Itinerary Feedback / Suggestions 15 Dayish

***I made a chart of my itinerary, I recommend looking at it instead of the list below, I think it's clearer https://i.imgur.com/vNGODW0.png
***

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Day 0 (June 14)

Plane from NY to Osaka
Kansai Airport
Pocket WIFI / SIM Card

Day 1 (June 15)

Train A from Kansai Airport to Osaka
Check-in Hotel #1 [D1 N1]
Dotonbori
Shinseki
Den Den

Day 2*\ (June 16)

Hotel #1 [D2 N2]
<FILLER DAY>
Grand Front Osaka

Day 3 (June 17)

Hotel #1 [D3 N3]
Train B to Nara
Todai-ji
Nigatsu-do
Nara Park
Kusuga-taisha
Mt. Wakakusa

Day 4 (June 18)

Check-out Hotel #1 [D4]
Train C to Kyoto
Check-in Hotel #2 [D1 N1]
Fushimi Inari Taisha

Day 5 (June 19)

Hotel #2 [D2 N2]
Arashiyama Monkey Park
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Pug Café

Day 6* (June 20)

Hotel #3 [D3 N3]
<FILLER DAY>
Manga Museum
Termachi St.

Day 7 (June 21)

Check-out Hotel #2 [D4]
Bullet train D to Tokyo
Check-in Hotel #3 [D1 N1]
Akihabara

Day 8 (June 22)

Hotel #3 [D2 N2]
Disney SEA

Day 9 (June 23)

Hotel #3 [D3 N3]
Ghibli Museum

Day 10 (June 24)

Hotel #3 [D4 N4]
DCTP

Day 11 (June 25)

Hotel #3 [D5 N5]
Tsukiji fish market
Tokyo Tower (One Piece)

Day 12 (June 26)

Hotel #3 [D6 N6]
Shibuya
Yoyogi Park
Meiji Jingu
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Harajuku
VR Shinjuku

Day 13 (June 27)

Hotel #3 [D7 N7]
<DAY 12 LEFTOVERS>
<FILLER DAY>

Day 14 (June 28)

Hotel #3 [D8 N8]
<FILLER DAY>

Day 15 (June 29)

Hotel #3 [D9 N9]
Your Name Pilgrimage

Day 16 (June 30)

Check-out Hotel #3 [D10]
Train E to Narita Airport
Plane from Narita Airport to NY

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Some things I want to do but don't have scheduled yet;

Sky Circus (Tokyo)
Onsen
J-ROCK/POP Concert
Festival

My questions:
1) do you guys recommend pocket wifi or SIM
a lot of people told me pocket wifi so atm im leaning towards that,
i'm going with one other person?

2) should i do my current plan stay 3 days in osaka than 3 days in kyoto, or should i
stay in osaka for the entire time and take a day trip to kyoto everyday which I also
searched might be a good idea?

3) I believe with my current plan I should NOT buy a JR pass, would just like a second confirmation
on this? It will be fine if I just buy each train ticket as I need it, correct?

4) any other suggestions I can squeeze with my osaka/kyoto days, part of me felt that I should only do 2 days kyoto as my third day I'm not so crazy about, but I could use it to do anything I missed in the kansai region so that seems okay!?

thank you for reading and can't wait to read your advice!!!

1) I find pocket wifi quite convenient. If you are planning on staying with your friend, pocket wifi would be fine. If not, you could consider SIM too (but I am not familiar with it.
2) Simply a matter of preference. Since it will be 6 days total, you could change hotels just to experience different areas at night, or you could stay in one place. If you are moving hotels, I suggest you send your luggage (or keep in coin lockers) and check into the one in Kyoto after visiting Nara. See the relative locations of Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara on a map.
3) Correct about not needing a JR Pass. For local travel, you might consider prepaid card for convenience.

thank you, I'll consider the luggage thing

Hi!

A few notes as a fellow NYer.

Unless one of the airlines has added a new flight which is not showing up when I search, you're unlikely to be getting into KIX at a reasonable hour unless you leave NY at an unreasonable hour. If you're using JAL or ANA you will be transferring through Narita and going to Itami and getting in closer to 20:00. I would assume your first day is not going to have any practical touring.

I would not go to Disney Sea on the 22nd unless it was pouring rain. It's rated an orange day because it is a Satuday. http://www15.plala.or.jp/gcap/disney/

I went on an orange day once and it was *VERY* crowded aka could barely walk around super long lines for everything, just not really fun. I would move your TDR trip until June 28th or June 27 which are two of the least crowded days you could go and are rated very low crowd days. Amusement parks are always more fun when they are less crowded.

There might not be any festivals while you are in Japan... Have you checked to see where or what events might be taking place? I know of a few shrine flea markets in Kyoto but they're not really events.

There are lots of onsen options depending on what exactly you are looking for and when during your schedule. I would not travel to anywhere too crazy unless you are planning to overnight there.

You're going to be in Japan during rainy season. I personally am not bothered by it, but it helps to have some flexibility and to know that Japan will be hot and muggy like NYC gets in the Summer. We're actually planning our next trip for a similar time period but are not spending anywhere near as much time in Tokyo. We're planning to explore around Nara-ken and Shiga-Ken and Mie-ken and have some ninja adventures. :)

I'm on Project Fi so I never rent pocket WiFi. I find what I pay in roaming is less than what I would pay with either a rental SIM or pocket WiFi.

How many days in Kyoto should be based on what you want to do in Kyoto. I mean I enjoy Kyoto and have lots of things I like to do there, but you might not and that's OK. Personally, I would probably not move hotels unless there are more specific things you want to do in Kyoto vs. Osaka. It's not like you have a lot of days really.

Good luck!

Thank you for all the advice

Eh for the airlines right now im thinking leaving ny at an unreasonable time xD

The dates are all randomish so dont mind the order of the things I do but i will check the busy signs for disneysea ty for link!

Im also not bothered by rain or heat but ill be sure to checkwhen im packing


I will look into project fi see if i can do that for a month and then cancel at least i have more options now

I hope your trip goes well ^^

Hi!

I use to do the United 6:00 am from JFK to SFO and then the flight from SFO to KIX. I use to then take the bus to Wakayama because I was meeting a friend who lived there. I remember usually getting in closer to 17:00 when all was said and done. I found it hard to get a lot done that first night, but you might do better than me? I would just not count that as a big touring day and make sure if the things you want to do that evening you still have time for. I moved and live too far from NYC to do a crazy early flight now so, I'm just going to do the direct to Tokyo and train it.

Last June 2018 It was about $150 more to do JFK to NRT to Itami vs. JFK to NRT. So since you have the option you might want to consider flying into NRT and getting a rail pass or getting one of these round trips: https://www.japanican.com/en/special/tours/shinkansen/index.aspx

I would just be flexible when pricing things out.

BTw I don't know if this is your style, but the Cloud Coffee Cafe in Kyoto is pretty awesome for a different sort of experience.

I kind of like doing certain activities in the rain, so I'm not bothered by the rain and the heat but I also now a lot of people who use this forum are seriously bothered by the Summer heat.

If you can't get tickets for Museum Ghibli from the JTBUSA website, call up the Manhattan office. They sometimes have tickets available for people who can get to their office only. I couldn't and ended up getting tickets courtesy of my hotel in Tokyo. It was cheaper than JTB but timed.

If you're into Ghibli there is a pastry shop that makes Totoro Cream Puffs. I keep meaning to make it there.

Good luck!