Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Trip Report Japan with friends in Autumn 🍂

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Paragkash

Jan 16th, 2026 05:44 AM

Trip report: Japan with friends in Autumn 🍂

I just came back from a trip of a lifetime to Japan in Autumn, with my wife Poonam and 12 close friends. I have penned down some notes for us, to read later and relive the moments.

Preface:
Japan has always enticed me. I have been planning my own trips with family and friends and been traveling to foreign countries for several years.

I used to think that, it would be difficult to visit Japan on my own and would probably chose to go with a packaged guided tour. My recent trips to Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia had given me some confidence about traveling to far east Asian countries.
I had been doing some research about Japan, speaking to experienced travelers about it. To give an extra edge to the experience of exploring Japan, Cherry Blossom Sakura or Autumn would have been interesting. After seeing some pale Sakura photos by a few relatives, I was sure that I would want to visit Japan in Autumn.
My research showed that 15th November would be a sweet spot for viewing Autumn in Japan.

Coming to how we planned and how so many of our friends could come together.
All these college/ school friends have been traveling to several places in India and abroad, but not all together.
I had been to most of the places in their wishlist. Japan was one place that all of us had not been to and wanted to explore.

ANA had been offering special fares for Mumbai Tokyo direct flights, since a few months from October 2024, which would be open only for a window of 3 days and travel period would be within 9 moths.

My budget was 60% of what the reputed travel agencies offered (4 Lacs) and spend 2 days more to make it more relaxed and see more, if possible.

Many of us were completing 60 years in 2025. I floated the idea in our group in December 24 and all were positive and receptive.
Sunil- Padmaja, Vikram- Jaee agreed immediately.
Shrikant was skeptical because of Uma's knee problem, long flights and and a lot of climbing and walking. But his confirmation came soon. Charu-Anjana confirmed after checking the schedule of his family. Susheel- Pradnya were keen but could not confirm because of Susheel's busy and demanding schedule. But they promised to join a bit later, even if it meant higher flight fares or hotel costs.
Vaishali and Poornima were keen to join us but were not acquainted to everyone in the group, except Charu and Anjana. All were gracious enough to accept them wholeheartedly.
So 12 of us were on board when we decided to book tickets in Jan 25. It was a good number in multiple of 4, if we were to take 3 taxis for any journey. That was a big number to plan for.
Getting hotels for such big numbers could have been a challenge.

I was waiting for the ANA offer in Jan. Finally, saw it at 10.30 pm on 17th Jan 25. Called everyone and booked the tickets on 2 PNRs 8 and 4 nos. I could not somehow book tickets on ANA website and had to book through a third party website GOTOGATE. On hindsight, it's always advisable to book tickets from the airline website as much as possible and if the fare difference is not much. One always get better support from the airlines if the tickets are booked on their own website.

Susheel confirmed his and Pradnya's availability in May 25.
We booked his air tickets at a slightly higher, but reasonable price in June 25.

Itinerary was simple. Reach the farthest point 1st. Keep the return jorney as short and comfortable as possible.

Our open jaw air ticket Itinerary was
Mumbai- Tokyo-Osaka- 7th November 25
Tokyo - Mumbai - 18th November 25
Osaka 2N
Kyoto 4 N
Kyoto- Tokyo by Shinkansen train
Tokyo 4 nights

Which later got changed after Jaee's suggestion to

Kyoto 6 N
Kyoto- Tokyo by Shinkansen train
Tokyo 4 nights
We could have ideally had 1 night extra at Tokyo.

Finalizing dates was the next issue. Going out on a Friday evening and using 2 weekends would mean that we would be using only 7 working days.
Initial planned dates were 16th to 27th November 25. But for various reasons, we decided on 7th to 18th November 2025, so that we could have birthdays of 2 of us in Japan.

Which location to stay at, in each city is always a major decision.

Kyoto is a smaller and pretty city. The outskirts retain a small town or a village feel. Has maximum number of beautiful temples. It used to be the capital city of Japan for hundreds of years in ancient times.

Osaka is a big modern city similar to Tokyo. It has the cheapest hotels between the 3 cities.

Tokyo is modern n very big in size and population. 3.6 million people stay here out of the total 12 million population of Japan.

I booked, canceled and re-booked several hotels at various locations during these 9 months of planning. Finally, we arrived at a good decision according to me.

Seeing Kyoto first was a good decision. Staying closer to Kyoto station, if possible on the north side is a good choice. We stayed just above the station on the South side, which was also good.
Reasons for staying close to Kyoto station:
Coming in from the Kansai Airport or by Shinkansen makes it easier.
Its also a train and bus transportation hub which makes local sightseeing and day trips out of Kyoto easier.
Teamlab is at a walking distance. It has multiple dining choices inside and around the station.

Reason for staying close to Tokyo station.
1. Direct express bus to and from Narita and Haneda airports. Bus takes 1 to 1.30 hours to Narita and is the most reasonable and comfortable choice when you are traveling with luggage. You can walk to and from the hotel with bags
2. Day trips to Mount Fuji, Nikko and other places start from ouside Tokyo station and its also a drop off point for them.
3. Tokyo Station is the main hub for Skinkansen arriving from Hiroshima, Osaka, Kyoto and various lines like Tokaido (west), Tohoku (north), Hokuriku, and Joetsu; and connecting to local routes like the Yamanote Line. Tokyo Station is the historic main gateway.
4. Imperial palace, Ginza the glittering shopping district are at a walking distance.
5. Multiple metro lines to connect to any place quickly

Osaka is a neonlit modern city. Doesn't offer a great deal that is very different than Tokyo. It is a good idea to visit it on a day trip from Kyoto. Osaka castle architecture and gardens are very similar to all 12 castles in Japan, including the largest Himmeji castle and Tokyo imperial palace. Seeing any one of them as per the schedule is enough.

Nara is a good one day or a half day trip from Kyoto. It has good temples and parks. It was Japan's capital for a few decades.

Seeing Nara and Osaka in one trip was a good decision.

Mount Fuji area, Lake Kawaguchiko, Hakone village are few of the prettiest places in Japan. If possible, one should spend at least 2 days here. We didn't do it and saw it on a day trip from Tokyo, because we didn't want to change many hotels and travel with bags.

I didn't chose to visit Hiroshima, as I thought it has only one half destroyed dome and a war museum to see the signs of the atom bomb destruction. Otherwise, it's a new modern city.
...to be continued....

Paragkash

Jan 16th, 2026 07:51 AM

Continued...
PREFACE:

As we came closer to the month and date of departure, the excitement started building. Spending quality time with friends itself was a big reason. It was a dream come true.

We all met at Vikram's place once in April for preliminary discussion. I had made a basic PPT presentation. We decided to meet some more times for planning and coordination, which didn't materialize. We had several group video calls.

