Week 2 Japan Itinerary: Dive into Kansai’s History, Cuisine, and Nature Escapes

A comprehensive guide to the Kansai Region and beyond.

Dear Jane,

Welcome to Week 2 in Japan, where you’ll continue your journey as a Pokémon trainer traveling through the Johto and Hoenn regions. Just kidding! Though you’ll find some similarities with the Johto and Hoenn regions as you travel through Japan’s Kansai region and visit the island of Kyushu this week. Enjoy the historic cities of Kyoto, Nara, and Hiroshima, and Japan’s incredible food!

Welcome to Kyoto

Kyoto was Japan’s capital from 794 CE to 1868 CE, before the Meiji Restoration, when the capital was relocated to Edo, now called Tokyo. There are many historic buildings and neighborhoods in Kyoto, and it’s home to over 2,000 temples and shrines. The city of Kyoto is closer in size to New York City than Tokyo, at 320 sq. miles, however, it does not have as robust a public transportation system as New York or Tokyo, and it consists mostly of buses. Traveling by bus can be slow, especially during high seasons.

Accommodations

Guest House Bokuyado. Bokuyado 490 Nishigawachō, Shimogyō-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 600-8325, Japan

This was a cozy hostel set in a traditional Japanese townhouse. It is filled to the brim with board games and antiques. I stayed in the female dormitory, but there are private tatami rooms available that accommodate 2-4 guests. Guest House Bokuyado is a 15-minute walk from Kyoto Station (train and bus) and the Kamo River.

Day 1 – Explore Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Hike from Kiyotaki Village to Mount Takao

Morning: Arashiyama & Sagano

Start Early!

For your first day in Kyoto, hit the sites early. I can’t stress enough that everything becomes crowded around 10 am. Head out early if you want to take photos with little to no people in them.

Points of Interest

• Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
• Katsura River
• Rankyo Gorge
• Togetsutei Bridge

Route

Walk to Kyoto Station and hop on the San-in JR Line. Ride 20 minutes to the Saga-Arashiyama Station. If you ride on the left side of the train, keep your eyes peeled for Toei Kyoto Studio Park. It’s a theme park full of sets and props from Japanese television shows and films, and it certainly gives some character to your ride.

From the Saga-Arashiyama station, follow the signs (or the crowds if you didn’t come first thing in the morning) to the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. It’s about a 13–minute walk through a mostly residential neighborhood.

There are 400 meters of path to wander through under the bamboo, and you’ll come across some unique little sites in the area, including Okochi Sanso Daijokaku, the estate of a Japanese actor famous for appearing in samurai films. If you head north, you can cross the tracks of the Sagano Scenic Railway, to check out Mikami Shrine and Ogura Pond.

Walk the other way, and you’ll head downhill to the Katsura River. I sat on the bank of the river at a little rest stop, enjoying a view of the Rankyo Gorge (of which you can get some better views at the Arashiyama Park Observation Deck back up the hill) and getting a behind-the-scenes look at vending machine maintenance.

From here, you’ll also have a great view of the iconic Togetsutei Bridge. Walk to the bridge and cross over. There’s an island featuring some eateries and other facilities, and if you cross completely over the Katsura River, you’ll find the path leads up the mountain to the Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama, where you can feed wild Snow Monkeys.

Dining

Brunch at Chavaty. Japan, 〒616-8383 Kyoto, Ukyo Ward, Saganakanoshimacho

If you’ve been exploring the Arashiyama Park area at a somewhat leisurely pace, you’ll arrive on Arashiyama Park Nanoshima Area, which is an island on the Katsura River, around 10 am – Chavaty’s opening time. Order a tea and cake set for brunch.

Shopping

Head back over the Togetsutei Bridge, and you will find a more commercial area. Many of the shops here sell street food or mass-produced tourist trinkets.

Late-Morning: Hike to Kiyotaki Village

Points of Interest

• Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street
• Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple
• Haunted Tunnel
• Kiyotaki Village

Route

Walk North from the Togetsutei Bridge and along Route 29, then follow it East when it changes direction. If you started from the bridge, this is about a 30 minute walk. Route 29 will bring you through Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street.

Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street is a street of Meiji era buildings featuring small shops where you can find higher quality souvenirs.

Continuing the historic street, you’ll continue uphill for 15 minutes to the Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple, which is known for its thousands of Jizo statues. You can stop in to walk the grounds or continue up the road, from where you can see some of the statues.

After 7 more minutes of walking, you’ll approach and head through the allegedly haunted Kiyotaki tunnel. On the other side of the tunnel, there’s a small parking lot with a bus shelter, and the road continues. The road heads into Kiyotaki village and does a loop through the village, ending at the entrance to the Mt. Atago temple.

On the other side of the parking lot is a trail that leads down to the Kiyotaki River. The path follows the river, but there are steps up to the bridge where the road crosses over the river. Head up the steps to the village.

