Please Comment on My Japan Itinerary (Nov 2016)

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  boomramada on 05/04/2016 - 16:25

  +1

  More experts are here https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=2515516 :)

  • 

    John on 05/04/2016 - 16:26

    Oh wow, that's a massive thread! I'll be reading that for sure. Thanks mate!

    • 

      boomramada on 05/04/2016 - 16:35

      Make sure to get your JR pass before you travel, JR pass start from the day you activate it, so better re arrange your train travel for optimum use. Soon as you validate it, book your train tickets or sometimes trains can be booked out.
      I went on 21 day trip but I only bought 14 day pass :)
      JR passes are worth, if you travelling interstate a lot. you can check standard ticket prices on following site to compare your JR pass. http://www.japanrailpass.net/index.html

      If you have Kids, Green pass is good, more room but up to you :)

      • 

        John on 05/04/2016 - 16:55

        Thanks mate! I'm not sure with the JR Pass because I'm leaving out of Osaka. Some people said that if you travel return Tokyo to Osaka then its worth it. But with my itinerary its probably cheaper to buy the JR Pass per area.

        I haven't done my research more on that. Its so much to read at the moment!

      • 

        PieKnight on 07/04/2016 - 14:26

        +4

        @John: I did a rough calculation using googlemaps. Tokyo > Kyoto = 14340 yen, Kyoto > Nara = 900 yen, Nara > Osaka = 710 yen, Osaka > Himeji = 1660 yen, Himeji > Osaka = 1700 yen. Trip around Tokyo = 1102 yen.

        Therefore Total = 20412 yen = $244.92 AUD (per person). So if you can find a JR rail pass that cost less than $244.92(per person) it would be worth it. but i would say, that having a JR pass makes traveling a lot easier as you just flash the JR pass and you have instant access to the train and don't have to worry about which ticket to buy.

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        John on 08/04/2016 - 12:58

        +1

        @PieKnight: Oh wow, thanks for going all through that! If I add the trip to Hiroshima it would cost 22000 yen return from Kyoto. That's 20412 + 22000 yen = $520 AUD. In that case, if I am going to Hiroshima then its definitely cheaper to get a 14 days JR Rail pass (about $550 AUD)!

      • 

        lunartemis on 10/04/2016 - 20:08

        +1

        @John:
        I highly recommend not getting a JR pass if you are only travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto. You can purchase 24hour Tokyo Metro ticket for 600 yen for adult and 300 yen for child (over 3), which works out to be a lot easier and cheaper. Also download an app called Tokyo metro, which tells you how to get from point A to B. This should help you with making efficient plans. (I just came back from Japan and found this app extremely useful)

        You should also visit Asakusa.

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        John on 11/04/2016 - 11:54

        @lunartemis: Thanks for the app recommendation! I'll look into Asakusa.. I think I have put it in my detailed itinerary

  • 

    Baa on 08/04/2016 - 14:33

    I use this thread for most of my resources too (even after a few trips).

    Overall a well thought out itinerary - this is pretty similar to what I recommend for first timers in Japan.

    If you had the spare time I would recommend the following over two days:

    Day 1:
    -Travel to Hiroshima
    -Go to Peace Park and A bomb museum (although I think it may still be partially closed for renovations in Nov)
    - Travel to Miyajima, explore and stay overnight in a Ryokan

    Day 2:
    - Finish exploring Miyajima
    - Head back to Hiroshima
    - If interested go on the Mazda factory tour
    - Head back to Kyoto

    Alternatively you can go down the Kanazawa / Takayama route.

    I did notice one typo:
    Go to Nara to visit Fushimi Inari

    Fushimi Inari is in Kyoto, but you can stop there before heading to Nara (leave early)

    (p.s. I noticed somebody else had already picked up on this, only looked at other comments after posting)

    • 

      John on 08/04/2016 - 15:21

      Hmm, I would consider overnight in Hiroshima. I've heard so much about it. My only concern is with my luggage. Probably leave it in a locker (at Osaka?)

      • 

        Baa on 08/04/2016 - 16:50

        +1

        Hotels will hold your luggage for you, I usually pack an overnight bag in my suitcase so I can head out without lugging around my suitcase.

        Miyajima is one of favourite spots in Japan. Many people just go for day, however nothing beats waiting for the last ferry to leave to enjoy the island - one of those rare moments of peace in Japan you rarely get to experience!

        If you always want to make sure you get mileage out of your JR pass this is the way to do it!

        I have made the trip to Hiroshima twice - both times I have been able to work it out inside a 7 day JR pass.

      • 

        rover on 08/04/2016 - 21:05

        +1

        Seconding Miyajima. Can combine a trip to Miyajima with a stop off at Hiroshima (there is left luggage in the station complex).

      • 

        John on 11/04/2016 - 11:50

        @rover: Would it be nicer overnight at Hiroshima or Miyajima? Looking for spots with nice after dark places to eat and explore (food stalls or markets)?? I am 80-90% sure I will be overnighting in either Hiroshima or Miyajima. But I'm not sure which is nicer for walking around at night

        Actually.. I'm liking the idea of ryokan overnight at Miyajima and just enjoy dinner there. If I found one with private onsen I might actually get to try the onsen!

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  RandomNinja on 05/04/2016 - 17:04

  Should Day 2 be Sunday?

  • 

    John on 05/04/2016 - 17:22

    D'oh! My days are all out of whack! Thanks for letting me know its all fixed up now

    • 

      RandomNinja on 05/04/2016 - 17:37

      Heh, all good

      Other areas of potential interest:
      If you like Doraemon and Gundam, you should visit Akihabara in Tokyo. Pretty much geek heaven - there's even a Gundam Cafe there. Recommend visiting on a weekend as there are often events on and cosplayers randomly wandering around. Also Den Den town in Osaka which is similar, but toned down a bit (at least it was when I was last there many many years ago).

      I found Disney in Japan to be rather surreal - all the rides were familar, except it was all in Japanese so I was never sure exactly what was going on. If you get a chance to swing by Hakone, this place was fun - http://www.yunessun.com/english/yunessun.html Might be a bit cold in mid Nov tho!

      • 

        John on 05/04/2016 - 20:55

        +1

        Yeah I think I will stop by Akihabara. Seems like a place for someone like me! Not sure if the wife will be impressed though.

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  dazweeja on 05/04/2016 - 17:18

  +2

  You could consider spending more time Himeji. The castle takes a few hours for most people and this is a really nice place to visit in the morning:

  http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3503.html

  Hakone (Open Air Museum) and Yokohama (not too special but interesting port/harbour area) are also short trips from Tokyo. You'd need a day to do Hakone if you wanted to do everything:

  http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5200.html

  Arashiyama is a short train ride form Kyoto. Interesting little town - nice bridge, bamboo groves and a small monkey park:

  http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3912.html

  I thought the aquarium at Osaka was well worth a visit. Ueno Zoo in Tokyo too as it's really easy to get to and only costs 600 yen. Ueno park next door is nice too.

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    John on 05/04/2016 - 17:32

    Thanks, never thought it would take long in Himeji Castle. Is there much worth doing in Kobe apart from trying the Kobe beef? Although.. I suppose I can always try the beef at other parts in Japan..

    I initially was considering going to Hakone but not many people have put it high in priority list. What do you typically do there? I was only interested in the hot springs but I'm not sure I would bring my son there.. doesn't sound like a particularly relaxing experience for me

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      dazweeja on 05/04/2016 - 18:58

      Himeji is a big castle and can get very busy. Go at a quiet time if you can.

      I've only passed through Kobe so can't comment.

      Hakone is nice. There's a cable car you take up a mountain, the open air museum is half way up and very good (interesting sculptures, even for the kids, and a hot spring foot bath half way around), then a ropeway at the top which takes you to Lake Ashinoko where there's a sightseeing cruise on a beautiful boat:

      http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5201.html

      I had a great day there so just thought I'd mention it.

      • 

        John on 05/04/2016 - 20:58

        Sounds like a great plan. I'll look it up! Thanks :)

    • 

      tensai on 07/04/2016 - 15:47

      there is a Anpanman Museum at Kobe if your 3 year old likes Anpanman…
      my 3 year old son loves it….

      and if your child likes lego, there is a small Lego Discovery Centre in Osaka
      very small, there is one ride and few lego games

      travelling with a 3 year old is a big test..
      travel light, and leave plenty of rest time..

      We just return from my second trip to Osaka…
      First time mainly in Osaka using public transport, and stay at one hotel.
      This time we rent a car to drive Osaka-Arima Onsen-Kyoto-Nara-Osaka, and it cost a bit more but the extra convenience of having a car means less stressful when travelling…. (as you mentioned in your reply below.. travelling with a 3 year old and luggages is a real pain getting on and off train, and the cost of storing luggages at lockers) driving in japan is easy as well.

      I would suggest a kimono experience in kyoto, gives the 3 year old a bit excitement dressed differently and take some different pictures at the nice temples in kyoto.

      May also consider a trip to Arima Onsen if you like hotspring
      very relaxing.

      • 

        John on 08/04/2016 - 11:03

        Did you bring your son to the onsen? How was it? Was he able to relax in it?

        Kimono experience sounds good! I've seen my friend did it and the photo looks very good. One way to take photos in Japan than to have the typical tourist pose/shot haha. I'll look it up!

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        tensai on 08/04/2016 - 11:41

        @John:
        yes I brought him in with me.. he is kind of enjoy his time in pool of water… he likes the experience.. but you are right he won't sit still and relax with you. And correct I was not able to relax while looking over him… so I went again after putting him to bed with the missus looking after him. We stay at a onsen resort for 1 night 2 meals, and the onsen opens from 0600-2300. Plenty of time to chill.

      • 

        Koolbargain on 08/04/2016 - 12:16

        @John:

        I'd recommend Oedo Onsen Monogatari if you have time. It's a onsen themepark like historical edo Japan. There are plenty of good ones but this one is quite easy to get to in Odaiba, Tokyo. Just take a monorail.

        Also, its very family friendly.

      • 

        John on 08/04/2016 - 12:41

        @tensai: Ugh my thought exactly.. LOL. My son normally sleeps around 10pm as well, so there's not much chill time even if we stayed over.

      • 

        John on 08/04/2016 - 12:42

        @krazed15: I'll have a quick look. But I'm a bit doubtful bringing my son to an onsen at this stage unfortunately :(

    • 

      Sydboyz on 09/04/2016 - 13:25

      We went to Fuji-Q for ThomasLand on our trip to Japan. As much as we like it, doing a day trip purely for Thomasland is not worth it. First, it is long distance from Tokyo and Thomasland is quite small. Why not go to DisneyLand instead?
      But if you still want to go, look for boarding the Thomas train, we did't get to ride the Thomas train last time, only the Mount Fuji looking train.

      Your itinerary is well executed. We done similar trip last time. If you ever visit Japan second time, recommended to do the round trip via Miyajima, Kanazawa, Takayama. Hakone is great for family travelling with all different modes of transport but one of the popular place Owakudani is still closed at the moment.

      Tokyo suggestions:
      Odaiba - Miraikan Science museum is interesting museum for kids. There is also Oedo Onsen where you can dress up in Japanese and have bit of onsen.
      Harajuku - KiddyLand (recharging station for kid)

  • 

    rover on 07/04/2016 - 20:35

    "Arashiyama is a short train ride form Kyoto."
    If you have time then alternatively it is a 2 hour river cruise down the Hozugawa river from Kameoka

    • 

      rover on 08/04/2016 - 21:28

      … while not white knuckled whitewater rapids, this trip down the river may or may not be suitable for your little one. Maybe check videos of the Hozugawa river trip if you are thinking about this suggestion. There are rickshaw rides in Arashiyama which is a great (but fairly pricey) way of touring the town.