We booked internal Tokyo Osaka ticket in the month of June 25. We applied for Japan Visa in August, 3 months prior to the trip, via VFS. Visa process was simple and inexpensive. ( 500 Rs + 750 VFS fees) We went to VFS office without any prior appointment. Submitted all the relevant documents. We got the visa in 5 days. I got it for 6 months. Some of us git it for 5 years. We could not understand the logic behind that.
There is an option of directly applying at the Japanese consulate, which we didn't explore.

We booked most of our trips and tickets on Klook app in October 25.
1. Shinkansen Train ticket from Kyoto to Osaka (8700 Rs)
2. Mount Fuji day trip from Tokyo (3600 Rs)
3. Tokyo to Narita airport bus booking
4. Teamlab Kyoto ( this could have been booked on the spot to offer more flexibility)
5. Tokyo 3 days metro pass (this also could have been bought at Tokyo on Suica card)
6. JR WEST KANSAI TRAIN PASS for 3 consecutive days (5days for people traveling to Hiroshima) The 5 days pass was a good deal. 3 days was convenient but also puts limitations and doesn't save much cost. It also covered Kansai Airport transfer to Kyoto.

Apps:
The apps we used were Google translate, Google maps (downloaded offline maps of relevant places), Klook, Booking.com for hotels.

Phone:
Most of us just to international roaming pack from our normal phone operator. Airtel for me. Some of us took e-sim from apps here. Some bought local sims on the airport.

Money:
How much money to carry? This was going to a very small component, as we had already paid for flights, hotels, many of our transportation, attractions.
100 Yen were 60 Rs when we went.
I bought 40,000 Yen (24000 Rs) total for both of us, from a local dealer.
I used IDFC FIRST BANK MAYURA CARD and WOW CARD for many transactions in Japan. I got a very good rate without any mark up fees from card.
Some of us bought yens on prepaid forex card. It costed the same.
We bought Red Suica card of 5000 yen per person on the airport for local expenses.
This was more than enough. We had to blow off the balance money on the last day on shopping.
I also carried 2000 USD in cash. I didn't need them.

Clothes:
Light jacket, 1 sweater is all we needed besides normall clothes. Japan is reasonable and clothes could have been bought on the go.

Food:
We carried 10 preserved Food packets per couple, premade tea, coffee sachets, lots of snacks to ha e on the go. Theplas and Khakras. 3 of us are vegetarian.
We had booked hotel breakfast for 4 days.
Some of us ate out, tried local cuisine. We also bought Sandwiches, smoothies etc from 7/11. We found that was a very tasty and reasonable option.

Water:
Tap water in Japan is potable and safe. We filled empty bottles in the hotel toilets and carried them.

Transportation and sightseeing:
We used local transport everywhere.
JR local trains for trips to and from Kyoto, such as Nara, Osaka, Arashiyama.
Local buses at Nara and Kyoto.
Local subway trains at Osaka and Tokyo.
Express bus for Tokyo to Narita airport transfer ( prebooked)
Bus tour for Mount Fuji ( prebooked)
We did all the sightseeing without a guide.
Ideally, a guided walking tour would have been more rewarding.

We had several calls and video calls to discuss Bags, Packing, Food to carry, places to book, how and how much money to carry and many more topics.
I worked out daily, hour by hour itinerary after a lot of study. Poonam and Jaee's research helped a lot.
The excitement was building day by day.
I was praying for divine help every day.

Finally, we were ready for our expedition.
... to be continued...

mrwunrfl

Jan 16th, 2026 02:07 PM

Jaee's suggestion was a good one.

>> Ideally, a guided walking tour would have been more rewarding.
Am wondering why. And where

Paragkash

Jan 16th, 2026 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrwunrfl (Post 17701334)

Jaee's suggestion was a good one.
True

>> Ideally, a guided walking tour would have been more rewarding.
Am wondering why. And where

In Kyoto old town, Higashiyama ward.
Gion area, to explain the culture, customs, trivia, history thats not there on Google snd Youtube.
It is usually a good orientation tour in any place.
We usually take a 2-3 hours free walking tour in all the cities in the intial days, preferably 1st day at any place and tip them at the end of the tour. They give some good tips on popular joints, Shopping places from where they locals buy, some offbeat places to explore.
We also go to Sunday flee market garage sales, just for fun and atmosphere. Its also a chance to interact with the locals.
We like to do at least one non touristy thing on a trip.

Paragkash

Jan 16th, 2026 07:17 PM

Flight to Tokyo and fiasco avoided

07.11.25 Friday ( Day 1)
_________________
FLIGHT TO TOKYO

Our ANA flight was at 8 pm. We had planned to meet at the airport at 5 pm. I started a bit late at 4.30 pm from Dadar. Poorva and Jagrat dropped us to the airport. We have been spoilt by our now grown up children for the past few years, when it comes to airport to and fro transfers on our innumerable trips every year.

On the way to the airport, our group people called me to tell that, if we don't board the connecting flight of ANA from Tokyo to Osaka. Its called skiplagging or hidden-city ticketing, or missed connection on purpose.

All this happened because we had booked a ticket that was Mumbai-Tokyo( Narita)- 20.00 to 7.45 am Tokyo (Haneda) 11 am to Kansai Osaka 12.15 pm.
There was 3.15 hours time between the 2 flights, in which we had to go through immigration at Tokyo Narita, collect our bags and manage our own transfer to Tokyo Haneda airport. The journey time is approx 1.30 hours. It was impossible for anyone to do this and check in bags 1 hour prior at Haneda. This was a wrong and impossible connection sold to us by ANA. Usually when we book a flight with a stopover, the luggage is checked in for the final destination. Because this was a different airport 1.30 hours away, we had to go through immigration and collect our bags management self transfer. The time of 3.15 hours was unrealistic.
After we understood this issue, we had decided to forgo our connecting flight and booked a new flight from Narita airport so that we don't have to stress ourselves. Even after traveling for so many years and planning several trips to international destinations, I was totally unaware of the consequences of such an act and the term skiplagging.

I also got a call from ANA Mumbai office to tell that it was a special fare and our return journey from Tokyo to Mumbai would automatically get canceled if we miss the interim connecting flight.
My entire journey to the airport was tense and consumed by calls to ANA International helpline which was in Japan. This lasted till we reached the check in counter and even after that. Poorva took all the details and took the responsibility of coordinating with ANA. They flatly refused to help.

I met the entire group when they were out of the airport lounge. I was stressed out for the entire time till we boarded the flight.

I got a call from Poorva.
After 2-3 one hour calls, she could finally get them to agree to let us travel back from Tokyo to Mumbai on the same tickets. She also sent a screenshot our our revised itinerary as per our PNR. That was very big relief.

