Osaka - Kyoto - Tokyo itinerary

Hi,

I would like some help and tips for our (two people) ~14 day itinerary (last week of november and first week of december) to Japan. For now our plan looks like this:

Day 1: Arrival in Osaka (early morning)
Day 2: Osaka
Day 3: Travel from Osaka to Kyoto
Day 4 - 8: Kyoto
Day 9: Kyoto to Tokyo
Day 10 - 13: Tokyo
Day 14: Depart from Narita

We'd mostly like your feedback for the Kansai part of the trip We've been to Tokyo before and feel we know what to expect and how to plan our days there. The number of days in Osaka and Kyoto can be changed though. For now we're planning on taking a day trip or two to Nara and maybe Kobe from Kyoto (so somewhere in day 4 - 8).

So the main questions we have, are: Do you feel the 'balance' is okay (or maybe stay a day longer in Osaka and one less in Kyoto for example; or stay one day longer in Osaka to go from there to Nara/Kobe)? Is Kobe worth a visit (and what would you recommend to check out)? Do you have some other places in the area you would go to? And do you have some great tips for the main cities you won't find in tourist guides, etc.

Thanks!

Osaka and Kyoto are very nearby - it's easy to visit one while staying at the other. So if I were you, I would just stay in one place the whole time, and decide the balance based on how you feel at the time, rather than locking yourself in right now (for example, you might get templed out, or decide you want to explore a particular area in more depth, etc.)

Definitely recommend at least a day in Nara, but that too is easily accessed from either Osaka or Kyoto. Kobe is worth a visit if you feel like you want to switch things up a bit, but I don't consider it a must-visit either. You'll be there at the tail end of fall foliage season so that might speak to you too.

Seems balanced, given you will have Tokyo later. Depends on what you like really, though. Some people do temple out much sooner than others. :)

Mount Koya is pretty nice, although maybe a little bit on the far side.

Nara is definitively worth a day trip, the travel time from Osaka or Kyoto is more or less the same, but Osaka does have a better nightlife and more attractions open at evening, so it is a little better to do it based off Osaka.

Kobe is interesting but is pretty much outshone by Osaka in everything except for a trip up the Rokko mountains. If going there it would make more sense to do that when based out of Osaka as the train trip is much shorter than from Kyoto.