24 hours around KIX
 

I have a 27 hour layover at KIX on my way back from Guam and want to check out either Osaka or Kyoto. I have found some great info here on both but I'm curious as to which of the two (or another suggestion) FTers would recommend!

spend the morning/early afternoon in nara

late afternoon/evening in osaka

you*ll get a great sense of both.

go to kyoto when you can dedicate more time to it

Although Kyoto is doable from KIX (there's a direct limited express train that goes there), you can't really enjoy the city in that short of a time, especially since the sights are scattered throughout Kyoto.

I can recommend an itinerary, but I would need to know your interests, whether you are going to stay up all 27 hours, and your arrival/departure time.

Thats greatly appreciated! ^

I get in at 9:30AM on a Friday and leave at 12:30PM the next day. Wont be up the whole time but I dont require much sleep. Main interests are historical sites, temples and anything "off the beaten" path. Also looking for good food recommendations (sushi or anything traditional), budget not an issue

Big thanks!

It'll take you about 30-45 min. to clear C&I and baggage. Once landside, you should change money into yen, since Japan is very cash-based and most stores won't accept credit cards. Also stop by the tourist info center for maps. You can go up to the fourth floor where there are baggage storage at the ends of the hall. Both are fine, just pick the one that's closer to your check-in counter for when you leave. Keep with you all the items that you will need for 27 hours. Go back down to the 1st floor to catch the 10:40 bus to Nara (stall #9) and get off at Kintetsu Nara station.

At Nara, I would walk through Kofukuji, linger at Todaiji, amuse yourself at Nara Park, and then take a look around Nara-machi. There is a tourist info center above the Kintetsu station on 1F for a map and transportation advice. Plenty of lunch picks in Higashi-muki Arcade, which is next to the Kintetsu station. I like Happoh, but I don't know if they have an English menu. Other places in the area will though. Hop on the Kintetsu express train to Tsuruhashi, where you'll change trains to the JR Osaka Loop line (towards Osaka, not to Tennoji!) and get off at Morinomiya.

From Morinomiya, walk across the street in a northwest direction. See that big building? Yep, it's a castle, just not a real one. There's a good real one in Himeji, but that's 2 hours away and this one will do. When you are done, head back to Morinomiya station.

From Morinomiya, you can take the subway's Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi (lime green) line to Shinsaibashi, from where you can walk south on the Shinsaibashi-suji to Namba. Along the way are a ton of shops and restaurants, not to mention the side streets. I literally have a hundred dinner recommendations for this area, I'm going to need you to specify cuisine, budget sweet spot, and how's your Japanese language skills.

After dinner, wander around the area. The side streets are worth exploring, like the Sennichi-mae and America-mura neighborhoods. The neon and other night lights should be coming on too.

Public transportation basically stops from 12 to 6am. Since it's Friday night, you can easily go to a bar or a club for the night. Alternatively, there are relatively quiet 24 hour manga/internet cafes where you can have a cramped private booth, complete with computer, massage chair, and blanket for a nap. My recommendation though, is to take a Nankai train to Shin-imamiya station or Midosuji line subway to Dobutsuen-mae station and head over to Spa World, a 23 hour bath/spa. You can relax your muscles in the hot baths and snooze on a bench. Just remember to shower and wash yourself BEFORE entering the baths.

In the morning around 7 or 8, you can take the train back up into Namba for breakfast, and then catch the 9:30am Rapit limited express or the 9:40am Airport express train in the Nankai station. If you take your time at the spa, you can catch those same trains at the Nankai Shin-imamiya station at 9:32/9:42am, respectively.

Personally speaking, I wouldn't attempt ninja138's plan. That would kill me.

Cities within easy reach are Kobe, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Wakayama. But given your interest in historical sites, temples and anything "off the beaten" path, I'd recommend that you go to Kyoto or Nara. (BUT NOT BOTH)

Of the two, Kyoto is slightly easier to reach. Just take the Haruka Express from the KIX airport station direct to Kyoto.

Nara requires one change of train - Take Nankai Rapit to Shin Imamiya and then change to JR to Nara.

So... My suggestions is to do either one of the following:

(1) Kyoto -- Reserve a room at the Granvia Hotel, which is right on top of Kyoto station. Drop luggage there on arrival and head straight out for lunch and sightseeing.

Lunch could be in the huge Isetan Department store at the station. There are branches of some great restaurants in there.
After lunch, there are just so many different directions you could go in one of the following directions:

(a) Golden pavillion area -- Take a bus up to the North of Kyoto to see the Kinkakuji (Golden pavillion). Walk around Kinkakuji and Ryoanji and then get off the beaten path and explore Myosin-ji Temple, Nin-na-ji Temple etc.

(b) Higashiyama area -- Get a cab or bus to the Nanzenji. See Nanzenji and then wander up the Philosopher's Path towards the Ginkakuji.
Yes... this path is very much "on the beaten path" but there are dozens of little nooks and crannies to explore, which most tourists just glide past.

(c) Nijo Castle -- Take a train from Kyoto Station to Nijo. (Or bus). See the Nijo Castle. etc.

(d) Arashiyama Area. etc. etc. etc.

Really there are a thousand ways you could spend your time in Kyoto. Off the beaten path... Maybe not. But if you haven't been before, this is a path worth walking.

Next morning, the 08.50 Haruka gets you to KIX at 10.04am.