Several times in the past, I have realized that God is with us. What I felt was the adversity, was a blessing in disguise. I remembered the famous quote by a french philosopher Michel de Montaigne: "My life has been full of terrible misfortunes most of which never happened,"
Poorva was a huge help.

I prayed and asked God to be with us throughout the journey and take care of all of us. May this trip be a good and memorable trip of a lifetime for all 14 of us. It was the 1st time I had planned and was leading a trip for so many people. That too to a place where language, script, customs and food could have been a problem for us.

We had purchased our prefered seats just 2 days earlier for 1400 per person for the return journey. So we were sitting together on good seats.
ANA goofed up with the food preference and vegetarian people could not get veg food. But we somehow managed. The seats were comfortable and wide. Leg space was way above average. Poonam and Myself took half a sleeping pill each. So the 8 hours direct flight was comfortable. They served Chivas Regal 12 yo. Vikram and Charu charmed their way with me to the crew station at the back to get some more refills

Paragkash

Jan 16th, 2026 10:12 PM

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...deac03d42e.jpg
Our gang of 14 friends met at Mumbai airport. I am still on call with ANA to sort out the issue of possible Skiplagging.
[img alt="Entering the flight.
Excitement of visiting a dream destination and anxiety of possible unknown and unexpected problems, handling a group of 14 people, both on my face and mind.
"]https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fodors.com-vbulletin/1280x960/img_20251108_wa0022_cdafd284d2279cb7260db66206bb2d 172c47f71d.jpg[/img]
Entering the flight. Excitement of visiting a dream destination and anxiety of possible unknown and unexpected problems, handling a group of 14 people, both on my face and mind.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...19934d6ffc.jpg

Paragkash

Jan 16th, 2026 10:32 PM

Tokyo- osaka flight- dealing with loss of passport and purse of a group member

... Continued...
8.11.25 Saturday (Day 2)
Tokyo Osaka flight and transfer to Kyoto (6Nights) We landed at Tokyo Narita airport. The flight was extremely comfortable. The seats were wide and food was great. .Our flight landed at 7.45 am. Just as we came out, 2 ANA ground staff women were waiting on the aero bridge just outside the flight gate with my name on the iPad to greet us. They took our Tokyo Osaka boarding cards and canceled them. They told us that the next leg of the flight is canceled but we will be able to continue our jorney from Tokyo to Mubai as per our booking. This confirmed that Poorva had done a great job of liasoning with ANA.Our process of immigration was smooth and quick. It took us around 30 minutes.We collected our luggage. We went to the JR office on the lower floor of the airport and bought the Red Welcome Suica card with a 5000 Yen each by paying through credit cards.This is valid for 30 days and can have zero balance.Went through the check in and security process again for the domestic Jetstar flight. We had some Parathas and some food that we carried from home while waiting for the flight. We boarded around 11.10Jetstar flight was on time at 11.40 am and reached Osaka Kansai at 13.25 pm.We collected our luggage. Vikram bought a prepaid phone card. We had purchased our JR West Kansai pass for 3 days/ 5 days, which worked for our train jorney from Kansai Airport to Kyoto station.The train station is one level above the arrival gate. There are several train companies that operate and we had to look for JR zone. As we reached the JR zone and were about to entre the station, Poornima realized that she had forgotten her purse in the toilet. She ran and looked for it, but someone had picked it up before her. She had her passport, iPhone, 3000 USD cash and 20,000 Yen. This was a big jolt to all of us. Japan is supposed to be safe country and we were not prepared for such a shock. Poornima, Vaishali and myself waited to see if something can be done. The rest of the group went ahead to Kyoto. We went to the customer care, the Kansai police booth. Police were totally ignorant. They had a small counter and an office behind. They disappeared inside despite our knocking on the door. Finally one guy came out to the counter. He refused to see the cctv footage or write any report of missing passport. He told us that all police stations are closed at 4 pm on Saturday and they will only open at 9 am on Monday morning. We should go to Minami police station at Osaka on Monday morning. We went to the customs left luggage counter, 2 customercare desks. They all spoke broken English and didn't help at all. We walked thousands of steps up and down when the local authorities made us feel like a ping pong ball. We were extremely frustrated and dejected. Poornima almost felt like taking the next flight and coming back to India. This did tarnish the image of Japan that we had and everyone portrayed. We found them very cold and unhelpful. Poornima was strong to resurrect herself.We thought this was a bad start to the trip n why this had to happen on the 1st day. On the hindsight towards the end of the trip, had it happened later, we would not have time to get anew passport and no one would have been able to extend our stay for it. Though it was traumatic for the entire group, it didn't really alter our tour plan and we had the time to do the procedure to get the alternate temporart passport. The fact that we were at Kyoto for 6 nights also helped. We 3 took the train to Kyoto at 4.30 pm . It was crowded and we didn't get place to sit n had to stand for 1 hour. We watched the beautiful sunset from the train, at around 5 pm. Our 1st in Japan. Reached Kyoto station at 6 pm. Walked 15 minutes, which seemed like hours, with the strolleys to the hotel.
We had booked this hotel " Stay Sakura Kyoto station Shichijo" for 2 nights, as the other hotel which we had booked for next 4 nights, wasnt available on these 2 dates for 14 people. This was an after thought when we decided to cancel Osaka stay and shift it to Kyoto 6 nights.

Hotel was small but cosy and nice. Rooms were small but well equipped. Toilets were well equipped and functional. Wcs had self warming seats, built in jet spray. They provided us white night suits. All these were going to be the standard norm in Japan on our trip. One thing that we felt like taking with us to India was their WC;)We had hot coffee provided by the hotel in the ground floor lounge. Had our dinner brought by us, in the lounge.It was a long tiring day. Slept at 10.30 pm
... to be continued...

