Sushi shopping

Explore

3) Book it in

Eleanor research

Random notes: Yoshinoya do good fast food, itsu style but better, pubs with red laterns out the front do tapas style japanese food.

Wild card location: Kanazawa

Kanazawa- kenrukoen gardens, kanazawa castle, omicho market, samurai district.

The array of cultural attractions in Kanazawa (金沢) make the city the drawcard of the Hokuriku region and a rival to Kyoto as the historical jewel of mainland Japan. Best known for Kenroku-en, a castle garden dating from the 17th century, it also boasts beautifully preserved samurai and geisha districts, attractive temples, a wealth of museums and a wonderful market (and far fewer tourists than Kyoto – for now).

⁠

Kyoto

Arrive into Kyoto station, likely around lunchtime. Do we need an extra day in Kyoto itself?

KP and Luke tips

⁠

Yasubei⁠

- Great place for Okonomiyaki and Yakitori - and watch the little ladies cooking. Get the kimchi and also highly recommend the Sochu highball with Yuzu

⁠

Musashi Sushi⁠

- This is a great place for sushi in central Kyoto, first place we tried the sushi on the conveyor belt

⁠

Chao Chao Sanjo Kiyamachi⁠

- Great gyoza place in central Kyoto

⁠

Beer Bar Miyama 162⁠

- Japanese craft beer and craft gin - caters to everyone :)

If you’re planning on going to Osaka from Kyoto or vice-versa - you don’t actually need to get the Shinkansen, and depending on where you stay, you can just get the metro, as they have a joined up metro system!

To do:

⁠

Fushimi Inari-Taisha⁠

- SE diretion, 25 min walk/ train. The entire complex, consisting of five shrines (the red shrine gateways), sprawls across the wooded slopes of Inari-san. A pathway wanders 4km up the mountain and is lined with dozens of atmospheric sub-shrines.

⁠

Gion⁠

- E direction, 20 min walk. geisha quarter on the eastern bank of the Kamo-gawa. The best way to experience Gion today is with an evening stroll around the atmospheric streets lined with 17th-century traditional restaurants and teahouses lit up with lanterns. Pg 112 in Eleanors Japan book shows a walking route nearby (2 hrs, 3km stroll)

⁠

Kinkaku-ji⁠

- NW direction, 46 min train/ walk. Kyoto's famed 'Golden Pavilion', Kinkaku-ji is one of Japan's best-known sights. The main hall, covered in brilliant gold leaf, shining above its reflecting pond.

⁠

Nishiki Market⁠

- N director,8 min walk. Food market for cooking and eating directly.

⁠

Eikan-do⁠

- NE direction, 36 min train & walk. Perhaps Kyoto’s most famous (and most crowded) autumn-foliage destination, Eikan-dō is a superb temple just a short walk south of the famous Path of Philosophy.

⁠

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove⁠

- NW direction, 55 mins train/ walk from accommodation (still 45 min from Kinkaku-ji). Bamboo walk.

⁠

Nijō-jō⁠

- NW direction, 28 min train/ walk. This castle was built in 1603 as the official Kyoto residence of the first Tokugawa shogun, Ieyasu. You will find a superb palace surrounded by beautiful gardens.

Lots more palace’s, temples and gardens-

lonely planet must see⁠

⁠

Kyoto accommodation 14- 17 Nov

Kyoto accommodation 14- 17 Nov

⁠

Osaka

Known for food, but aside from eating there is (

lonely planet must see⁠

⁠

Dōtombori⁠

- city's liveliest night spot and the centre of the southern part of town. Its name comes from the 400-year-old canal, Dōtombori-gawa, now lined with pedestrian walkways and with a riot of illuminated billboards glittering off its waters.

⁠

Osaka-jō⁠

- After unifying Japan in the late 16th century, General Toyotomi Hideyoshi built a castle (1583) as a display of power. Although the present structure is a 1931 concrete reconstruction (refurbished in 1997), it's nonetheless quite a sight, looming dramatically over the surrounding park and moat. Inside is an excellent collection of art, armour, and day-to-day implements related to the castle, Hideyoshi and Osaka. An 8th-floor observation deck has 360-degree views.

⁠

Amerika-Mura⁠

- compact enclave of hip, youth-focused and offbeat shops, plus cafes, bars, tattoo and piercing parlours, nightclubs, hair salons and a few discreet love hotels. In the middle is

Triangle Park⁠

, an all-concrete 'park' with benches for sitting and watching the fashion parade. Come nighttime, it's a popular gathering spot.

⁠

Kuromon Ichiba⁠

- 600m-long market is in equal parts a functioning market and a tourist attraction. Vendors selling fresh fish, meat, produce and pickles attract chefs and local home cooks; shops offering takeaway sushi or with grills set up (to cook the steaks, oysters, giant prawns etc that they sell) cater to visitors – making the market excellent for grazing and photo ops.

Buildings with observation decks:

Abeno Harukas⁠

and

Umeda Sky Building⁠

⁠

Nara

⁠

Tōdai-ji⁠

- Nara's star attraction is its Daibutsu (Great Buddha), one of the largest bronze statues in the world. Except for the Daibutsu-den, most of Tōdai-ji's grounds can be visited free.

Nara-koen park, see 7 sights in the park (inclapprox half a day, 5km). pg 149 in Eleanor’s Japan book for a route (and

lonely planet must see⁠

includes some).

Nara Park is a short walk east of

Kintetsu-Nara Station⁠

. The area can also be reached by walking straight along

Sanjo-dori Street⁠

from

JR Nara Station⁠

, but takes roughly 20 minutes.

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