Shopping

Yes, there’s shopping in this one-road mountain village. There is a pottery studio and art gallery that (when open) sells pottery and bamboo paper pieces. It was closed when I passed through.

Afternoon: Hike to Mt. Takao from Kiyotaki

If you’re visiting during summer, this is a wonderful getaway from the heat in the city. If you’re visiting in autumn, you’re sure to see incredible foliage.

Points of Interest

• Nature
• Jingo-ji Temple

Route

At the end of the road in Kiyotaki village, where the road loops, you’ll follow the signs to Mt. Takao. Be prepared for paths and steps, but also small amounts of rock scrambling. The path is just under 2 miles long.

You can read more in-depth about my hiking experience here.

If you have it in you at the end of the trail, hike the additional 1000 steps up to Jingo-ji Temple to throw plates off the top of the mountain (do it for good fortune). If you don’t have it in you, hike up the 1000 steps in the opposite direction to reach the JR Bus that gets you back to Kyoto.

Late-Afternoon/Early Evening: Rest

If you’ve followed the day through this point, you’ve walked and hiked 11.26 miles. Make your way back to your accommodations for a shower and some rest. I hung out in Bokuyado’s antique and board game filled living room, writing postcards to friends and family.

Evening: Dinner and Gion

Finish out your evening with a walk and dinner along the Kamo River, followed by an exploration of the Gion District. Gion is part of the historic Higashiyama Ward and most associated with Geisha and Maiko – geisha in training. It’s an entertainment district for those who can spend on the higher end. Walk the streets to see if you can spot Geisha or Maiko, but remember that it’s illegal to take photos of them.

Points of Interest

• Kamo River
• Gion District

Route

Make your way to the Kamo River from your accommodations. From Guest House Bokuyado, it was a 15-minute walk. Find access to the path that brings you down to the riverbed. Take a cool walk along the river, and have dinner at one of the many restaurants with terraces over the river.

Dining

Dinner at Kawa Café. 176-1 Minoyacho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8015, Japan

This is a small French-Japanese café with a terrace over the Kamo River. There’s an additional ¥500 fee to sit on the terrace because it’s significantly cooler there than inside the restaurant on a hot summer night. Enjoy the mix of cuisines and the cute cat.

Day 2 – Discover Fushimi Inari Taisha and Take a Scenic Day Trip to Uji

Morning: Fushimi Inari Shrine

Points of Interest

• Fushimi Inari Taisha

Route

Get up early and take the JR Nara Line heading towards Nara. After a 6-minute ride, you’ll find yourself at Inari Station. Cross to the other side of tracks, and the entrance to Fushimi Inari Taisha will be right ahead.

Fushimi Inari Taisha is a Shinto shrine dedicated to a rice deity and is one of the most famous sites in Kyoto. It gets busy very early, but the longer you stay walking through the Torii gates, the more the crowd will thin out.

You’ll need to walk up and through a couple of pavilions before reaching the famous path of Torii gates. I recommend taking a photo of the shrine map before setting off. The shrine has quite a few mini shrines along the Torii gates, and they have gated paths that offshoot from the main gated path. Some of them lead to an exit from the shrine.

Late-Morning/Afternoon: Uji

After climbing Mount Inari and enjoying the thousands of torii gates, take a day trip to enjoy Japan’s green tea capital: Uji.

Points of Interest

• Tsuen Tea House
• Kyoto Prefectural Uji Park (Tachibana and To-nō-shima Islands)

Route

Ride the JR Nara line to Uji Station. Uji is the green tea capital of Japan. In fact, you will have passed several tea fields on your ride to Uji. This is a 30-minute ride.

It’s also home to Japan’s oldest continuously running and family owned tea house. They’re on 26 generations since opening their doors in 1160 C.E.

If you were to use this itinerary as a standalone plan, without Weeks 1 and 3, add an extra day on each end for travel to and from Japan. Use Kansai International Airport.

Upon exiting the station, start walking to your left. Walk for 10 minutes, and you’ll reach the Uji River. Cross over the bridge, and Tsuen Tea House will be on your right. Stop there for some tea.

After your break, walk along the Uji River behind the teahouse. You’ll come across a bridge that you can cross to reach Tachibana and To-nō-shima Islands, which are part of the Kyoto Prefectural Uji Park. This park features a 13th century stone pagoda and a lot of benches where you can take a scenic rest. In the spring, you’ll find a lot of Sakura trees to view.

Dining

Brunch at Tsuen Tea House. Higashiuchi-1 Uji, Kyoto 611-0021, Japan

Tsuen Tea House serves green tea in a variety of preparations, including food. Visit their website to learn about the variety offered. I ordered a Sencha tea and dango set.

Try to get a booth with a view of the Uji River. Watching a heron fish while I sipped my tea was a highlight experience for me.

