria garden" Fukuoka-ken
Kitakyushu Kawachi Fuji Garden | Event Information | Fukuoka Prefecture Sightseeing Information Crossroad Fukuoka
 
Day 6: itsukushima shrine, mt misen hike, train to tokyo
That is a long day. If you want to hike up and back, I would allow 3-4 hours and then you have a 6+ hours to Tokyo.
Day 10: tsukiji markets, ryogoku
On your original plan you had the sumo for a Saturday - weekends are more difficult to get tickets (even more difficult than "unpopular" days. Have a back-up plan if you can't get seats.
 
I think Hiroshima is doable in one day as long as you start early in the morning,

Osak is a bit "hard" and I have always found Osaka to be one of the biggest letdowns for visitors. Looks great from the outside, But that is just about it.

Since you have a rail pass (I presume) on the way to Hiroshima is Himeji - Himeji is IMO the best cable in west Japan (also I would visit nijojo in Kyoto )

Himeji Castle - Wikipedia
Nijō Castle - Wikipedia
 
It's ages since I've been but I do remember thinking about Nara, "oh, just like Kyoto but with a ton of deer".
 
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