asis

Me an my husband are planning a trip to Japan this December for 8 days. We are going to stay in Osaka for the trip except 1 night in Kyoto. Any help/suggestion on our schedule.

The following is our tentative itenerary:
3 days in Osaka
2 days in Kyoto
1 day in Nara
1 day in Kobe
1 day in Wakayama

We don't know if the days we spend on each city is good enough or any other cities we should include.

W9London

"We are going to stay in Osaka for the trip except 1 night in Kyoto"

It doesn't correspond to the tentative itinerary, but I think you should be spending more nights in Kyoto.
Unless you're there for specific reasons (eg business), I find Osaka less interesting--rather an industrial city. Also, any particular reason you're including Wakayama?

Depends on if you're planning to get the Japan Rail Pass, but if you do, you can easily cover Hiroshima/Miyajima/Hagi.

asis

Any tourist attraction sugguestions of these locations -Hiroshima/Miyajima/Hagi will be appreciated.

hawaiiantraveler

asis:

Slow down a little....you have 8 cities listed in 8 days, that's way too much IMHO. I know you want to see it all but 8 cities in 8 days means you won't see anything but the inside of a train or bus.

Are you flying into KIX? If so I would take the bus or train directly to Kyoto and spend 4 nights there with a day trip to Nara if you have time. Then do the other 4 nights in Osaka with a day trip to Wakayama.

There is so much to see in Kyoto and Osaka!

Do some searches on this board for info on Kyoto and Osaka, there is a lot of information already posted on these two cities. Check some trip reports of posters on this forum. Here is a link to one of mine:

http://digbig.com/4mted

If it were me I would spend 6 nights in Kyoto and two nights in Osaka. You can probably do a day trip to Wakayama from Osaka(others here will let you know).

Sorry for the haste but I am at work now and without with my notes but others on this board will give suggestions.

Aloha!

angethereader

I think hawaiian is on the right track. Can I assume you're flying in and out of KIX?

I would go right to Kyoto and stay 5 nights with a day trip to Nara.
I would take the time to take a train to Hiroshima/Miyajima. I'd stay in Hiroshima 2 nights with a day trip to Miyajima.
The last night I'd travel to Osaka and stay near the airport. If there is time you could still see Osaka.

If there is a burning reason to see Osaka, I'd stay there a night or two, cut short my Kyoto (although it breaks my heart and you would not have time for the day trip to Nara) and continue on.

But that's just me.

mrwunrfl

Wait a second, Osaka is fairly central to all of those places:
- Osaka to Kyoto is a half hour.
- Osaka to Kobe is a half hour.
- Osaka to Nara is an hour.
- Osaka to Wakayama is less than two hours.
- Osaka to Hiroshima is less than two hours

I suppose the visit to Wakayama would really be to go to Koyasan.

If you don't have a plan for visiting Kobe, no specific place that you want to visit and are just getting a basic plan for an itinerary, then just skip Kobe. Making an overnight trip to Hiroshima and/or Miyajima would be better, or just spend the time in Kyoto.

For Kyoto, it would be better to just stay in Kyoto and staying there for the 5 nights is a good idea. The travel from there to Kobe and Nara is farther than Kyoto, but you will save time already being in Kyoto for those days instead of having to travel their from Osaka.

You would not need a JR Pass. You might be able to use a Kansai Area Pass. For Hiroshima/Miyajima, a Sanyo Area Pass will do (and might negate the necessity of the Kansai pass).

Hagi is an interesting place to visit and worthwhile for a return visit to Japan, or on a long trip, but it is a bit far, imo, on a short trip like this.

KimJapan

As mrwnrfl says, Osaka is pretty central to Kyoto, Nara, Kobe and Wakayama. If you don't mind a bit of travel to get to your sightseeing destination each day, I don't see why staying in Osaka wouldn't work. We have done exactly that in the past, and it worked fine.

mrwunrfl

I would not be surprised to learn that the OP wanted to us HHonors points at your fave place.

asis

Thanks everyone's feedback and suggestion.

One more question, does anyone has good recommondation on hotel in Kyoto?

hawaiiantraveler

asis:

We stayed at the Granvia Hotel in Kyoto:

http://digbig.com/4mynf

A mention it in my trip report above.

Aloha!

AJ605

I loved the hyatt!

emd

I've stayed at the Hotel Okura and the Westin. I liked both, but of the two my vote goes to the Okura for location, especially at night. But I have been hoping to try the Hyatt at some point.

moxie

We stayed in the Granvia and although convenient for train travel we'll stay at the Okura the next time.

asis

Due to the duration of my trip and so many attraction in those locations. Can anyone provide some suggestion on the "must go" so that I can plan my trip/route better.

Thanks again!

mrwunrfl

Have you done any research. What are the attractions that interest you? Why do you think you want to go to Kobe or Wakayama?

asis

The followings are some of the places that we are interested in:
Osaka Castle
Goldern & Silver Pavilion
Kiyomizu Temple
Osaka Aquarium
Sumiyoshi Taisha
Atomic Bomb Dome

Any other suggestions?

Thanks

mrwunrfl

Ok, that's a good list. In Kyoto, I recommend visiting Nijo castle. In Osaka, there is a place called Spa World or something like that, with Japanese baths on two floors of a building. I haven't been there but would go if I was in Osaka.

Himeji Castle is not far from Osaka. If you are interested in visiting a castle, then this would be the place to go as it is a World Heritage site. Osaka castle played a central role in Japanese history, so it would definitely be worthwhile to read up before you go there.

But, why have you decided to stay in Osaka? Several of the other posters have recommended staying in Kyoto. That is good advice. Osaka is central to all of the places you mentioned, but why Kobe and why Wakayama?

Cilla_Tey

A Japan Rail Pass is recommended as it will be much cheaper than buying train tickets over there. You must get the pass before you leave Japan. Unless you plan to go back to Japan, I think you should visit Tokyo and spend a day or two there. Personally I would not spend so many days in Osaka. Kyoto has many interesting temples to visit and I would spend more time in this city compared to Osaka.

asis

There is no special reason why I picked Kobe and Wayakama, just because they are close to Osaka...
We are staying in Osaka is because it is pretty central to all cities.

mrwunrfl

Ok, then you could consider skipping Kobe and Wakayama. Kobe is interesting and has some site of a regional interest but it doesn't have any world class sites that I can think of. I suppose there are reasons to visit Wakayama, but just don't know.

There are good reasons that a person might base out of Osaka. Staying at the Osaka Hilton for free on points is a reason. Being there with your SO on business and going off on day trips while they go to work.

Like W9London, hawaiiantraveler, and angethereader suggested you might be better off spending more nights in Kyoto. For example, 4-5 nights in Kyoto, 1-2 nights in Osaka, 1 night in Hiroshima.