I followed this up with a matcha ice cream cone from a nearby café. I’m not a matcha fan, and this was a “When in Rome” moment. I was surprised to learn that matcha tastes different (better) in Japan because they keep the ceremonial grade matcha in Japan and send the food grade stuff out into the world.

Shopping

The café I got my ice cream from is nestled in a little area across the Uji River from the tea house. Some of the shops sell local crafts, and many sell local tea products. I actually picked up a personal USB powered fan here. These are a must in the summer and were sold out at stores in major cities. Uji is set up to host tourists, but it is off the beaten path.

Late-Afternoon: Rest

Head back to your accommodations via the JR Nara Line. Take a shower and relax. This journey will take approximately an hour.

Evening: Higashiyama Ward

Enjoy the evening exploring more of the areas that make Kyoto so famous. You’ve already visited Gion, so you can explore more of it, or expand your walk into the rest of the Higashiyama Ward, which is home to many traditional wooden buildings, and historic temples.

Points of Interest

• Higashiyama Ward
• Yasaka Pagoda
• Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Route

Walk to the Kamo River and cross at Gojo Bridge. You’re back in Higashiyama, and this time are heading North (towards the left when the river is behind you.) Set your map app to take you to Kiyomizu-dera Temple, a Buddhist temple that sits on the side of Mt. Otowa.

Feel free to wander and not follow the route exactly as laid out by your map app. There are so many interesting things to see. Be mindful of privacy signs and do not trespass. Also note that Kiyomizu-dera closes at 6 pm. If you want to go into it, arrive in a timely fashion. It’s a steep walk uphill, and there will be large crowds walking downhill as it gets closer to closing.

You should pass by the Yasaka Pagoda and then the photo spot for it up the hill.

Dining

Dinner at Nakau – Kawarmachi Gojo. Japan, 〒600-8020 Kyoto, Shimogyo Ward, Mikagedomaecho, 843 清水ビル

Explore eating at a Japanese chain. This restaurant serves rice bowls, curries, and udon dishes. I ordered Oyakodon, the well-known “parent and child” dish. It’s a rice bowl with chicken and an egg.

Day 3 – Discover Nara Park and Hostile Deer, Then Explore Shinsekai and Den Den Town in Osaka

Morning: Travel to Nara

It’s a travel day, with a day-trip built-in. Nara was also the capital of Japan, from 710 to 794 CE when the capital was moved to Kyoto. During this time, it was thought that death polluted a location, so when an emperor died, the capital was moved. This paused briefly when Kyoto was the capital.

An emperor’s death didn’t destroy Nara’s reputation, as today, Nara is a destination to feed deer and to see one of the world’s largest Buddha statues.

Route

Pack up, check out, and go to Kyoto Station to take the JR Nara Line to Nara. This is an hour-long journey, where you’ll pass some familiar sites from the day before and see some more tea fields along the way.

Mid-Morning: Exploring Nara

Points of Interest

• Nakatanidou
• Nara Park
• Todai-ji (Buddha)

Route

From the JR Station, it’s a 15-minute walk to Nara Park. Along the way, you’ll pass Nakatanidou, famous for their mochi pounding demonstrations. Make note of their demonstration times and be sure to come back at least 10-minutes prior to the posted time. I had inadvertently stood in front of the window about 20 minutes prior in an attempt to get out of the rain.

Nara Park is one of the oldest parks in Japan, created in 1880. It’s most famous for the opportunity to feed (and be assaulted by) deer and a 15-meter tall Buddha statue, but is also home to temples, museums, and traditional gardens. If you’re there to feed deer, be sure to observe how they interact with humans first, then go buy some deer crackers from one of the vendors on the street.

Dining

Snack at Nakatanidou. 29 Hashimotocho, Nara, 630-8217, Japan

Purchase some fresh mochi after watching the demonstration!

Shopping

There are many souvenir shops lining the street between the JR Station and the park entrance. For the most part, they sell the same items. It’s worth going into the larger shops for a bigger variety of items and quality.

Afternoon: Travel to Osaka

Osaka is known as Japan’s Kitchen and is a very interesting city outside all of the incredible street food available. It’s a very gritty city, and it reminded me of New York. It was the only place where I felt like I should pay attention to whether or not my bag was zipped up.

It’s most famous for Dotonbori, which you could liken to Times Square if Times Square was about food instead of theater. There are large animatronic signs that light up at night; each restaurant’s attempt to capture business.

Accommodations

Hostel Chillax. Japan, 〒556-0021 Osaka, Naniwa Ward, Saiwaicho, 2 Chome−1−3 ラウンドアバウト

Hostel Chillax is (surprise) a hostel that is also home to a Reggae club (did you see that coming?). They regularly host parties and barbecues for guests. I’m not a Reggae person or much of a party person, but I chose this hostel because of my limited time in Osaka. It’s walking distance from Dotonbori and is very close to a major train hub: JR Namba. Hostel Chillax is also one of the most budget friendly options I found in Osaka.

