Japan
Kyoto, Nara, Himeiji
Day 1: Your first day and, for those from the Western Hemisphere, much of the second day will be spent getting to Japan. However, after the long journey, you will immediately realize that your trip was well worth the inconvenience as you step into this bustling but courteous Asian land.
Day 2: After arriving in Japan, make your way to your hotel, which will be your home base during your entire visit in the ancient capital in Kyoto. After refreshing and recharging from the long trip, explore the area around Kyoto Station, including the many restaurants both above and below the station. There are so many small restaurants that you could eat in this area every night without ever eating at the same place twice. If you are ever in the mood for fast food during your stay in Kyoto, try some famous Japanese fast food chains, including Mos Burger and Curry House CoCo Ichibanya, which serves Japanese curry dishes. If there is time, consider a quick visit to the nearby Buddhist temple Nishi-Hongwanji or the Kikoku-tei garden before dinner.
Day 3: On your first full day in Kyoto, start your morning with a tour of Nijo-jo, the palatial Kyoto residence and castle of the Shogun. Next, walk through the nearby Imperial Park, and if you have time, take a tour of the Imperial Palace. End your day by visiting the Nishijin Textile Center for an introduction to Japanese weaving and for the kimono shows that are offered several times a day.
Day 4: After breakfast, start your day in East Kyoto at Nanzen-ji, a Buddhist temple. After exploring the buildings and beautiful gardens, walk the path of philosophy, which starts just north of the temple and winds its way for two kilometers to Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Pavilion. This is one of Kyoto’s most famous sites, but despite the crowds, the serene pavilion and gardens are well worth the effort. After lunch, make your way to the other side of town to the Golden Pavilion. Though many prefer the Silver Pavilion, your first view of the gleaming site and adjacent pond are unforgettable. End your busy day at one of Japan’s most famous gardens, the dry garden of Ryoan-ji. The main attraction of this Zen Buddhist site is the puzzling 15 stones surrounded by green moss and raked sand. The meaning is debated of the stones, but many enjoy the tranquil setting without worrying about the creator’s intent.
Day 5: After you’ve spent the first few days seeing many of the sights in Kyoto, today take a daytrip by train to the nearby city of Nara, an even more ancient capital of Japan. After arriving at the train station in Nara, proceed to Nara-koen, a large park area where the major sights are located and make your first stop the complex of Kofuku-ji with its Five-Storey Pagoda. Continue further into Nara-koen after your visit to Kofuku-ji to Todai-ji, one of Japan’s most famous temples and the largest wooden building in the world. After lunch, spend the rest of your day wandering through Nara-koen and its other sights, but you might find the most appealing part of the park to be the semi-wild diminutive deer that inhabit the area.
Day 6: Today, take another excursion outside of Kyoto to the grandest of all Japanese castles at Himeji. The Himeiji Castle was untouched by the bombs of the war, and its six stories provide a delightful look at seventeenth-century Japan. Before leaving the castle, take a quick look at the garden on the west side of the structure. After lunch, take short walk to the Museum of History before taking the Shinkansen line back to Kyoto.
Day 7: Begin your final day with a tour of Sanjusangen and its display of 1001 identical looking but individualized statues of Kannon, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. Afterwards, visit Kiyomizu-dera one of Kyoto’s most famous sights and its many gift shops. The Shinto shrine occupies a position on a hill above the city offering good views and has a waterfall reputed to cure illness. After getting something to eat, take a walk through some lanes with traditional townhomes from the 1800s to the temple and gardens of Kodai-ji. Then, just a short walk from Kodai-ji is a pair temples. The first is Chion-in, a Buddhist temple with the largest bell in Japan and Shoren-in. The second is another Buddhist temple with peaceful paths through its garden.
Day 8: As you make your way to the airport for your return flight home, savor your last moments in one of the world’s best ancient capitals and make a promise to return and explore more of this remarkable country that treats travelers with such kindness and hospitality.