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  avgbowlofpho on 05/04/2016 - 18:31

  +2

  For your free days in Osaka, try and spend some tome in Dotonbori, really nice and lit up at nighttime

  Also Kuromon Ichiba, great market

  • 

    John on 05/04/2016 - 20:54

    Thanks! Have just looked it up. Will put it in my itinerary

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      avgbowlofpho on 05/04/2016 - 21:08

      happy to help!

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  negger on 05/04/2016 - 21:44

  Day 5: day trip to Mt Fuji?

  • 

    John on 06/04/2016 - 01:12

    +1

    I was considering about it. Do you mean Fuji Five Lakes?

    • 

      belongsinforums on 07/04/2016 - 18:44

      -1

      Fuji five lakes are the small lakes surrounding Mt Fuji. tbh nothing special to see unless you're on top of Mt Fuji, which you can't do in Nov anyway

      • 

        Koolbargain on 08/04/2016 - 12:20

        +1

        Don't listen to this guy. Seeing Mt Fuji from Fuji Q Five Lakes at the top of Kachi Kachi Ropeway is a MUST DO. The view and fresh air from there is breathtaking and you can see the whole town, lake and even Fuji Q Highlands theme park (which looks minuscule) compared to the mountain. Just make sure you go on a clear day.

        PS. I always go in November, which is a great time to visit.

      • 

        belongsinforums on 08/04/2016 - 12:27

        @krazed15: seeing the lakes from the summit is even better.Don't listen to this guy

      • 

        Koolbargain on 08/04/2016 - 12:31

        @tomkun01:
        Obviously seeing Mt Fuji from the summit is better. I'm pretty sure John was talking about Fuji Five Lakes though which is still worth visiting. I'm guessing you've never gone up Kachi Kachi Ropeway?

        If you think he was talking about climbing Mt Fuji with young kids, then lol.

      • 

        John on 08/04/2016 - 12:44

        @krazed15: Thanks for the tips! Is there a lot of walking involved and how much time should I allow for this? I am definitely visiting Fuji-Q to see the Thomasland, but I'm not sure if we will have enough time/energy to go up Kachi Kachi Ropeway :(

      • 

        belongsinforums on 08/04/2016 - 12:46

        @krazed15: If you're going to kachi kachi yama, beware of tanuki

      • 

        Koolbargain on 08/04/2016 - 13:23

        @John:

        I'd say its about a less than 1km walk from the station. Walk isn't too difficult only about 3 turns but I can see how people can get lost. You don't have any uphill hiking or anything its just a straight cable car to the top.

        Also Fuji Five Lakes station is just the next station across from Fuji Q highlands I think. I did both on the same day, although you want to leave quite early to be at the ropeway by 9ish. Good luck!

        http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6916.html

  • 

    fenric on 08/04/2016 - 15:51

    Make sure to check the weather before heading down to Fuji. If there is rain or snow you probably wont be able to even see the mountain. Spoken from sad experience :P

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  CheapskateQueen on 05/04/2016 - 22:16

  +1

  I'd take your 3 spare days and spend them in Tokyo. You really don't give yourself much time and there's heaps to see, do and enjoy. Tokyo is one place i enjoyed just walking around because each area is so different. Plus, I found Osaka boring. So much so, after my friend and I arrived in Osaka, we decided the next day to go back to take the JR Tokyo for an extra 2 days. DisneySea is MASSIVE and the worlds are huge but it's more like a universal studios than Disney. If you've never been to Disneyland, you should spend one of your extra days in Tokyo doing so (in fact, we had decided on just doing DisneySea but when we decided to leave Osaka for Tokyo we added Disneyland)

  You can also go to see Mount Fuji. It requires a private train not covered by the JR but there are small towns by the river that are very, very beautiful. Like perfection. The second picture in this link is exactly what it was like http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6906.html We stayed at a traditional guest house by the lake. Was really a highlight. keep in mind seeing Mt Fuji isn't necessarily likely

  • 

    John on 06/04/2016 - 01:16

    Thanks for that. Yeah I can't seem to find much else to do in Osaka and plan to cut down the days there. Probably 2.5 days in Osaka for the aquarium and the universal studio.

    I've been to Disneyland in Tokyo so I think I will just go to Disneysea. But now you mention about Mt. Fuji I'm starting to read up about Fuji-Q Highland and it got me really excited! I've seen this in several TV shows and have always wanted to go there. But none of my friends seem to have been there. Would you recommend it? I'm a big theme park rides fan.. and my son loves Thomas.. so seems like its a win-win situation haha.. but I'm not sure having 3 theme parks is a good idea. Sounds like a lot of queueing up to do…

    But I'm now juggling between Hakone day trip or Fuji day trip..

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      CheapskateQueen on 06/04/2016 - 08:20

      +1

      we didn't go to the Fuji Q Highland. I remember considering it though but i do think it was a bit too much theme parks. I don't know if i'd recommend a return trip to Mt Fuji in one day, it is a bit of a trek so just make sure you read up on travel times before you commit.

      Check out this town called MAtsumato - it's a small town that can be used for the entry point to www.kamikochi.or.jp. Which is very pretty (check seasons)

      Most hotels will let you keep your luggage there while you go explore for a few days. I did this in Japan (and most countries)

      p.s when in Kyoto, go see if GEAR is still on. It's a play/performance/dance/circus/weird/amazing/fantastic thing you shouldn't miss! buy tix in japan via email for a discount. http://www.gear.ac/en/

    • 

      kolorijo on 07/04/2016 - 09:08

      +1

      I went to Fuji-Q Highland last month, weekdays. If you want to do the 4 big roller coasters ride (like I did) then you have to get Screamer Pass (Fast Pass) for each ride that you would like to do. Otherwise, there is no point of going there. Please read this blog https://fujiqhighland.wordpress.com/2015/04/03/avoiding-the-… and don't be like me who thought that there is no line if I am coming on weekdays (the line was 3 hours plus for each ride and I can only managed to go on Fujiyama roller coaster & Haunted Hospital). I had to come back (yes, I came back and spent two whole days there) on the earliest bus (7.10am from Shinjuku Station) and pretty much run the counter that sell the fast passes (there was quite a line already at the counter when I arrived there).