Route

To get to Osaka from Nara, hop on the Yamatoji JR Line. Nara is equal distance between Kyoto and Osaka. Kyoto and Osaka themselves are 15 minutes apart by Shinkansen and I don’t recommend paying a Shinkansen price when the regional limited takes 5-10 minutes longer for half the price.

Mid-Afternoon: Check-in and Dotonbori First Look

Points of Interest

• Glico Man
• All the signs
• Don Quijote Ferris Wheel

Route

If you’re also staying at Hostel Chillax, head outside and cross the bridge over the canal. After reaching the other side, turn right and walk along the canal. You’re on your way to Dotonbori.

Dotonbori is crowded day and night, but there are definitely fewer people during the day. If you haven’t done any research in advance, use this time to scope it out and take photos with the Glico Man.

Dining

Osaka and Dotonbori are all about the food. There are so many options. The first (and only thing) I ate at Dotonbori was a takoyaki taco. The most famous takoyaki spots have very long lines, and you have the basic options of 6 or 8 takoyaki. One restaurant offered a jumbo version, which was the regular sets with extra large octopus tentacles.

I already know I’m not an octopus person, so a stall selling takoyaki tacos caught my eye. It featured two takoyaki, and the taco shell was a rice based product.

Shopping

Dotonbori has a ton of souvenir shops selling the same octopus themed items, as well as Kuidaore Tarō, Dotonbori’s clown mascot. There’s a huge Don Quijote, which has a Ferris Wheel attached to the front that sells similar items.

Late-Afternoon: Explore Shinsekai and Deden Town

Dotonbori isn’t the only place with cool signs to grab food. Visit Shinsekai, a neighborhood that developed after World War II, which is known for its sense of nostalgia. It also has slightly less of a tourist vibe than Dotonbori and I mean slightly.

Points of Interest

• Shinsekai
• Tsuenkaku Tower

Route

Leave Dotonbori and walk to JR Namba, about an 11 minute walk. At Namba Station, take the JR Kansai Main Line (also known as the Yamatoji Line) to Shin-imamiya Station. Walk to Shinsekai, about 7 minutes.

Welcome to Shinsekai. You will walk a few blocks to reach the nostalgic part. Keep an eye out for Tsuenkaku Tower, the iconic radio tower in Osaka. You can go up to the observation deck for ¥500.

Dining

Tsuenkaku Tower is surrounded by a lot of fun restaurants, including Zaou Fishing Restaurant, which also has a location in Shinjuku. This is the restaurant that is decorated with a literal ship over a pool of fish where you catch your own dinner.

Dinner at Kushikatsu Doteyaki Nadai Tsurukameya. 2 Chome-5-2 Ebisuhigashi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0002, Japan.

I chose a super gaudy izakaya (Japanese Pub), which served various yakitori for great prices. There were people smoking here, but the izakaya was fairly large, and there was a smoking section. (While looking up the address for you, I see that its rating has tanked, and none of the recent reviews are very good, so maybe choose something else.)

Shopping

Like Dotonbori, Shinsekai has a lot of repetitive souvenir shops, but they are far less crowded.

Evening: Denden Town and Dotonbori at Night

Points of Interest

• Animate Osaka Nipponbashi

Route

From Tsuenkaku Tower, it’s pretty much a straight shot back to Dotonbori via your legs. Walking will take you through Nipponbashi aka Denden Town, which is most known for anime, manga, and cards shops. It’s Osaka’s equivalent to Tokyo’s Akihabara.

It takes about 13-15 minutes to get to Denden Town. For the most part it’s down one street, but there are a few turns. Make sure you’ve got your map app handy.

After Denden Town, you’ll have to make a few turns here or there, but you know you’re close to Dotonbori when you find yourself walking through a covered shopping street.

Dotonbori is even more crowded at night but looks incredible with all of the signs lit up.

Dining

I didn’t eat here, but you’ll find the streets crawling with maids trying to lure you into their maid cafés, which are cosplay cafés in which the staff dress as maids and butlers and treat you like the master or mistress you are. This is something I wanted to try but ultimately felt weird about doing by myself. Maid cafés can be hit or miss with food, and for their prices, this will want to be something you research before doing.

Shopping

There are so many stores to choose from, and I visited a few in pursuit of some Pokémon and Yugioh cards for my husband and brother.

Probably the most well-known store I visited was Animate Osaka Nipponbashi. It’s huge. There are 3 floors in total, and each has a specific type of merchandise (manga, anime, figurines, cards, etc.) There’s also an exhibit space where they host visiting exhibitions on specific mangas and animes.

