I'll be visiting Kyoto and Kobe and going on a day trip to Hiroshima (I'm also considering Osaka and Nara). I've looked through a handful of pamphlets already, so I'm already aware of what the main attractions are. What I'd really like to hear, however, is what everyone has to say about the main attractions, good or bad, and anything else worth mentioning. Furthermore, I warmly welcome any restaurant recommendations, especially those serving traditional food. One last thing I should mention is that I'm traveling with my gf. At any rate, I know a lot of you live in Kansai, so I hope to hear from the locals.

Kobe's harbor area is kind of overrated, but I enjoy visiting the china town. In kyoto I was probably happiest with Kinkakuji (the golden temple) and most disappointed with the rock garden (cant remember the name.) Also I haven't been, but Arashiyama sounds very good to me.

I would actually recommend Nara or Osaka over Kobe, either of the two have much more and better tourist attractions I think. I love hanging out with the deer in nara park, and Osaka has an instant ramen museum which I take everyone who visits me to.

Food is a bit hard to give suggestions on without knowing specifics of where you are going. Don't want to send you far out of your way just to eat. Finding good restaurants probably wont be a problem though. I rarely have a bad meal in Japan.

If you have to choose between Nara and Osaka, go to Nara. Osaka is just good for food and drinks, nothing else good to do really. Todaiji temple in Nara is great, and the deer are super fun.

The two best tourist places in Kyoto are Kiyomizudera and Fushimi Inari, without a doubt. Do both of them.

Arashiyama is really nice too. I live a ten minute bike ride from Arashiyama! If you want an Onsen go to　天山の湯, near there. Unfortunately, not the easiest place to find, but a great onsen right in the city.
http://www.ndg.jp/tenzan/top.html

If you want a fancy Kyoto-style meal, my favorite place is Kaji.
http://www.kyoto-kaji.jp/menu.html
However, it's reservation only, so you'll have to call. Ask for the 雪コース (Yuki Koosu)--it's only 3700 yen, a little over 40 bucks, but the food's awesome.

If you go to Hiroshima, DO MIYAJIMA. No excuses. On a day with nice weather. It's so beautiful. And go to the top of the mountain, either by cable car or walking.

I've lived in Kyoto for three and a half years.

(If at all possible you should make Hiroshima a two day trip, and change Kobe to a day trip. Kobe and Osaka are the least interesting of the cities you've mentioned, unless you like to party, in which case Osaka can be a lot of fun. Osaka, Kobe, and Nara are all easy day trips from Kyoto.)

(Also, I remember that the first time I visited Kyoto I was looking for bars around Kyoto station. The fact is, the Kyoto station area sucks and there aren't really good bars or restaurants. If you want lots of bars and restaurants the place to go is Kawaramachi and Kiyamachi between Sanjo and Shijo streets. Sanjo Keihan is the most convenient subway station for the area. Cross the bridge and turn left. Or you can drink right on the river if the weather is nice!)

I second Arashiyama. Especially the monkey park. I think you can skip a lot of the temples in kyoto, you'll just exhaust yourself trying to see them all. Actually i pretty much agree with Tzadeck, Kiyomizudara and Fushimi Inari are probably the best.
Also second Miyajima. I've been there too many times to count. You can take a boat from Peace Park.

Well I only know Kyoto... but if you're going there then you need to try Giro Giro (技魯技魯)... top class food, and a lot of it, for about $35/person. kind of amazing that they can even do that.
http://savoryjapan.com/travel/kyoto/girogiro.html

An awesome place you may already be familiar with thanks to Hiroshi Sugimoto is Sanjusangendo. Hundreds of huge buddhist statues in the longest traditional building in japan...
http://sanjusangendo.jp/

I love moss, so the Silver Pavillion at the start of the Philosopher's Path was a super favorite place, I went twice.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3906.html

wow...competition on this board! you guys beat me to it...
Ya the Inari shrine is another of those super famous kyoto places...
http://inari.jp/
Give yourself several hours there...really eerie at twilight.

and again I also enjoyed the Kiyomizu Temple. Looks like the ewok base... awesome.
http://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/

syntoad Wrote:and Osaka has an instant ramen museum which I take everyone who visits me to.

