Me & my girlfriend are traveling to Tokyo in April, any good tips for things that might be off the beaten path etc? We're trying to travel to Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe by bullet train as well

4 nights in Tokyo
3 nights in Kyoto
1 night in Osaka, including a day trip to Nara
4 more days in Tokyo

went to a couple amazing dj'ed boogie / funk parties in tokyo.

Though my tastes tend more toward the rural/traditional, so if that’s less your thing, My answers might not be up your alley.

In Tokyo, the Palace, the Kaminarimon, the Edo Museum, just checking out the neighborhoods and people watching.

Day Trip from Tokyo, Nikko is really something.

Kyoto: Silver Pavilion/Philosophers’ Walk; Golden Pavilion; Heian Shrine; Nijo Castle; any garden your guidebook tells you was designed by Kobori Enshu; kokedera; Ryoan-ji; Kyomizu-dera and the surrounding neighborhood.

Give Osaka a miss unless there’s something you really want to see. I would recommend s day trip to Nara instead to see if you fit through the big Buddha’s nostril.

If you really want to see. A castle, I’d recommend Himeji, s but further west from Kobe. Or a more off the beaten path, there’s an all original castle I think called Takahashira. Still doable as a day trip in the Kansas region but would involve slower trains and far fewer people.

It’s been 20+ years since I’ve been there but any questions I may be able to answer, Fire away.

I definitely think that sounds right up my alley! My GF is very about visiting the gardens and the shrines, so Kobori Enshu for sure

We're planning on visiting Osaka, any reason why you'd give it a miss?

Our plan (as of now) is spending the first 4 nights in Tokyo, hitting up shops, restaurants as well as Disney Sea (lol)

Then we'll spend 3 nights in Kyoto, 1 night in Osaka including a day trip to Nara, and the last 4 nights in Tokyo.

Thank you for the recs, I'll look into the ones that aren't on our list already



>Though my tastes tend more toward the rural/traditional, so
>if that’s less your thing, My answers might not be up your
>alley.
>
>In Tokyo, the Palace, the Kaminarimon, the Edo Museum, just
>checking out the neighborhoods and people watching.
>
>Day Trip from Tokyo, Nikko is really something.
>
>Kyoto: Silver Pavilion/Philosophers’ Walk; Golden Pavilion;
>Heian Shrine; Nijo Castle; any garden your guidebook tells you
>was designed by Kobori Enshu; kokedera; Ryoan-ji; Kyomizu-dera
>and the surrounding neighborhood.
>
>Give Osaka a miss unless there’s something you really want
>to see. I would recommend s day trip to Nara instead to see if
>you fit through the big Buddha’s nostril.
>
>If you really want to see. A castle, I’d recommend Himeji, s
>but further west from Kobe. Or a more off the beaten path,
>there’s an all original castle I think called Takahashira.
>Still doable as a day trip in the Kansas region but would
>involve slower trains and far fewer people.
>
>It’s been 20+ years since I’ve been there but any
>questions I may be able to answer, Fire away.

and i really felt the pull. But 2 weeks off and $10k or so airfare for a family of five... ugh.


>I definitely think that sounds right up my alley! My GF is
>very about visiting the gardens and the shrines, so Kobori
>Enshu for sure

Nice!

>We're planning on visiting Osaka, any reason why you'd give it
>a miss?

Well Osaka is... a big city. I guess I don't really know what a foreign tourist would want to see; the castle isn't great compared to some others (Himeji for example), and I don't recall much else touristy or charming about it. Maybe the plum bossom grove (ume bairin) outside the castle, if timing works for you?

I was there for college (Osaka Pref. but halfway between Osaka and Kyoto) and spent a lot more time in Kyoto, both for tourism and social stuff - it was a much more comfortable place for me. But I'm not really an urban guy. Most of my best travel times, both in college and in the later 90s on JET, were out in the sticks. Did a ton of hitchhiking, and my JET posting was way up north in Iwate prefecture. Loved it.


>>Or a more off the beaten path,
>>there’s an all original castle I think called Takahashira.
>>Still doable as a day trip in the Kansas region but would
>>involve slower trains and far fewer people.

