Thanks Kavey-will check that out. How did you like Shojosin-in?

I, too, booked Shojoshin-in through Japanese Guest Houses:
https://japaneseguesthouses.com/ryok...n=Shojoshin-in

Loved it. We booked the hanare, a stand-alone building just next to the main complex. Mainly because, back then before our first trip, I was nervous about shared bathrooms, and also really prefer to have an ensuite toilet at the very least. As the hanare came with its own toilet/ bathroom I was happy to pay the extra. If I went again, I'd just book a room within the main complex, as happy to share facilities now I've been to Japan and know how it works.

As Kja says, the food was excellent, really loved our dinner and breakfast there.

I chose it because a good friend of mine here in London had stayed there a year or two earlier and had said it was one of his trip highlights. I wasn't sorry with my choice!

I loved the morning prayers and the proximity to Okuno-in - you're right next to the entrance.

The only thing I would have also liked is a guided walk in Okuno-in with a monk, I think some of the other temples offer this, whereas Shojoshin-in doesn't.

Thanks Kavey and Kja. I will look into booking this temple.

Made contact with Japanese Guest Houses re. Shojoshin-in who indicated that I need to check back 6 months before my planned stay. Seems to be the norm for most places I've looked into, although Hotel Mume accepts reservations 11 months out.

With 1 1/2 true days for Nara, do I have time for Uji, or do I need all of that time for the Nara-koen sights + a little shopping time?

RE: your time in Nara -- As with time anywhere, it really depends on your preferences. With 1.5 days, I don't think you can see all the highlights of Nara AND Ikaruga (Horyuji and Chuguji) AND Uji unless you keep up a very busy pace. JMO.

FWIW, I reached Nara late one afternoon, with time to settle in an walk around. The next day, I saw Kasaga Taisha, Nara Park, Naramachi (where I stopped for a snack), a brief stroll through a market, Kofukuji, on to Ikaruga for Horyuji and Chuguji, and back to Nara for the National Museum there, leaving it only when it closed. I then spent about an hour at a performance of noh, but I don't think that's an option when you'll be there. I relaxed over a long, delicious meal before turning in for the night. The next morning, I spent hours at Todaiji before leaving for Uji mid-day. I then spent several hours in Uji.

Hope that helps!

We finally made it to Uji on this third visit to Kyoto. I was hugely underwhelmed by Uji. Just my personal thinking.

(I did like Byodo-in though. If one can easily pause, make a visit to the temple on the way to somewhere else, it's worth a visit but I'd not make a day trip out to Uji for anything else).

Thanks Kavey. Byodo-in looks cool and would seem to be doable on the way to Nara, but then again, time spent there takes away time from Nara. Decisions, decisions.

Whichever you choose you'll enjoy immensely. That's Japan isn't it? I was so cross about my itinerary mistake that meant missing Miho but the pottery lesson I had at Shigaraki instead was a highlight of the trip! I've taken up pottery on getting home too!

Have landed on taking Kathie's recommendation and adding the extra day to Kanazawa, giving me 4 nights and 3 full days there. Also, just made my reservation at Hotel Trusty which I know many Fodorites have recommened. My final itinerary is below:

4 overnights in Tokyo:
Day 0/1: fly from Minneapolis to Tokyo. Land late afternoon day 1
Days 2 and 3: Tokyo. sakura viewing around town (if I've timed it right); re-visit Tsukiji; and then spend more time in the modern city-Shibuya, Shinjuku, etc. that I didn't see last time
Day 4: day trip to Kamakura

5 overnights at Hotel Mume in Kyoto
Day 5: train from Tokyo to Kyoto. Arrive early-mid afternoon.
Days 6-8: 1/2 day trip to Himeji to see the castle that was under renovation in 2013. + Kyoto (sakura viewing, revisit a few favorites like Kiyomizu-dera and the Philosopher's Path. Spend time where I didn't get to before. Full day Arashiyama, Gion geisha district, etc
Day 9: day trip to Yoshino if sakura are in bloom there. Else Plan B TBD

2 overnights in Nara
Days 10/11: Nara (probably 1 1/2 days of useable time after factoring in travel)

Day 12: Travel to and overnight in Koya-san at a temple TBD. (I know there's one that kja and kavey really like)

4 overnights in Kanazawa
Day 13: Heavy travel day. Koya-san to Kanazawa, with a stop at Hikone castle along the way. I will have already used luggage forwarding to have sent my roller bag from Nara to Kanazawa, so will only have a backpack for traveling to/from Koya-san
Days 14-16: Kanazawa (all new as I did not get there on first trip)

2 overnights Kawaguchi-ko
Day 17/18 Travel from Kanazawa to Kawaguchi-ko, so 1 1/2 days of ground time. Hiking, Mt. Fuji viewing and associated jaw-dropping; Arakura Senjen shrine (classic photo of pagoda, cherry blossoms and Fuji)

Day 19: train back to Tokyo in the morning and take the afternoon flight to Minneapolis

For Nara, may I recommend the en-suite garden room at Kankaso, which Japanese Guest Houses booked for me. Was a wonderful location and a wonderful experience.

For Koya-san, it's Shojoshin-in that myself, Kja and many others have enjoyed.

Hotel Trusty, we stayed there in April this year, based on Fodorite recommendations and were really happy with it. Storage in the room was very tight but the bathroom was huge (for Japan) and the room really stylish with large and very comfy bed. We were very happy with it.

You could see the sakura status in 2016, here:
http://weathernews.jp/sakura/#//ddm=simu_

It is in Japanese, but I hope it would be self-explanatory. Just push the play button. Clicks allow to zoom-in considerably. As for Tokyo, 6th April and 31st Mar were the best days in Tokyo, in this season. In the between, the weather was not so good.

Past weather conditions could be checked at Weather Underground:
https://www.wunderground.com/

As for the itinerary, rearranging the order of the sites might relief the burden between Koyasan and Kanazawa, such as Tokyo->Koyasan->Nara->Kyoto->Kanazawa->Kawaguchiko->Tokyo, or maybe Tokyo->Kawaguchiko->Koyasan->Nara->Kyoto->Kanazawa->Tokyo.

Should be fantastic!

If you have time, there’s a garden – Koko-en – next to Himeji-jo that I adored.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3502.html

If time permits, another day trip you might consider from Kyoto is Ohara. I particularly enjoyed Sanzenin.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3932.html

Kavey, thank you. I've inquired about both Kankaso and Shojoshin but neither except reservations until 6 months out. I will definitely be checking back with both though. Glad to hear the good review about Hotel Trusty. I do have my reservation booked but it was strange that he did not ask for a credit card # to hold the reservation. They have been terrible about answering emails and it took me 3 tries just to get them to respond to my request for a reservation.

Luisjp-thanks for the link to the sakura report. I will definitely check it out.

kja-thanks for the tips.

Trusty didn't ask for a credit card from me either, though they were pretty good about dealing with emails. I guess that may depend on individual staff manning Reservations/ Admin.

Good to know. Thanks Kavey.

It sounds like a wonderful trip, David!

Thanks Kathie. I have such wonderful memories from my first trip there, at the same time you and Cheryl visited. I absolutely cannot wait to go back. And thanks for the reco on the extra day in Kanazawa.