You go there? I must admit my twist on the standard noodles was better, but I wouldn't say it was must see.

Obviously if you go to Osaka you have Osaka-Jo, Nara has the park, Kyoto has Kiyomizudera and Kinkakuji. Depends what you're looking to do. Lots of shopping places in Osaka, I did like hanging around in Namba a lot, but unless you're going for something specific I don't know if its worth visiting by itself.

A good place to eat in Hiroshima:
http://www.okonomimura.jp/

I second Himeji. When my family came out to visit, we spent several days in Kyoto and a a day in Himeji. They liked Himeji better.

Everywhere you go in Kyoto (in regards to temples, gardens, and such) you are pretty much restricted to the roped in pathways with the mass crowds of other people shuffling along the designated path, stopping at each signpost that tells you "this is a good spot to take a photo". And you can see all the wonderful architecture... from 100 yards away, which is as close as the roped-in path lets you get. Okay, a bit exaggerated, but it illustrates the point.

Himeji's main draw is the castle. But once you've paid your admission ticket, you can wander nearly everywhere on the castle grounds, including a long route through the castle walls themselves, and climb the main tower (I haven't checked if that's available right now- I seem to recall it was closed for refurbishment a couple years ago, I don't remember when it is scheduled to re-open, but that info shouldn't be too hard to find). Himeji is also not as crowded. I'd also recommend Engyoji Temple on Mt. Showa, just outside of Himeji. It's a temple complex spread out over the top of the mountain with some great views and scenery. Parts of The Last Samurai were filmed there due to the buildings' "classic Japanese" aesthetic.

Isn't Himeji-jo still under construction?

Also, I disagree about the roped-in-pathways take on Kyoto. That's certainly true at Kinkakuji, and at a few other temples if you go during 桜 season or when the fall leaves look good, but where else really? Kiyomizu-dera can be pretty crowded at times, admittedly, but if you go during a weekday you can avoid a lot of that.

(I think Kinkakuji is the most over-rated temple in Kyoto; Arashiyama's Otagi-nenbutsuji is my favorite in Kyoto so I think it's the most under-rated, but it's hard to get to)

Himeji castle is still under construction. The outside is covered completely with scaffolding, but the inside is still partially open. Can't wait to see it finished though. Osaka Castle is nice to look at from the outside, but the inside is just a big museum. Himeji is actually the real deal.

I guess I am more the kind of tourist that likes to do rather than see. I think unless there is something really special about a temple or shrine, they all pretty much look the same.

Yeah, you should skip Himeji then. The castle is really really awesome, but I'd say it's not worth going when under construction. I went twice before they started the construction (which will take a few years), so I'm lucky.

Also, yeah, Osaka-jo is a museum, not a castle. Nijo Castle in Kyoto is actually better I'd say; even Hikone castle just outside of Kyoto is better than Osaka's.

Thanks for all of the helpful suggestions so far! Anyway, it turns out that we're going to Osaka for sure and, besides Kyoto (where our hotel is), we haven't decided whether we'll visit the other cities. Today, my gf told me she specifically wants to go to Osaka for dining, and お好み焼き in particular. I'm sure there must at least one okonomiyaki fanatic here who can help us out.

Also, I'd love to know any good places for afternoon 玉露茶 (in Kyoto, extra points for good 羊羹) or any romantic/intimate 居酒屋 (in Kyoto or Osaka, extra points for traditional elegance).

Some additional background:
We're mostly interested in visiting traditional places (e.g. structures, gardens, etc.), walking amidst cinematic backgrounds (e.g. 竹林の道・哲学の道), and dining at traditional restaurants (regardless of whether they're upscale or holes-in-the-wall). We're also thinking about shopping for spring 洋服.

dtcamero Wrote:I love moss, so the Silver Pavillion at the start of the Philosopher's Path was a super favorite place, I went twice.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3906.html

if you didn't visit saihouji you'll have to come back again...

I really enjoyed Okochisanso Villa in Arashiyama if you are out that way. Lovely stroll garden, views over Kyoto, and afternoon tea in a teahouse at the end. Also the bamboo grove, despite the throng.

