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Kyoto-Osaka Itinerary with Baby 2019/6/19 13:26
Hello!

We are flying to Osaka this coming Oct. 4-13 with a baby (1 yr. 9 mos. by then). Can I get your thoughts on our itinerary below?

Oct. 4 (Fri) – Arrival
Arrive at Osaka and immediately head for Kyoto

Oct. 5 (Sat) – Kobe
AM: Kobe Meriken Park, Kawasaki Good Times World, Kobe Maritime Museum, Kobe Port Tower
PM: Nunobiki Herb Gardens, Nunobiki Waterfall

Transpo: ICOCA (within Kyoto), Hankyu 1-Day Tourist (Kyoto-Kobe) + Kobe City Loop (within Kobe)

Oct. 6 (Sun) – Nara
AM: Gangoji Temple, Sarusawa Pond, Kofukuji Temple and Ukimido Pavilion
PM: Todaiji Temple, Todaiji Nigatsudo, Kasuga-taisha and rest at Nara Park (feed the deer)

Transpo: ICOCA

Oct. 7 (Mon) – Kyoto
AM: Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Tenryuji Temple, Togetsukyo Bridge
PM: Kinkakuji Temple

Transpo: ICOCA

Oct. 8 (Tue) – Kyoto
AM: Nijo Castle, Ninomaru Palace
PM: Nishiki Market, Pontocho Alley, Kyoto International Manga Museum or Kikuya Shoten Manga-kan, Gion District

Transpo: ICOCA

Oct. 9 (Wed) – Kyoto
AM: Kyoto Railway Museum
PM: Fushimi Inari Shrine

Transpo: ICOCA

Oct. 10 (Thu) – Kyoto to Osaka
AM: Kyoto to Osaka via JR
PM: Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi-suji

Transpo: JR Kyoto Special Rapid Service (Kyoto-Osaka), ICOCA

Oct. 11 (Fri) – Osaka
AM: Osaka Aquarium, Tempozan Ferris Wheel
PM: Kids Plaza Osaka

Transpo: ICOCA

Oct. 12 (Sat) – Osaka
AM: Tennoji Zoo
PM: Kuromon Ichiba Market, Nipponbashi, Denden Town

Transpo: ICOCA

Oct. 13 (Sun) – Departure
by Lance (guest)  

Re: Kyoto-Osaka Itinerary with Baby 2019/7/1 10:31
What do you think of this itinerary?
by Lance (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto-Osaka Itinerary with Baby 2019/7/1 17:08
I hope you have a baby carrier for Fushimi Inari. It's all stairs. As in like nearly all stairs.

When my kid was that age she needed to nap and would't do it being carried she needed a bed or her car seat. How your kid is could be different.

Good luck!
by rkold rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto-Osaka Itinerary with Baby 2019/7/4 17:58
Thank you rkold.

I may not have been specific on the feedback I am requesting, so here are my questions:
1. Transpo - From the itinerary, I am purchasing an ICOCA-Haruka card for use in all areas, and just the Kobe City Loop within Kobe. Just now, I saw a Osaka Kaiyu ticket which I am exploring to use for the day we will do Osaka Aquarium. Is this optimal?
2. Eat - will it be difficult to find restaurants with high-chair available for babies? How about small spoon/fork?
3. Stroller access - so far, I've noted that we may have challenges bringing a stroller in Fushimi Inari. Are there any other places which we may have challenges in bringing a stroller? Riding in trains and buses manageable?

That's my general questions for now. Thank you! :)
by Lance (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto-Osaka Itinerary with Baby 2019/7/4 18:49
Forget the pram. Get a baby carrier.

Saves the need for folding up a pram when entering a bus. Saves finding a highchair. Which seem to be limited in Japan in public eatries.
by hakata14 (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto-Osaka Itinerary with Baby 2019/7/4 19:52
Get one of these sorts of things. https://www.babyandtoddlertown.com.au/benbat-yummi-go-booster-seat-gre...
And BYO spoon/fork.
by Sal1980 rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto-Osaka Itinerary with Baby 2019/7/5 11:40
Hi!

Unless you want dirty looks don't bring a stroller on a local bus in Japan, as in any local bus. (Highway buses and airport buses do have under bus storage where something like that could go.) There are places where I could see a stroller working or not being a hinderance in Japan (USJ and Disney Sea come to mind, and possibly the aquarium) but stroller are a PIA many other places. I have seen Japanese people use them on subways and trains, but then you need to search for an elevator at the station you want since you can't use the escalators with an open stroller. (I have seen a few couples carry the stroller up stairs though they usually wait until the stairways are clear and are not doing this during busy times.) During busy times you might wait a long time for an elevator. We had to wait quite some time this morning in Shimbashi for an elevator with our suitcases.

Many tourist sights in Kyoto are currently packed. We were there in June when it's hot and humid and many places were just packed. I can't imagine how crowded it gets in the Fall when the weather is better. I suspect having a stroller would suck in most of the shopping areas where it feels like a wall of people are walking during certain times of day.

Yeah I would just stick to an ICOCA Card.

I am a fast traveler, but I think some of your days look exhausting with a toddler. My kid as a toddler wouldn't be able to handle it.

Depends on the place whether high chairs or baby spoons and forks are available.

Good luck!
by rkold rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto-Osaka Itinerary with Baby 2019/7/5 23:23
Museums, aquariums and zoos welcome strollers. You and your baby will enjoy them.

However, frankly speaking, most of the temples in Kyoto are inconvenient for visitors with strollers. Your stroller will probably be allowed to enter the premises. But there are stairs and slopes on the approach, or there are often pebbles.
Strollers are not allowed to enter the temple buildings. You take off your shoes at the entrance and hold your baby or carry him on your back. If you want to walk your baby, always hold his hand so that he will not damage the cultural properties or fall down the steps.

The temples in Kyoto were originally built about 600 to 1,000 years ago. There was no stroller even for the Emperor's Prince in those days.

The aisles of the nishiki market are narrow and always very crowded, so your stroller may get stuck.
by Chibanian rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto-Osaka Itinerary with Baby 2019/7/6 07:09
Like other posters have mentioned, Kyoto can be crazy crowded. I can't imagine managing a baby in a stroller or a carrier in those crowds or on a bus in Kyoto.
by nealson rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto-Osaka Itinerary with Baby 2019/7/6 08:25
No issue with a carrier in those crowds.
by hakata14 (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto-Osaka Itinerary with Baby 2019/7/6 17:26
Yeah, second that about the carriers not being an issue.
by Sal1980 rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto-Osaka Itinerary with Baby 2019/7/10 15:44
Thank you everyone, your inputs are very helpful.
by Lance (guest) rate this post as useful

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