Day 1: Your first day and, for those from the Western Hemisphere, much of the second day will be spent getting to Japan. However, after the long journey, you will immediately realize that your trip was well worth the inconvenience as you step into this bustling but courteous Asian land.
Day 2: After arriving in Japan, make your way to your hotel, which will be your home base during your entire visit in the ancient capital in Kyoto. After refreshing and recharging from the long trip, explore the area around Kyoto Station, including the many restaurants both above and below the station. There are so many small restaurants that you could eat in this area every night without ever eating at the same place twice. If you are ever in the mood for fast food during your stay in Kyoto, try some famous Japanese fast food chains, including Mos Burger and Curry House CoCo Ichibanya, which serves Japanese curry dishes. If there is time, consider a quick visit to the nearby Buddhist temple Nishi-Hongwanji or the Kikoku-tei garden before dinner.
Day 3: On your first full day in Kyoto, start your morning with a tour of Nijo-jo, the palatial Kyoto residence and castle of the Shogun. Next, walk through the nearby Imperial Park, and if you have time, take a tour of the Imperial Palace. End your day by visiting the Nishijin Textile Center for an introduction to Japanese weaving and for the kimono shows that are offered several times a day.
Day 4: After breakfast, start your day in East Kyoto at Nanzen-ji, a Buddhist temple. After exploring the buildings and beautiful gardens, walk the path of philosophy, which starts just north of the temple and winds its way for two kilometers to Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Pavilion. This is one of Kyoto’s most famous sites, but despite the crowds, the serene pavilion and gardens are well worth the effort. After lunch, make your way to the other side of town to the Golden Pavilion. Though many prefer the Silver Pavilion, your first view of the gleaming site and adjacent pond are unforgettable. End your busy day at one of Japan’s most famous gardens, the dry garden of Ryoan-ji. The main attraction of this Zen Buddhist site is the puzzling 15 stones surrounded by green moss and raked sand. The meaning is debated of the stones, but many enjoy the tranquil setting without worrying about the creator’s intent.
Day 5: After you’ve spent the first few days seeing many of the sights in Kyoto, today take a daytrip by train to the nearby city of Nara, an even more ancient capital of Japan. After arriving at the train station in Nara, proceed to Nara-koen, a large park area where the major sights are located and make your first stop the complex of Kofuku-ji with its Five-Storey Pagoda. Continue further into Nara-koen after your visit to Kofuku-ji to Todai-ji, one of Japan’s most famous temples and the largest wooden building in the world. After lunch, spend the rest of your day wandering through Nara-koen and its other sights, but you might find the most appealing part of the park to be the semi-wild diminutive deer that inhabit the area.
Day 6: Today, take another excursion outside of Kyoto to the grandest of all Japanese castles at Himeji. The Himeiji Castle was untouched by the bombs of the war, and its six stories provide a delightful look at seventeenth-century Japan. Before leaving the castle, take a quick look at the garden on the west side of the structure. After lunch, take short walk to the Museum of History before taking the Shinkansen line back to Kyoto.
Day 7: Begin your final day with a tour of Sanjusangen and its display of 1001 identical looking but individualized statues of Kannon, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. Afterwards, visit Kiyomizu-dera one of Kyoto’s most famous sights and its many gift shops. The Shinto shrine occupies a position on a hill above the city offering good views and has a waterfall reputed to cure illness. After getting something to eat, take a walk through some lanes with traditional townhomes from the 1800s to the temple and gardens of Kodai-ji. Then, just a short walk from Kodai-ji is a pair temples. The first is Chion-in, a Buddhist temple with the largest bell in Japan and Shoren-in. The second is another Buddhist temple with peaceful paths through its garden.
Day 8: As you make your way to the airport for your return flight home, savor your last moments in one of the world’s best ancient capitals and make a promise to return and explore more of this remarkable country that treats travelers with such kindness and hospitality.