Japan: Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka - 9 days Itinerary and Expenses

Japan: Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka - 9 days Itinerary and Expenses

Travel Date: 15-23 November 2023

Accommodations: Where to stay

SOTETSU FRESA INN NAGOYAEKI SAKURADORIGUCHI

4-4-15 Meieki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya Station, Nagoya, Japan, 450-0002; 

HOTEL M'S EST SHIJO KARASUMA

41 Motoakuojicho, Shimogyo-ku, Kawaramachi, Kyoto, Japan, 600-8091 

HOTEL NEW HANKYU OSAKA ANNEX

1-8-1 Shibata Kita-Ku, Umeda, Osaka, Japan, 530-0012

https://www.hankyu-hotel.com/hotel/hh/shhannex/info 

Itinerary: Places to go, Things to see, What to do?

Day	Places to See	Food and Restaurants	Accommodation	Others
1	Nagoya Noritake Garden Aeon Mall Tsutaya Bookstore Illuminations near Nagoya Station Nana Chan mannequin doll	Ichiran Nagoya Station store Starbucks Coffee - 13F JR Central Towers	Sotetsu Fresa Inn  Sakuradoriguchi
2	Ghibli Park Mononoke Village Ghibli Grand Warehouse	Excelsior Caffe Mo's Burger Milk Stand Siberian, Ghibli Yomenya Goemon	same	Hill of Youth Dondoko Forest
3	ShinPuhKan Gion and Yasaka Shrine	Yoshinoya Stumptown Coffee Café Bibliotic Hello	Hotel M's Est Shijo Karasuma	Jingo-ji Starbucks - Sanjo-ohashi Bridge Potoncho
4	Kurama-dera and Kibune Kyoto Station roof deck	Doutor Coffee Shop Sagenta Nishiki Market	same
5	Arashiyama Nison-in Temple Gioji Temple Eikan-dō Night Illumination	% Arabica exCafe Sen-Oh Sukiya	same	Jōjakkōji Temple
6	Byodo-in Temple Uji River Catholic Uji Church	Starbucks Coffee Uji Ramen Tanakakyu Shoten Tsuen Main Branch	same	Nakamura Tokichi Byodo-in
7	Osaka Castle Catholic Tamatsukuri Church teamLab Botanical Garden Glico Man, Dotonbori Mido-suji Festival of Lights	Dean and Deluca Blue Bottle Coffee - Kyoto Rokkaku Café coffeeshop WARARA OSA Coffee Curry House Coco Ichibanya	Hotel New Hankyu Osaka Annex
8	Katsuo-ji / Daruma dolls Hirakata T-SITE Don Quijote Umeda	Senri Chuo station area Kitchen&bar AURA Hankyu Basement Food Hall	same
9	Nakanoshima Park and Rose Garden Toyo Tires event in Nakanoshima-dori	North Shore Kitahama	n/a	Takamura Wine & Coffee Roasters

Review:

• As this itinerary requires transfers between cities, I have studied and decided before hand whether we transfer by train or by bus. Compare the price versus the duration, so you can decide for your trip.
• Safeguard your luggage during transport especially if it is raining.  Think of using plastic packs or vacuums so you can keep your clothes dry. 
• Prefer your laptops to be on hand-carry backpacks during transport. 
• Research about overtourism in Japan after the border opened in 2023.  Expect something like full buses to unavailable when in Kyoto center. 
• Expect trains to be in standing to full.  Either wait for the next train to arrive or check on the first or last car areas. 
• Be mindful of extra charges, like table fees (e.g. in Arabica Arashiyama, there is on-top 1000 yen in having 30 minutes seat at the mini-balcony of the shop). 
• Most of the cafes also require 'one person, one drink' policy when you are to dine-in.  But they will allow to order one drink if for take-out then you can share it with your companion. 
• Expect a lot of queues when it comes to famous and touristy restaurants or temples. 
• Learn to divert your routes. (e.g. skip hiking during a rainy day; walk to the next station or choose a different line if you think the nearest station is too crowded; change to train if buses are congested)
• Go to the places too early, upon opening or after dark if you prefer to have lesser crowd.
• For hikers, bring  bells, go with the crowd if you want to avoid bears.  (e.g. In Kibune, Kyoto, bear last seen in August 2023)

Expense Report: Budget Travel Guide

Other sample itineraries and expense reports:
For my further sample itinerary, expense, trip reports and PDF guides, please visit links below:

Japan: Traveling for the First Time
Fukuoka: Spring Itinerary (2016 May)
Fukuoka: Spring Itinerary (2017 May)
Fukuoka and Saga: Autumn Itinerary (2022 Dec)
Nagano, Hakone to Tokyo: Autumn Itinerary (2019 Dec)
Nagoya: Autumn Itinerary (2015 Nov)
Nagoya: Spring Itinerary (2019 Mar-Apr)
Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka: Autumn Itinerary (2023 Nov)
Osaka, Kyoto: Autumn Itinerary (2012 Dec)
Osaka, Okayama, Kobe, Kyoto, Japan: Spring Itinerary (2014 May)
Sasebo, Oita and Fukuoka: Spring Itinerary (2023 Apr)
Tokyo: Autumn Itinerary (2014 Oct)

*Remember, you still need to decide for yourself based upon your attraction and fascination over a place or activity.  As well as to consider the pace you want to have while traveling.  Planning too many targets on a day will either exhaust you rather than give you peace and joy on the culture and tradition.

Create your own road, rather than taking someone else's path.  

It can only be a road when one passes it.