• Menu

Itinerary

2. Train to Osaka (~3h46min) • can see Mt. Fuji (right side)
3. DOTONBORI (downtown) •glico men sign
4. ICHIRAN ramen noodle (Tonkatsu) | Osaka | • Osaka is kitchen of Japan | | 3 | 11/22 | 1. Namba Yasaka shrine: •famous for its lion head stage 2.OSAKA castle (unification of Japan during 16th century) 3.UMEDA SKY BUILDING (night city view)
5. Dinner @ Okonomiyaki shop for Japanese pancake 5.**DON QUIXOTE FERRIS WHEEL
6. SHINSAIBASHI** (Neon light) | Osaka | • pay respect :ring the bell; bow 2x; clap 2x; bow 1x OSAKA Optional: • OSAKA AQUARIUM KAIYUKAN • SHINSEKAI an old neon-lit neighborhood south of Minami • Universal studio TEMPOSAN FERRIS WHEEL | | 4 | 11/23 | 1. purchase Koyasan world heritage ticket (3080 yen)
7. Transportation (Osaka to Koyasan) • the LTD. express line (Namba st. to Gokurakubashi st.); 1h20min • Cable (Gokurakubashi st. to Koyasan); 20min
8. **DANJO GARAN TEMPLE •**The central temple complex of mount Koya • One of the first complexes build by Kobo Daishi • houses around 20 temples and buildings including Konpo Daito, the great pagoda. 4.The great Daimon gate: the gateway to Mt Koya • original enter gate to Koyasan and now serve as the end destination for the old Choichi Michi pilgrimage trail.
9. **KONGOBU-JI (**The head temple of Shingon Buddhism in Koyasan) • Banrytutei (Japan’s largest rock garden) —a pair of dragons emerging from a sea of clouds
10. OKUNOIN CEMETERY • Koyasan’s main attraction • one of the most sacred places in Japan • Misty and mossy • Japan’s largest , stretching over 2km and is home to over 200,000 graves • Home to the Kobo Daishi Mausoleum museum ~~7. Shojin Ryori •Kaiseki style dinner •a traditional multi-course Buddhist meal~~ | Koyasan | • small temples nested away in the mountains of Wakayama • the center of Japan’s Shingon Buddhism • home to over 100 temples in which 50 of them allow for overnight stays | | 5 | 11/24 | 1. To Nara
11. Todai-ji temple • the Buddha statue Nara Daibatsu • The largest bronze statue in the world • Buddha’s Nostril • Grants good health and protection from bad luck if you can crawl through it
12. KASUGA-TAISHA • a Shinto shrine known for its 100s bronze lanterns donated by the worshipers
13. Climb Mt Wakakusa • 342 meters tall hills in the park • View of the city
14. NAKATANIDOU (Mochi) | Nara | Optional •ISUI-EN GARDEN •NARA NATIONAL MUSEUM •NARAMICHI old merchant district | | 6 | 11/25 | 1. early morning train to **Arashiyama
15. Bamboo Grove**
16. **TENRYU-JI •**one of the most important Zen temple
17. walk along the Katsura river The main river runs through Arashiyama
18. Take a short walk up to the Senko-ji temple great view and temple dogs
19. Iwatayama Monkey park over 100 snow monkeys
20. KINKAKU-JI ( A zen buddhist temple in
21. Ramen Sen No Kaze | Kyoto | •Kyoto is ancient capital Optional: •KIYOMIZU-DERA TEMPLE •NIJO CASTLE •DAY TRIP TO KIBUNE & KURAMA | | 7 | 11/26 | 1. NISHIKI MARKET
22. GION traditional entertainment district walk through the major streets NINENZAKA SANNENZAKA HANAMI-KOJI famous for its tea house & working Geisha | Kyoto | | | 8 | 11/27 | 1. FUSHIMI INARI shrine dedicated to Inari 1000s of torii gates
23. Nanzen-ji (南禅寺) large aqueduct
24. EIKAN-DO TEMPLE great place for autumn foliage
25. PONTOCHO small ally restaurant and bars
26. Steak & wine: beef | Kyoto | | | 9 | 11/28 | 1. JR thunderbirt limited express 2hr from Kyoto try bento box train meals walking is doable can use IC card on the JR Machi bus line all other bus lines require either a One-day pass or a bus ticket for around 200 yen
27. OMICHO MARKET food market;300 years
28. lunch at **Mori Mori shushi
29. D.T. SUSUKI MUSEUM** to celebrate the life and work of Suzuki “Daisetz” Teitaro, a prominent Zen Buddhist
30. 21st century museum of contemporary art 6.SUSHI IPPEI | Kanazawa | • gold leaf • garden • little Kyoto | | 10 | 11/29 | 1. OYAMA SHRINE
31. KANAZAWA CASTLE a partially-restored castle the seat of the powerful Maeda clan
32. KENROKU-EN GARDEN
33. SHIGUREI-TEI traditional tea house
34. Hakuichi: gold leaf ice cream
35. HIGASHI CHAYA one of three tea house districts
36. MENYA TAIGA black miso ramen
37. TSUZUMI GATE | Kanazawa | | | 11 | 11/30 | 1. to Takayama
38. Morning market
39. TAKAYAMA JINYA old government building and former headquarters of Hida provinces
40. SANMACHI SUJI historic neighborhood traditional merchant houses and sake breweries 5a. HIDA FOLK VILLAGE 5b. **SHIRAKAWA-GO
41. take** SHIN-HOTAKA BUS LINE • from Nohi bus center to Okuhida onsen-go • 1h30min
42. stay at hotel with onsen | Takayama/Okuhida onsen-go | • Takayama -mountain region -located in the mountainous Hida region of Gifu -Hida beef and sake -onsen hot spots | | 12 | 12/1 | 1. SHIHOTAKA ROPEWAY ACEND 1000Meter Japan’s alps
43. to Hakone (7hr) | Hakone | | | 13 | 12/2 | 1. Hakone | Hakone | | | 14 | 12/3 | 1. MEIJI SHRINE dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife
44. HARAJUKU Takeshita street is the center of the trending youth district
45. SHIBUYA CROSSING to have a better view, go to Mag’s Park building
46. UOBEI SUSHI belt sushi
47. TEAMLAB BORDERLESS (closed) digital art museum
48. **TOKYO TOWER (**a symbol of Japan’s post-war rebirth) a symbol of Japan’s post-war rebirth
49. KABUKICHO
50. OMOIDE YOKOCHO small isakayas | Tokyo | Optional: •SENSO-JI TEMPLE •KABUKICHO •TOKYO SKYTREE •TOYOSU FISH MARKET •NESU SHRINE •SHINJUKU GYOEN | | 15 | 12/4 | 16:00: Tokyo Narita (NRT)to San Jose (SJC)8:00 | | |

Stay

Reference

• 14 Days in Japan
• Public transportation
  • https://www.hyperdia.com/
  • https://www.jrpass.com/
  • https://thriftynomads.com/the-japan-rail-pass-worth-the-cost
• Food in Japan
• Food 25
• 日本漫游