Osaka-Kyoto-Takayama -Kanazawa in 12 days with Kids Doable?
 

hi! i am planning a trip to Tokyo for next April which coincides with the Cherry Blossom Season in Kyoto and the Matsuri Festival in Takayama (one of the 3 most famous festivals in Japan). We will be traveling with 2 kids (age 10 and 8 at time of travel). My questions:

1.) are we doing too much since we are with the kids? should i entirely drop Kanazawa for this trip and stick to Takayama? since it will be the Matsuri Festival by then, i think it will be best if we pick Takayama over Kanazawa. i was able to secure Hotel Booking already for Hotel Associa in Takayama during this time
2.) is it worth buying the Takayama- Hokuriko Area Tourist 5days pass? or should we stick with individual purchase?
3.) given that we are traveling during the extreme peak season, how do we reserve train seats for the Kyoto to Takayama leg? can this be done online? also for the Takayama to Kanazawa Nohi Bus (return) or the Takayama to Osaka Train (return) if we skip Kanazawa

Itinerary:

Flying in and out of Kansai airport:

April 7 --- Flight arrival at 7PM
Hotel: Courtyard Marriott Osaka

April 8---Osaka

April 9---Osaka

April 10---Universal Studios Osaka

April 11--- Train Osaka to Kyoto
Kyoto Hotel: Citadines Kyoto

April 12--- Kyoto

April 13--- Kyoto

April 14--- Kyoto to Takayama.
Hotel: Hotel Associa Takayama.

April 15 --- Takayama

April 16--- Takayama to Kanazawa by Bus.
Hotel: ANA Crowne Plaza Kanazawa

April 17--- Kanazawa

April 18 ---- Kanazawa to Osaka
Hotel: Marriott Courtyard

April 19----Flight Home


thanks

Uh, which festival in Takayama? Matsuri means festival, I think, so you're discussing the Festival Festival (it's kind of like Sahara actually means "desert" so calling it the Sahara Desert is repetitive).

As for your itinerary - too little time in Kyoto and too much in Osaka is my guess. And four locations with hobbits is a bit rough for them on a short trip. Remember, what's rough on them will be rough on you.

We loved Kanazawa, but you don't have enough time there to see much - just one day. This would be an unpleasant itinerary for me if I were traveling solo, I can't imagine trying to do it with children!

I agree, too much time in Osaka, What are you planning to do there beside the theme park for the children? I expect you could cut a day there and add it to Kyoto.

>>is it worth buying the Takayama- Hokuriko Area Tourist 5days pass?

Maybe. That pass doesn't cover part of your trip from Kyoto to Takayama

One route you want is Kyoto- Nagoya- Takayama - about 3 hours. Problem is that the Kyoto- Nagoya leg is not covered by that pass.

Another route is Kyoto - Takayama on an <u>infrequent</u> LTD. EXP (WIDE VIEW) HIDA train. It makes a long (15 min) stop at Gifu. Without a pass this would be a less expensive option for the trip. With the pass, you would pay ¥ 4,290 for Kyoto- Gifu and use the pass from there (there are less expensive options but they involve local trains and one or more transfers).

To use only that pass, your route would be Kyoto- Kanazawa- Toyama- Inotani(maybe)- Takayama - about 5 hours.

Keep in mind that if you use that pass then it is only good for unreserved cars. If you want reserved seats then it is typical for that kind of pass that you would pay not only the seat reservation fee but also the limited express surcharge. That sum is shown as Seat Fee on hyperdia.

>>, how do we reserve train seats for the Kyoto to Takayama leg?

At a JR station, either at a ticket window or a separate reserved seat counter at some stations. Major Japanese travel agents sell tickets and I assume they can also make seat reservations, but not sure about that.

>>are we doing too much since we are with the kids?

Seems to me that your asking the question means you probably know the answer.

I'd also want time in Kyoto and would easily skip Osaka to make plenty of time for Kyoto and Nara.

I gave Kanazawa only 2 nights and seriously regret that I didn't give it more.

Hope that helps!

When we visited Takayama in 2012 the autumn matsuri was on and we loved seeing that. It means the town is far more crowded but we didn't mind that - it was still far less crowded than the most crowded streets of Kyoto a few days later and we really liked watching the various floats belonging to the shrine being pulled through the streets by teams of men in traditional costumes - it was evening so they were all lit up with lanterns. Gorgeous.

Nothing much to see in Osaka, so I'd definitely reduce time there and give it to Kyoto and Tokyo. (You mention Tokyo in your introduction but I can't see any nights in Tokyo in your itinerary?)