Day 4 – Visit Osaka Castle and Experience the Vibrant Dotonbori

Morning: Osaka Castle

Points of Interest

• Osaka Castle Park
  • Osaka Castle

Route

Head back to JR Namba to catch the JR Kansai Main Line (again, also known as the Yamatoji Line), and ride it for two stops. At Shin-imamiya Station, switch to the JR Osaka Loop Line. This is the JR line that circles through Osaka and gets you close to a lot of attractions. Get on the train heading in the direction of Tennoji and Tsuruhashi. Get off at Morinomiya Station. It’s about a 15 minute ride. When you get off, you’ll find yourself just across the street from the southeast entrance of Osaka Castle Park. You’ll walk about 20 minutes to reach Osaka Castle.

Prepare yourself for a steep walk through the castle gates. Osaka Castle is a reproduction of the original, built in 1593, destroyed and rebuilt in the early 1600s, and then destroyed again a few decades later by lightning. It was rebuilt again in the 1930s. In 1997, it was modernized to include the addition of an elevator (outside the building) to make it more accessible.

Admission is ¥600. I opted to walk the grounds here instead of touring the castle. The grounds and the rest of the park are beautiful. There are several cherry and plum orchards you can explore.

Afternoon: Dotonobori

Route

Make your way back to Dotonbori by retracing your journey to Osaka Castle. This afternoon is all about food!

Dining

These are some of the things I enjoyed:

Okonomiyaki Bonkuraya Dotombori. 1 Chome-5 Dotonbori, Chuo Ward, Osaka 542-0071, Japan.

This restaurant serves Okonomiyaki, commonly referred to as Japanese pancake. It directly translates to “your choice grilled.” The base ingredients are cabbage, egg, and a root flour, then you choose the other ingredients you want. This food has been around for centuries but became popular, and developed two distinct styles, after World War II: Osaka and Hiroshima. They’re cooked differently, with Osaka-style the ingredients are mixed together before being cooked.

Try Osaka-style okonomiyaki here. You’ll be directed to the third floor where they have special grill top tables. The okonomiyaki won’t be created in front of you, but this table will keep it warm for you. There are other restaurants that will make it in front of you.

Yakiniku Like. Japan, 〒542-0076 Osaka, Chuo Ward, Namba, 2 Chome−1−3 マルキンビル 1～2階

This is a self cook style restaurant and is not for groups! It’s one person to a booth, where you will have your own grill. Order ingredients off a screen, and the staff will bring them to you. Did you want to try expensive Kobe or A5 wagyu beef without breaking the bank? You can do that here. For about $5, you can get a small serving and it’s delicious!

Mameshiba Café. 1 Chome-6-13 Dotonbori, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0071, Japan

Want to visit an animal café, and an ethical one at that? Mameshiba Café is the place to go. They have three floors, each devoted to a different type of animal: cats, owls, and Shibas. You have to purchase a specific time slot for a specific animal type, and get half an hour with them.

Your ticket comes with a drink for you. You do not feed the animals here. The animals get rotated on break every 15 minutes, and you can touch them if they approach you or a staff member instructs you to interact with an animal.

Excelsior Caffé. 2 Chome-3-23 Shinsaibashisuji, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0085, Japan

Get a taste of that famous Hokkaido dairy here, in ice cream form. Order a milk flavored ice cream. And before you ask, milk is different from vanilla, which is a flavor from a bean.

Mid-Afternoon: Break

I took a mid-afternoon break and did my laundry at a laundromat overlooking the Doton canal. You might consider doing the same, but if not, here are a few other places I was interested in seeing, but didn’t have the time for:

• Kuromon Ichiba Market – Another wonderful place that makes Osaka Japan’s Kitchen.
• Gate Tower Building – Alright, this one’s a bit out there. But they built a 16-story tower around a highway off-ramp. Google it.

Evening: More Food and Shopping

In preparation for the following travel day, I spent the evening eating more of the foods I’d enjoyed in the afternoon and going back to Denden Town to secure some more Pokémon cards.

Day 5 – Day Trip to Himeji – The White Heron Castle

Another travel day, with another day trip built in. This time, you’re stopping in Himeji to see The White Egret or The White Heron, Himeji’s castle. It has withstood wars and has never been destroyed.

Morning: Travel to Himeji

Route

After checking out, head to JR Namba to get on the JR Kansai Main Line (aka the Yamatoji Line) and ride two stops to Tennoji Stations (6 minutes). Switch to the JR Haruka Line, and ride two stops to Shin-Osaka Station (17 minutes). At Shin-Osaka, you will get on the Sakura Shinkansen to Himeji, which is also only two stops, and takes 30 minutes.

Mid-Morning: Himeji Castle

Points of Interest

• Himeji Castle

Route

Depart Himeji Station, and head up the main street to the castle. The entire city was built by the castle, which you can see clearly. It will be about a 20-minute walk.

You will cross a moat, enter through the perimeter wall, and walk a decent bit before arriving at another set of gates that you’ll walk uphill through.