Two things:

First, I really enjoyed Kiyomizudera too, especially all the small, merchant-laden roads that lead up to it. Take the time to walk through all of them. You won't ever forget the place.

Second, I'll recommend a dessert item. This was the best Tarte Tatin I've ever eaten in my life, and I've never said that about any other food item. This is simply to die for.
http://r.tabelog.com/kyoto/A2603/A260302...0/9747556/

If the cost isn't too prohibitive, I'd suggest trying a kaiseki meal while you're in Kyoto. There are some, well, less expensive choices available. I sprang for one kaiseki meal, and liked it a lot.

Everything Tzadeck said is spot on, I don't remember now but think it was his advice I followed when on my trip and everything went smoothly & was super fun.

I was also going to suggest kaiseki if you can manage it. Lunch is often less expensive than dinner. Some of the famous places have little branch restaurants in hotels and stations which might be less expensive, too. I would also recommend trying modern kaiseki. Creative. Elegant. Delicious.

This site lists a few to give you some idea of range: http://www.bento.com/kansai/kc-kyoryori. Some of the onsen/ryokan offer amazing meals as well which can end up costing less than dining out separately.

Unfortunately, I don't remember place names, but I can give you a few ideas to consider if you're looking for meals that probably aren't easy to find in the States:[edit: I didn't realize that you are (living?) in Sendai.]

* Buddhist temple vegetarian - 精進料理 . If you're in Arashiyama, there's Shigetsu at Tenryuji Temple. I've eaten at a few temples in the hills around Kyoto and Nara. It was served on individual trays in serene traditional tatami rooms overlooking gardens. It was never busy when we were there.

* Noisy little shops (often located underneath the tracks in Tokyo) for delicious kushi yaki or oden. Often inexpensive and a lot of fun. I miss these.

* A restaurant specializing in tofu. The meal usually includes sashimi and other things, but the variety of tofu dishes and the presentation are incredible. You wouldn't know it's tofu - in case that scares you. A simple meal of 湯豆腐 would also be nice. (I've yet to find tofu as good in any city I've lived since.)

* Old fashioned izakayas known for sake and traditional snacks (dried squid, etc). If you're interested, I started a thread on sake with a couple of links to sake sites which might list some. Some of them are totally unremarkable shops in ordinary neighborhoods (ie not romantic), but they offer a number of hard-to-find sakes. The owners were often surprised to see us, but welcomed us warmly.

*This might only be available in summer, but we used to go for lunch on small bridges/platforms extending over a small tree lined river (just north of Kyoto?) Sitting on those red mats with the water rushing underneath was a lovely setting. (romantic?) Maybe Tzadeck will know what I'm talking about?

* If your girlfriend likes healthy/vegetarian food, there are some restaurants that aren't as expensive as kaiseki but take pride in offering exquisitely designed and presented meals. The pottery and textiles are handcrafted locally and the food ranges from traditional to innovative. (You will see brown rice, however, so be prepared. lol)

* If you're both into food, it might be fun to visit some local food markets or take an afternoon cooking class. Some of the foodie websites have suggestions.

Oh, lucky you...

Thora Wrote:*This might only be available in summer, but we used to go for lunch on small bridges/platforms extending over a small tree lined river (just north of Kyoto?) Sitting on those red mats with the water rushing underneath was a lovely setting. (romantic?) Maybe Tzadeck will know what I'm talking about?

Hmm, maybe you mean in Kibune/Kurama? How far from Kyoto are we talking?
Everyone goes in the summer, usually, since it's considerably cooler than Kyoto city. I'm not sure if they do it at any other time of year since I've never heard of anybody going at any other time, haha.

(By the way, that area has a really good onsen, so if you do head out there definitely go!)

Anyway, much like the balcony restaurants on the Kamogawa in the summer, they can be expensive for dinner.

I just arrived at Kyoto station this morning after a 12-hr long 夜行バス trip from Sendai! We went to Kiyomizudera first thing in the morning, arriving around 8:30am, and all for the better too. When we left around 10, the huge tour groups were starting to show up.

