tracilee

Kon'nichiwa fellow Fodorites! I am planning a trip to Japan in August and am completely out of my element. I can plan a trip to France or Italy with no problem, but this one is throwing me for a loop. My nephew will be on a month long exchange program through his university and my sister, husband and I will travel to Tokyo to pick him up. We’ll stay for 5 nights in Tokyo then use our 7 day JR pass to see other places. This is the tentative plan we’ve sketched out:

August 10-15 Tokyo
August 15-17 Hiroshima
August 17-20 Kyoto
August 20-25 Osaka

My nephew’s exchange program ends on the 12th so staying five nights will allow him time to show us all the things he enjoyed during his month in the city once his classes end as well as give us a couple days on our own.

I’ve had friends tell me how much they loved Kyoto so I hope three nights is enough. My nephew is a food lover and has heard that Osaka is referred to as “Japan’s Kitchen” so that’s why we’ve got 5 nights planned there. The rail pass would start with our trip to Hiroshima and end with Osaka on the 20th which still leaves us with one more rail day to possibly take a day trip from Osaka using the pass.

I know when a trip planner on the European board writes a post asking what to see, they’re asked “what are your interests?” “What makes you even want to go to ___?” “Get a guidebook and see what interests you”. I have thumbed through multiple guidebooks and am still at a loss. The problem seems to be that everything I read about is so foreign (no pun intended) to me that I have no idea where to start, I don’t even know the names of the places they are talking about. That said, I have muddled my way through to come up with a plan for Hiroshima:

Take a morning train from Tokyo to Hiroshima. Drop bags at hotel and train to Miyajima. Explore the island the rest of the day including taking the cable car up to the top. Spend the following day in Hiroshima seeing The Peace Park, A-bomb Dome, Hiroshima Castle and possibly a garden like Skukkei-en.

Does that sound okay? Other ideas on what we should see?

I am ready to start booking our lodging so wanted to at least get some opinions on our time line before doing so. If you want to make recommendations for what we should see, I would say that our interests would be food, shopping, gardens, historical sights, and occasional museums. Is there a guidebook for Japan along the lines of Rick Steves (for Europe) that is good for a newbie like me?

Arigatō and Sayōnara!

Kathie

Well, what I would enjoy and what you would enjoy are very likely to be different. So you need to gain enough knowledge about Japan to be able to decide for yourself what you want to see/do.

Take a long look at www.japan-guide.com the best resource on the web for Japan. Study it carefully, as it will give you lots of info about things you need to know, like trains, the wonderful luggage-forwarding service, hotels and sights.

If it was my trip - and I know it isn't - I'd cut Osaka and opt to put those days toward Kyoto and Nara. But that may not be what you want. For me, the temples and gardens were the highlights of Japan.

There are lots of Japan experts here, so read some trip reports (go to the top of the page and choose "view by country" then look for the trip report symbol). I find that photos are often helpful in deciding where to go. You can browse our Japan photos at www.marlandc.com/Japan-2013

Happy planning!

thursdaysd

Totally agree with skipping Osaka. There is wonderful food everywhere in Japan, and if you want to eat in Osaka it is close enough to Kyoto you can go over for dinner.

Consider flying into Tokyo and out of Kyoto (KIX).

Use hyperdia.com to price your rail trips to see whether a pass is going to save you money.

You could use the days you have allocated to Osaka for the Japanese Alps, or for day trips, or for a couple of nights in Nara plus more in Kyoto....

Not sure where the difficulty lies. It is really no more difficult than planning for Europe, and the country is super safe and super clean.

WRT guidebooks, I use Lonely Planet, which is good for logistics, some people prefer Rough Guide. However, at this stage it sounds like you would be better off with the glossy picture guides like Eyewitness and Insight until you decide where you want to go.

mrwunrfl

You could use a 7-day JR Pass for your itinerary as it is, but it needs some work. That is far too much time for Osaka. Three nights for Kyoto is a minimum.

Will your nephew's entry status be "Temporary Visitor" for a 90-day visit or will he be getting a student visa? If it is not the former then he won't be eligible for a JR Pass.

Your plan for the 15th is a bit ambitious. The trip to Hiroshima will take 5 hours, give or take a half-hour. Figure you would spend an hour in Hiroshima to check in and stash your bags, maybe have something to eat. Then it is a bit under an hour from Hiroshima to Miyajima. It could be the middle of the afternoon by the time you get to Miyajima.

tracilee

Thank you all for your replies, this was the help I was looking for. I've passed your recommendation to cut the days we've allotted for Osaka onto my nephew. My sister has already agreed to that, just waiting for him to concur.

Kathie - I have looked at that website but will spend more time on it. I've also forwarded the link on to my sister and nephew so they can come up with things they want to see, too. Your photos are beautiful and will surely inspire us to add things to our itinerary!

mrwunrfl - my nephew's exchange program is only a month long, so I don't think there will be any issue with him being eligible for the JR Pass. I appreciate your thoughts on our Hiroshima itinerary and will take another look at it, thank you!

thursdaysd - we are flying into Tokyo and out of KIX, so we at least got that right ! I like your idea of the glossy photo guidebooks and am kind of using the link to Kathie's photos in that manner.

Thank you!

thursdaysd

Maybe you'll find my report from my first trip helpful - haven't written up the second one yet.

Start here (links at the top of the page):

https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...-little-kyoto/

janisj

You will have less time in places that you think since you list the same dates in two places.

Are you arriving on the 10th and departing on the 25th? If so, your actual itinerary works out as:

August 10-14 Tokyo 4.5 days
August 15-16 Hiroshima 1.5 days
August 17-19 Kyoto 2.5 days
August 20-24 Osaka 3.5 days
Fly home August 25.

I'd definitely add at least couple of days to Kyoto.

Nywoman

Concur with everyone else that you have too many days in Osaka and too few in Kyoto. Also keep in mind that it will be very hot and humid in August, which will sap your energy for sightseeing. At least it did mine.

This is my trip report from last year
www.nywoman.blogspot.com

Kavey

Yep, same here. If it were me, I'd cut Osaka completely, or give it no more than a single night. Personally, I'd say to go and visit for as long of a day trip (or half a day) as you want to try the food things that are particularly associated with Osaka. But if you want to hit bars and clubs in Dotonbori, then maybe a single overnight would help.

Foods associated with Osaka include takoyaki (which you can of course find elsewhere in Japan but which is available readily around Osaka), local-style okonomiyaki (regions have their variations), restaurants specialising in crab and yakiniku restaurants specialising in offal.

As he's a foodie, I'd recommend a walk through the Osaka food market - it's smaller and far less famous than Kyoto's Nishiki but at the same time it's also far less crowded with tourists and gives more of an idea of a market where locals shop. There's also a lovely fish monger in the market that has a little casual restaurant inside at the back, where you can eat fabulous fresh sushi and sashimi at very affordable prices.

We went to the knife district, Sakai, thinking it would be a better place to buy knives than the well-known ones in Tokyo/ Kyoto but were hugely disappointed with the knife museum and store. Personally, I wouldn't recommend it, but your mileage may vary.

I loved the cup noodle museum, silly but lots of fun. But it's a little way out of town from the rest. There's a larger one in Yokohama, near Tokyo, if it does appeal but doesn't fit for you into your time in Osaka.

Kyoto is easily worth 6 nights, there's a lot to see and a lot of fantastic food to try too. If you give it 7 you may be able to find a rental that is cheaper because it's for a week. Don't know, but worth a look.

It's also a good base for day trips to places like Osaka, Uji, Yamazaki (for the whisky distillery), beautiful Nara and perhaps Kobe (we've not made it there yet).

Kavey

Doh, when I was writing about foods associated with Osaka, I had planned to mention my favourite but got distracted. Kushiyaki is one of those things that seems particularly Osaka-based.

Like yakitori skewers but instead of grilling, they are battered and breadcrumbed and deep-fried.

My favourite place was one where each table has a deep fat fryer in the middle and a bowl of batter and one of crumbs. And a huuuuge array of skewers of all kinds of different things, you help yourself and cook for yourself. So cool and not something we saw anywhere else in Japan.

We did also go to a high end kushiyaki place, Michelin-starred I think though we didn't know that till later, where you sit at the counter watching the chefs and they present you with different skewers for a couple of hours!

mjs

Food in Japan, like much of Europe is very much localized so it will be somewhat different everywhere you go. Having said that, nationally food tends to have 2 epicenters, Tokyo and Osaka. I too however would skip Osaka. On the other hand I would never go to Japan in August as it is always hot and recently really really hot and really uncomfortable. You are going to have to do laundry during your trip.

