Osaka and Kyoto 4-Day Itinerary Recommendation
📍Itinerary Introduction
This 4-day trip mainly stays in the Kyoto area
In just a few days, you can taste world-class cuisine, visit historic buildings, and enjoy the stunning natural scenery of the suburbs
For people from the next big city like Hong Kong, it is definitely a great place to relax
Day 1️⃣: Take a midnight flight directly to Osaka, then take the train to Kyoto
I had pre-booked a famous udon restaurant called Yamamoto Menzo online
So the first thing I did was go there for a big meal 🍜🍜🍜🤤
After eating, it was only around 12 o'clock, so I walked to Yasaka Shrine for a visit
There are many unique streets along the way that are worth taking photos of, so if you are not in a hurry, you can walk slowly and enjoy the local unique buildings and scenery👍🏻
(Luckily, it started snowing, so the day was spent with romantic snowfall🙂↔️)
Day 2️⃣: Visited Kifune Shrine
In summer, you can enjoy flowing noodles there, and in winter, there are beautiful snow scenes and kaiseki cuisine, sukiyaki, etc.
So one of the highlights of this itinerary is to visit here
But since it is in the suburbs, it takes four to five hours round trip, so it is recommended to reserve a whole day and return to the city for dinner in the evening
Day 3️⃣: Since I really like the suburbs, I arranged to go to a relatively distant place today
Miyama Town Thatched Village
It takes 2 to 3 hours one way from Kyoto Station, so it is recommended to reserve a whole day
There is a small village here, and the biggest feature is the thatched houses, which are covered with snow in winter, making it a very special attraction
However, because it is very small, similar to a small cultural area, there are some dessert and soba noodle shops, etc.
If the train to Arashiyama was not suspended, I probably wouldn't go here, because it takes a lot of time to get there, but it is actually very quick to visit, not very worth it, but of course, driving can save about half the time, so measure it yourself
On the 4️⃣th day (return day)
There is a must-visit place in Kyoto, which is Fushimi Inari Taisha, the place where you see many torii gates connected together online, even if it is just to take a photo, it is worth it Haha
It is not very big there, so reserving 2 to 3 hours in the morning is enough
After visiting Fushimi Inari Taisha, I took the train and bus to Kiyomizu Temple and the nearby Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka
There are many famous shops along the way, first went to here, I usually don't drink lattes, but after taking a sip this time, I kept wanting to drink the second and third sip 😂😂😂 The aroma is indescribable, and you don't have to wait long, I recommend going straight in🤣🤣
After drinking coffee, there is a matcha drink specialty store GOKAGO next door
This one takes a long time to wait because they make it slowly
(But maybe because I am not very interested in matcha, I think it is a bit ordinary)
After buying the drink, walk up to Kiyomizu Temple
So visiting Kiyomizu Temple is actually a Citywalk, there are many souvenir shops along the way, so it is also a must-visit place
As the saying goes, if you haven't eaten ramen, don't say you have visited Japan
Finally, before returning to the airport, I went to a ramen shop called Menya Pigichi
It is Michelin-rated (although Michelin doesn't mean it is very delicious, but at least it won't be bad)
For someone who doesn't like to queue, I made an online reservation in advance before departure
Otherwise, you have to queue for 30 to 45 minutes at the door, which is tiring and a waste of time
After eating, I returned to the hotel to get my luggage, then took the train back to the airport
A very fulfilling day😎
End
🏠Accommodation Recommendation🏠
Stayed at Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Station Front for four days
It is a 2 to 3-minute walk from the station to the hotel, and you can immediately drop off your luggage and set off upon arrival
The service and politeness are very good!
The key point
As everyone knows, many hotel rooms in Japan are very small
But this time the room can fully open two 28-inch suitcases!!
Finding a conveniently located and normally sized room for a few hundred dollars a night is impeccable‼️ Highly recommended🤙🏻
🏖️Check-in Spots, 📷Photo Spots
Must-visit Kiyomizu Temple, Yasaka Shrine, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kifune Shrine
🚇Transportation
Train and bus
🍜Special Cuisine
Udon, sukiyaki, wagyu, ramen
💡Notes:
Kifune Shrine has lighting in some months in winter, it is recommended to check the lighting time online in advance
Selfie sticks are not allowed at Yasaka Shrine, and there are security guards monitoring strictly
So you don't need to take it out