10 Days Japan Itinerary to Kansai Region (Osaka.Kyoto.Kobe)

Heading to Kansai Region which consists of major tourist attractions? Check it out the itinerary below…

Kobe– Famous for their beef

Osaka– Known as Japan food capital

Kyoto– Enjoy the rustic blend of traditional and modern city integration

Nara–  Chill and taking selfie with the roaming deers

Below is the cost breakdown:

Itinerary for Japan 10 Days/ 9 Nights trip:

Day 1: Singapore- Osaka (Kansai Airport)

1915H: Check in Changi Airport

2115H: Flight MH610, depart Singapore for K.Lumpur

2215H: Arrive K.Lumpur

2345H: Flight MH52, depart K.Lumpur for Kansai (Osaka)

Day 2: Kansai Airport – Kyoto

0715H: Arrive Kansai Airport

0800H: Check out Airport

0820H: Buy Icoca & Haruka card at JR ticket offices of Kansai Airport. Take Kansai-Airport Express “HARUKA” train to Kyoto. (1hr 20 mins ride)

0940H: Arrive Kyoto ; Take from Kyoto to Tofukuji, then transfer to Gion-Shijo

1020H: Check into Khaosan Kyoto Theater Hostel , a 5-minute walk from Kawaramachi and Gion-shijo subway stations.

1040H: Head to Fushimi Inari Shrine (Gion-Shijo station, 7 stops to Fushimi inari) Walk 500m in.

1120H: Fushimi Inari Shrine; This shrine is well-known for its trail and tunnels of 10,000 red/orange torii or traditional Japanese gates that led to sacred Mount Inari.

1300H: Lunch

1430H: Visit Nijo Castle (take from Fushimi Inari to Sanjo (kyoto) , then take SanjoKeihan to Nijojo-Mae station)

1530H: Take subway Kozai: Nijojo-Mae to Kyoto shiyakusho mae) Walk 800m  to Nishiki Market, sample food. Try Daiyasu Homemade Tofu, ) Sawawa Thick Matcha Soft Serve Cone , Mackerel Tempura

1630H: Walk to Daimaru departmental store nearby

1700H: Walk to Fujii Daimaru and Takashimaya Departmental store for more food, usually at basement.

1900H: Walk to Gion district. Packed with bars, restaurants and traditional teahouses, lanterns are lit and apprentice geisha will flit about the back streets

Head east on Shijo-dori Street from Gion-Shijo Station. Cross Kawabata-dori Street and find Minamiza Kabuki Theater.

 Meyami Jizo: head further east, for the tiny little temple of Chugen-ji.

Gion Sweets: Famous for its sweets and no trip here would be complete without trying some. Patisserie Gion Sakai; short walk south of Shijo on the west side of Hanami-koji. Purchase all kinds of cakes, tarts, meringues and pastries.

2100H: Maruyama Park; At night, weeping cherry trees and night lights illumation make it a favourite night spot.

2200H: Back to Hotel: Khaosan Kyoto Theater

Day 3 : Kyoto (Kyoto Station)

0730H: Morning Call,

0815H: Leave Hotel ,  take from Gion-Shijo to Tofukuji. Transfer to Kyoto station.

Check in hotel for tonight first.

JR Kyoto Station to JR Umahori Station Walk to Kameoka Torokko Station about 10 minutes

0850H: Start from Kameoka Torokko Station, Buy the tickets of Sagano Romantic train

0935H: Station to get off:  Arashiyama Torokko Station
This station is right next to the Sagano Bamboo Forest. And this station is near Jojakkoji Temple , Tenryuji Temple.

1020H: Finish Sagano Bamboo Forest,

1040H: Visit Tenryu-Ji Temple; Kyoto most famous temple. Kyoto’s five great Zen temples.

1130H: Visit Jojakkoji Temple or  10 mins walk to Hozugawa-kudari Landing Site (River Bank Scenic)

1230H: Lunch

1315H: Depart from Arashiyama Torokko Station to Sainn. Take Bus 205 to Kinkakujimichi Bus Stop (10 stops away). Walk 400 metres to  Kinkaku-ji Temple; Kyoto’s #1 UNESCO site. The famed “Golden Pavilion” is an unforgettable site.

1500H: Visit Ryoanji Temple

1600H: Back to Hotel (Rest)

1830H: Shopping along Gion Station area

2000H: Takashimaya Basement Food (discounts after 8pm)

Day 4: Kyoto- Kurama Onsen- Kyoto (Kyoto Station)

06030H: Morning Call

0710H: Depart to Kiyomiza Temple

0920H: Go to Kyoto Station. Take bus number 75 from Kyoto Station to the Uzumasa Eigamura-michi bus stop

1000H: Visit Toei Kyoto Studio Park: Dress up as a samurai. Kyoto Toei Studio Park to give it its English name, is a working TV and movie set that doubles as a theme park, where besides dressing up in period costume you can wander around a mock-up Edo-era samurai town. Eigamura is open daily from 9am to 5pm, Admission is ¥2,200.

1230H: Lunch

1330H: Head to Kurama is a rural town in the northern mountains of Kyoto City, less than one hour from the city center, known for hot spring.

1430H: Outdoor and indoor baths can be enjoyed at Kurama Onsen. It can be reached in a 10 minute walk from the train station along the town’s only road. E

1630H: Finish Onsen, explore surrounding

1730H: Head back Hotel; rest

1900H: Dinner

Day 5: Kyoto – Kobe- Hemeji City-Kobe  

0800H: Morning Call

0900H: Take Hankyu-Kyoto Line from Kawaramachi station to Juso Station. Transfer to Hankyu-Kobe Line to Sannomiya Station.