JenV

I just returned from almost three weeks in Japan and had the same issue with planning. I have a few comments relevant to your itin. Miyajima was lovely and I think a half day is plenty, make sure to try the grilled oysters and sweet potato ice cream. Agree also with less time in Osaka, I had one of the best meals of my trip there (a no name ramen joint near our hotel) but can't imagine spending that amount of time in the city with so many other beautiful places to see. Hiroshima was overall the best food of my trip. I can recommend a place for tan tan noodles and okonomiyaki if you would like. I didn't have nearly enough time in Kyoto and did not have the best experience there but I will be back. Enjoy your time in Japan. I loved it so much.

tracilee

Thank you all for your replies - they are so, so helpful! I will share each with my sister and nephew and come up with a new plan. The specific recommendations on things you've experienced are especially helpful.

Thank you!!!

BigRuss

Here's what you're not bearing in mind: Osaka is thisclose to Kyoto. You can easily pop into Osaka for a meal or three at any time on only a 30 minute train ride (or less).

The notion that Kyoto will lack food options vs Osaka is a bit off - Kyoto has a population equivalent to Philadelphia (5th in the US) and Japanese cities are shot through with eating options.

The difference, to the degree any is cognizable, between the quality of options available in the two cities is due as much to publicity and Osaka needing SOMETHING to distinguish it positively v. Kyoto as anything else. The only way to justify 5 nights Osaka v. 3 nights Kyoto based on your nephew's logic would be if Kyoto were a food wasteland. It is not.

janisj

>> The only way to justify 5 nights Osaka v. 3 nights Kyoto based on your nephew's logic would be if Kyoto were a food wasteland. It is not.<< . . . Or if the nephew has a girlfriend in Osaka

tracilee

Haha, janisj! This will be his first visit to Japan and he'll be in Tokyo, so I don't think there's a girlfriend in Osaka...at least not yet!

He got back to me today and said he's fine with lowering the number of days in Osaka and adding them to Kyoto. He suggested we do day trips from Kyoto to Nara and Kobe and also mentioned Sakai for the knives. (I've got to let him know what Kavey said about the knives!)

We think we want to add the Japanese Alps. What city would we want to stay in for that?

Thank you!

Nywoman

I likes Kanazawa very much

MinnBeef

For knives, I can highly recommend Kamata Knives in Tokyo's Kappabashi district. During my two trips there, I've purchased a 5" santoku, a 10" yanagiba and an awesome deba. I love all 3 of them and use each regularly!

I had 2 nights in Nara and was glad I did. It allowed me to arrive late in the morning on the first day, visit a couple of shrines and temples, and then be at Todai-ji nearly first thing the next day before the crowds ruined it. That second day also allowed me to visit Horyu-ji in the afternoon which was one of my favorite temples I visited on my trip in April.

Re. the Alps, I stayed in a ryokan in the hills above Matsumoto. The castle is spectacular and on my second day, I did a bit of hiking in Kamikochi.

tracilee

Wow, you're all giving me great ideas, thank you so much! I will be sure to pass the knife store info on to both my nephew and sister. I can see checked luggage on our return home...

I'm sure I'll be back with more questions. You've all given me a lot to go on!

Kavey

Regarding Sakai, we found the shop in the knife museum disappointing - they had no staff who actually knew anything (and I mean even the basics) about the various knives on sale and so it was impossible to assess what we needed. We could get past the language issue with a good translator app but quickly realised they didn't know anything about the knives or even basics about the differences in types of knives.

It may well be that you can visit individual knife makers in Sakai directly and have a far better experience, but I can't comment on that as we didn't try.

There are certainly a few knife specialists nearer to Dotonbori in Osaka than all the way out in Sakai, I'd hoped to visit one or two of them but didn't manage to do so.

By the way, food is probably one of the KEY aspects of most of my travel - I've been blogging about food for many many years - yet I still don't recommend giving a lot of time over to Osaka, especially for first time visitors with limited number of nights. For sure, I don't suggest skipping it entirely, and it makes more sense when returning, or when you have a lot more time to play with, to give some time over to discovering it. But yeah, my personal feelings on Osaka are half to one day is plenty! That's just me though!