When is the best time to visit Japan?
Japan is very cold during the winter months so if you wish to enjoy the beautiful warm weather, I will recommend visiting Japan during the cherry blossom seasons. The ideal months to visit Japan will be between March - May. For Cherry blossoms, you should consider visiting the last week of March to the first two weeks of April.
Flights:
There are several flight options from the United States so I will recommend you complete your own research and select an option that works best for you. To help your search, you need to consider the total flight time including layover time and also the number of layovers.
I flew to Osaka Japan with Korean Air, and the total travel time was 20 hours, including 16 hours from Washington DC, to Incheon, South Korea, 2 hours layover in South Korea, and 2 hours from Incheon to Osaka.
Accommodation:
I stayed at Citadines, in Osaka Namba. It was a central location with very close proximity to some of the most popular tourists’ spots in Osaka. The hotel is only a few minutes’ walk to several metro stations including the Samba station. The Namba station is only a 5 minutes’ walk from the hotel and offers a direct train from the Kansai International airport.
Mode of Transportation:
Public transportation is the ideal mode of transportation in Osaka but if you have lots of activities and are on a time constraint, then Uber is also a very good and convenient option. You can purchase day passes at the metro station to use or better still you can add the “Suica” card on your apple wallet and top up with your credit card.
The “Suica” card is very convenient as it is easy to tap and go on the bus and the trains in Osaka and the neighboring cities, such as Kyoto.
Where to Eat:
Japan is known for their many street food options, so I will recommend you make a note of must eat food items (I will include a few options below). Also, below is a list of several food markets in Osaka, and Kyoto where you can find some food options:
- Dotonbori
- Nishiki Market
- Pontocho
- Kuromon Market
- Cafe de Izumi
- Kobe Chinatown
Some food options I will recommend you try in Japan, are as follows:
- Chicken/pork cutlet (Tonkatsu)
- Udon
- Sushi
- Soba Noodles
- Onigiri
- Gyoza
- Japanese Ramen
- Takoyaki
- Ramen
- 10 dollars yen coin pastry
I have planned a delay itinerary for you below for a 6-day trip to Osaka, and Kyoto Japan.
Osaka, Japan:
Day 1:
- Visit Osaka castle
- Have breakfast at one of the many restaurants in Dotonbori
- Visit the Used Skywalk
- Visit Grand Front Osaka
- Go shopping and have dinner at Dotonbori
- Do a late-night shopping at Don Quijote
Day 2:
- Have breakfast at Cafe de Izumi
- Go for a hike and enjoy nature at Minoh Park
- Go shopping at GU and Uniqlo.
Day 3:
Take a day trip to Kobe
- Chinatown - You can also have dinner here.
- Kobe Harborland - Harborland is a shopping district in Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan. Kobe Port Tower is located there.
For Day 3 - 6, you can take the Shinkansen (bullet train) from the Osaka metro stop to Kyoto daily. Below is a three-day itinerary for Kyoto:
Day 1:
- Fushimi Inari Shrine
- Starbucks Kyoto - this is a traditional Starbucks, and it is worth a visit
- Stroll the streets of Higashiyama
- Visit the Hokan ji Temple
- Kiyomizu Temple (both temples are located at Higashiyama
- Visit Pontochio at nighttime and enjoy dinner at one of the many street restaurants
Day 2:
- Arashiyama Bamboo forest
- Mini Sakura kitchen
- Silver pavilion
- Nishiki Market for local shopping and street food.
Day 3:
- Zen garden
- Kyoto Tea ceremony (make sure you complete your reservation ahead of time as these can sell out pretty fast)
- Visit the Kodak temple and make sure you stay for the light ceremony when it gets dark.