Paragkash

Jan 16th, 2026 10:43 PM

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d670dc1b31.jpg
Mount Fuji from our flight. This was a lottery for us, just 1 hour before landing. Visible from the right side of the flight. This was a big bang start to our trip.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...50518c6a06.jpg
Fun things at Narita airport

Paragkash

Jan 16th, 2026 10:52 PM

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8a0f1e843c.jpg
ANA staff waiting for me on the aerobridge. This confirmed that our issue of Skipleggiing was resolved and our trip was on track
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2c1e6c2a54.jpg
Landing at Kansai Airport
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6f40c7bb15.jpg
Waiting for JR Train from Kansai airport to Kyoto, with 2 curious Japanes girls who had just started working after college
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...12bf2f56f1.jpg
Poornima, managing a smile and keeping her morale high after losing her passport and everything that she was carrying including money and phone.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ee648f5131.jpg
Beautiful sunset from the train
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d10ea1815a.jpg
Trying to smile after a tense situation. I think I am looking the most tense at least in this photo.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2800f5db22.jpg
Finally landed at Kyoto station

Paragkash

Jan 16th, 2026 10:58 PM

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7010ea78fa.jpg
1st view outside Kyoto station at night.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4edb8dcd69.jpg
Greeted by friends at the hotel lounge with a much needed hot cup of coffee. Having friends around did reduce our stress. This was our party place for the next 2 days.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c6443a114f.jpg
Our tiny but well equipped room. This was one of the smallest rooms I have stayed in, anywhere in the world. That was Japan for us.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5c0f89e156.jpg
The toilet was extremely functional and well equipped

Paragkash

Jan 16th, 2026 10:59 PM

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3e49bd0e11.jpg
Small but funtional toilet. All japanese toilets are similar. All the WCs have a heated seat and a warm water jet spray. When will the western world learn this. This is basic hygiene.

Paragkash

Jan 16th, 2026 11:37 PM

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6fab82cd33.jpg

Paragkash

Jan 16th, 2026 11:47 PM

NARA & OSAKA DAY TRIP on a sole rainy day in the trip

... continued...
9.11.25 Sunday (Day 3)
NARA & OSAKA DAY TRIPS ON A sole RAINY DAY in our trip
Today's plan was Nara, but weather forecast showed rains the entire day. We thought it would be drizzling and will stop in some time. But Japanese weather forecast was as accurate as them. We still decided to go ahead with the plans. Got up early at 5.30 am to leave by 6.15. Sunil and Pamy got up late by 6 am as he couldn't sleep in the night. They told us to leave and they would join us later. We picked up some umbrellas from the hotel and walked 15 minutes to Kyoto station. Our pass JR Kansai west pass entitled us unlimited travel to Nara and Osaka.
We waited on the platform for Sunil and Pamy to come. We took a JR train around 7.30 and reached Nara JR station by 8.30am. There is an unlimited Nara bus day pass available at 650 Yen. But we knew that we needed only 2 buses for 250 yen each to go and come back. Buses are plenty and frequent. So took a bus from the stop outside the JR Nara station and reached Nara deer park in 10 minutes. Stop is just outside the park. It was drizzling throughout. Several deers welcomed us there. We went through the big gate. Entry to the large park is free. We walked to the famous Todaiji Temple. Took 600 Yen ticket by paying cash.
Todaiji, the "Great Eastern Temple" is one of Japan's most famous and historically significant temples and a landmark of Nara. The temple was constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan and grew so powerful that the capital was moved away from Nara in 784 in order to lower the temple's influence on government affairs.
Until recently, Todaiji's main hall, the Daibutsuden (Big Buddha Hall), held the record as the world's largest wooden building, despite the fact that the present reconstruction of 1692 is only two thirds of the original temple hall's size. The massive building houses one of Japan's largest bronze statues of Buddha (Daibutsu). The 15 meters tall, seated Buddha represents Vairocana and is flanked by two Bodhisattvas.
We spent a lot of time clicking photos. Roamed around a bit in the park. We dropped the plan of visiting other shrines and landscaped garden, as it was raining and was getting cold. We did some window shopping, went to a local coffee shop outside the gate. It had a nice Japanese landscaped courtyard inside. Hot coffee felt good. We walked 5 minutes to the bus stop to go back. There was a long queue. We got the 2nd bus to the station. Tapped Suica card inside the bus for our tickets. Reached station in 10 minutes. We had some packed Theplas on the benches outside Nara JR station.

Took a train to Osaka Tennoji station around 2.30 and reached there by 3.30 pm. Tapped Suica card n Changed to Midosuji Red line to Hommachi station. Again changed to Chuo green line to Osakako station. Journey costed us 210 Yen. Walked around 10 minutes to the aquarium. 6 of us wanted to go to the aquarium and rest had planned to chill and have beer or do some window shopping. But the aquarium had limited tickets for a day and it was full. We had not done our research on this. It wasn't there on my radar too as we have seen a similar aquarium in Singapore. If one has to visit the aquarium, and advance booking is a must.
We decided to go to Dotonbori. Walked 5 minutes to Tempozan Harbor Village bus stop. Took bus no. 60 to Nigiwaibashi which took around 40 minutes. Tapped Suica card inside the bus for 240 Yen. Walked 10 minutes to Dotonbori area. This is the most famous bustling part of Osaka, best visited in the evening. Some of us wanted to do some shopping. Some of us headed to the Ebisu Bridge which is a great spot to enjoy the lively atmosphere of Dotonbori. Standing on the bridge gives a nice view of the canal, especially in the evening when the neon signs reflect beautifully on the water. It’s a fun place to take photos and watch the boats passing by.

There are also many street food stalls and shops nearby, so you can easily grab a snack while enjoying the scenery. The combination of the colorful lights, the sound of the city, and a little street food makes the experience enjoyable and very “Osaka” in style.

It had stopped drizzling but the streets were wet. Were at the right time around 4.30 pm just before the sunset. We clicked a lot of pics. Looked for a canal side café which had outdoor sitting under a canopy. Had some beer and French fries.
They had fans with a built in hot coil. The hot breeze mad us feel warm. We left after spending some fun moments.
Overall, Ebisu Bridge is a simple but great place to relax for a moment, enjoy the canal view, and feel the energetic side of Osaka.
We did some window shopping on the way back where we had decided to meet at 5.45 pm. We walked to Namba station and took a metro on Midosuji Red line to Umeda station which is Connected to Osaka JR station. Its a long 15 minutes walk through underground shopping arcade to reach Osaka station. Took a JR train to Kyoto station at 6.20 pm and reached by 7.30 pm. We were quite tired by then but I decided to do some recce of the route to the next days hotel. Susheel volunteered to join me. It took us quite some time and phone calls to the hotel to understand the way. We explored the Kyoto station which has a lit up amphitheater on top and several departmental stores. We went through a several levels and maze of all shops. Reached the reception of our next hotel Miyako City Kintestu station. The lobby was large and oppulent. Took an approval for keeping our bags next morning with them. While coming back I took a video with commentary explaining all the landmarks on the way. This proved very helpful the next day, as we came there is separate batches. Susheel and I had a nice chat on the way. The15 min walk to our hotel didn't feel tiring. Back in the hotel, friends were ready to celebrate Charu's 60th birthday in their small lounge. He had got Jack Daniel whiskey for it. That was the last non Japanese whiskey we had on the trip. We warmed some food we had carried in the hotel microwave and had a great time. Packed bags for the next day. Slept around 10.30 am with an alarm of 5.30am

Paragkash

Jan 17th, 2026 12:01 AM

Nara on a rainy day

mrwunrfl

Jan 17th, 2026 07:46 AM

>> We also go to Sunday flee market garage sales, just for fun and atmosphere. Its also a chance to interact with the locals.