1000H: Arrive Sannomiya Station (Kobe)

1030H: Breakfast ; store bags at Hostel (Hostel Nakamura Kobe)

1130H: Out of hotel, proceed to take a shinkaisoku JR express from Kobe to Himeji (40 mins)

1220H: Arrive Himeji, lunch

1345H: Head for Himeji Castle (About 15 minute walk from JR and Sanyo Dentetsu Himeji station)

1600H: Head back to Kobe ; Kobe Sannomiya Station

1700H: Dinner at below address for  Kobe Beef:

Steakland at Sankitadori, famous for their value for money Kobe beef.

Steakland Kobe
1-8-2 Kitanagasadori Chuo-ku
Miyasako Building 1-2F
Kobe.

Access: Hankyu Kobe Line Kobe Sannomiya Station West Exit 1-minute walk, JR Tokaido, Sanyo Main Line Sannomiya West Exit 3-minute walk, Hanshin Main Line Sannomiya 5-minute walk

1900H: Take train to Kobe Station; visit Kobe Harborland; Large shopping, dining and entertainment area on Kobe’s waterfront. Refer to notes on places to walk.

2100H: Overnight at Kobe; Hostel Nakamura Kobe

Day 6:  Kobe- Osaka

0700H: Morning Call

0800H: Take from Sannomiya Station in Kobe to Umeda  in Osaka.

0840H: Arrive Osaka, check into Capsule Hotel Asahi Plaza Shinsaibashi

0920H: Breakfast

1000H: Visit Osaka Castle; must-see places in Osaka. Osaka skyline from the observation deck at the top at level 8. Visitors can wear traditional kimonos and helmets on the second floor.

1200H: Head to Shinsekai Market & Tsutenkaku Tower; Cheap eating places throng around 130 m-tall Tsutenkaku Tower, a symbol of Osaka built to resemble the Eiffel Tower in Paris

1230H: Lunch

1400H: Head to Namba Yasaka Shrine; enormous lion head-shaped Ema-Den, measuring 12 m high, 11 m wide and 10 m deep, is particularly eye-catching.

1530H: Visit Shinsaibashi; 600m long shopping arcade. get your baked cheese tarts and matcha delights. Nearest Station: Namba or Shinsaibashi

1800H: Dinner & back to Hotel:

1700H: Visit Dotonburi; The ultimate gastronomic’s heaven. There is a canal near Dotonbori. Good to take pics.

1830H: Hozenji Yokocho Alley, 2-minute walk southward from Dotonbori / Osaka Namba station. Enjoy the more traditional old-school Japanese atmosphere, street has been filled with nightlife.

2200H: Overnight Capsule Hotel Asahi Plaza Shinsaibashi:  ; 6-minute walk from the Osaka-Namba train station and the Dōtonbori nightlife area.

Day 7: Osaka – Universal Studio – Osaka  

0700H: Morning Call

0800H: Breakfast and ready to depart.  Take from Osaka-Namba Station  (Hanshin-Namba Line, 4 stops) to Nishikujo Station. Change to JR Sakurajima Line, 2 stops to Universal City Station.

0900H: Arrive  Universal Studios Japan ; Popular rides like Jurassic Park and Harry Potter. Can buy tickets on that day. Counters open one hour before the park opens for business.

1800H: Leave Universal Studio, back to Dōtonbori nightlife area;

2100H: Overnight Capsule Hotel Asahi Plaza Shinsaibashi

Day 8: Osaka – Nara- Osaka  

0800H: Depart hostel, head towards Nara.

1000H: Visit Nara Deer Park; deer lounging around all over the park. Deer crackers: 150 Yen. Nearest station Kintetsu-Nara.

Big well-known sights within the park:

* Todaiji Temple: From Nara Station to Todaiji Temple, its about 1.4km. Houses the Daibutsu-den (Great Buddha Hall), world’s largest bronze statue of Buddha.

* Kofukuji Temple:  5 storey pagoda still stand tall at 50m and is the 2nd tallest in Japan.

1130H: Eat Japanese curry at Wakasa Curry Honpo; located in a shopping alley very close to the Nara station, on the border between Downtown Nara and Naramachi, close to the deer park

1500H: Head back to Osaka and further

2100H: Overnight Capsule Hotel Asahi Plaza Shinsaibashi

Day 9: Osaka

0900H: Morning Call; Head to Ikeda on Hankyu Takarazuka Line.

1000H: Visit Momofuku Instant Ramen Museum;  Make your own cup noodles. ¥‎300, you get to design the cup of your own instant noodles.

1230H: Explore Ikeda Town (Parks, Temples), Lunch

1500H: Wander around Osaka; Shopping

2100H: Overnight ; onsen at Capsule Hotel

Day 10: Osaka to Singapore   

0600H: Morning Call

0700H: Check out Hotel , Head to train departure station: Tennoji Station

0730H: Take Haruka train (Kansai-Airport ) , 45 mins to Kansai Airport

0815H: Arrive Kansai Airport , do early check-in , spend time in Kansai nice airport

1100H: Depart Osaka to K.Lumpur on MH053

1645H: Arrive K.Lumpur for transit 2hr 40 min

1925H: Depart from K.Lumpur to Singapore (MH607)

2025H: Arrive Singapore

Categories: Asia Region, Itinerary