Japan: Osaka, Okayama, Kobe, Kyoto: 3 days Spring Itinerary

Destinations: Osaka, Okayama, Kobe, Kyoto, Japan
Travel Date: May 16-19 2014 (3d3n)

Temperature
May 17 (Kobe): 19.3 (mean), 22.5 (max), 14.8 (min)
May 18 (Kyoto): 21 (mean), 28.2 (max), 13 (min)
May 19 (Osaka): 21.6 (mean), 26.7 (max), 16.6 (min)

Osaka Weather History (2013-2015)
http://en.tutiempo.net/climate/10-2015/ws-477720.html
http://en.tutiempo.net/climate/10-2014/ws-477720.html
http://en.tutiempo.net/climate/10-2013/ws-477720.html

If its nearly 2 weeks upon your visit, check the weather forecast or sunrise/sunrise timings: 

Osaka - http://www.timeanddate.com/weather/japan/osaka/ext

Kyoto - http://www.timeanddate.com/weather/japan/kyoto/ext
Kobe - http://www.timeanddate.com/weather/japan/kobe/ext


Accommodation: Where to stay in Osaka?
Hotel IL Cuore Namba
Address: 556-0011, Osaka Naniwa-ku Nambanaka 1-15-15
ホテルイルクオーレなんば   556-0011, 大阪市 浪速区難波中1-15-15
Hotel Review

Food and Restaurant Tip - Kampai!

Itinerary: Places to go, Things to see, What to do in Osaka?
Saturday
-From Osaka, go to Okayama by train
-Visit Wake Wisteria Park, Wake Folk Museum
-Go to Kobe by train
-Visit old Western-style buildings in Kitano area
-Walk along Flower Road
-Return to Osaka by train

Sunday
-From Osaka, go to Kyoto by train
-Visit Mimuroto-ji Temple (Azalea)
-Kawaramachi Catholic Church
-TOEI Kyoto Studio Park
-Return to Osaka by train
-Namba Parks

Monday
-In Osaka, visit Nakanoshima Park (Roses)
-Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park
-Departure in Kansai International Airport (KIX)

2014 May: Japan: Kobe: Flower Road

Travel Date: May 17, 2014
Location: Flower Road, Kobe, Japan

Traveling solo makes me listen to what I see, I just love to spend sometime making a stop and watch these people as they make music.  

Flower Road gives a promising and untiring walk even for more blocks.  It is well maintained with varieties of flowers and lighted streets at night.

Summary of 3 days itinerary in 2014 Spring Osaka, Okayama, Kobe, Kyoto, Trip:

Day	Places to see	Food and Restaurants	Where to Sleep
Day 1	Go to Okayama by train Wake Wisteria Park, Wake Folk Museum Go to Kobe by train Western-style buildings in Kitano area Walk along Flower Road	Ramen Noodle Shop Kobe Beef	Hotel IL Cuore Namba
Day 2	Go to Kyoto by train Mimuroto-ji Temple (Azalea) Kawaramachi Catholic Church TOEI Kyoto Studio Park Return to Osaka by train Namba Parks	Clever Coffee	Hotel IL Cuore Namba
Day 3	In Osaka, visit Nakanoshima Park (Roses) Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park	Clever Coffee Cante Grande First Kitchen Restaurant Tully's Coffee	Hotel IL Cuore Namba

2014 May: Japan: Kobe: Kitano-Cho

Kitano-cho (北野町, Kitanochō) is a city district at the foot of the Rokko mountain range where many foreign merchants and diplomats settled after the Port of Kobe was opened to foreign trade in the second half of the 19th century. More than a dozen of the former mansions, known as Ijinkan, remain in the area and are open to the public as museums. [Read]

Guide Map: http://feel-kobe.jp/_en/guidemap/index.html

Arriving at Sannomiya Station, from Tourist Information Center it will take 15 minutes walk going to Kitano. I was able to pass by the old English architecture of Starbucks.

In Kitano-cho Plaza, glad to catch a simple street circus entertainment.

Artists near the Weather Clock house.

2014 May: Japan: Oishi (Delicious), Itadakimasu! (Let's eat!)

Your Japan trip can be inexpensive if you know where to find an affordable meal.  It is a balance between being thrifty and having the Japanese experience. 

Convenience stores - Bento boxed meals or rice covered with seaweed are available in Mini Mart, 7/11, Family Mart, etc.  

Supermarket - Few minutes before closing, supermarkets would offer dimsum or suchi for half of its price.  You could also buy cheaper drinks and omiyage in supermarkets. [Read more tips]

Street Food – Try toasted dumplings.  Just like Kenshin.  Mitarashi dango is a traditional rice dumpling with sweet soy glaze and is normally skewered on a bamboo stick.

TOEI Kyoto Studio Park