Outstanding!
(The Japanese people are the best part of a visit to Japan)

Mara	Jan 17th, 2026 04:10 PM

What a great, detailed report as well as wonderful photos! You and your friends are obviously having a fine visit!

My only suggestion is to divide your posts into more paragraphs for easier reading....

Paragkash

Jan 17th, 2026 05:39 PM

Mara
thanks for your kind words
Shall incorporate your suggestion too

Paragkash

Jan 17th, 2026 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrwunrfl (Post 17701444)

>> We also go to Sunday flee market garage sales, just for fun and atmosphere. Its also a chance to interact with the locals.

Outstanding!
(The Japanese people are the best part of a visit to Japan)

thanks.
BTW.. congratulations on visiting 40 countries. That's a great accomplishment
what do you do for the badge of countries visited

Paragkash

Jan 17th, 2026 06:11 PM

Dotonbori, Osaka

Paragkash

Jan 17th, 2026 06:15 PM

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Osaka Station
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Lit up amphitheater above Kyoto station. Explored Kyoto station while looking for our hotel entrance. Just exploring station can take half a day

Paragkash

Jan 17th, 2026 06:36 PM

Arashiyama bamboo forest, Uji Temple and Fushimi Inari Taisha.. the 10000 Tori gates

Spoiler

10.11.25. Monday (Day 4)

Arashiyama Bamboo forest/ Osaka embassy.. Uji temple, fushimi Inari Taisha, a temple with 1000 Tori gates.

We had to change hotel in Kyoto. We left hotel at 7 am and walked towards Kyoto station. Walked through the station to the other side. Our hotel entrance was inside Kyoto station. Kept our luggage at the hotel and 3 of us left for Osaka.

We had a 3 days JR West Kansai railway pass which worked for Osaka train. Our Kyoto Itinerary order of sights was slightly governed by the 3/ 5 days Kansai JR pass, as we wanted to make best use of it.

APPLYING FOR DUPLICATE PASSPORT AFTER THE LOSS OF PASSPORT...

It took 45 minutes to Osaka. Reached Osaka at 8.40 am. We walked to Umeda station and took a Midosuji metro. We tapped Suica card for the metro transport. It took 10 min. to Namba station. We walked 10 min. To Minami police station. A modern nice building. The had a waiting lounge which had a couple of counters. We told the lady that we need to file a complaint for lost passport. She gave us a form to fill and took some information. She needed a copy of passport. It took 15 minutes for her to give a report in Japanese. We used their washroom. The police interaction was a pleasant experience.

We walked 25 min to Indian Embassy near Sakaisuji Hommachi station. Reached by 10.35am It is on 5th floor of a commercial building. There was a waiting area with 2 counters. Very courteous people. We knew someone there. That helped. We filled a form and gave the police report. Poornima's daughter had filled an online application in India and sent us and the embassy by email. I clicked 2 photos and emailed the embassy. The printed everything and got the application for a travel document submitted. They suggested us to wait for a couple of days if possible and tell them on phone to proceed with the travel document if the police was unable to get the orginal passport back.
It took us half an hour there.

We left from there by 11.15 n took metro for Umeda station. We goofed up a bit n wasted about half an hour. Finally reached Umeda n walked 10 kin to Osaka. Took a train for Kyoto around 12.20 pm. Reached Kyoto by 1.40 pm.

The rest of us visited Arashiyama forest, 30 minutes JR train ride from Kyoto station. They liked the temple there and the small lake more. 3 of us could see a mini bamboo forest at Kodai ji temple, which i feel is a good option for someone who has limited time in Kyoto. I would not call Arashiyama as a must see sight in Kyoto. Its more famous because of instagram reels.

We were just in time for the rest of the group to come to to Kyoto JR station by 2 pm.

UJI TEMPLE AND 1000 TORI GATES

We took a train for Uji. We had planned the day in such a way that we cover all the sights that are covered with Kansai west JR pass.

Reached Uji station by 2.10 pm
Walked 15 min through quint village lanes to the Byodo in Temple to reach by 2.40 pm. This is undoubtedly one of the most scenic place in Japan. A beautiful temple in the middle of a pond with a picturesque small bridge to reach the temple. Best time to visit it is early morning when the sunlight falls on the facade and reflects in the water. It looked great even in the afternoon. The ticket includes entry to a small museum inside the complex. It had creative lighting and good exhibits. The garden looked vibrant with autumn colours.

We roamed around on streets outside. A Starbucks outside has a beautiful Japanese garden attached. We left from there at 4.15 pm for station. We had spent around 45 minutes extra and the light was fading. We took a train towards Kyoto. Inari station was at 20 minutes, enroute, just 2 stations before Kyoto.

We took a train at 4.45 pm. Got down at Inari. Temple is just across the station. Reached there by 5.10 pm. The temple is beautiful. Its more famous for 10000 Torii gates. The iconic thousand vermillion torii gates create a magical, almost otherworldly atmosphere as you walk up the mountain trails. The shrine itself is beautiful and deeply spiritual, offering a glimpse into traditional Shinto practices. I wouldn't rate this as a must see sight as well. Its famous because of Instagram reels. Its a " Good to see" sight according to me.

There were less people as it was getting dark. We clicked some nice pics.
If one has to climb through the gates to the top of the hill, it would take 1 hour one way. We went only a few steps.

Inari shrines typically possess guardian figures in the form of foxes or kitsune. These guardian figures are messengers of Inari but are commonly thought of as the deity itself. Inari's foxes, or kitsune, considered intelligent, magical and associated with the Shinto spirit Inari, are pure white and act as their messengers but it is more likely that in ancient times the fox itself was revered as the kami of rice. According to myth, Inari, as a megami (female Kami), was said to have come to Japan at the time of its creation amidst a harsh famine that struck the land. foxes are seen causing mischief to punish those who have been greedy.
Shinto

Inari was originally and remains primarily the kami of rice and agriculture, but merchants also worship Inari as the patron of business. Each of Fushimi Inari-taisha's roughly 10,000 torii were donated by a Japanese business, and approximately 800 of these are set in a row to form the Senbon Torii, creating the impression of a tunnel. The shrine is said to have ten thousand such gates in total that designate the entrance to the holy domain of kami and protect it against wicked forces.

The shrine is open 24 hours, where as most other shrines shut at 5 pm.

We came out at 5.45 pm it was a quick visit. Many of us were tired before the visit, but it being right across the station and its location enroute helped.
We took a train and reached Kyoto by 6.15 and hotel by 6.30 pm

We were to visit the Tofukaji temple but it closes at 5 pm and its best seen in the day as it has great autumn colours.
We reached hotel by 7 pm. Had dinner together in one of the rooms.