      If you enjoy crazy roller coasters ride like I do, you have to follow the instruction provided in the blog ^.

      To sum it up:
      1. Get a Q Pack (includes return bus rides between Tokyo to Fuji Q & day pass), info: https://www.fujiq.jp/en/qpack/
      2. Book yourself into the earliest bus (7.10AM), no point going if you did not get the earliest bus as the passes will run out if you are late
      3. Once you get there, run to the entrance gate and run to the ticket booth and get your fast passes
      4. You can relax and enjoy yourself once you got those passes

      • 

        John on 07/04/2016 - 12:10

        Thanks for the tips! I think we just gonna buy entrance pass and take my son to Thomasland. Then if I'm lucky enough to see little queue (which I doubt) I'd probably buy the ride's pass. I think I will save my queuing power for DisneySea and Universal Studios.

        Did you go to the Evangelion world? Was there a queue in that? That's probably one of the attraction I wanted to see the most. I can't be bothered going early just to get into the rides as this is highly difficult with a child in hand haha. But if I failed miserably at Disneysea, then I'd probably take up your tips and try score some passes for the rollercoaster rides.

      • 

        kolorijo on 07/04/2016 - 13:28

        @John:

        The massive queue generally only for those roller coasters plus the super scary labyrinth (haunted hospital). Didn't have a look around Thomasland & Evangelion world :)

        It will definitely be difficult with a child, but as the blog says:

        "There is an onsite hotel called Highland Resort and Spa. This hotel can sell its guests a discounted entry ticket called a Free Pass. More importantly guests of the Hotel get access to the park 30 minutes before the general public. You must make use of this Hotel privilege in order to avoid potentially spoiling your day queuing for rides. That obviously means booking into the Hotel for at least 1 night. Another advantage of staying overnight is you get complimentary access to the onsite ONSEN spa that is a god-send after a long day on your feet at the Park. Note at time of writing, a one day Free Pass purchased through the Hotel costed 4000 Yen and a two day pass through the Hotel costed 6800 Yen (usually 8300 Yen if bought at the gate)."

        so there is an option there where you don't have to rush like mad early in the morning :)

      • 

        jaybo on 07/04/2016 - 17:06

        +1

        @John:

        can definitely 100% confirm that the fast pass is an absolute requirement if you want to ride any of the big main rides. we got one for each of the 4 main coasters and LOVED it, we went on a tuesday and all the queues were 3hrs+ if you didn't have a pass. aint nobody got time for that! (apart from every japanese local, apparently!)

        as a 32yo man with no kids… i can confirm that thomas land was also excellent ;D

      • 

        John on 07/04/2016 - 17:17

        @jaybo: Haha thanks folks! Our main target would be the Thomasland. If luck permits, I'll try score the fastpass ticket!

      • 

        tinchac on 08/04/2016 - 19:27

        @John: Little late with this reply, but in my experience there was no queue at evangelion world at all. It was a simple walk in, walk through and walk out, and I was on a super busy day too, ~2hr queue for thrill rides. Also, it's heated, which is really nice considering how cold the theme park is. Other than that, I want to stress the importance of the bus trip like kolorijo says. It's probably more expensive, but from memory if you're in Tokyo it can save you almost an hour on your trip and it's a comfy ride from shinjuku.

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  John on 06/04/2016 - 02:41

  After shuffling around, I manage to update the full itinerary. Have allowed more days in Tokyo (we love big cities anyway) and allow space to visit Hakone and Mt Fuji if we feel like it. Depending on how we go on the day, we may just spend our time in Tokyo area if we are feeling exhausted.

  Transits to Osaka is done later on the day. I'm guessing I can store my luggage on the train station or at the very least hotel?

  Would appreciate if you can give anymore feedback! :D

  • 

    mightyhawks23 on 07/04/2016 - 08:51

    Was just in Osaka/Kyoto last November with my 18mth old for the autumn leaves
    Hopefully, you'll be more towards mid-end of Nov to catch them. We were probably a bit early and just caught the start of the season

    Most of the big train stations have coin storage lockers; in Kyoto, some are outside the station as well so you don't need a ticket to get back in to pick up your luggage if you don't need to.

    Kyoto for me seemed to be a lot of temples so not sure how long your 3yr old will be interested.
    I'd just go to the big ones like Kiyomizudera which also has evening illuminations starting sometime mid Nov. I'd check their website to see what date they start this year. We got there mid-Nov and it had just started so was jam packed but still was worth it

    Getting around Kyoto seemed reliant on buses so you might want to check out the sightseeing bus passes instead of scrounging round change

    Your Day 9 sounds like Arashiyama
    If the weather's nice, def do the Okochi Sanso Villa. Bit pricey at 1000 yen but very lovely
    There's also a monkey park on the other side of Togetsukyo Bridge but it's a good 15-20 min walk up a hill. It just started to pour down as we were going up so that wasn't much fun
    Depends on your pace but we were pretty much done by lunchtime and spent the rest of the day back in Kyoto

    Himeji Castle - very nice but be prepared for climbing a heap of stairs. Quite packed going up these steps on the day we went as well
    Their website http://www.himejicastle.jp/pdf/calendar.pdf shows what they think the queue times will be like each day
    I'd planned on stopping at Kobe for dinner as well but we took the day pretty slow and just ended up eating at Himeji before heading back to Osaka

    Good luck with the research :)

    • 

      John on 07/04/2016 - 12:04

      Thanks!! Yes we are going mid Nov (13-27 Nov in fact) so I'm glad I will see autumn leaves. Any recommended spot to really enjoy Autumn in Japan?

