Our flight from Vancouver lands at 1900. I was thinking going on to Kyoto via train at that time would be a bit much?

Flight home leaves in the evening (2155) so I guess train travel on that day is possible. My logic is we'd be nervous about getting back to Tokyo on time and hence probably waste more time at airport than the extra hotel check in. But I guess if the trains are truly as painless as everyone says maybe this isn't the case? As Kavey had suggested we were going to do 2 different areas of Tokyo.

I will add the extra time to Kyoto.

Mara were you suggesting that 1 night Miyajima (with a few hours in Hiroshima beforehand) is not enough? OR did you think i was doing it just as a day trip from Kyoto?

Oh! This is 15 nights in Japan?!

so now schedule is

tokyo 3 nights
kyoto 7 nights
koya-san 1 night
Miyajima + Hiroshima 1 night
Tokyo 2 nights

OR
Tokyo 3 nights
Kyoto 7 nights
Koya-san 1 night
Miyajima + Hiroshima 1 night
Kinosaki 1 night
Tokyo 1 night (with 2200 departure following day)

I hope I'm not throwing a wrench in here, but I think the Koya-san to Miyajima link could be a bit problematic, depending on what you want to see and experience. Once you check into your temple on Koya-san -- usually around 4 or 5 at the latest, I think -- you will have time to visit Okunoin, but not much else as the temples that you might want to visit for sightseeing will typically be closed by the time you could get to them. So, if you want to do any sightseeing (other than Okunoin), you'll have to do that the next day. But even if you don't leave Koya-san until (say) noon (which would give VERY little time to see other things on Koya-san), then I don't think you wouldn't get to Miyajima in time to check into a ryokan there.

What about: Tokyo --> Hiroshima, night in Miyajima --> Kyoto --> Koya-san --> Tokyo? I trust others will have even better ideas.

Yes I was hoping for feedback about the placement of the 1 night stays. That seems to make more sense.

Now to get on the hotel reservations in Kyoto, 60% reserved already I see. Will need to book the better restaurants I wanted to try soon too (hopefully not too late!)

Going to Kyoto after a 1900 arrival at HND is almost impossible, so scratch that....

No, I didn't think you were doing a day trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima.

I have done my share of one night stays although in recent trips have pretty much ended them, but a one night stay with four hours of traveling before and after imo is not going to give you much time off the train.

kja's idea of going from Tokyo to Hiroshima is interesting but that also is a long trip - you could stay one or two nights in Miyajima or one in Miyajima and one is Hiroshima to cut down on the traveling.

Also the trip from Hiroshima to Kinosaki Onsen is also four + hours....

When you are ready to think about meals, this thread had some GREAT info:
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...s-anywhere.cfm

I was in Japan in November, 5 nights all spent in Kyoto. On our departure day we had a 5:00pm flight from Narita. We left Kyoto around noon, brought a bento to eat on the train. Even with a train change to the NEX, we timed it to arrive NRT 2 hours before the flight. it went flawlessly.

As we passed Himeji, I saw out the window of the train that the scaffolding was down. You might try to have a few hour stop there to see the caste on your way to/from Hiroshima. Another overlooked stop is Kurashiki, near Okayama. Well wort ha few hours.

So i booked the Sakura terrace in Kyoto (one of the last decent looking hotels under <$200/night) for the week. have made a booking at Koya-san and inquiry into Miyajami. The later seems quite expensive and full, in my rushed schedule (1 day Miyajami + Hiroshima + following morning) would we still be better off on the island vs staying in Hiroshima?

going to do it as kra suggested, early am train from tokyo --> hiroshima/mayajami --> kyoto --> moya-san --> tokyo

While in Miyajima, I stayed at what was, at least at that time, a relatively inexpensive, not very fancy, ryokan that I thoroughly enjoyed: Momiji-so.
https://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/...yokan=Momijiso

It depends on what YOU want to see and experience, but FWIW, I thought several hours (3 or 4) sufficient for my priorities in Hiroshima. I think I spent about 6 hours exploring Miyajima on the day after my overnight, but that could be off. I urge you to check your guidebooks (or spend some time with a few in your local library), identify the things you most want to see in each location, note their opening/closing times, and then plan accordingly.

And just to make sure you understand -- I'm no expert!

http://www.gambo-ad.com/english/area.php?ar=1
I used this site years ago - they have a few places in Miyajima.

The inn I stayed at, not listed above, is government run and now seems only to take reservations through Japanican:
http://www.morinoyado.jp/english/index.html

Personally I would prefer to stay on Miyajima - great atmosphere in the evening after the day trippers leave.. ;-)

I agree with Mara about the evenings on Miyajima -- and the mornings, too -- before the day trippers get there. Magical!

Momijiso is the Ryokan I had inquired about, I will see if they have any availability left.

Thanks for the site, led me to a few more good options if the above doesn't work out. Looks like I will be staying on Miyajima.

Booked hotels in Tokyo and started getting restaurant reservations in Kyoto so was a productive day, thanks for the help!

Great progress!

If you haven't already noted my comment about it, give some thought to a dinner of French kaiseki at Misoguigawa in Kyoto -- if your experience is anything like mine was, it will be a very memorable meal, indeed!
http://www.misogui.jp/eng/

We stayed in a ryokan called Auberge Watanabe, on Miyajima, which we liked very much. Family run, traditional, but note that meals are served downstairs rather than in the bedrooms. We actually preferred this.

I think your revised itinerary going straight from Tokyo to Hiroshima works, especially if you get an early train, spend your few hours in Hiroshima (like kja we spent a few hours, and then were ready to go over to Miyajima), you'll still enjoy late afternoon and evening in Miyajima.

If you book a ryokan, do factor in their meal time into your itinerary, ryokans often serve dinner a touch earlier than you might like.

Tokyo station to Miyajimaguchi is about 5.5 to 6 hours of travel. Add in a subway/train trip to get to Tokyo station and then the short walk, wait, and ferry to get to Miyajima.

I suggest adding a night in Hiroshima before Miyajima (or after).

For an onsen consider Spa World in Osaka or Arima Onsen. You could visit either from Kyoto.

Are you a baseball fan?

not much of a baseball fan. would like to check out a sumo wresting match out of curiosity

was thinking about Hiroshima for a night but think we will just suck up the long travel night after finally getting some of these hotels booked

a couple of the resto's I wanted are fully booked already but finding alternatives

"a couple of the resto's I wanted are fully booked already but finding alternatives"

Are they already fully booked, or just not yet accepting reservations for April? If there are any that are particularly high priorities for you, you might want to keep an eye on them....

Sumo tournaments are in odd-numbered months. Not April.