Cherry Blossom Season: 8-Day Tour of Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara

Itinerary: 2024.03.29-04.05, eight days,

D1: Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport - Kansai Airport - Osaka - Check in.

D2: Osaka. Dotonbori, Kuromon Market, Nipponbashi district game stores, Namba Yasaka Shrine.

D3: Kyoto. Fushimi Inari Taisha - Gion Shijo - Hanamikoji Street - Ninenzaka & Sannenzaka - Kiyomizu Temple.

D4: Nara. Nara Park.

D5: Kyoto. Arashiyama.

D6: Osaka. Universal Studios Japan.

D7: Osaka. Osaka Castle Park, Mint Bureau Cherry Blossom Avenue.

D8: Osaka - Kansai Airport - Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport.

Flights: Bought more than a month in advance, Air China, Hangzhou-Osaka round trip 1500 yuan/person (including baggage).

Accommodation: All 7 nights at Osaka Shinsaibashi Nest Hotel (small double room - non-smoking - double bed - 13 square meters) near Nagahoribashi Station, total 2995 yuan, average just over 400 per day. Facilities are complete: electric kettle, small refrigerator (Chinese brand Haier). The room is small, typical for Osaka hotels. The hotel is near Nagahoribashi Station and a 7-Eleven directly outside, with various shops. It's 500-600 meters from Nipponbashi and Shinsaibashi, very convenient. Recommended!

Necessary preparations: Visa (omitted); data SIM card purchased online (internet access, can use WeChat calls, cannot make regular mobile calls); international credit card (Mastercard, etc.); some Japanese yen cash; you can purchase an ICOCA rechargeable card (including 1500 yen balance) to avoid confusion upon arrival at the airport.

Apps: Norikoe Annai (for route planning between two places; must know how to use); mobile maps (must know how to use); translation software.

Transportation: In Japan, common rail systems include JR (Japan Railway, national railway), private railways (私鉄), and subways (地下鉄) - three different operating systems. Private railways you'll often see in Osaka/Kyoto include Hankyu, Hanshin, Keihan, Nankai, etc. We can think of them as trains, electric trains, and subways. They have different stations and lines but many are close for transfers. Just follow signs and don't blindly wander. If you can use the subway confidently, it should be fine. Japanese trains have types like Limited Express, Express, Rapid, Local, etc., differing in speed and number of stops. So different schedules have different routes. If you miss a train, the next one may have a different stopping pattern or route.

How to get from Kansai Airport to the city hotel (Osaka Shinsaibashi Nest Hotel near Nagahoribashi Station). Choose the 14:26 departure.

This is a combination of private railway + subway. First take the Nankai Line (Namba direction) and get off at Tengachaya. Find the Nankai entrance, tap in, follow signs to the Nankai Line (Namba direction) platform. The advantage in Japan is Chinese characters for signage. The "Izumisano" circle with an arrow means "no transfer needed", so ignore it. Arrive at Tengachaya at 15:05, exit with the crowd, tap out (completing the Nankai segment). Find signs for the "Subway Sakaisuji Line", follow them, tap into the subway station, go to the platform for the Sakaisuji Line (Kitashinchi direction). Check the sign to confirm it passes Nagahoribashi, then board. Get off at Nagahoribashi, tap out at exit B2. Exit to an underground street, go up stairs at North 3 exit (no elevator), and the hotel is right there. Total time about 1 hour.

D1: Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport - Kansai Airport - Osaka - Check in.

Since the flight was at 8:00 AM, arrived at the airport at around 5:00 AM. Check-in counters opened at 5:45 for baggage drop. Then border inspection, all automated (passport scan, face recognition), with staff assistance. Hangzhou to Osaka takes only 2 hours. On the plane, an arrival card is distributed; it's simple to fill in: the "address and phone" in Japan is hotel info, copied beforehand. There is also an online VJW electronic registration, but it requires more input and airport counter inspection is not complicated, so it's optional.

It is said that Japanese tourism has recovered to pre-pandemic levels. The cherry blossom season makes Kansai Airport crowded. Follow the "Arrivals" signs, queue for immigration. Many tourists but orderly: first fingerprint and photo, then counter verification and stamp. After immigration, collect luggage, follow "Railway" signs across the skybridge on the second floor to the train station. Both JR and private railways are on the second floor. It is recommended to take the private railway.

As described above, take the Nankai Line (Namba direction) — enter at the red "NANHAI" gate, ride the electric train to Tengachaya, transfer to subway, arrive at Nagahoribashi, and find the hotel.

Most Japanese hotels only allow check-in from 3:00 PM; they do not accommodate early arrival. We arrived just after 2:00 PM, left our luggage at the lobby, and went out for a walk.

Turning right from the hotel lobby, within 500 meters is Shinsaibashi-suji shopping street, a famous shopping paradise. We saw branded sports shoes and bought a pair for about 300-400 yuan (RMB). Soon it was past 4:00 PM, so we went back to check in. Check-in was simple: the front desk explained the room facilities and rules patiently in Chinese and Japanese. One rule: the hotel used physical keys; we had to leave the key at the front desk each time we went out and retrieve it by stating room number and name. This turned out to be convenient and prevented losing the key.

In the evening, we walked through the underground passage in front of the hotel, lined with shops selling food and clothes. We visited Shinsaibashi and Dotonbori, took photos for a long time in front of the marathon runner sign with raised hands. Tourists from all countries jostled and posed. When we returned, we bought a large bag of food at the 7-Eleven downstairs. Let's talk about the supermarket: there are many samples of various foods, enough to fill your stomach. So every night we bought a bag of food, typically around 2000 yen (~100 RMB).

