This is my second time to Japan so I'm familiar with the general vibe/infrastructure and travel routine, but first time in Osaka (last trip was Tokyo + Arashiyama only) and more importantly first solo trip ever, so I've been a little nervous about how much I should be planning- tried to keep it light and flexible but ended up with a few more options than a week and a half would permit.
Feedback is welcome, especially on days I have multiple things I'm kicking around. As a consideration, I'm not a big "have to see everything everywhere all the time" person, but there are a few non-negotiables in here. Biggest interests are anime/video games, the ocean/marine life and the spiritual/otherworldly/etc., which is why a really hefty block of everything is dedicated to those. I'm less of a foresty nature-y person but still appreciate beautiful sights.
Also, I'm chill with ~5-6 hours of travel a day (I'm from a big commuter city with shitty public transportation, so spending hours on a bus to get to one place is already the norm for me), but any more than that feels like wasted daylight, and I believe I've planned accordingly but if anything really pushes it, feel free to let me know.
- 5/14 – ARRIVAL
- Land at KIX at noon, should be good to arrive at the hotel in Bentenchou ~3P or later to check in.
- Chill catch-up/relax day. Solaniwa for soaking and dinner. River boat tour or just walk around Namba/Dotonbori if I'm still wired (but stay out no later than midnight to fix jet lag if needed).
- Meals: Light lunch at airport if hungry. Dinner at Solaniwa or flex.
- 5/15 – NARA/FLEX
- Non-negotiable: Nara Park.
- Todai-ji Temple, Yoshikien Garden, plus anything else in the area that interests me tbh. Nara National Museum?
- Don't have a lot planned here, the biggest is the park, so really a flex day. I can do an extra half-day in Kyoto if I really want.
- Meals: Breakfast at hotel/flex. Lunch and dinner flex.
- 5/16 – OSAKA
- Shinsaibashi/Umeda day. Have a few stores in Amemura pinned to check out (personal interests- Meta, AtePie, Pokemon Center, etc.), otherwise really just explore + vibe.
- Later evening visit to Umeda Sky Tower for dinner and quintessential Kuchu-Teien Observatory sights after.
- Meals: Breakfast at Pokemon Cafe if booked, otherwise hotel/flex. Lunch flex. Tea at Alice in Fantasy Land. Dinner somewhere in Umeda Sky Building.
- 5/17 – OSAKA
- Non-negotiable: Nipponbashi Street Festa – main fes 11A-3P, afterparty 5P-9P (times based on last year, subject to change). Will probably be very tiring, so not planning anything before/between/after except meals.
- Meals: Breakfast at Pokemon Cafe if booked, otherwise hotel/flex. Lunch and dinner flex. Consider Eorzea Cafe (early) or Takoyaki Lab (late) for dinner.
- 5/18 – OSAKA
- Non-negotiable: Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan & Tempozan Harbor Village. Ferris wheel would be a plus but not mandatory.
- Free day, doesn't have to be too long. Can check out other places, or go back to hotel early to rest.
- Meals: Breakfast at, you guessed it, Pokemon Cafe if booked, otherwise hotel/flex. Lunch at Tempozan Harbor Village (takoyaki? takoyaki.). Dinner flex.
- 5/19 – KYOTO
- Considerations: Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto Imperial Palace.
- Consideration: Okazaki-koen. KYOCERA, Museum of Modern Art, Heian-Jingu.
- Consideration: Karasuma/Karasuma Oike stations area. Kyoto International Manga Museum, Museum of Kyoto, Nishiki Market.
- Non-negotiable: Night walk at Fushimi Inari Taisha before heading back to Osaka.
- Meals: Breakfast at hotel/flex. Lunch and dinner flex.
- 5/20 – MIYAJIMA*
- (Non-negotiable travel.)
- Travel to Miyajima. Either Mount Misen (via ropeway up, hike down) or Miyajima Public Aquarium if there's time before checking into hotel, then walk around Momijidani Park after dinner.
- I made a conscious decision here to skip Hiroshima; I'm coming back next year with my partner and we can tackle it then, plus I didn't want to split time between Hiroshima & Miyajima and miss the best of both.
- Meals: Breakfast at hotel/flex. Lunch flex. Dinner at hotel (kaiseki, Miyajima).
- 5/21 – MIYAJIMA/TONOSHO*
- (Non-negotiable travel.)
- Early morning visit to Itsukushima Shrine before breakfast and checking out.
- Travel to Takamatsu, bit of exploration. Takamatsu Castle, Symbol Tower. Another Pokemon Center because I'm that kind of person.
- Travel to Tonosho, check in and dinner. Possible late night walk on Angel Road (check tide times).
- Meals: Breakfast at hotel (Miyajima). Lunch flex. Dinner at hotel (kaiseki, Tonosho).
- 5/22 – TONOSHO/KOBE*
- (Non-negotiable travel.)
- Considerations: Possible early morning walk on Angel Road (again, check tide times) before breakfast. Yokai Museum if I have time afterwards.
- Travel to Kobe.
- Consideration: Nunobiki Herb Gardens. Plan on taking the ropeway up then hiking down to see the falls.
- Consideration: Kitano-chou + Nunobiki Falls. Can't really fit both this + herb gardens in one day (both close pretty early and I'll be getting there past noon).
- Afternoon/evening chilling in Meriken Park, then night cruise in bay area. Walk around a bit more before heading back to Osaka (finally).
- Meals: Breakfast at hotel (Tonosho). Lunch flex. Dinner on cruise, otherwise flex.
- 5/23 – OSAKA/FLEX
- Wind-down day before leaving. Solaniwa again, sleep in if I want, kinda just chill. The world is my eepy little oyster.
- Considering a very light Wakayama trip for the Tama densha, or revisit Kyoto/Nara/Kobe if I sorely missed something, but not planning on pushing myself.
- Meals: Breakfast at hotel/flex. Lunch and dinner flex.
- 5/24 – DEPARTURE
- Arrive at KIX by 10:30A for 1P departure.
- Meals: Breakfast at hotel.
*My base is in Osaka for the whole stay, so I'm not taking all of my luggage around for my multiday trip to Miyajima and back (if I had to do that, I wouldn't even bother). I'll just be packing a backpack with a few days worth of clothes to minimize stress.
by 56leon