      In regards to Himeji, do you think it's worth going up? Would it be a good idea with a 3 yo in hand OR do you think its probably better exploring the area around Himeji? Is there much to see around apart from the castle?

      My only concern with my itinerary at this stage is actually the bit where I leave Kyoto to Nara then proceeding to Osaka. I didn't consider the hassle with luggage. Since I'm planning to use airbnb, luggage forwarding service won't be an easy option for me. Unless we travel really light… But I'm not sure yet if train st at Fushimi Inari and Nara has a coin locker.

      • 

        Blackfyre on 07/04/2016 - 19:47

        I personally find it more worthwhile to spend time outside Himeji castle (it's also free to explore the castle grounds) than going inside - going in is just a steady stream of people being ushered up flights of stairs in an empty castle (5 or 6 stories high?).

        Having a guide to explain the stories of Himeji castle would make it a more rewarding experience but a 3yo would probably be bored after 3 floors.

        Both Fushimi Inari and Nara stations have coin lockers.
        Fushimi Inari is a very small station, there's only about 4 big luggage lockers IIRC. I reached at 6-7am to avoid the crowd so had no problem getting my luggage into a locker, not so sure if getting there later than that.

        Nara is a bigger station and there is a tourist information office nearby which provides luggage storage service.

      • 

        mightyhawks23 on 07/04/2016 - 23:08

        Re autumn leaves - check out the coverage on Japan Guide to get an idea
        http://www.japan-guide.com/blog/koyo15/
        My highlights was the evening at Kiyomizudera and Okochi Sanso but think it really just depends on the weather
        I read last year was kinda an average season for autumn leaves viewing

        Like Blackfyre mentioned, inside Himeji castle is just a stream of people going up to the top level for a view and the shrine then ushering you back down. We had our 18mth old in the baby carrier going up and down - not sure how you'd manage with the 3mth old though. The gardens outside were much more enjoyable as was the town. There's also a small shopping strip of local shops parallel to the main street which was quite nice.

        We also did Airbnb as well - we stayed 1 night in Nara. I chose the hotel just next to the station for the issue with the luggage :)
        Maybe you need fit Fushimi Inari on one of the other Kyoto days - it's definitely a small station and if you can't get there early, there'll be quite alot of people on the train

      • 

        John on 08/04/2016 - 12:48

        Thanks Mightyhawks23 and Blackfyre! I've scrapped inside tour of Himeji for good haha. I'm sure it won't be a fun experience for us. I think we'll be happy just to see it from outside and spend time on the ground. And I think I wont be bringing luggage through Fushimi Inari, seems like its going to be hassle as I'm guaranteed not going to arrive early to be able to secure the lockers!

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  Dragon888 on 06/04/2016 - 23:13

  +1

  "Day 10 (Wed) - NARA
  * Go to Nara to visit Fushimi Inari, Todaiji Temple and maybe Nara Park"

  Fushimi Inari is in Kyoto not Nara.

  • 

    turkz1 on 07/04/2016 - 10:18

    +1

    Todaiji temple is in Nara. Make sure to put your passport in a bag or in your jacket pocket. The deer in Nara will eat anything made of paper. Passports included.

    • 

      John on 07/04/2016 - 11:43

      Thanks I will keep that in mind!

      Btw, yes I meant stop by Fushimi Inari from Kyoto then proceed to Nara.

      • 

        rover on 08/04/2016 - 11:01

        If you are going all the way through Fushimi Inari allow a couple of hours walking up and down the mountain. You could take some inari and/or sake to offer at the top.

        There are plenty of vending machines on the way up which is convinient is you happen to do it in 35 degree heat!

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        John on 08/04/2016 - 11:04

        @rover: I doubt we will be wanting to walk up and down (not with a 3 year old!). But the temple with stacking gates can be seen from the bottom right? That's all I wanted to see really.

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        rover on 08/04/2016 - 21:14

        The site sprawls up the mountain but there is plenty to see at the bottom including the main shrine and the torii gates do start from just behind the main complex so you can easily get to the gates. You definitely won't be walking through all the thousands of gates up 233m over a 4km hike with a little one.

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        Kelberos on 09/04/2016 - 14:02

        @rover: Do note that drinks get progressively pricier as you climb up. hahaha

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  wackedupwacko on 07/04/2016 - 02:30

  Firstly regarding JR pass. If you want to be a true ozbargainer, go for 7 days and activate it as you leave tokyo. If you want to have simplicity 14 days and keep waving your gaijin pass at all jr stations. It saves you from checking ticket fares or getting suica cards.

  FujiQ highlands is a great place but im not sure for you guyw as you have a 3 yo. Its an extreme theme park filled with rides that held #1 rollercoasters in some form or rather in the past (like fastest acceleration, highest drop, most inversions when they were made). You can also see mt fuji on a good day there. Hakone is mainly for the scenery of mt fuji (if its your first time in japan, there are local traditional stuff but you wont be ble to really tell the difference unless you are seriously into Japan.)

  There are a few other locations of interest in tokyo (since you're going to odaiba for the 1:1 scale gundam, you might want to look inside the building at the gundam museum). Akihabara is now a serious tourist destination filled with hobby shops, mid cafes and the yodobashi there is probably the biggest electronics store youll find. Skytree is also not too far from odaiba and asakusa area.

  If you are activating JR pass for second half of the trip, i recommend you stay put in 1 location and not change hotels. You can get between any of the cities around osaka in under half an hour by shinkansen and it saves you moving your luggage around. Even if you miss the last shinkansen, its only a 45 minute train ride by express between osaka and kyoto.

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    John on 07/04/2016 - 11:48

    Yes I'm definitely trying to avoid getting 14 days JR Pass. Max I would get is 7 days, even then I would need to check if its cheaper to buy a Regional Pass. I booked my flight to fly into Tokya and out of Osaka for this very reason

    I just saw that Fuji-Q has an entrance ticket only. Which means, if its not packed then I can just buy the rides ticket on the spot. And if its got the long queue then I'll just skip the rides. Our main goal here is to take my son to the Thomasland (he's a big fan) haha.. and there's Evangelion World (I'm a big fan)

    Thanks for suggestion, definitely looking into Akihabara and Skytree.