D2: Osaka. Dotonbori, Kuromon Market, Nipponbashi district game stores, Namba Yasaka Shrine, Namba area.

This year's cherry blossoms bloomed late; it was cold a few days before. But as we arrived, the temperature rose, so the blossoms might improve. Today we walked around central Osaka, all within walking distance. The exaggerated store signs in Dotonbori are a sight; we walked back and forth several times to take photos and videos.

Osaka is considered "Japan's kitchen" because it is the birthplace of many classic Japanese dishes (okonomiyaki, kushikatsu, takoyaki, etc.). Kuromon Market is called "Osaka's kitchen". The 600-meter market has nearly 200 shops and is now a must-visit for tourists.

Inside the shrine, the most striking feature is the huge lion hall facing the entrance, with a golden mouth welcoming visitors - very impressive! Looking closely, the lion's mouth is actually a stage, with eyes as lights and nose as speakers. During festivals, performances are held on this stage.

D3: Kyoto. Fushimi Inari Taisha - Gion Shijo - Hanamikoji Street - Ninenzaka & Sannenzaka - Kiyomizu Temple.

From Nagahoribashi Station (Sakaisuji Line towards Kitashinchi) to Kitahama Station. Tap out, follow signs to the private Keihan Line (Demachiyanagi direction) to Fushimi Inari Station. The shrine entrance is right outside.

Inari is the god of agriculture and commerce; worshippers pray for good harvest, business prosperity, and traffic safety. It is one of the most popular shrines in Kyoto. The torii gate corridor is very photogenic. The path is slightly uphill; it takes about 40 minutes to walk the entire length, longer if stopping to take photos.

Most famous are the dense vermilion "Senbon Torii" (thousands of torii gates) behind the main hall, one of Kyoto's most iconic scenes. Walking through, old faded torii and bright new ones interweave, looking spectacular under sunlight—a visual shock.

From the front, the torii have no inscriptions, but from behind, they bear the names of donors (business groups, companies, individuals) and the year of donation. Since the Edo period, people have donated money to erect torii at the shrine to express respect to the gods and pray for business prosperity. The thousands of torii are countless.

In the shrine, you can also see various fox statues, as foxes are considered messengers of Inari. Fox-faced ema (votive tablets) are a specialty here.

After visiting the shrine, continue on the Keihan Line (Demachiyanagi direction) from Fushimi Inari Station to Gion Shijo. Hanamikoji Street intersects Shijo-dori and extends to Kennin-ji Temple; it is a popular street in Gion with elegant tea houses and restaurants, many specializing in kaiseki cuisine. Walk via Hanamikoji - Ninenzaka & Sannenzaka - Kiyomizu Temple.

D4: Nara. Nara Park.

Walk to Nipponbashi, take the private Kintetsu Nara Line. Exit the station directly into Nara Park. Located east of Nara city at the foot of Mount Wakakusa, the park is scenic all year round. Hundreds of wild sika deer live on the open meadows, and the area surrounds famous sites like Todai-ji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine.

D5: Kyoto. Arashiyama.

Arashiyama is a scenic area in western Kyoto, including both sides of Togetsukyo Bridge and Sagano. Known for cherry blossoms and autumn leaves, the beautiful Sagano Bamboo Grove also exudes Kyoto's charm. There are many famous temples and shrines scattered around. First go to Kyoto Station, then take the JR Sagano Line to Arashiyama. The Sagano Romantic Train ticket office is opposite Arashiyama Station. You can buy a later ticket, explore first, then ride the train. We chose a round trip and returned to Osaka afterwards. While changing at Shin-Osaka Station, we discovered the underground floor is a huge duty-free market.

The Sagano Romantic Train runs along the Hozugawa River between Torokko Saga Station and Torokko Kameoka Station; it is a very famous sightseeing route.

In the evening we returned to Nipponbashi and went to Kuromon Market again, buying half-price seafood and various supermarket foods.

D6: Osaka. Universal Studios Japan.

Universal Studios Japan (USJ) in Osaka is one of five Universal Studios theme parks worldwide. Opened in 2001, it is a classic and joyful world for many visitors. Similar in design to Orlando's, it features popular zones like Jurassic Park, Hollywood, and WaterWorld, with over 60 attractions for a full day of fun. Although in the city, you need to transfer multiple times by subway and JR—use the Norikoe Annai app. Most visitors head to Super Nintendo World; you must queue early in the morning to enter, otherwise you might need a lottery ticket. We went at 7:00 AM to queue.

It was rainy and cold that day; we left around 4:00 PM. In the evening, we shopped again.

D7: Osaka. Osaka Castle Park, Mint Bureau Cherry Blossom Avenue.

Two major cherry blossom spots in Osaka: Osaka Castle Park and the Mint Bureau Cherry Blossom Avenue. Osaka Castle Park is surrounded by various trees and plants. Nishi-no-Maru Garden is full of cherry blossoms, and night viewing is possible in spring. The massive stone walls symbolize the impregnability of Tokugawa's Osaka Castle. The famous Osaka Castle keep stands in the park; from the top floor you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city. Get off at Morinomiya Station.

Near the Mint Museum, there is a "Sakura Passage" (Sakura no Tōri-nuke), a famous cherry blossom viewing spot in Osaka. During blooming season, countless visitors come to see rare varieties like "Akai Tama" and "Yōrō-zakura" that cannot be seen elsewhere. Night viewing is also enjoyable. Get off at Tenmabashi Station.

D8: Osaka - Kansai Airport - Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport.

Although the flight was at 12:15 PM, we left the hotel just after 7:00 AM and used various transportation to return to Hangzhou via the same route.