Hello everyone, my wife and I will be taking our first trip to Japan at the beginning of August this year. I have already done a fair amount of research, but I was hoping to get some opinions or suggestions. We will be flying ORD-NRT-KIX (depart Aug 2, arrive Aug 3 in the evening) on the way there and then NRT-BOS(787!)-ORD (all Aug 13) back. In Kyoto I have the Hyatt Regency Kyoto booked on points and in Tokyo we have the Conrad Tokyo reserved on points. Here are the places/sights/experiences I have picked out as possibilities for us to do (* means it is a higher priority to see):

Central Kyoto

*Nijo Castle – the creaking floorboards

*Tō-ji Temple – the tallest pagoda in Japan

Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum – a preserved roundhouse and cheap train ride

*Kyoto Imperial Palace – reservations required! (and Sento Imperial Palace)


Western Kyoto

Tenryū-ji and Ōkōchi Sansō – Zen temple, UNESCO world heritage site, house of former silent screen legend with beautiful grounds

Iwatayama Monkey Park – feed monkeys

Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple – hundreds of small figures

Kokedera – need to send a letter to Japan with number of people in the party and preferred dates of visit, along with a self addressed envelope to: Saiho-ji Temple 56 Jingatani-cho, Matsuo Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8286, Japan

Suzumushi-dera – the cricket temple


Eastern Kyoto

*Kiyomizu Temple – the “pure water” temple with the beautiful wood pagoda

Yogen-in – floorboards used from a castle still have blood on them from a battle, may be difficult to get in without speaking Japanese

Gion district – May get to see a geisha here, has 2 picturesque streets
Sannen-zaka ("three-year-slope") and Ninen-zaka ("two-year-slope"),

Yasaka Shrine – has many lanterns

Kenninji Temple – lots of impressive artwork, including Edo period screens

*Philosopher’s Walk – many famous temples and sights to see along a 2km walk.

*Rakushisha Paper Crafts – best place for prints, fans and other items that appear to be of better quality than other shops.

Honkenishio Yatsuhashi – best place for raw yatsuhashi which is some sort of sweet unique to Kyoto (I think)


Northern Kyoto

*Kinkaku-ji Temple – temple of the golden pavillion

Ryōan-ji – famous dry zen garden

Saimyoji Temple – not worth a separate trip, but if visiting other temples in the area, the entrance with a bridge and lanterns is nice

Kozan-ji – world heritage site, famous painting that is considered the world’s first manga

Sanzen-in – houses a few ancient buddha statues and a moss garden

*Hosen-in – also build using the floorboards of the bloody castle. Has a famous 700 year old pine tree

Shugakuin Imperial Villa – reservations required, Princess Diana once toured here
*Zen Meditation at Shunko-in and Zen Meditation at Taizo-in – both have tours, zen meditation, and some sort of tea ceremony, but the Taizo-in you also get a calligraphy lesson. It is also more expensive (almost $75). The first tour is around $20 and takes about half the time.


Southern Kyoto
*Fushimi Inari Taisha – hundreds of red torii line the entrance

Jonangu Shrine – former Imperial villa, no reservations required

Daigo-ji – old temple complex with lots of history and a world heritage site

*Nintendo headquarters – no tours offered, probably just get a picture with the Nintendo sign

Ryomakan – a good place to get a more authentic sword

*Gekkeikan – sake brewery tour


Tokyo

*temples of Asakusa – an impressive collection of temples

*Meiji Shrine – one of the top shrines in Tokyo

*Viewpoints - Tokyo Metropolitan Government building – free and one of the highest points. World Trade Center Building – one of the better location views. Bunkyo Civic Center views of Shinjuku and Mt. Fuji

*Akihabara – electric town

Tsukiji fish market – the famous tuna auctions

Tokyu Hands – crazy items

Hachikō - the dog story

Imperial Palace – can apply online for a free tour of this and the east gardens
Edo-Tokyo Museum – one of the best museums in Tokyo

Sony building – preview new technology

Sensōji – a stunning looking temple (painted in red and it has a pagoda)


Kamakura

Good for a day trip, see and climb inside of the giant Buddhas.

Kōtokuin – home of the giant Buddha statue

Hasedera – largest wooden statue in Japan


Nara

Tōdai-ji – the largest buddha in japan and the largest wooden building in the world. You can also feed deer here

Kasuga Taisha – this is to stone lanterns what Fushimi Inari Taisha is to torii

Nara Tōka-e – a light festival that we will be in Japan during! 

Harushika – famous sake brewery

Nara specializes in calligraphy brush production and cloth


Hiroshima

May be good for a day trip from Kyoto. See the museums and bomb’s destruction.

My original thought was 5 nights in Kyoto and 6 in Tokyo, but looking at that list again maybe 6 in Kyoto and 5 in Tokyo would be better. Any thoughts on what I have picked out for us to see?

Other questions:

What would be the best way to get from Kyoto to Tokyo? I am assuming bullet train, but what about getting from the train station to the Conrad, which from my understanding is not real close to where the bullet train would arrive.

From what I have been reading, it seems like a regular rail pass wouldn't be the best option for us, but it sounds like there is some sort of rail pass for the Kyoto region that might be worth it.

I have read that the weather is pretty hot and humid around this time in Japan, but unfortunately it is the only time we can really go. It seems like the heat and humidity will be similar to what we get in Chicago around that time of year, is that pretty accurate?


I know this is a whole lot to read, but thanks in advance for any answers and suggestions.