Itinerary Tokyo-Kansai 12 days

hi all,

appreciate if you can help me to go through my itinerary as i will be in tokyo/kyoto and osaka during golden week. below is the details of the itinerary.

24/04 - From KL to Tokyo
25/04 - Imperial palace/ Roponggi/ Odaiba (is imperial palace accessible if we do not booking in advance?)
26/04 - Yokohama/ Ginza
27/04 - Meiji Shrine/ Harajuku/ Shibuya/ Shinjuku
28/04 - Tsukiji market (for breakfast only)/ Hamarikyu Garden/ Asakusa/ Edo Tokyo Museum/ Akihabara
29/04 - Nippori/ Ikebukora (meeting friends)/ Cammy mosque/ Tokyo Tower
30/04 - Flight to Kansai airport (10 am) to Kyoto by Haruka- Evening - Tofukuji temple/ Fushimi Inari Shrine
1/5 - Ginkakuji/ Philosopher path/ Nanzenji/ Kodaiji/ Higashiyama street/ Kiyomizudera/ Gion
2/5 - Arashiyama/ Imperial palace (booking) Nijo castle
3/5 - Nishiki market/ to Osaka by Haruka / Osaka unlimited pass day – tsutenkaku tower, Tombori River Cruise, Osaka Castle, Floating Garden Observatory, HEP FIVE Ferris Wheel
4/5 - osaka museum of house living/ shitenoji temple/ tempozan ferris wheel, cruise ship santa maria/ dotonburi
5/5 - Nara/ outlet/ Kansai airport (flight to Kuala Lumpur 11 pm)

Please advice us whether it is too pack or manageable? we are staying around Yotsugi in Tokyo, urban hotel kyoto (south Kyoto) and Osaka Nagai in Osaka.

Thank you in advance for your help.

1. If you want a tour of Imperial Palace you have to book in advance, but if you just want to see the gardens and walk around the grounds you can go anytime.

2. 28/4 is a pretty busy day. You may not be able to fit it all in unless you want to just visit each sight very quickly.

3. Your itinerary looks fun, but a bit overpacked. On the really full days I would prioritize what you most want to see and then decide on that day if you have time for more.

4. Some places like Asakusa, Hamarikyu Garden, The Philosopher's Path, Kiyomizu-dera are really nice areas to linger and find cool shops and restaurants.

For more on Japan, check out my post: http://www.blaineanderin.com/5-things-to-know-about-japan-before-you-g...

1/5 is packed. I would omit either Nanzenji or Kodaiji. 27/4 is packed too if you're a shopaholic.

Hi ErinDB,

Thank you for your advice.On 28/04, we might drop hamarikyu garden or bring Akihabara to Saturday after Ginza. Do you think it is ok?

I am currently reading your blog.. such an inspiration blog you have :) thanks for the sharing

CL,

Thank you for your reply. which temple that you like to visit? Kodaiji or Nanzenji? or should i drop both? the main temples/places that we love to visit are kiyomizu dera, ginkakuji, gion, arashiyama and inari shrine...

Will consider to change the itinerary on 27/4.. do you have any suggestion in mind?

And one more thing, which one is better? ICOCA and HARUKA or Kansai Pass through ticket? so far, i more towards ICOCA and HARUKA...

Thanks a lot:)

is imperial palace accessible if we do not booking in advance?

You can not get into the palace without booking in advance, however you can get into the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace (Edo Castle Ruin).

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1066443-d320625-Reviews-...

3/5 - Nishiki market/ to Osaka by Haruka / Osaka unlimited pass day

Haruka does not stop JR Osaka station and you must pau the express fare (650 yen for non-reserved seat). You are staying near Keihan Fujinomori station, so that you might better take the Keihan train (change at Tanbabashi) to Yodoyabashi.

You might better consider Osaka Amazing Pass 2days.

http://www.osaka-info.jp/osp/en/index.html

You can buy it at Kansai Airport before going to Kyoto.

http://www.kaakix.co.jp/travel/travel_en.html

Enjoy your trip!

Thank you for your reply. which temple that you like to visit? Kodaiji or Nanzenji? or should i drop both? the main temples/places that we love to visit are kiyomizu dera, ginkakuji, gion, arashiyama and inari shrine...