Ignoring Universal, which isn't my thing so can't comment, Osaka has Dotonbori (half an hour max), a lovely food market that's less crowded than Nishiki in Kyoto (easily an hour for me, but probably far less for most people), and a lovely pot noodle museum (a little more time as it's 20 minutes out from Namba and takes a little time to go around). There's a temple that's nice if you're there but not (IMO) worth going specifically to see. You could do what is of interest in Osaka in half day trip from Kyoto.

Kyoto merits way more time so I'd give at least 5 nights there if you can.

Also, if you do want to drop Kanazawa, consider adding an overnight visiting Koya-san, staying overnight in a temple, observing the monks' morning prayers, visiting the famous graveyard and temple there. An incredible insight into Japanese tradition and religion.

Sorry, I made a big mistake about seat reservations with that Hokuriku pass. I made an assumption and didn't read all of the details.

<b>Pass holders are allowed four reservations each on limited express trains ( excluding reserved seats on "Hakura Airport Express"), and unlimited rides on ordinary trains, non reserved cars on limited express trains, non reserved seats of ordinary cars of the Hokuriku Shinkansen.</b>

https://www.japan-rail-pass.com/pass...FU9gfgodEn0OVw

You still wouldn't be able to get reserved seats on the shinkansen between Kanazawa and Toyama, but that leg is only 18-23 minutes. And you might get seat(s) in an unreserved car anyway.

That pass is such a good deal that I think it is worth the extra time it takes to travel to Takayama via Toyama. I don't see how it can be beat.

I'd get four reserved seats: Kyoto-Kanazawa and return, and Toyama-Takayama and return. You might not have trouble getting seats on the bus from Takayama on the day after the festival, if that is what you want. But you can still take JR to get to Kanazawa if you don't get the bus.

Actually, I suggest skipping the bus ride and just taking JR so that you have more time for Kanazawa. Find time to visit Hida no Sato in Takayama instead of stopping in Shirakawago on the way to Kanazawa.

I second mrwunrfl's recommendation to visit Hida no Sato rather than trying to visit Shirakawago on this trip.

Not sure if this is too late for you but you may want to consider adjusting your itinerary abit. Instead of going to Osaka then to Kanazawa and back to Osaka again, you can consider travelling straight from Kansai Airport directly to Kyoto, then onwards to Kanazawa etc and then Osaka being your last stop.
There's not much sight seeing to be had in Osaka, its mainly eating and shopping. Whether you like it or not depends on your preference. (I love Osaka - been there 3 times ). If you are intending to do any shopping then at least you wouldn't be lugging all your shopping all the way to Kanazawa and back. You can also save time checking in and out of Osaka hotel.

There's also the Osaka castle. Worth it?

@ dgunbug: If you are in the area and want to visit a castle, I'd strongly recommend visiting Himeji-jo --
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3500.html

I've not been to Himeji castle but the Osaka castle is quite majestic and worth a visit if you have the time.
Another worthwhile consideration especially with children is the Osaka aquarium which is world class.

Osaka's castle is a reconstruction. Himeji's is not. Doesn't mean that they don't each have merits....

I'm planning to visit Osaka again next April and will definitely go to Osaka-jo Koen (Osaka-castle park) for cherry blossoms viewing of its 600 cherry trees.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4006.html

The story behind the destruction of Osaka castle is a dramatic story that japan-guide doesn't quite give. I will have to find a link that describes the events that lead up to the event and post it here.

It was pouring rain when I got to the park from Osakajokoen station on the east site. I got a ticket to the event at the arena there and went in to dry off and discovered that it was a cheerleading competition. It was fun to watch and to see the teams waiting their turns.

I enjoyed the castle for two reasons. 1) it has meaning in Japanese history (greater than the pretty reconstructed Golden Pavillion in Kyoto that can't enter). 2) it has a pretty good local museum inside.

Next time I go I will enter from the main entrance in the southwest corner of the park and will not need to go into the castle but will admire its presence from the outside.

Then I will go to Kyoto again.

The castle was one of my reasons for visiting Osaka, but I didn't visit there until I had been to Japan several times and visited several other castles and destinations.

Himeji-jo is the one castle you want to visit. But a visit to Osakajo and the park is worthwhile if you are in Osaka for Universal Studios. Hikone castle is on your route and worth an enroute stop.

There was a TR recently that covered an Osaka theme park. Might have been US.

It's true that Osaka castle is a reconstruction, but it was done in the 1920s; the original was destroyed in the Boshin war. It's a fine sight and there's a lot of history there.