Hi everyone! I’ll be flying in with my mum to Kansai airport and staying at Shinsaibashi from 6 to 11 July. The both of us aren’t good with long distance walks and it’s only my 2nd time in Japan, so I’m seeking advise if my plan is too much on the legs, and also some recommendations on what to do in Osaka and Kobe other than eating.
We will not be moving hotels so the plan is to head out from Osaka in the day and explore Osaka at night.
Day 1
– Arrive at Kansai at 2pm and travel to hotel.
– Explore Shinsaibashi/little america and have Kushikatsu for dinner.
– Teamlabs botanical garden exhibit at 7.30pm and then head back to the hotel
Day 2
– Travel down to Umeda to eat breakfast at City Bakery and Garb Monaque.
– Head to Arima onsen and have lunch there and explore town.
– Go back to Shinsaibashi to eat okonomiyaki and explore more.
Day 3
– Eat traditional japanese breakfast at Kochikaze
– Osaka castle
– Sannomiya for shopping, bread/pastries, kobe beef
Day 4
– Head down to Kyoto to visit Nishijin Textile Center
– Eat mackerel soba
– Head to Sannenzaka to shop and explore (Ghibli shop!)
– Dinner at Junsei for Yudofu
– Stroll along Keage Incline and head back to hotel
Day 5
– Head to Nishiki market for brunch and shopping
– Head to Ichizawa Shinzaburo Hanpu and shop around the district
– Walk down to Toraya and explore Gion
– Eat dinner at No name ramen
– Go back to hotel
Day 6
– Lounge around Osaka and then travel to the airport to return home
Thank you in advance for the advise and feedback!
3 comments
The plan is totally doable!
However since you have 6 days and there is fair bit to see in Kyoto, why not split it 50/50 and stay overnight in Kyoto when you arrive in the area? Kyoto attractions (Gion, Kiyomizu Dera) to Osaka is 1HR one way – remember, you are not going just from Osaka station to Kyoto station. You are potentially traveling / walking needlessly and waste 2hr each day.
Your Kyoto plan for day 1 and 2 are fairly similar. Do you have interest to check Kiyomizu Dera, Fushini Inari, Bamboo grove, Ginkakuji, Tenryu-ji, etc?
Osaka is fairly doable in 2 days – the essential being Dotonbori. perhaps for the last day you may want to venture to Nara.
In terms of not wanting to walk too much – I hear you! My tips is avoid getting lost, know what are your must sees (specific POI/stores) and take frequent breaks.
Have fun!
Day 2 and 3 has you in Kobe(ish) *and* Osaka – on day 2, after Arima, go down to Sannomiya. On Day 3, do Osaka castle and then Okonomiyaki/Shinsaibashi.
In Kobe, there’s also the Nunobiki herb gardens and cable car, Ikuta Shrine, Meriken Park/Harbourland, but I’d say the gardens are tough to walk. If you are interested in museums at all (they’re absent from your itinerary but it could be there), Kobe has a number of sake museums, the Takenaka carpentary tools museum, and the Earthquake memorial.
Would highly recommend the cable car / gardens in Kobe