5-Day 4-Night Trip to Osaka and Kyoto

Sharing our itinerary with everyone: 📍Location: 🇯🇵 September 2 (Osaka) • 6:00 - Arrive at Kansai Airport, go through immigration, collect luggage, buy ICOCA card, and pick up Osaka Amazing Pass (one-day pass). • 7:30 - Take the Nankai Electric Railway Raipit to Namba Station, exit from the North Gate West Exit of the Nankai Airport Express (about 40 minutes). • 8:30 - Arrive at Sotetsu Fresa Inn Osaka-Namba, drop off luggage. • 9:00 - 18:00 - Visit Shinsaibashi, Dotonbori, Namba, Nipponbashi, and Tennoji. • 19:00-20:00 - Abeno Harukas 300 Observation Deck • 20:00 - 21:00 - Return to the hotel, take the Sakaisuji Line subway back to Namba Station, and rest at the hotel. September 3 (Universal Studios Japan) • 6:50 - Take the train from Namba Station to Kujo, transfer to the Hanshin Namba Line to Nishikujo Station, then transfer to the JR Yumesaki Line to Universal City Station (about 45 minutes). • 8:00 - 19:00 - Arrive at Universal Studios Japan, spend the whole day there. Have lunch and dinner inside the park. • 19:00 - Return to the hotel to rest. September 4 (Kyoto Day Trip) • 9:00 - Check out and head to Kyoto, take the Midosuji Line subway to Yodoyabashi Station, transfer to the Keihan Main Line train to Sanjo Station in Kyoto (about 1 hour). • 10:30 - Arrive in Kyoto, after reaching Sanjo Station, walk or take public transportation to Travelodge Kyoto Shijo Kawaramachi, check-in and drop off luggage (allow 30 minutes). • 11:00 - Head to Fushimi Inari Taisha, take the Keihan Main Line from Shijo Kawaramachi Station to Fushimi Inari Station (about 15 minutes), visit Fushimi Inari Taisha (about 2 hours). • 13:00 - Take the Keihan Main Line back to Shichijo Station, transfer to City Bus No. 206 (towards Higashiyama), get off at Kiyomizu-michi Bus Stop (about 15 minutes). • 13:30 - Kiyomizu-dera, walk from Kiyomizu-michi Bus Stop (about 5 minutes) to Kiyomizu-dera, entrance fee 400 yen (about 1 hour). • 14:30 - Sannen-zaka, Ninen-zaka, Ichinen-zaka, walk from Kiyomizu-dera to visit Sannen-zaka, Ninen-zaka, and Ichinen-zaka (about 1.5 hours). • 16:00 - Hanami-koji (Gion), walk to Hanami-koji, explore this beautiful traditional district (about 1 hour). • 17:00 - Yasaka Shrine, walk to Yasaka Shrine (about 10 minutes), visit Yasaka Shrine (about 30 minutes). • 17:40 - Dinner, have dinner near Gion or Yasaka Shrine (about 1 hour). • 18:30 - Return to the hotel, walk or take public transportation back to the hotel (about 15 minutes). Rest early September 5 (Arashiyama, Kinkaku-ji) • 9:20 - Head to Arashiyama • 10:45 - Leisurely walk to JR Saga-Arashiyama Station • 11:30 - Take the JR train to Umahori Station (towards Kameoka) (about 15 minutes), arrive at Arashiyama Station at 11:50. • 11:30 - Ride the Sagano Scenic Railway (about 30 minutes). • 11:50 - Arrive at Arashiyama. • 12:00 - Visit the Bamboo Grove • 12:35 - Visit Tenryu-ji. After exiting from the north gate of Tenryu-ji, you can directly enter the Bamboo Grove and then reach Nonomiya Shrine. • 13:30 - Nonomiya Shrine • 13:00 - Stroll around Arashiyama Main Street. • 14:40 - Take the Randen Arashiyama Main Line to Kitano-Hakubaicho Station (about 20 minutes). • 15:00 - Take Bus No. 205 to Kinkakuji-michi Bus Stop (about 30 minutes). • 15:30 - Arrive at Kinkaku-ji. • 16:50 - Visit Kinkaku-ji (about 1 hour). • 16:50 - Take Bus No. 205 back to Kawaramachi Sanjo (about 30 minutes), walk back to the hotel (about 3 minutes). • 17:30 - Arrive at the hotel. September 6 (Osaka) • 10:00 - 11:00 - Arrive at Umeda, store luggage in lockers or carry it with you. • 11:30 - 20:00 - Umeda, Umeda shopping district, HEP FIVE mall. • 22:25 - Arrive at Kansai Airport Terminal 1, check-in for the flight. • 23:00 - Flight departs for Taiwan. Summary: In reality, we found that the schedule was too tight, and we were exhausted from running to so many places. We even missed some places, like on 9/4, we planned to go to Fushimi Inari but ended up only visiting Kiyomizu-dera and Yasaka Shrine due to time constraints. We managed to visit most of the other places, but next time we won't plan such a tight schedule or will extend the trip by a day to avoid rushing. If anyone has a better schedule, please share it with me. Thank you! 😍