Thx a lot Jib71. I didn't know that Nijo Castle was closing for 2 weeks. I really need to get to Kyoto as quickly as possible after landing in NRT.
I have a room paid for by my company in NRT and that's why I was thinking of going straight back to NRT on the 26. Do you think that leaving Kyoto around 6h30 pm and catch a late NEX or Skyliner to NRT would make such a huge difference in my enjoyment of the city considering the fact that it's getting dark early and that I would probably be dead tired?

Pickles. Thanks. So would you think that on a 1st visit I could skip some of the major sights and go for some less visited ones ? If yes what would you recommend ?