Admission is ¥1,000 and there are lockers and storage for larger items like the walking stick you’ve been carrying around Japan since Mt. Fuji and strollers if you’re a parent. You aren’t allowed to bring in too many items, but if you have a backpack, I recommend it. You must remove your shoes to walk through the castle. They provide plastic bags for you to carry your shoes in, which you give back at the end. Being able to put your shoes in a backpack to keep yourself hands-free will be helpful for some of the steeper stair climbs.

Expect to spend at least an hour inside, more if there are a lot of people. The inside of the castle is fairly dark, and there’s a strict path to follow, which includes some stairs that are single file access only. They can also be steep: the castle was designed to be difficult for invaders to manage if they gained access. Castle occupants had access to other passages that you will not.

While I was there, a section that was not normally open to the public was open for visitation for an additional fee. I did not participate, but would add more time for that, plus a leisurely stroll of the gardens.

Dining

Ekisoba at Grand Festa. Japan, 〒670-0927 Hyogo, Himeji, Ekimaecho, 221 グランフェスタ3番街3D

Ekisoba is a highly rated noodle shop, and this location is in one of the sublevels of Himeji Station. There are two others in the station, which have counters you can stand at. It took me a bit of time to find and it’s small, just a counter shop. Order from a ticket machine and hand your ticket to the ladies making the noodles. I ordered a tempura udon. The noodles came in a bowl of broth with a disc of fried tempura on top. The tempura had a small prawn in it, which I didn’t see until it began dissolving into the broth.

Himeji has a lot of other dining options, but I didn’t see many other restaurants open, as it was too early in the day.

Shopping

Himeji Castle has you exit through a gift shop, and the main street has a few souvenir shops along it.

Afternoon: Travel to Hiroshima

When you’re satisfied with your time in Himeji, jump on the shinkansen to Hiroshima and marvel at the modern city that was completely decimated less than 100 years ago.

Hiroshima is a thriving city situated on seven rivers and has many parks. You’ll also see that it has quite a tram collection, taking retired trams from other cities. There are a number of vintage ones you can ride.

Accommodations

Smile Hotel Hiroshima. 7-10 Nagarekawacho, Naka Ward, Hiroshima, 730-0028, Japan

Smile Hotel is more like a western hotel, but it was a little different. I stayed here with my friend, Spanish Caleb, as we planned to meet up for the weekend. Our room was very small and had two twin beds. This is normal for western style hotel rooms in Japan.

Smile Hotel is a chain in Japan, and this location was within walking distance of Hiroshima Station, Okonomimura, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Park.

Route

From Himeji Station, take the Hikari Shinkansen to Okayama (2 stops and 26 minutes) and switch to the Sakura Shinkansen and continue to Hiroshima Station (2 stops and 40 minutes). You’ll find yourself going through more tunnels on this route. For those of you with pressure-sensitive ears, prepare yourself.

Use your map app to get to your accommodations by foot or by tram. Smile Hotel is about a 25-minute walk from the station.

Hiroshima looks to have a lively night life, just a few blocks from Smile Hotel. We’re talking 5-6 six story buildings dedicated to Karaoke and good times. I didn’t check it out because I was tired and needed to figure out a last-minute itinerary change.

Day 6 – Relaxing in Beppu’s Hot Springs on Kyushu

My plans changed a bit when my friend couldn’t meet up with me in Hiroshima as planned. A Beppu Day Trip was a spontaneous addition to my itinerary, and if I were planning this again, I would probably travel there the night before and stay in a ryokan that has an in-house onsen.

Morning: Travel to Beppu

Points of Interest

• Footbath

Route

Walk or take the tram to the JR Hiroshima Station. From Hotel Smile, it was a 25-minute walk. Take the JR Sakura shinkansen to Kokura Station in Fukuoka. This is a 50 minute ride from Hiroshima. In Fukuoka, you’ll switch to the Sonic, a blue limited regional line, and ride this to Kitsuki Station in Beppu.

From Kitsuki Station, you will get on JR Nippou Main Line and ride it backwards, one stop to Beppudaigaku Station. This is a modern two-car train that reminded me of the train in Spirited Away. When you arrive at Beppudaigaku Station, be mindful that there’s an honor system with the tickets. I had a JR Pass and ended up doing nothing, but if you have a paper ticket, put it in the collection box.

Cross over to the other side of the station and keep your map app handy. It’s a 45-minute uphill walk to the steamy tourist section of town. You’ll get a glimpse of local life on your route and will notice the transition as ryokan, onsen, and street food vendors begin to appear. 

Stop along the way to enjoy one of the many public foot baths. These are semi-enclosed structures around a hot spring, with stools for you to sit on. Make sure you’ve brought a towel with you to dry your feet.

Dining

As you enter the little touristy section of town, you’re going to see some street food vendors offer jigoku mushi food (in English: hell steamed). This style of cooking was invented in Beppu because of the abundance of hot springs.

