8 day itenerary Kyoto region

Hi,

Request advise

Have 8 days
6 days based out of Kyoto
2 days based ou t of Osaka

Plan to see following
Nara
Hemiji
Shirakawago
Osaka local - one day
Kyoto local - two days

Request advise on itenerary and the passes please!

Regards,
Ravi

Shirakawago is not near Kyoto/Osaka. So there isn't gonna be a pass that is suitable for only one return trip like that.

For the "Kansai" region like Himeji, Nara etc. A Kansai Thru Pass may be suitable. But you really need to make an itinerary first before knowing whether a travel pass will pay itself off or not.

Personally I think that's too much time in Kyoto, and too little time in Osaka. Osaka has quite a lot to do, and Kyoto is mostly temple hopping with a trip to spots like Arashiyama which is beautiful or the Gion district. If you like nature, take a trip to Minoo park or stay the night in a temple at Koyasan.
From shinkansen, you can easily access Kobe, Himeji or Hiroshima(take a ferry to Miyajima).

Hakone is also pretty close to Kyoto if I recall.

Hakone is not near Kyoto. It's much closer to Tokyo. You can easily visit Hakone on the way between Kyoto and Tokyo, but I wouldn't say it is near, at that point you can make a day trip to Tokyo.

I personally think Osaka is overrated. I only go there to shop and see friends and I've yet to figure out why a tourist would go to Kobe except maybe on the way to Arima onsen.

Kyoto and Osaka are Very close and if you stay not too far from Kyoto station you could stay the entire time in Kyoto with no need to change hotel and still go gor a day trip to Osaka and Himeji.
I agree with a previous poster that Osaka is overrated. I personally also have not yet found the interesting parts of it. But it obviously depends on your interests. A lot of people go because of the amusement park.
I would probably spend 2 days in Nara.
I also agree with previous poster that Shirakawa is nowhere close to Kyoto or Osaka. If you want to go there I think you should spend a night in that region. Or skip it and either replace with more Kyoto (there is enough to see for weeks, including Nara, Biwako...) or if you like something more out in the nature, try Koyasan.

Enjoy your travel to Japan!

Hi,

Thanks you all for your views!

Had kept our visit centered around Kyoto as we are interested in art and culture.

Also did I not want to spend more time in travel with luggage.

Was looking at Shirakawago more from seeing rural settings in Japan. Would be happy to see some old villages around Kyoto instead of Shirakawago which is modelled around tourism.

Thanks once again!

Regards,

Ravi

Miyama is similar village like Shirakawa.
http://www.miyamanavi.net/english/

Along route 162, you can see the well kept cedar forests.
https://search.yahoo.co.jp/image/search;_ylt=A2RCL6fqDIxZA20A_laU3uV7?p=%E5%8C%97%E5%B1%B1%E6%9D%89%E3%80%80%E4%BA%AC%E5%8C%97&aq=-1&oq=&ei=UTF-8#mode%3Ddetail%26index%3D0%26st%3D0

Hi,

Thanks you all for your views!

Had kept our visit centered around Kyoto as we are interested in art and culture.

Also did I not want to spend more time in travel with luggage.

Was looking at Shirakawago more from seeing rural settings in Japan. Would be happy to see some old villages around Kyoto instead of Shirakawago which is modelled around tourism.

Thanks once again!

Regards,

Ravi