    • 

      wackedupwacko on 07/04/2016 - 14:29

      If you're an eva fan and if you're into hobby goods (anime, plastic models, tools) Akihabara is one of the biggest zones to do your shopping. There is also the Mega Pokemon Center in Ikebukuro (about 15 minutes from Shinjuku on the JR).

      If you base yourself around Kyoto Station (there's quite a few good Hotels) you can use that as a base to go to Osaka area (Kyoto, Nara, Kobe) as well as day trips to Hiroshima. Miyajima is alright but I don't think a priority until other locations have been visited (I didn't go until my 4th trip where I lived there in Japan for 6 months).

      Also for most people visiting, temples and castles get a little boring after a while (Kyoto being the exception) so try to keep that in mind. There are regional differences but unless you're a Japanese Major, its harder to appreciate the subtle differences.

      Plan some time for shopping. It's highly likely you'll get side tracked by shopping and above all, keep your schedule flexible. My last big planned trip had a 38 day trip with everyday filled in (some were marked as rest days) but we kept it flexible and would sometimes decide to drop a location or place based on how tired we were or finding something amazing and ditching the rest of the schedule for the day.

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        John on 08/04/2016 - 11:05

        Where is the best place to do shopping? Should I spend more time in Kyoto central or Osaka? For shopping purpose that is. I heard Tokyo is a bit pricey compared to the shops in Kyoto/Osaka.

    • 

      Kelberos on 09/04/2016 - 14:11

      BTW there's an EVA bar (unofficial) in Nagoya, its between Tokyo and Osaka. Communication might be tricky though. And the EVA Store in Ikebukuro (i think… the Harajuku one closed down a year ago). http://www.evastore2.jp/ And theres one in Osaka http://www.evastore2.jp/osaka/ as well… never been there though so drop me a msg if you dropped by.

      And for side trips maybe for next time - you can visit Hakone, which is the location for Tokyo-3.

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    KupoHo on 10/04/2016 - 03:06

    Is there a particular time that is best to catch the shinkansen (less people) for the following:

    Tokyo > Osaka
    OSaka > Hiroshima
    Osaka > Tokyo

    Or is there little difference as your seats are booked anyways? :)

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  sv123 on 07/04/2016 - 07:59

  +1

  I thrashed seeing the temples when I was there and by the time I was done we were power walking through them lol. You are doing a modest amount so no need to worry. Tsukiji Market - It is very busy (don't let your 3 year old wonder.. it is also an undercover market - you may also want to save this for a rainy day (quite often in Japan!). Mt Fuji, unless the weather is nice it may be hard to see in fog - it is well worth the day trip PS: you don't actually goto the mountain rather 1 of 5 towns a few kms from the base - I cant remember the one I went to (Lake Kawaguchi rings a bell). Kyoto things can close a lot earlier so don't leave eating dinner on the day you arrive too late. Nara was quite underwhelming, Nara Park was average (your kid may love it) so its good that you are making it a passing through town and not like spending days there. Highly recommend installing the Trip Advisor app and use the 'Whats Near Me' feature to find tourist attractions, diners etc - with honest reviews from real people and real photos!. Japan is awesome it will be a great trip anyway! Have fun.!

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    John on 07/04/2016 - 11:52

    Thanks for the recommendation! I gotta check closing hours in Kyoto.

    I'm stopping by Fuji-Q to see Thomasland (this part of the plan is pretty much set in stone). The next stop from there is Lake Kawaguchiko. If that's where you go, was there a lot of walking involved from the station? We were hoping to just go and relax for the afternoon before heading back to Kyoto.

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    Zoosh on 07/04/2016 - 20:34

    +1

    +1 Nara/Nara Park was underwhelming except for enjoying watching people getting hassled by the deer. If I had my time again we would have spent that time elsewhere.

    Edit: Fuji Q to Lake Kawaguchi is one train stop plus 700m walk (local train, not JR)

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  Powershopz on 07/04/2016 - 09:08

  Good looking itinerary.

  JR Rail pass is great value and you can use it to get around quite a few of the cities you're traveling to.

  Try fit in Hiroshima if you can. This was one of the highlights of our last trip there.

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    John on 07/04/2016 - 11:53

    Was thinking of Hiroshima and Miyajima. But I really wanted to avoid overnight stay there. Will it be too rushed for a day trip? It seems like a pretty fair distance from Kyoto/Osaka.

    • 

      Powershopz on 07/04/2016 - 12:28

      It will be rushed in one day but is so worth it. Hiroshima is a really nice city and my wife and I had the best okonomiyaki we've had in our lives there. I'd recommend staying one night to make it more leisurely but it can be done in one day.

      Some good info in the below link

      https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowTopic-g298130-i15339-k679…

      "I am a guide in Hiroshima. I always conduct the tour as follows:

      ——-9:05 Hiroshima station 9:15 —-(JR)——Miyajimaguchi—-( JR ferry)—-10:00 Miyajima (lunch) 1:30——-(JR ferry)——Miyajimaguchi—-(tram)——-3:00 A-Bomb Dome / Peace Memorial Museum 5:00——(tram)——-5:30 Hiroshima station 5:51—(shinkansen SAKURA+Hikari)——Kyoto

      Have a good trip!!"

      • 

        John on 07/04/2016 - 12:53

        Thanks a lot! I will look into it for sure. Its actually one of the place I wanted to visit too but haven't been able to fit it in my itinerary.

    • 

      yasui on 09/04/2016 - 21:12

      +1

      I am a Japanese and hopefully I can give some tips for you. I think it's much easier if you stay overnight in Hiroshima. You are planing to visit Himeji next day. Himeji is between Hiroshima and Osaka. you won't need to go back the same route again next day if you stay overnight in Hiroshima. Suggested itinerary as shown below.