Paragkash

Jan 17th, 2026 06:47 PM

Osaka trip to apply for a duplicate passport

Paragkash

Jan 17th, 2026 06:54 PM

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Outside Uji station
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Unique drain covers at Uji
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Unique drain covers at Uji
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Unique drain covers at Uji
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Unique drain covers at Uji
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Unique drain covers at Uji
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Unique drain covers at Uji
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Unique drain covers at Uji

Paragkash

Jan 17th, 2026 07:06 PM

Uji temple near Kyoto

Paragkash

Jan 17th, 2026 10:26 PM

Fushimi Inar Taisha, temple with 10 000 gates

Paragkash

Jan 17th, 2026 11:52 PM

Kyoto sightseeing - Best of Autumn colours temples and gardens

11.11.25 Tuesday ( Day 5)
Autumn colours temples and gardens
Ginkaku ji temple, philosophers path, Nazenji temple in the morning
Kinkakuji Golden Pagoda Temple and Kodai ji temple in the evening

Left at around 8 am after complimentary breakfast.
6 of us went on a day trip to Hiroshima by train.

The rest 8 of us walked to the bus stop. Bought 1100 yen day pass for Kyoto bus from a vending machine where only cash is accepted.
Took 7 no City bus that took 35 minutes to reach.
Went to north east part of Kyoto. Very quaint part that had a village feel.
10 minutes scenic walk after that was a part of Philosophers path to Ginkakuji by 9 am. Bought tickets in cash for 500¥.

Ginkakuji is a Zen temple built in 14th century. Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa built his retirement villa on the grounds of today's temple, modeled after Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) [ which wenhad planned to visit in the afternoon] , his grandfather's retirement villa at the base of Kyoto's northern mountains (Kitayama). The villa was converted into a Zen temple after Yoshimasa's death.

Next to the temple is an expansive, meticulously maintained dry sand garden, known as the "Sea of Silver Sand", with a massive sand cone named "Moon Viewing Platform" which is also called a symbol of Mount Fuji.

The walking path took us through Ginkakuji's moss garden, which features ponds with islands and bridges, little streams and various plants. The path climbs a hill behind the buildings from where there are nice views of the entire temple grounds and the city beyond.
The garden was so beautiful that we spent almost 1 hour here, more than what we had anticipated.

We walked 10 min back to the bus stop. Took City bus no. 5 and reached in 6 minutes to Nanzen ji Michi bus stop. Walked 15 min to Nanzen ji temple. This had the best autumn colours. The history of Nanzenji dates back to the mid 13th century, when the Emperor Kameyama built his retirement villa at the temple's present location and later converted it into a Zen temple. The most important and the largest zan temple. Nanzenji's central temple grounds are open to the public free of charge, but separate fees apply for entering temple buildings and subtemples.

We had planned to visit Ekaindo temple next to it but canceled the plan as we had to take rest in the afternoon n head back again for sightseeing.

We left around 12.20 walked 10 min to the bus stop. 35 min for the bus and another 10 min to the hotel. Reached by 1.15 pm. Had lunch and rested for an hour.

Left again by 2.15 pm to the Kinkakuji Golden Pagoda temple, north Kyoto. This is a bit isolated and cannot be clubbed with any other sight directly. We took City bus 205 for 40 minutes n walked 5 min to the temple. Reached at 2.20 pm. This is one of the most popular sights and had lot of tourists. This is best visited in the evening for best views as the sunlight falls on the golden facade which reflects in the pond in front. It has a beautiful garden around.
Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, whose top two floors are coated in 0.5 μm gold leaf, is truly one of the most breathtaking sights in Kyoto. The moment you enter, the view of the gold-covered temple reflecting on the calm pond feels almost unreal—like a perfect picture come to life. Even with many visitors, the atmosphere remains peaceful thanks to the beautifully maintained gardens and the surrounding nature.
The site of Kinkaku-ji was originally a built in 14th century as villa by Shogun Yoshimitsu and transformed into the Kinkaku-ji complex.[size=8333px] [/size]When Yoshimitsu died the building was converted into a Zen temple by his son, according to his wishes. This building was an important model for Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion Temple) built by his grandson.

The walking route is easy to follow and gives you several great angles to admire the pavilion. Each viewpoint shows a different side of its beauty, from the shimmering gold surfaces to the harmony between the temple, water, and trees. The grounds also include smaller shrines, traditional structures, and scenic spots that make the visit even more enjoyable.

We spent one hour here and took a City bus no 204 which took 35 minutes to reach. Another 15 minutes to reach the Kodai ji temple. Our idea was to see the temple in the daylight and then stay back to watch the beautiful lighting and light projection show here. But it was dark by 4.45 pm. We took tickets by 5.30 pm in cash and proceeded. Watch the light show by sitting in a traditional Rayokan style structure. The garden lighting at night was fantastic.

Kodaiji Temple’s nighttime illumination was one of the most breathtaking experiences of our Kyoto trip. The entire garden comes alive after dark — The light show is nice and fun, but the best part are the trees reflecting on the lake, all illuminated, and simply gorgeous. fall trees glowing with soft spotlights, colors looking even richer and brighter, and a gentle light show projected near the temple that adds to the atmosphere without feeling overwhelming.

The walk through the grounds felt serene and almost magical. There’s a small bamboo forest here, and with the lights shining upward, the bamboo looked like it was glowing from within. Every corner felt peaceful, quiet, and beautifully designed to highlight the natural surroundings.

If you’re in Kyoto during the illumination season, this is an absolute must-see. It turns an already beautiful temple into a completely unforgettable evening experience.

There are a lot of steps but it wasn't very difficult. There is a mini bamboo forest. If one doesn't have enough time to go to Arashiyama bamboo forest, this is quite similar with slightly less height and almost no crowd. The night lighting made it look magical. This was a great experience. We spent 1 hour here and left by 6.30 pm.
it was pitch dark as if it was 8.30 pm.

We walked on Nanenzaka which was almost deserted by now. Saw the iconic Yasaka Pagoda at the end of Nanenzaka.

We walked till the main road.
We took City bus no 5 at 7.30 pm. Reached in 30 min. Reached hotel by 8.15 pm.
The busses from this area in the evening are always crowded with locals and tourists.

A better idea for the day could have been to visit all the sights in the Higashiyama districts in 2 days.
Day 1 can be to start from Ginkakuji, walk the philosopher's path and see Eikando and Nanzen ji temples, eat and rest a Gion area and visit Kodai ji temple by 1 hour before sunset and stay back to see the projection mapping and night lighting there and come back... This means a lot of walking

We had kept the main sights like Kiyomizu Dera for the next day as some of us had gone to Hiroshima on this day.

