Osaka,Kyoto & Nara

For travel trade professionals

ArriveinOsaka

SightseeinginOsaka
(OsakaCastle,Dotombori,eatOkonomiyaki)

OsakaCastle

Dotombori

Okonomiyaki

Builtin1585.In1997thedungeonwasrenovated.The
outsidewallwasrepaintedandtheornamentalpatswere
repairedandregilded.Insidethedungeonisagood
historymuseum.

DotomboriisthebiggestdowntowninOsaka.Advertising Okonomiyakiisapancakemadefromflour,egg,cabbage,
displayssuchasneonofafigureoffamoussweet,huge porkandshrimpsetc.withspecialsauceontop.Itispopular
movingcrabshapedandoctopusshapedboard,moving asitisfreshlycookedinfrontofyouandischeapand
dollsandboardsshapedofanimals,etc.drawattentionof delicious.
people.

Morning:LeaveOsakaforKyoto
SightseeinginKyoto
(KinkakujiTemple,RyoanjiTemple,KiyomizuderaTemple,etc)
KinkakujiTemple

RyoanjiTemple

KiyomizuderaTemple

Builtin1397.Itwasburneddownin1950and
Builtin1450.Itsfamousgardeniscreatedwith15stones Itissaidtobebuiltin798.Mostofthecurrentbuildings
reconstructedin1955.Its3tiertowerfacingapond
andwhitegravels,withoutuseofplants.Itssimplicityis werereconstructedin1633.Itsmainbuildingis
calledKyokochiisopulentanddeluxe,gildedwithgold saidtoexpressthespiritofZen.AWorldHeritagesite. constructedwithoutanailandjuttingoutofacliff.The
viewfromthebuildingissuperb.AWorldHeritagesite.
in2or3layers.AWorldHeritagesite.

SightseeinginKyoto
(Arashiyama,Sagano,etc)

Maiko

Arashiyama

Sagano

Maikogirlspracticevariousartslikedancing,playing
samisen,teaceremony,etc.toentertaincustomers.They
arenormally1520yearsold.Theyhavetraditional
JapanesehairstyleandwearFurisode(akindof
Kimono).

ArashiyamaandSaganoarespotsthathasbeen

fascinatingpeopleforalongtimebythebeautyofnature
cherryblossomsinspring,greensinsummer,redand
yellowtreesinautumnandwinterscenery.

SightseeinginNara
(TodaijiTemple,HoryujiTemple,etc)

TodaijiTemple

GreatBuddha

HoryujiTemple

Narathrivedbetween710794asboththecenterof
politicsandBuddhistculture,andisevenolderthan
Kyoto.
TodaijiTemplewasbuiltin728.Thetemplehasmany
excellentpagods.Daibutsudenisthebiggestwooden
architectureintheworld.AWorldHeritagesite.

TheBuddhainDaibutsudeninTodaijiisthebiggest Kondo,amainbuildingofHoryujitemple,issaidto
goldgildedcoppermadepagodintheworld.The havebeencompletedin607.Itistheoldestwooden
constructionoftheBuddhastartedin745andwas architectureintheworld.Therearemanynational
completedin752.Itwasburnedlateronbyafire treasuresinthetemplesuchasarchitecturalstructures
likeGojyunoto,YumedonoandDaikodoandpagods.
andreconstructedin1690.
InscribedontheWorldHeritagelist.

ExperienceKyoto,SchoolRelation
(Handicraftcenter,Teaceremony,etc)

Nishijin

TeaCeremony

KyotoHandicraft

NishijindistrictofthecenterofKyotostartedto
Theceremonybecamepopularabout400yearsago Youcandeepenyourunderstandingofthecultureby
developabout1200yearsago.Variouskindsof
andisknownworldwideaswhatrepresentsJapanese experiencingforyourselfmakingvarioustraditional
productsareproducedinthisdistrictsuchasObi,
spirit.Tearoom,teabowlandotherinstrumentsare handicraftofKyoto.
Kimono,fabricsforclothesanddecorativetextilesfor important,howeverthemostimportantthingsintea

interiors.Thetextilesproducedherearefamousworld ceremonyisthemannerandsprit.
wideasartistictopqualitytextiles.

Freeday
(shoppinganddining)

KyotoCuisine

CupNoodle

JapaneseFan

Youcanlearnthehistory,transitionandproduction
processofCupNoodle,whichiseatenbymanypeople
aroundtheworldtoday,Youcantasteittoo.

Freeuntiltheflighttime

Kyoto Osaka Nara plan

We visited Japan for the first time in April and, in addition to Tokyo and Mt. Koya, we spent 1 night/day in Osaka and 5 days in Kyoto. Like you, we did not
want to burn out on temples. In Osaka we saw the castle, which I highly recommend for the beauty and historical significance, and Doton-bori street, which
is another side of Osaka we greatly enjoyed, very much not a temple experience. For us one night and full day were enough.
We were in Kyoto 5 days and nights and found there was much more to do than just temples. We attended a wonderful tea ceremony demonstration,
strolled Gion and shopped and saw maiko (or did we? some are fake, but they still look lovely), strolled and ate in Ponctocho alley, visited Nishiki market
and the surrounding arcade, and still took in plenty of temples and shrines. We will go back to Kyoto - we know there is much more to see and the overall
vibe is great. Our only disappointment was the Golden Pavilion - we found the Silver Pavilion and the surrounding neighborhood more beautiful and
enjoyable; the Golden Pavilion was very touristy and, for us, rather out of the way and not very nice to walk around.

Nara was a must-see when in Kyoto, we really enjoyed it as a day trip but would not stay overnight, and from Osaka we took an overnight trip to Mt. Koya a place we will return to and make sure to stay more than one night (we stayed in a temple).

Things to do in Osaka:
ROR Comedy (book on website)/ Pirates of the Dotombori
Dotonbori/ Nanba Grand Kagetsu/ MInimi (Namba)/ Shinsaibashi
National Bunraku Theatre
Floating Garden
Osaka castle park/ Osaka castle
Osaka Museum of Housing and Living
Sumiyoshi-taisha Shrine
Universal Studios Japan (second last day)
Shitennoji Temple
Osaka Museum of History
Kuromon Ichiba
Things to do in Kyoto: