3 weeks Japan... when do what?

Hi all,

I hope this is the right place to post this.

Perhaps you can help me.


My brother and I will be going to Japan (for the second time) in august/september next year. The first time we have been to Fukuoka, Beppu, Kumamoto, Hiroshima, Himeji, Kyoto and Tokyo.

This time we plan to visit:
- Hiroshima (2nd time)
- Kyoto (2nd time)
- Osaka
- Kobe
- Nara
- Ise
- Kinosaki

My Question:
We'll have 21 days. What should we do on each day? The Japan-Guide list helped us alot, but perhaps some places (for example: shrines) are close to each other and thus better to visit on 1 day.


Our list:

Day 1: Hiroshima
- check in, relax the rest of the day and look around the place near our hotel

Day 2: Hiroshima
- Miyajima, eat okonomiyaki, barhopping (Heart Live&Restaurant / Sams Bar / Mac).

there should still be plenty of time to relax and perhaps stroll around the peace park (we have been to the peace memorial museum before)

Day 3: Hiroshima
- Hiroshima-jo, an indoor pool we would like to go to, again okonomiyaki, again to some bars

Day 4: Kyoto
- check in, Gion, a certain arcade (think it was called ''round1''), Ginkakuji

Day 5: Kyoto
- Arashiyama (Bamboo Groves, temples, monkey park, togetsukyo bridge)

is Arashiyama alone enough for one day?

Day 6: Kyoto
- Nishiki Market, Fushimi Inari-taisha, Kiyomizudera

Day 7: Kyoto
- Kurama Onsen, Kibune

Day 8: Osaka
- check in, Sumiyoshi Taisha, stroll around the area near the hotel

rather empty this day?

Day 9: Osaka (Daytrip to Kobe)
- Sorakuen Garden, Chinatown, Meriken Park, Nakayama-dera

are the sake-breweries worth visiting?

Day 10: Osaka (Daytrip to Nara)
- Nara Park, Todaiji, Kasuga Taisha, Kofukuji, Horyuji

Day 11: Osaka (Daytrip to Ise)
- Ise Shrines, Oharaimachi

Day 12: Osaka (Kinosaki Onsen)
- Kinosaki Onsen Town

should we stay there for a night or is a daytrip enough?

Day 13-21: Osaka
- we have some friends in Osaka, who we will meet and kill time with :)

but some places we want to see are:
- Minami (Namba), Aquarium, Osaka-jo, Umeda Sky Building, Spa World, if possible Hanshin Tigers and Gamba Osaka.



We cant really plan for Osaka right now, because we have to see when our friends have time.


So, what do u think?



thanks,
Heiko R.

I want to recommend you to spend 2 days in Nara prefecture if you have enough time. On the second day, you can visit Asuka district which had the ancient seat (in the 6th century)of the Imperial Government with a lot of historical relics. The scenery around there is beautiful and has a gentle atmosphere. The nearest station is Kajiwara-jingu Mae of the Kintetsu line. From there, you can take a rental bicycle or a local bus to the ancient spots including the remains of ancient temples and the Amakashi-no-Oka or Amakashi hill which is described the collection of a myliad leaves.
Also, it is best to stay over night at Kinosaki.
Have a nice trip.

I'll google your tips concerning Nara.

@Kinosaki: yeah, you could be right. We should have the time to stay in Kinosaki for a night.


Have a nice trip.[/qe]

thanks again :)

Himeji Castle is worth visiting, easy to get to from Kyoto or Osaka and will fill up 1/2 a day. By shinkansen it is about a 30 - 45 min ride to Himeji, then maybe a 15 min walk to the castle.
Arishiyama can be seen in 1/2 a day also. Ever walked along the Path of Philosophy in Kyoto? Very beautiful.

hi,

thanks for your help.

The Way of Philosophy seems to be a nice promenade. And it's right next to Ginkakuji.

So Arashiyama is good for 1/2 day, good to know.


We've already been to Himeji and didn't like the castle that much. Of course it's very beautiful from the outside, but inside its rather empty.

Obviously one should know a few thing about architecture and history before visiting historical buildings...
of course the interior of Himeji castle is rather empty!
it was a defensive fortress built for times of wars, not a leisure castle!. It is the equivalent of the European medieval fortified castles; they too had rather bare interiors except for a few rooms. There is a low building at Himeji where the private apartments for the lord and his family were. Don't forget that traditional Japanese rooms are meant to be "empty", not crowded with furniture. The "decoration" came from painted screens and the colourful clothes that the lords and ladies wore.
The interior of Himeji, especially in the towers, are very interesting because of the amazing carpentry work.
the size of the posts and beams, the way they are joined together etc.are worth marveling at?

You're probably right. I didn't think about that. The small house of Sen-hime was indeed nice. And the overview over the area from the highest point of the tower was also beautiful.
But seeing it once was enough for me :)


anyway, thx for the information.