Had dinner in the hotel room. Slept by 11 pm

Paragkash

Jan 18th, 2026 12:12 AM

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View from our hotel room in "Miyako City Kintestu Kyoto Station"
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This compact but practical room was the largest on our trip
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Well equipped toilet again. I used the hot tub every day to make my tired legs feel better. I seriously contemplated smuggling that wc to India.

Paragkash

Jan 18th, 2026 12:29 AM

Ginkaku ji temple and gardens

Paragkash

Jan 18th, 2026 02:11 AM

Nanzen ji temple, Higashiyama, Kyoto

Paragkash

Jan 18th, 2026 02:24 AM

Enryuka ji temple, Sakkamoto cable car & Kiyomizu Dera, Sanenzaka- Kyoto

12.11.25 Wednesday, Day 6
Enryuka ji temple, Sakkamoto cable car in the morning. Kiyomizu Dera and Sanenzaka in the evening.

By now, most of us were having a Deja Vu feeling and were not keen on seeing more temples and gardens. We had some ideas on how to spend the next 2 days. A cousin of Shikant, who lives in Japan, gave us a good idea for going for a scenic journey.

We decided to start a little leisurely. Had breakfast in the hotel and left at 9 am.
Bought tickets on Suica card and took a Tokaido Sanyo rail to Hiezan Sakamoto station. Reached in 25 minutes. Took a bus from the station for 10 min to Sakamoto Cable car. Took cable car tickets at the cable car station. There were around 50 people in the queue.

We took the steep Cogwheel train up to the mountain. This was indeed one of the highlights of our trip. It goes up through a scenic landscape, several tunnels, almost at 45 degrees gradient.Train ride, then a bus, a cable car, a ropeway and finally a hike. It may sound overwhelming but journey itself is worth it. The accessibility is definitely why there are not many tourists here on a weekday.

This is a hidden gem, that we look for when we travel on our own.

The view overlooking lake Biwa and from the top was stunning.
There is a uphill walk of 10 minutes to the temple. Autumn colours are everywhere around. The Enryaku-ji temple is beautiful. But it's the journey that's enjoyable.
We had seen the return Cable timing and decided to be back in one hour.

All of us were in a relaxed mood today. There was no pressure of reaching somewhere on time, no hurry of sightseeing. We were just absorbing the atmosphere, and were loving being there. We took the scenic Cable/ Cogwheel car down, again enjoying the panoramic view. The rail compartment is also stepped in a unique way, where everyone gets a view.

Sunil, Susheel and me, took the bus to the train station. Rest of them walked 20 minutes through the quiant village.
We took a train back to Kyoto. Reached hotel by 1 pm. Had lunch in the room together. Rested for 1.30 hours.

We left at 2.30 for the highlight and the most important site in Kyoto. Sunset from Kiyomizu Dera. We took city bus 206 (230 ¥) from bus station outside Kyoto station. Got down in 20 minutes at Kiyomizumuchi. Walked 15 min uphill via a crowded and famous street, Sanenzaka.
This was by far the most crowded site, of course for a reason. We took a ticket in cash (500 ¥) and went in.

Kiyomizu-dera temple itself is an icon and has plenty to see around it. It is surrounded by shifting swaths of color that frame the architecture any time of year. To think it was first built over a thousand years ago, the main hall stands four stories high without any nails. This is preceded by the Niomon gate and a three story pagoda in vermilion, both of which don't require an entry ticket. On entering the main hall, we passed through an open air hallway with benches that we could sit at and just take in the view. The wooden columns beautifully framed the view. To the left, there's a queue of folks waiting to try their hand at lifting different weighted poles with promised prosperity.

It's breathtaking being on the main hall stage surrounded by foliage and views of the city in the distance.

We made our way across, to join the many gathered on a smaller platform to snap photos of the main hall. We enjoyed exploring this UNESCO heritage site

We came out of the main hall and walked to the right on the paved road to get the picture postcard view of the main hall on the stilts, the pagoda, and the vibrant coloured foliage below. This is one of the best places to witness the best riot of colours in the nature.

Waiting patiently for the sunset is what I love the most. Its yhe most tranquil time that I have. Watching the changing colours of the sky from blue to crimson is the most satisfying thing. Breathing the cool air. I had come to Japan for this very moment. There were a lot of people around on the same path. Quietly waiting for the sunset. This moment makes me sensitive and introspective.

We clicked a lot of photos of changing colours. The trees below had shades of yellow and orange. This was the moment I was waiting for in the entire trip. It was worth the anticipation. In 2 more weeks, this would turn red. It was a hazy sky. So no clear orange sunset.

We walked down on the paved path.Below, you see the Ottawa Falls, where people can drink from one of three spouts that promise success in one of the three categories.

It would have been nice to wait there for the lights to come on. It is the best sight in Kyoto.

We walked down the surrounding Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka streets to the main road. The buses were crowded. We had to take the 3rd bus back. We walked back to the hotel.

Shared a drink with Charu and Vikram and had dinner together. Slept at 12 midnight.

Paragkash

Jan 18th, 2026 03:03 AM

Enryaku-ji Temple and Sakamoto Cable car

Paragkash

Jan 18th, 2026 03:58 AM

Kiyomizu Dera Temple, Kyoto

Paragkash

Jan 18th, 2026 04:06 AM

Sunset from Kiyomizu Dera, Kyoto

Paragkash

Jan 18th, 2026 04:20 AM

Kyoto- Shopping in the morning & Team Lab in the evening

13.11.25 Thursday
Shopping in the morning and Team Lab in the evening at 5pm

We got up without any alarm at 8.30.
Had a relaxed breakfast. We had no agenda for the day.
We needed a relaxed day in between. That's the advantage of traveling on your own and not with a guided tour with a packed programme.

We walked to the AEON MALL next to the station. Roamed around and did some window shopping. Bought On Cloud shoes for Poonam. Went to the Yodobashi mall on the opposite side of the station. Its a mall full of electronics. Didn't buy anything. Went back to hotel room. Had lunch and rested well.

Left at 4.15 pm. Walked 10 min to Teamlab Biovertex. We had booked the tickets on Klook for 5pm. It wasn't crowded. Its a truly unique and immersive experience — absolutely worth a visit, something out of the ordinary! We spent a few hours exploring the interactive digital installations, and it was fascinating to see how the light, sound, and motion blended to create a world that feels alive. Some rooms felt like stepping into a dreamscape, and there were plenty of moments that left us in awe.

I was observing how they have created these illusions and was a stimulating experience for me.