      Day 10
      Osaka hotel(or Kyoto)8:30am ——->Shin Osaka9am——(Shinkansen)—->Hiroshima11am——(JR)—->Miyajima guchi —-(JR Ferry)—->12pm Miyajima(Lunch) ——(JR Ferry)——>Miyajima Guchi4pm—(JR)——>5pm Hiroshima —>hotel(Dinner)
      * You can also start from Kyoto instead of Osaka.
      * If your concern is carrying luggage, consider about sending it by courier. In Japan, you can send a suit case from a hotel to the next hotel by courier. It is delivered next day and it costs about $10 or $20 for one suit case. You can bring your suit case to the hotel reception and tell them the delivery address and they will call the courier. The courier company will pick it up from the hotel and send it to the next hotel. So,ask about it at the reception.
      * This will allow more time in Miyajima.

      See these.
      https://www.japan-rail-pass.com/japan-by-rail/travel-tips/tr…
      http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2278.html

      Day 11
      Hiroshima —-(Tram)—->8:30am A-Bomb Dome / Peace Memorial Museum 11:30pm —-(Tram)——>12:00 Hiroshima ——(Shinkansen/lunch in train)——>1pm Himeji —- Himeji Castle (not going in)—-> 3pm Himeji —->(Shinkansen)—->3:30pmShin Osaka ——> 4pm dinner and aquarium(Open until 8pm, Last entry 7pm) —-> hotel

      *You can buy a bento box and bring it to your train. It is sold at any Shinkansen stations and it is also sold on board as well. See this
      http://justbento.com/handbook/bento-culture/all-about-ekiben…

      Good luck!

      • 

        John on 10/04/2016 - 01:07

        Oh wow thank you so much for that!! I will be using AirBnB so courier is not as convenient. But I can always leave my luggage in Osaka and travel with small suitcase to Hiroshima, then pick it up on the way back. Overnighting in Hiroshima makes a lot more sense than to do it on a day trip.

        Great idea about Himeji on the way back! And maybe I'll just fit the Aquarium on the free day since aquarium won't take long.

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  jkcat on 07/04/2016 - 10:15

  It's good to not do too many temples/shrines. Choose a few signature ones in each area and that should be enough. Most of them look quite similar IMO.

  • 

    John on 07/04/2016 - 11:54

    My thought too. I don't think my wife is keen on seeing shrines! She prefers the boutique bags shops haha

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  [Deactivated] on 07/04/2016 - 10:21

  I always go to a restaurant called Gonpachi (NishiAzabu) in Tokyo on the first and last days of any trip. It's the inspiration for the Kill Bill club/restaurant. They turned Tarantino down when he asked to use it so he built an inferior soundstage. Go there a bit after lunch and for under $10 you get a plate of soba and miso and drinks. It's relaxed, good value and fun and presidents and rock stars go there as well.

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    John on 07/04/2016 - 11:54

    Awesome! Thanks for recommending, I will look that one up for sure!

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  bs0 on 07/04/2016 - 10:55

  We spent a day each in harajuku, shibuya, shinjuku, and even went back again to harajuku and shibuya. Doing all three in one day might be a bit too much. That being said, we were sick of Tokyo by the end of it (flights delayed for two days, had no more money and were sick of shopping haha). If you plan on travelling around Tokyo a lot, it might be worth buying one of the local Tokyo train passes too (some private lines not covered by jr pass).

  Would actually recommend Osaka/dotonbori as the best place for shopping, cheaper too.

  Same as someone above, don't so too much of one thing. Temples and Parks can get rather boring, same with shopping.

  • 

    John on 07/04/2016 - 11:58

    Wow a day each at Harajuku, Shibuya and Shinjuku… I am planning to stay at Shinjuku (most people said that's the best area to stay for easy access to shops and foods?). Most nights we are in Tokyo so I think that's the opportunity to return if we wanted too. Worst case is we scrap Hakone and just spend more time in Tokyo. I think I'll keep that day optional depending on how we go during the trip.

    Dotonbori is high on my list. Thanks for letting me know its cheaper too! I will save our shopping budget for then haha

    • 

      bs0 on 07/04/2016 - 23:48

      +1

      Shinjuku is a good place to stay at for for food and travel access. Just a heads that the red light district (which shinjuku is famous) merges right next to the food/bar areas as we found out on our first night. Lots of pimps harrasing us to go places - mind you, my friend kept declining them politely which seemed to encourage them more, whilst I just marched away. Lots of sweet little bars with cheap drinks, found an open karaoke bar full of foreigners. Capsule hotels were cheap.

      Dotonbori has an area called Amerikana(?) which had a lot of independent stores with cool stores which suited us more (20+yo guys).

      For harajuku, shinjuku etc, we went in the morning. Had lunch there as well, and by 5-6pm usually went to dinner elsewhere (TripAdvisor). We actually spent more than one day in each because some of us went back to buy stuff and then shop some more. We liked to explore slowly I guess. Mind you, one us didn't really buy anything so I guess he found it a bit tedious haha.

      Would recommend getting a sim card, super useful. We tended to split up to explore places separately, and just fb messenged to meet up again. Google maps and tripadvisor were really useful. Use the tripAdvisor function that spells out a restaurant's name in Japanese characters from English when taxiing or asking for directions.

      • 

        John on 08/04/2016 - 11:00

        Thanks bs0! I suppose, with a 3 year old in hand, they wouldn't be harassing us to go to those places? Haha..

      • 

        bs0 on 11/04/2016 - 22:22

        @John:
        Funny you mention that. One of them suggested they had kids… Disturbing to say the least

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  tasty-falafel on 07/04/2016 - 14:03

  On day 9 while in Kyoto around the bamboo forest area I would highly recommend grabbing a bite to eat here:

  https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g298564-d66…

  They have very reasonably priced grade A5 (highest you can get) wagyu steak and it is absolutely amazing. I think we paid around $60AUD for the steak which in other restaurants could cost upwards of $120AUD. Probably the most delicious steak I've had in my life, the thing literally melts in your mouth. It's worth shelling out the extra for the A5, they do have cheaper options if desired though.

