Thoughts on 2 week itinerary for a 1st timer to Japan
Jan 10, 2024, 2:09 pm
#62
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: California
Posts: 465
I get very nervous not staying near the airport before a flight. I live in London and still stay overnight at a Heathrow airport hotel just in case there's transport issues. Travelling half-way across Japan doesn't seem like a good idea, even though their trains are extremely reliable?
Jan 10, 2024, 4:56 pm
#63
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 119
I get very nervous not staying near the airport before a flight. I live in London and still stay overnight at a Heathrow airport hotel just in case there's transport issues. Travelling half-way across Japan doesn't seem like a good idea, even though their trains are extremely reliable?
We also got delayed going to Osaka to Kyoto on the Thunderbird, again doubled the time it should take, and the regional line out of Osaka was delayed 30 min earlier that day. Maybe I'm just unlucky.
I would highly recommend Nara, more for Isuien Garden which was the most beautiful one we saw in 19 days than the deer.
Jan 10, 2024, 5:08 pm
#64
Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: UA Mileage Plus, AAdvantage, Southwest, HHonors, National
Posts: 529
Looking at Day 8, you have both Fushimi Inari and Kiyomizu Dera on the same day. Unless you're ok with going to two overly crowded attractions on the same day, I'd move Kiyomizu Dera to another day. If you're set on going there, arrive first thing in the morning.
Jan 10, 2024, 5:57 pm
#67
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,312
I didn't know Kyoto has their own crowd prediction calendar and real time streaming https://global.kyoto.travel/en/comfort/ a la Disney crowd prediction calendars. Click on a location to see a hour x day chart. Happened to see it in a comment on Kyoto with less crowds from King Kogi/Martina https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...rUxNC2C5l1HSIj
Edit: to stop linkage for embedding Google Map with expired token.
Jan 10, 2024, 6:09 pm
#68
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: California
Posts: 465
I would reorder this day as follows: do Kiyomizudera first thing in the morning, as early as possible (this temple and the shopping streets as you come down are lovely at dawn, and a complete mess after 9am or thereabouts), then Uji (consider booking a tea ceremony experience in Uji instead of Gion to reduce back and forth), then Fushimi Inari. In June the daylight hours are very long and since OP is willing to hike to the top, Fushimi Inari isn't too bad at most times of the day.
Jan 11, 2024, 3:40 am
#69
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: UK
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I would reorder this day as follows: do Kiyomizudera first thing in the morning, as early as possible (this temple and the shopping streets as you come down are lovely at dawn, and a complete mess after 9am or thereabouts), then Uji (consider booking a tea ceremony experience in Uji instead of Gion to reduce back and forth), then Fushimi Inari. In June the daylight hours are very long and since OP is willing to hike to the top, Fushimi Inari isn't too bad at most times of the day.
Jan 11, 2024, 4:05 am
#70
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,519
The British Museum has its own tea room and the Urasenke school gives regular demonstrations.
https://www.britishmuseum.org/events/way-tea
Jan 12, 2024, 12:02 pm
#71
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For Day 9, do you think it's best to go to Yasaka Shrine first thing in the morning (6am) or Nanzen-Ji Temple (8:40am)?
Jan 12, 2024, 1:45 pm
#72
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: California
Posts: 465
Also on day 9, I think Philosophers Path is only worth the status of an "attraction" (vs simply being the road that happens to be the most efficient path between other things you actually want to see) during cherry blossoms and very arguably foliage season, unless you're a big fan of the two philosophers in question.
Jan 12, 2024, 8:43 pm
#73
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: TYO
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Posts: 9,670
While it's not as spectacular as, say, the bamboo grove at Arashiyama, I think the Philosophers' Path can be quite lovely if it's not too crowded. I don't see a problem with listing it as an attraction in and of itself. Some of us like nothing better than walking along a nice path.
Jan 12, 2024, 10:46 pm
#75
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: TYO
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Posts: 9,670
Of course, any opinion is subjective, but I think most people would consider Arashiyama to be a more visually dramatic spectacle than the Philosophers' Walk. Are you saying that you disagree?