They have halls with 20 feet high ceilings, black jointless epoxy flooring. Walls have mat black acoustic paneling. In the passages and halls that connect the 2 exhibits have numerous projectors in the ceiling which project high contrast surralistic moving images on the wall. One feels like one is moving through a Monet painting of a garden. There are curved walls, acute angles, full mirrored walls.

In the 1st installation, the srings of crystal rods hang from high ceilings and magic of LED lights.

Each exhibit had a totally different concept and materials. There are many interactive installations.

I imagined how the Pandav must have created Mayasabha in their capital in Mahabharat.

We spent 3 hours exploring the place. Its worth visiting this place atleast once. This is the newest and largest. I don't the comparison between Teamlabs in Tokyo and Osaka and Kyoto.

We walked to the hotel. On the way in a 7-11 shop we bought a smoothie. It was a different experience. You select a cup of fruits of your choice from the fridge, pay at the counter and put it in the machine to make your own smoothies. We tried 2 and both were fresh and delicious.

Walked 5 minutes to the hotel. Packed our bags. Did some video calls at home. Had dinner in one of the rooms. Slept at 11.30pm

Paragkash

Jan 18th, 2026 04:24 AM

Teamlab and shopping

Paragkash

Jan 18th, 2026 05:29 AM

Shinkansen Kyoto to Tokyo Shubuya crossing and Shinjuku

14.11.25 Friday (Day 8)
Shinkansen Kyoto to Tokyo
Shubuya crossing and Shinjuku

We checked out from our hotel after an early complimentary breakfast. Left hotel at 7.45 am.
We were just above the Kyoto station. Walking to Shinkansen tracks was only 5 minutes. We waited for some time below the platform. Went up by 8.10 am. We just had to scan our QR code of the ticket that we had purchased in advance on Klook.

Train was very comfortable with a lot of leg space. Train travels at 300 kmph speed but one doesn't realize it.
We could see Mount Fuji after 58 minutes on the left side for about 2 minutes.

We reached Tokyo station at 10.45 am. Walked 20 min. to the hotel Sotetso Fresa INN.
Stored our bags n left for sightseeing.

Our 1st stop was Imperial palace.
We took 2 taxis for 8 people. 2 km distance costed us 1400 yen each taxi.
6 of us walked to the palace gate. It had a long line and we could get only 3 people s passes to join the guided tour of the East gardens of the palace. This gets full and needs to be prebooked in advance. We dropped the idea and decided to visit must see places..

Shibuya and Shinjuku.. walked back to Tokyo station n took a metro to Shibuya. Watched the busy zebra crossing.
Shibuya Scramble Crossing is the world's busiest crossing where 3000 people can cross at one time. it's a symbol of Tokyo's vibrant, modern energy, known for massive digital billboards, neon lights, and being a popular filming location. This is Japan's parallel to Times Square in New York.

A great way to experience it is by crossing it yourself, which we did, or by viewing it from above at spots like the Starbucks
We went up the Mark City Mall N watched it from 2nd floor. That's free. Went up to 4th floor for toilet etc. Had some sweets there from a shop.

Saw the Hachiko Dog statue. Hachiko was a loyal Japanese Akita dog famous for waiting at Shibuya Station for his deceased owner, Professor Hidesaburō Ueno, for nearly 10 years after the professor died in 1925. Their daily ritual involved Hachiko accompanying Ueno to the station in the morning and returning in the evening to greet him, a routine Hachiko continued faithfully every day, rain or shine, until his own death in 1935. His story became a national symbol of unwavering devotion and loyalty, commemorated by a statue at the station and in films, books, and Japanese culture. There was a long queue to click a photo with the statue.

We took a Metro and went to Shinjuku area. Poonam had a coffee at McDonalds. They didn't have any vegetarian food.

We walked around the streets with vibrant Neon signs and several shops. Godzilla big statue above Toho theatre building.
It features the famous Kabukicho (red-light district), Golden Gai (tiny bars), and Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane) for yakitori.
Did some small shopping at a store.

Came back by metro to our hotel. Checked in. The rooms were extremely small. 7' x 14' with a bed 4'8" wide.

Had food n slept by 11 pm

Paragkash

Jan 18th, 2026 05:46 AM

Tokyo- Shibuya and Shinjuku

Paragkash

Jan 18th, 2026 06:07 AM

Day trip to Mount Fuji, Lake Kawaguchiko and Hakone village 

15.11.25 Saturday (Day 9)
Day trip to Mount Fuji, Lake Kawaguchiko and Hakone village

Got up at 6 am. Had breakfast in the room. Breakfast offered in this hotel wasn't good. So we didn't take that option.

We had booked a Mount Fuji tour on Klook for 8 am.
I had contacted the travel agency 1 day prior. They gave me the guide's number. He made a WhatsApp group and gave us the location details.

Left hotel by 7.15 am. Walked to the pick up point by 7.40 am on the opposite side, Maranouchi side, of Tokyo station. Met our Guide Andy.

Bus left exactly at 8 am. Reached Hakone by 10.30 am.
It was a scenic road for the last 30 minutes.

Got a good view of Mount Fuji with lake Ashi and Hakone Tori gate in the water. There are 2 ships that do a tour of the lake. We clicked many photos. Spent about half an hour there.

Next stop was Hakone shrine.
We took photos of floating Tori gate in the water, iconic red "Gate of Peace" (Heiwa no Torii) standing in Lake Ashi, surrounded by lush forest and views of Mount Fuji. Established in 757 AD, it's a serene sanctuary known for its tranquil cedar-lined paths, traditional architecture, dragon motifs, and spiritual significance for travelers and samurai alike, offering a blend of natural beauty and cultural history..
Shrine has very few steps and is beautiful has traditional architecture with red and gold details, featuring guardian lion statues (Komainu).

We left for lake Kawaguchiko. It had the most beautiful maple 🍁 avenue with all shades of yellow, orange, red and crimson. Mount Fuji is very close from here but would not see the top because of clouds. Clicked a lot of photos.

We had one more stop near the station
There's a shrine above which has 70 steps and a pagoda which has 400 steps but a perfect view of Mount fuji and the Pagoda. We didn't have enough time so we didn't go.

We had coffee in a nice old restaurant with a Japanese garden. There are some 1100 years old volcanic rocks in a garden near the plaza.

We waited for 45 minutes and left at 5 pm for Tokyo.
We reached at 7.40 pm.
Walked back to the hotel.

I had to do some back tracking and a lot of walking to validate our Subway tickets purchased on Klook. Finally got 14 tickets from a vending machine.

Reached hotel by 9 pm
Had dinner in the room and slept by 11.30 pm

Paragkash

Jan 18th, 2026 06:27 AM

Lake Ashi and Hakone

Paragkash

Jan 18th, 2026 06:37 AM

Hakone Shrine

All times are GMT -8. The time now is 11:35 PM.

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