Looked this up to refresh the memory yesterday - it's Matsuyama Bichuu Castle, aka Takahashi Castle (so I was close, but I remembered it's not the usual 'hashi' in 'Takahashi,' so... points, I guess). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitch%C5%AB_Matsuyama_Castle

>Give Osaka a miss unless there’s something you really want
>to see.

I actually somewhat prefer the scale of Osaka to Tokyo's; it's a massive city but not nearly as overwhelming as Tokyo can be. It has all you'd need as far as shopping, entertainment, etc, and the food culture is fantastic (get that okonomiyaki). Pretty easy to get around too. For a first trip though I can understand focusing on Kyoto more as far as the Kansai area, but IMO Osaka is a great base to explore the region

I certainly liked Osaka well enough.

one of my favorite concerts ever was Brand New Heavies at Club... goddammit I'm getting old, can't remember the name. Quattro? late 1992 or early 1993.

Also have great memories of meeting a barmaid in Americatown around summer 1996.

But otherwise, yeah, you pinged it, I'm not a city guy. Kyoto was good. Or the sticks.

Was just reminded me of another cool Kansai place doable as a day trip, Mt. Hiei & the temple complex there. Had to look up the name though.

>
>>Give Osaka a miss unless there’s something you really want
>>to see.
>
>I actually somewhat prefer the scale of Osaka to Tokyo's; it's
>a massive city but not nearly as overwhelming as Tokyo can be.
>It has all you'd need as far as shopping, entertainment, etc,
>and the food culture is fantastic (get that okonomiyaki).
>Pretty easy to get around too. For a first trip though I can
>understand focusing on Kyoto more as far as the Kansai area,
>but IMO Osaka is a great base to explore the region

Kyoto is cool for shrines and temples and some of the historical sites and seeing Gion, but if you're like me, those things can start to feel really repetitive, especially further into your trip if you've already seen a bunch of them and then it starts to all feel too similar. I personally think Kyoto and Nara and good for the day trips to do those kind of things, but I think Osaka is a better base if you want to experience more nightlife and things that aren't shrines and temples. Osaka sometimes gets criticized for feeling just like a smaller or less intense Tokyo, but the city and its people felt different enough for me.

you can do both in one day. they're right outside tokyo

check his IG if that matches

the site atlas obscura sometimes has some really interesting stuff to check out.

the oldest zen temple in kyoto was gorgeous, with art used throughout to induce serenity and mediation, as well the imperial palace. the latter has hella fiece tiger murals created to impose authority on visiting delegations, so bad ass.

I'll google atlas obscura NOW

Regarding temples, damn. So manny manny. Which ones to choose? Lawrd

Oct 23 - Nov 2

Tokyo 5 days, Kyoto 3 days then Osaka to home (must have the okonomyaki)

We'll likely do some day trips sprinkled in

My questions on Japan Rail...i know the ticket does not include the fastest train

so is it worth it to spend the extra $100 for a trip on that train? or is the extra speed negligible?

d

>Oct 23 - Nov 2
>
>Tokyo 5 days, Kyoto 3 days then Osaka to home (must have the
>okonomyaki)
>
>We'll likely do some day trips sprinkled in
>
>My questions on Japan Rail...i know the ticket does not
>include the fastest train
>
>so is it worth it to spend the extra $100 for a trip on that
>train? or is the extra speed negligible?
>
>d

Or just a single ticket? I've never used the Nozomi trains (fastest), but the Hikari trains are plenty fast, and it honestly won't be much different. It's maybe about 20 minutes longer just because the train will make a few more stops in between Tokyo and Kyoto.

that's exactly what I wanted to know

if it's only a 20 min differential, then that's fine. no need to spend extra for that single ticket

d

1) Benesse art site at Naoshima Island:

http://benesse-artsite.jp/en/

Can't say enough about this place, in particular the Tadao Ando architecture. Gorgeous.

The Benesse house itself is dope, and has a hotel you can stay in, allowing you access to the museum overnight.

You get off the shinkansen at Okayama, take the local trains to the ferry, easy stuff

Not cheap though.

2) Koyasan, with an overnight stay at the temple.

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4900.html

Especially if you can meditate

Trip is still 2 months away, sheez

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200213_42/


Hope it's all clear by the time you go.