(2) Nara -- Reserve a room at the Nara Hotel. It's one of Japan's classic "Grand Old" hotels. (Est. 1909). Jump in a cab from Nara Station to the hotel and drop off bags etc. Walk to Uma No E for lunch.
If money really is no object, then you could consider the Tsukihi tei (Set lunch 10,000 or 12,000yen) which is a bit further to walk -- near Kasuga Taisha.
There's also a great French restaurant overlooking the lake towards the Nara Hotel, but you mentioned you wanted local style food.
Some other places are listed here:
http://www.bento.com/kansai/rev/nara.html
After lunch, walk through Nara Park to the Kasuga Taisha Shrine and Todaiji temple. From Todaiji you can go up to the Sangatsudo and Nigatsudo, which are slightly more "off the beaten path" than the other places I've mentioned. I suppose all of Nara could be considered further from the beaten path than Kyoto.... but that's not saying much.

Next day an 08.57 departure from Nara gets you to KIX before 10.30am. (Reverse of route that you took to reach Nara - change trains at Shin Imamiya).

it*s all up to the op

i think ninja138*s plan is terrific :)^

[i spilled mugicha over the keyboard and ruined it - i have to type with a mouse, can*t get caps shift/lock to work either :(]

I vote with jib71. The other plan offered so far is so frenetic and sleep-deprived that I got a bit queasy just reading it.

My recommendation, based on the OP's interests and limited time, is either Nara OR Kyoto but not both.

For Nara, I might consider a different route, depending on the timing. You could take the Haruka deluxe airport train to Tennoji in Osaka, then change to the Yamatoji line to Nara. At other times, the change at Shinimamiya will work fine and is cheaper. I could happily spend the rest of the day exploring the historical treasures in and around Nara, followed by a decent night's sleep in any of several hotels. To save on the budget at bit, the Choice group has recently opened a branch of the Comfort Hotel across the street from the JR Nara Station which should be comfortable and inexpensive, although a bit sterile and plebeian.

For someone who has never been, my first choice would be Kyoto. Take the Haruka and drop bags at any of the many fine hotels. The Granvia is a bit expensive for my tastes but certainly comfortable and by far the most convenient for a quick, one night visit. I suggest the cab-based, "cherry picking method" of seeing several of the best sites in the single afternoon available. Obtain a guide book and make some plans ahead. I suggest some, but not all, of: Sanjusengendo Hall, KiyomizuDera Temple, Nazenji Temple complex, the Heian Jingu Shrine, Nijo Castle, Kinkakuji (the golden pavillion) and Ryoanji next door, Ginkakuji (the silver pavillion) with it's hilly garden paths, Yasaka Shrine and a walk around the little narrow streets of Gion to the south and east. The Haruka from Kyoto Station is a direct connection back to KIX in the morning.

JR

There are a lot of people lingering around Kitashinji and Namba in early morning just to wait for the first train or bus to get home. I've never stayed until morning but gone back to hotel 4-5AM several times. OP would go to sleep on the plane anyway.

Thanks to everyone who responded. Ive got lots to think about and some research to do. FTers come through again^

OP said he probably won't need much sleep, plus I assumed he is adjusted to Guam time.

Granted my itin has a lot of travel and sights, but it's flexible and doable. It doesn't necessarily mean it should be followed letter by letter.

I wouldn't go to Kyoto unless you can invest the time to see the city in depth for a few days. Kyoto isn't really meant to be seen piece by piece.

If you are going to go to Nara, as I said, take the bus. Much faster and without the hassle of figuring out where to transfer. If you want to still take a train, take the Nankai train to Namba, and then change to the Kintetsu station and take its express train to Kintetsu Nara station. The JR Nara station is quite far from everything.

OP said off the beaten track, so I thought the experience of a manga/internet cafe or a public bath would be more interesting and more Japanese-like. If the OP would prefer a hotel, I could line up some recommendation. Just let me know.

In any case, ti would be better to to a day trip to either Kyoto or Nara and head back to Osaka for the night. I have done frenzied Kyoto - KIX morning treks too many times and it is really not pleasant watch the minutes ticking away while the Haruka is diverted to secondary tracks in rush hour traffic.

I've seen you mention your negative experiences with the Haruka before and it was in my mind when I looked at train times:

The Nara itinerary that I outlined doesn't use the Haruka. If OP changes at Shin Imamiya he gets on the Rapit train to KIX.

The Kyoto plan that I outlined uses a Haruka which is scheduled to reach the airport 2.5 hours before the OP's flight. There would need to be a pretty severe delay for there to be a problem.

Is it really a common occurrence for the Haruka to be significantly delayed?

I asked some friends who live in the area if the Haruka was unreliable during rush hour - they hadn't heard of this as a problem. And I don't see complaints about this on blogs or discussion boards. (I'd expect a quick search to turn up some discussion board rants if it were a common problem).

Maybe someone currently living in Kansai can comment.

On occasion, Haruka will be 10-15 minutes late pulling into KIX station; usually it's not a problem for international travelers, since they're planning to arrive 2 hours early, but some friends and I have had to sprint from the station to make our domestic flights.

Every once in a blue moon, Haruka is over 30 minutes late. Usually it has to do with someone on the tracks, so the entire schedule goes out the window. The problem is compounded with the fact that Haruka shares tracks for most of its route.

Once, all Haruka trains were canceled because a signal at Tennoji caught on fire and they had to shut down the entire line. :rolleyes:

Thanks for the input ninja. It reminded me of my recent experience at LCY. (London CIty)

The beauty of LCY is that you can check in with luggage just 30 mins before departure. (Without luggage, I think they allow 15 mins - like domestic flights in Japan).

I aimed to get there one hour before departure but Docklands Light Railway forced me to change trains five times because of a points failure... I ran to the check in counter about 20 mins before my flight.

A severe but professional check-in agent made sure that my bags and I made it to Japan as planned...

If your margin of error is measured in minutes, I can see that even Japanese trains could throw a spanner in the works.