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    John on 07/04/2016 - 14:23

    Oh yeah! That's what I needed to hear!!! THanks mate!!!

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  mrjames on 07/04/2016 - 15:52

  If you want to save money on the metro while in Tokyo you can rent a bike all day for 300 Yen, its just near Asakusa.

  • 

    John on 07/04/2016 - 17:18

    Sounds good! Do they have seats for little kid to sit and get carried around on the bike?

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  johnno07 on 07/04/2016 - 16:14

  For your trips to Universal and Disneysea - Check Japan's public holidays! The thing to remember with these places is that you won't be competing with fellow gaijin, it's the astounding levels of local tourism that will potentially ruin your day. Accidentally went to DisneySea on a public holiday and the lines were unreal.

  Otherwise, you must go to Hiroshima. It's beautiful, and sad, and wonderful.

  Osaka is really flat, so it's great to ride a bike around. Plus the footpaths and nice and wide and you're allowed to ride on them (or you're not and the rule isn't enforced) so it's not scary at all.

  I spent a month in Japan and it was the greatest trip of my life. Such a beautiful country, filled with wonderful people.

  • 

    John on 07/04/2016 - 17:21

    Yeah I have confirmed that my trip did not fall on public holiday. And it seems like its not school holiday either. But apparently from last year's history, it seems that the park was still packed in November!

    Will look into hiring a bike. I've asked @mrjames above as well, but perhaps you could tell whether there is a child seat to get him seated on the bike? Sounds like a great way to experience the city. Plus we never ride bikes here so I think my son will love the experience!

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  jaybo on 07/04/2016 - 17:22

  just spent 15 days in Japan, got back about 4 weeks ago… here's a bunch of stuff :D

  JR pass worked out cheap for us, we went haneda > hakuba > osaka > tokyo on a basic level (accomodation wise) but while in osaka we did day trips to kyoto and hiroshima - it was a good way of not having to relocate/move hotels/airbnb constantly. the trains are freaking amazing. we still needed to get IC cards (pasmo/suica etc) for a few subway trips here & there that JR didn't cover, they can be used at convenience stores, some supermarkets, and some vending machines too so it's handy to get them regardless and put some cash on them - you can refund them at certain points like train stations too so you're not stuck with money on a useless card when you get back.

  hiroshima is beautiful, possibly the highlight of my trip, just such an amazing city, i'd highly recommend it (especially if you get the JR pass - do a daytrip on the shinkansen!)

  speaking of shinkansen, our trip to hiroshima was the only time we hit a "busy" train - every time we just turned up to a ticket office and booked on the next train (2-20mins ahead) and it was fine, train to hiroshima was full, we got a slower train and got off in okayama for an hour or two then got the next train through to hiroshima.

  there is an online 'calculator' around somewhere for disneysea crowd estimation on certain days, well worth googling it. most mondays seemed to be the best when i looked at it (it's generally a good indicator for other touristy type things too)

  fuji-q was excellent, we went as a group of 4, we drove (friends in tokyo had a car) and got there early enough to get the fast-passes, i would've lost my shit bigtime if i had to queue for those rides, as it is i'm disappointed i didnt get a second ticket for a few of them. eeekajima (i forget how it's spelt) is a violent, wild ride - fujiyama was probably the best coaster in terms of pure roller coaster goodness, get 2 tickets for it if you go, you'll love it :)
  ps fastpass means like 2-3mins wait time so is so worth the 1000y per ticket.

  (there is also an excellent coaster park called nagashima spa land down towards osaka which i will be hitting up the next time i eventually make it to japan!)

  the tayoyaki (octopus balls) at dotonbori in osaka is excellent stuff, make sure you try some, make sure you let it cool first before you throw a boiling hot ball of liquid in your mouth. took me 2 weeks to recover (im not kidding) from one at odaiba :D

  dotonbori itself is a really cool place to wander around, especially after dark when all the lights are on. there's a similarly huge shopping centre type place in hiroshima too

  airbnb worked really well in osaka for us, was hard to find stuff at the snow or out of town but in big cities it's an excellent way to book accomodation

  if i remember more i'll try to post, otherwise if you've got any questions fire away!

  • 

    John on 08/04/2016 - 10:57

    Was there much to do in the city of Osaka itself? I'm not sure how much time I should spend in that city. Some people have said that its relatively boring. Would Kyoto be more exciting?

    Also, do you think Dotonburi is big? ie. Should I spend more than one night returning there?

    I am definitely looking into Hiroshima. Many people have been recommending it to us now. Did you stay over in Hiroshima? I'd probably do a day trip as I can't be bothered checking in/out for a night stay over.

    Also, any handy hints with luggage? I think we going to have to bring a relatively sized luggage as my wife makeup equipment can probably take up heaps of face on its own! hahaha

    • 

      tensai on 08/04/2016 - 11:38

      if you haven't book your accommodation yet in osaka, i would recommend search Airbnb near Dotonburi.
      lots of things to eat and open till late. Ramen places opens heaps early so you can have them for breakfast.
      shops closes around 2030-2100 though, but pharmacy opens till 2300
      There are two Donki-hote there that opens 24 hours, lots of things to shop

      kyoto are temples….. but we still stayed there for 3 nights in our last trip..
      you can't fit too many temples in one day with the little one…
      and if you consider kimono experience then best to try it for a full day…

      depends what you want to do at Osaka, shopping? to see? to eat?

      • 

        John on 08/04/2016 - 12:50

        Eat and walkaround to look at the the city for shops and foods. Is there more of that in Kyoto or Osaka?

      • 

        tensai on 08/04/2016 - 14:34

        @John:
        Kyoto station have few department stores and shops but same as in Osaka
        in that case i would spend those time at Dotonburi area - Shinsaibaishi will have enough for you to shop and eat
        also Umeda in Osaka.

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