Afternoon: Hell Pool

Points of Interest

• Hells of Beppu
• Kamado Jigoku

Route

At the top of the road you’ve just spent 45 minutes walking up, you’ll see some of the entrances to the Hells of Beppu. There are seven little demon and hell themed hot springs, each of which has its own sub theme, based on the primary mineral present in each of the springs. Each park offers separate admission or there’s an all-park ticket that can be purchased for ¥2,200.

I purchased a ticket for Kamado Jigoku, the cooking themed hell pool. The waters here mainly feature silicon. There are some interesting springs to look at, a water tasting station (be mindful that the water can burn you), a face steaming stand, and a snack bar with foot baths.

Dining

My ticket to Kamado Jigoku came with a spring-steamed egg. I snacked and bathed. The snack bar sells other jigoku mushi snacks as well as cooler food and drink options.

Shopping

Kamado Jigoku had two shops, one that sold beauty products made with the spring’s water, and one that sold some more typical gift shop wares.

Mid-Afternoon: Onsen

Points of Interest

• Takegawara Onsen
• YouMe Town Beppu

Route

Walk back down to Beppudaigaku Station. It may be a shorter walk because it’s downhill. Or it may take longer if you stop for more foot baths, food, or to check out the many interesting things along the way.

Take the JR Nippou Main Line to Kitsuki Station. You’ll exit into downtown Beppu. There are so many public and private onsen options in this area. Public onsen have entry at ¥200.

I opted to go to Takegawara Onsen, which offered a sand bath in addition to the regular bath. Pre-pandemic, there was a sand bath facility on the beach. However, it’s closed now, and this was the only other sand bathing option I found.

Takegawara Onsen also happens to be the oldest onsen in Beppu. The entrance fee for a regular bath is ¥300, and the combination fee for a sand bath and regular bath is ¥1,500. You’ll sign up for a time slot for the sand bath and then have access to the regular bath after that experience. Sand bathing takes about 20 minutes, including getting ready and cleaning off.

Spend some time relaxing in the bath or in the communal room, which features some tables and benches, vending machines (including local milk in glass bottles), a manga library, and a TV showing local sports games.

Dining

“Lunch” at Yohachiro Café and Sweets. Japan, 〒874-0041 Oita, Beppu, 風呂本１組

On my walk down to Beppudaigaku Station, I stopped at Yohachiro Café and Sweets, and ordered a mango shaved ice. I hadn’t had a shaved ice yet, and a hot summer day where I’d hiked up a heated mountain to enjoy hot water seemed like the best time to have one. (I’ll note that Beppu was at least 10 degrees cooler than Tokyo or Kyoto.) A pile of ice topped with chunks of mangoes and mango syrup hit the spot.

Shopping

Just two blocks from Takegawara Onsen, there’s YouMe Town Beppu, a shopping mall. Take a walk through to check out Japanese brands. Use the escalators to go to the rooftop parking for some spectacular views of the Seto Inner Sea and the mountains above Beppu.

Evening: Travel to Hiroshima

Route

Travel back to Hiroshima, but don’t forget a hand bath outside the station before you leave!

Take the Sonic back to Kokura Station from Kitsui Station. Switch to the Kodama Shinkansen at Kokura and ride to Hiroshima Station. This is a 2 hour and 40 minute journey.

This is the point where I met up with my friend, and we walked to Smile Hotel. After dropping off his stuff, we walked a few blocks to Okonomimura for dinner. Ask your map app for specific directions from your start point.

Dining

Dinner at Okonomimura. 5-13 Shintenchi, Naka Ward, Hiroshima, 730-0034, Japan

This is a collection of okonomiyaki stalls on the second and third floors of a seven-story building. Grab a seat wherever you can find one, and be mindful that the counter is actually the hot grill that your food will be made on.

We arrived pretty late at night (around 9pm) and many of the stalls were closed, but not all of them. Choose your ingredients and toppings, and the chef will cook your food in front of you.

Did you like Osaka style or Hiroshima style okonomiyaki better?

Day 7 – History and Reflection in Hiroshima & Scenic Miyajima Island

Morning & Early Afternoon: Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum & Park

Points of Interest

• Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Park
  • Hiroshima Victims Memorial Cenotaph
  • Flame of Peace
  • Children’s Peace Monument
  • Atomic Bomb Burial Mound
  • Bell of Peace
• Aioi Bridge
• Atomic Bomb Dome

Route

Prepare yourself for an emotional morning (bring tissues). From Smile Hotel, the Hiroshima Peace Museum and Memorial is just a 10-15 minute walk away across a bridge.

The museum opens at 9 am. Plan to arrive 10-15 minutes prior to that; there will probably already be a line. Admission is ¥200.

There’s a permanent exhibition, which everyone will walk through. To see and feel everything it will take about an hour and 45 minutes. It will get more and more crowded the more time you spend there.

Check out the visiting exhibitions if you have the emotional stamina. If not, go outside to the Peace Memorial Park, where you will encounter different memorials, including the Hiroshima Victims Memorial Cenotaph. Peer through the memorial to see the Peace Flame. Walk to the other end of the park to encounter the Children’s Peace Memorial, the Atomic Bomb Burial Mound, and the Bell of Peace.

Please remember the magnitude of where you are and think twice about taking a smiling selfie!

Head to lunch by exiting the park via the bridge that connects the park with Aioi Bridge. This was the intended target of the bomb. From these bridges, you’ll have a clear view of the Atomic Bomb Dome, the epicenter of the explosion.

Walk by the Atomic Bomb Dome. Spanish Caleb and I think that we located a noodle restaurant that was started by one of the survivors who is mentioned in the permanent exhibit. It was very popular, so we ate at the bakery across the street instead.

Dining

Lunch from FIRO. Japan, 〒730-0051 Hiroshima, Naka Ward, Otemachi, 2 Chome−1−12 青木ビル 1階

This was a delightful bakery with many savory options. You can put together a decent little lunch and eat it on one of the benches overlooking the river.

Mid-Afternoon: Travel to Miyajima

Miyajima, also called Itsukujima, is a lovely oasis of nature and relaxation. Unfortunately, most people only visit for a day trip. I highly recommend at least an overnight stay in a ryokan.

This island is home to many historic temples, a host of wildlife in virgin forests, and the Eternal Flame, from which the Flame of Peace was born. This is also another destination in which there are deer living in a (somewhat) urban environment.

Route

Walk or tram to Hiroshima Station to catch the JR San’yo Main Line (Okayama-Shimonoseki) to Miyajimaguchi Station. If you’re not relying on a JR Pass, there are some ferries you can take directly to Miyajima from Hiroshima, including one of the rivers flanking the Peace Memorial Park. These ferries take an hour and cost ¥2,200 one way or ¥4,500 round trip.

The JR San’yo Main Line takes 27 minutes. When you arrive at Miyajimaguchi, you will walk down the street to the ferry terminal. At Miyajimaguchi Station, you’re going to see signs directing people who are going to Miyajima down a set of stairs. Going down the stairs will have you diagonally cross the street underground, I don’t necessarily think you need to follow that route.

There are two different ferry companies at this terminal. Make sure you go to the JR ferry if you’re using the JR Pass. The other ferry company is Matsudai. Their fee is ¥200. Both ferries take approximately 45 minutes to get to Miyajima.

Check the ferry schedule, as some ferries take more time by taking a route that allows great photos of famous floating Grand Torii Gate.

Late-Afternoon: Miyajima

Accommodations

Miyajima Jukesio. 739-0533 Hiroshima, Miyajima, Miyajima-cho 50, Japan

This is a traditional Japanese inn, where you will enjoy true Japanese luxury! Each night has a per person cost due to the elaborate dinner and breakfast that comes with the room. Choose if you want Japanese or Western style meals (you want the Japanese) when you check in. You’ll also select what time you would like to start eating and what time your room would like to reserve the private onsen. There are public baths on the lower level separated by gender.

Points of Interest

• Itsukujima Jinja Otorii (Grand Torii Gate) and Itsukujima Jinja (Itsukujima temple)
• Omotesandō Shopping Street

Route

If you’re staying at Miyajima Jukesio, call them when the ferry arrives at Miyajima, and they’ll send a van to come collect you from the ferry terminal. You’ll take a drive through town and a bit of the forest due to the one-way traffic of the streets.

After checking in and settling in, take a walk through town. Walk down the stone steps outside. There’s a pottery museum, which doesn’t show up on Google maps, near Jukesio and, unfortunately, it closed before we got there. There’s also the Miyajima History and Folklore Museum down a nearby street, also closed when we got there.

Keep walking past the pottery museum, and Itsukujima Temple will be on your left. You’ll see an entrance where you can pay a fee to take a photo of the Grand Torii Gate from the end of a dock. If you don’t want to pay a fee, you can walk down onto the beach and get closer if the tide is out.

Dining

There are a number of snack stalls and some restaurants in town, but it’s highly recommended that you don’t spoil your appetite before dinner at Miyajima Jukesio.

Shopping

Many gift shops line the streets here, especially on Omotesandō Shopping Street, and while they carry many of the same products, there are some shops that carry work by local artists, including painters and wood workers. These shops are not as close to the ferry terminal as the ones selling more generic items.

If you missed getting some deer themed souvenirs in Nara, you can get them here.

Evening: The Ryokan

Spend the evening enjoying your dinner, the private onsen, and the public onsen.

Week 2: A Standalone Itinerary

This week could be its own trip to Japan for someone who has done Tokyo. Osaka and Kyoto share Kansai International Airport and you can fly in and out of Japan using that airport to maximize your time there.

Happy traveling!

<3 Katherine