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Need help on some lesser visited places

Rajesh
Rajesh
about 8 years ago
8 responses

Hi, would like to have your expert opinion on two side trips we want to make during our Japan trip this November. There is so much to Japan beyond the main tourist destinations that we could not overlook some beautiful, lesser visited gems as below. If possible, we would like to visit these too but would like your thoughts on how we can do these.

  1. We are travelling to HImeji one early morning from Osaka and intend to spend the night there. The reason is because we want to not just catch up on the Himeji castle and the nearby Kokoen garden but also are thinking of the following two interesting but lesser visited places in the region:
    a) Mt. Shosha and Engyoji temple b) Takeda castle

Please advise if we can do Himeji and the above two places on Day 1 (the morning we land from Osaka) and visit Takeda early morning on Day 2 and be back in Himeji by afternoon. We plan to move on to Hiroshima by lunchtime.

  1. From Kyoto (where we will spend 3 full days), we also want to add additional days to visit the following places. Please advise how many days would be required to do these. Would starting from Kyoto one day early morning and returning the next day by evening be enough to do both these? If so, where should we stay the night? And how to travel between these places?
    a) Mt.Hiei and Enryakuji b) Kurama and Kibune c) Miyama

Many thanks, in advance, for taking time out to answer this long query with your insights and advice.

Best regards
Rajesh

avatar
Daniel-san
18832 posts
about 8 years ago
Expert

Hello Rajesh,

Visiting Himeji and Mt. Shosha on a single day should not be too hard, trains will take you nearly all the way. The key is to plan your route and time table in advance, as well as other possible transport. The same applies for Takeda castle. If you don't know their exact stations, simply do a google maps search and you'll that they both have close by railways.

In Kyoto, Mt.Hiei and Enryakuji and Kurama and Kibune are not that hard to get too but you should reserve half a day for each in order to get there and have enough time to explore the area. Miyama, is a bit harder to get to and I would reserve 2/3 of a day for a trip there.

Hope this helps,
Daniel

Rajesh
Rajesh
8 posts
about 8 years ago

Many thanks, Daniel-san, for the information!

To sum this up and press on for some more clarity, please advise on the below:

  • We will be able to plan our Himeji-Mt.Shosha-Takeda with the information available online. Would you suggest we do Himeji & Mt.Shosha on Day 1 and the next morning go to Takeda and return by afternoon to Himeji?

  • Guess we will drop Miyama for now as we don't want to eat into our precious time kept aside for Kyoto. We will go ahead with the Mt.Hiei-Enryakuji and Kurama-Kibune sections. So if we were to start from Kyoto on Day 1 of this circuit, we should be able to do one of them and spend the night and proceed for the second the next morning and be back at Kyoto on Day 2, right? Where should we head to first and spend the night?

Thanks again!
Rajesh

avatar
Daniel-san
18832 posts
almost 8 years ago
Expert

Hi again!

1.) Yes, I think this would work just be sure to leave early to make the most of your day.

2.) You could actually spend the night near Kurama, there is a great Onsen there and you can walk the area after most people leave. The onsen provides pick-up service form Kurama station. However you could just base yourself anywhere in Kyoto and make (half) day trips.

Hope this helps too!
Daniel

Rajesh
Rajesh
8 posts
almost 8 years ago

Arigatou gozaimashita, Daniel-san!!! Hope I got that right but you know what I mean :-)

Yes, that clarifies it all.

Must say these pleasant and valuable exchanges with you are the perfect starting point for a great trip to Japan for most of us here in this forum.

Cheers!
Rajesh

avatar
Daniel-san
18832 posts
almost 8 years ago
Expert

That's nice to hear!

Make the best of your trip!
Daniel


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