Will consider to change the itinerary on 27/4.. do you have any suggestion in mind?

Haha actually i've not visited either but am planning to for my next trip. In two minds as to which will be a better choice, though I may just pick Yasaka Shrine instead.

Yes, I fully agree with your choice on the main places to visit. Kiyomizudera is amazing!

For 27/4, I'm not sure if perhaps you would have enough time if you were to move Shinjuku to 29/4, considering it is near from Ikebukuro.

Shinjuku doesn't stand out so much for me since it is dominated by shopping malls that other areas like Shibuya also have and I'm not interested in gardens, so I would probably just go to Golden Gai and Omoide Yokocho.

Hi, I wouldn't recommend you going to Fushimi Inari during night time, been there, kinda dark and not well lit, better to go daytime. I plan to go again soon, was wrong before, but everything is up to you.

You will fly from Haneda Airport [HND] to Kansai Airport [KIX], right?
If you fly to Kansai from Narita Airport [NRT], you will need more time to reach the airport.

we are staying around Yotsugi in Tokyo

Is it Yotsugi in Katsushika city ward near Yotsugi Station of Keisei Oshiage Line?

Please advise us whether it is too pack or manageable?

You have in mind many, many places to visit in Osaka City.
I suggest you would visit Nara City earlier after Kyoto City and allot the last 2 days for your Osaka trips and way to KIX.

On some of the days, you plan to visit places located apart in one day.
From the viewpoint of time efficiency, you had better make other combinations.

- Route map of Osaka subway and New Tram
http://www.kotsu.city.osaka.lg.jp/library/img/english/subway/map.pdf

For example, regarding 4 May,
the Osaka Museum of Housing and Living
(near Exit 3 of subway Tenjinbashisuji 6-[roku-]chome Sta. (T18, K11)),
Shitennoji Temple
(near subway Shitennoji-mae Yuhigaoka Sta. (T26)),
Tempozan Area (near subway Osakako Sta. (C11))
and Dotonbori area
(near subway Namba Sta. (Y15, S16, M20) and Nippombashi Sta. (S17, K17))
are located apart from each other, as you see on the route map.

(Dotonbori appears twice in your current itinerary. Are you aware that "Tombori" is abbreviation for "Dotonbori"?)

And one more thing, which one is better? ICOCA and HARUKA or Kansai Pass through ticket?

Please note that the ICOCA and Haruka is not a rail pass package.
A roundtrip ICOCA and Haruka package is composed of is composed of an ICOCA Card + a one-way 1-day ticket to travel by JR-West from KIX to Kyoto / Osaka / Kobe City + a one-way 1-day ticket to travel the reverse.
Each of the two tickets can be valid on 1 day during 14 consecutive days. With the ticket, you cannot travel on multiple days, nor can you make a stopover to get outside of a station.
You pay 2000 yen for an IOCOCA Card, including 500 yen as a deposit, and 2060 yen for the tickets.

Hi frog1954,

Thanks for the suggestion.. yes on 3/5 will take train to Osaka. Do you think i should go nara from Kyoto on 2/5 (morning) or Kyoto - Nara - Osaka? or go to Nara on my last day?
Yes will take the Osaka 2 days pass :)

Hi CL!
Thanks again for your comments :)I already swap the itinerary on 29/4 to 26/4. So on 29/4 i will go to Yokohama (if have time) or i will around Tokyo (in case i dont have time to finish all during other days). i think thats the better way.. or Yokohama is a must do?

Hi Jc Co,

Thanks for dropping by.. I wont go Inari on night, instead the evening.. perhaps after check in.. as my hotel is really near to Inari :)

Hi Otonomenashi,

Thank you for the reply and suggestions. Im staying at Yotsugi Katsushika ward.. My flight to KIX is on 10 am. we will check out around 6.30 and hope to get keisei narity sky access exp at 6.50 am or 7.07 am the latest.

Yes actually to be honest, im not really have a proper plan for Osaka. I will check the osaka subway and redo my itinerary..

We are thinking to have dinner and night shopping at Dotonbori.. or is there any other good places that you may suggest?

Thanks a lot :)