We ended up exploring the little shops around Kiyomizudera and we stumbled upon a 人力車 tour guide, and took a 1hr tour that ended at ねねの道. The tour was unforgettable, the guide knew EVERYTHING about Kyoto, and we even got two coupons for free わらび餅 at a nearby shop, which was delicious (and there was a beautiful garden too, which seems to be a common addition to restaurants here). The tour was a bit pricey (¥15,000 for both), but it was perfect in every way and undoubtedly the highlight of the day.

From there, we went to Ginkakuji, which had a lovely garden and not much else. Since 哲学の道 is adjacent to Ginkakuji, we decided to check it out. Of course, I nerded out and posed like Rodin's "Thinker" next to the stone engraved with the path's name. Unfortunately, the cherry blossoms have yet to bloom, so the path was quite plain. However, there were lots of interesting sights along the path, especially one part of the path that a bunch of friendly cats hang around. There were people reading, drawing, and painting next to the cats basking in the sun, and of course some playing with them too.

Once we reached the end of the path, we ate at an okonomiyaki restaurant. It was there that I realized how different Kansai is from Tohoku. The owner was a really talkative おばさん who used very strong expressions. However, it was not until later on in an extremely crowded bus that I learned the true strength of the 関西ババ. Both my girlfriend and I were surprised, being used to the quiet and reserved Tohokujin.

Anyhow, I'll continue with the updates, and please continue
with the suggestions. In particular, the best times of day to visit certain locations.

Edit: we're about to go to dinner and we're looking for good 鯖寿司 near Kyoto station. This is probably too short notice, but it's worth a shot.

If you'd consider a guide, I highly recommend this lady:
http://tourguides.viator.com/tour-guide-...-9386.aspx

I'm already back in Sendai now. I already wrote about my first day in Kansai, so here's the rest:

Day 2: 嵐山
We ended up spending the entire day here! After crossing the main bridge, we saw a gelato place selling cherry-blossom-flavored gelato with bits of mochi inside (桜餅ジェラート). It was delicious.

From there, we went searching for Arashiyama's famous bamboo forest, but somehow wandered to a viewing platform at the summit of a trail we discovered via a stone staircase, which we found on the riverbank and then climbed.

After consulting someone who looked like a park ranger, we found out that the bamboo forest was further down the mountain. Anyway, the entrance to path through the forest was paradoxically imposing and tranquil at the same time. Surprisingly, even cars can drive through the path! At any rate, this was definitely the best sight at Arashiyama.

We ended our trip to Arashiyama with dessert at くろまる, a famous sweets store. My gf ordered the matcha parfait and I had a brown sugar taro and caramel parfait. Of course, the desserts were served with fresh matcha, which was the perfect way to end the day.

(Note: we also spent a lot of time simply admiring the scenery and looking arond the various stores)

Day 3: 大阪・神戸
In Osaka, we visited Osaka Castle (大阪城) and Dōtonbori (道頓堀) and, in Kobe, we visited Moto-machi (元町) and the harbor. The ume (梅) orchard at Osaka Castle and the exterior of the castle are definitely beautiful. However, the interior of the castle was less interesting, and most consisted of exhibits regarding the history of the castle. The interior has retained none of the original interior whatsoever. One thing that I thought was cool was that a bunch of Panasonic employees were enjoying the orchard (their office is nearby). It obviously looked like they were on lunch break, and it really shattered my image of the Japanese corporate slave eating lunch at the corporate cafeteria and then immediately returning to work. I also saw an Indian Panasonic employee speaking in Japanese to his Japanese colleague. Somehow that scene deeply inspired me.

When I arrived at the station near Dōtonbori, I immediately felt that the area captures the stereotypical Osaka character. It was a little overwhelming being surrounded by a rushing crowd dressed in flashy colors and speaking in loud Osaka-ben. When we exited the station, despite being just a few meters away from the main walkway, we were surrounded by hostess clubs, image clubs, etc. Osaka is very different from Sendai. Anyhow, we were looking for good okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) and takoyaki (たこ焼き) and noticed a long line, so we impulsively joined the queue. Coincidentally, I was looking in the Japanese yahoo answers (知恵袋) for good places and I noticed almost everyone recommending a place called 美津の (みずの). I looked up, and the sign read「美津の」which was a great stroke of luck. Best okonomiyaki I've had. We next ate takoyaki at 十八番 (じゅうはちばん). It was good, but not out-of-this-world delicious. I left thinking that Osaka is a great place to visit for food or entertainment, but I'd never want to live there.

We reached Kobe about two hours before sunset. I'm still in awe at the beauty of the city. I have no clue why a few people in this thread claim there's not much in Kobe. Besides being beautiful, the shopping, dining, and sights were incredible.

Anyway, we exited at moto-machi station, and starting walking down moto-machi, which I would walk through even if I had no plans to shop (just Google pics of the place!). We bought "Kobe magic jar pudding" (神戸魔法の壺プリン) at Frantz for dessert at our hotel. Best pudding ever.

We then went towards the harbor, which is an unbelievably beautiful area that is ideal for couples. We spent at least half an hour looking at Kobe Port Tower and the other nearby scenery. The sunset was unforgettable. After the sunset, we rode the ferris wheel in a completely see-through carriage (the seats, floor, etc. were all transparent). We had dinner at a restaurant called "Real Dining," and ate basil cheese fondue which was, to my surprise, even better than the fondue I had in Paris. The restaurant had a trendy/romantic atmosphere (low lights, candles, sofa-like seating, soul-influenced house music), but all of nearby restaurants looked delicious and had widely differing atmospheres (from traditional Japanese to Italian to French). For me, it was very difficult to pass up the restaurants offering Kobe beef. After dinner, we went to the port tower. The employees spoke in Kobe-ben, which sounds weird in a cute way. Anyhow, the ceiling of observation deck looks like a planetarium and the view is quite nice. Returning to the station, I couldn't help but walk backwards, staring at the tower. Although it's not especially tall, it's design and illumination is truly unforgettable. We left Kobe wishing we had spent more time there.

Day 4: 奈良
Deer! We took several portraits with the deer (yes, our faces next to faces of the deer). Tōdaiji temple (東大寺) is the biggest temple I've seen in my life, which says a lot since I've probably visited over 100 throughout various countries. Like Arashiyama, Nara has a lot of traditional scenery. The big difference is that Nara is in a much more natural setting. Many of the smaller temples are more or less in the middle of nature, separated from the rest of civilization. It's a great place to just wander around. The local specialty foods, 柿の葉寿司 (かきのはずし) and 釜飯 (かまめし), had fresh and poignant traditional flavors. However, the deer were the highlight.

Day 5 (the final day): 金閣寺・懐石料理
We rushed through kinkaku-ji in about 20 minutes so that we wouldn't be late to our reservation at かじ. It was raining hard, but kinkaku-ji was nevertheless enchanting. Fortunately, we ended up arriving 40 mins early, so we decided to kill time exploring a nearby castle (二条城). We rushed through the place, but the garden and 梅 orchard were notable. The highlight of the day, however, was definitely かじ. It was delicious from start to finish. I could not believe how cheap the meal was too. Although the atmosphere wasn't as elegant as other 懐石 restaurants at which I've eaten (beautiful gardens, servers in kimono, tables carved of cypress, etc.), I was 100% satisfied. Thank you for the recommendation, Tzadeck!

We returned to Kyoto station thereafter, took it easy for an hour or so, and ate ニシン蕎麦 before boarding the bus on the long way back to Sendai.

Thora Wrote:* Buddhist temple vegetarian - 精進料理 . If you're in Arashiyama, there's Shigetsu at Tenryuji Temple. I've eaten at a few temples in the hills around Kyoto and Nara. It was served on individual trays in serene traditional tatami rooms overlooking gardens. It was never busy when we were there.

Shoujin Ryouri is my favourite! I know a few places in Kyoto city such as Shigetsu and Izusen, but what are the other places further out?

edit:

Thora Wrote:Unfortunately, I don't remember place names,

oh, nevermind!

I bookmarked this thread a while back, but I'm finally going to the 関西 area, so I wanted to thank everyone for their suggestions.

If anyone has any other suggestions, tips, MUST-SEEs, etc, I'd love to hear it!

I know it's not very culturally significant but the Osaka aquarium is good. I'd never seen a whale shark or a manta ray before so I was glad to have gone.

Also there's Den Den Town in Osaka if you want to go to Akiba-lite...