Notes- Carry cash! and coin purse; carry passport for tax break (no photo), complete immigration paperwork and get QR code before landing; carry napkin or washcloth for hands and restaurants (lots of cute ones to buy there too). JR rail pass is OK if you travel a few places; taxis in Kyoto and subways in Tokyo. 711, Lawson or Family Mart for quick foods or drinks or cash machine!
Hotels Information
Kyoto : Westin Miyako Kyoto- modern and quiet. Great service. Excellent Breakfast both American and Japanese. Not really in walking distance to tourist areas, but cheap taxis available quickly.
Hakone: Madokano no Mori (Gora). A MUST for all tourist! Hot Springs. Amazing 6 course dinner is a MUST! worth every penny. One night is fine, but two nights would be heavenly.
Tokyo : Imperial Hotel. A lovely hotel. wonderful staff! Options for Breakfast. The rooms are a bit older and smaller than the more modern hotels, but the location, service, and style of hotel was five star.
Day 1. Kyoto-
Ninja food Tour in Nishiki Market. The Market has become very touristy and many of the original family owned stalls are no longer there. The Ninja food tour allowed us to focus on the local foods and pass the touristy things you see online. Be sure to try the Rice Crackers at market. Yummy and very different than in USA. We bought a lot of spices for ourselves and for gifts at the spice store. you can taste everyone of them to see what you like. After the tour, we shopped in the attached arcade (covered area). Walked to City Bakery 5 minute walk outside the market area and enjoyed a sweet treat. Dinner at Nanoya Soba. rate 8/10. yummy soba noodles. $60 for dinner for 4 people.
Day 2 Kyoto
We hired a tour guide to take us to all of the Shrines and Temples. She took us on buses and subways and we enjoyed moving around like the locals.
Fushimi Inari Shrine with 1000 Orange Tori Gates. Walk up as much far as you are comfortable. It is worth it and the further up you go, the less people. It is a very peaceful walk. My favorite shrine of the trip! As you exit, there are shops to buy souvenirs and food.
Kodai-ji sho Shrine- Walked by Zen garden and the Beautiful Bamboo area. A good option to see a Bamboo "forest" and not have to outside the city to see one. It was lovely and quiet and not crowded at all!
Kiyomizu-dera Temple (Buddist). Hike up stairs to Budda Statue. Wonderful views and temples.
Between seeing the temples we walked thru Old Gion on Sannen-zaka and Ninen Zaka. very touristy, but some wonderful views. and wonderful photo ops. Dinner at Isozumi- 0/10. YUCK! do not recommend.
Day 3 Shinkansen Train to Hiroshima. (2 hour train ride) *We went on Dec 25th and everything was open.
Big Pokemon store located in Hiroshima train station! Special Pokemon cards were in stock as well as good inventory of the rare items the kids wanted. We took the TRAM (240 yen) to the Atomic Bomb Dome. Toured on our own the grounds and memorials. Easily done on your own. Good signage and plaques, but if you have a guide book it will help. Peace museum is very well done! We wanted to try the okonomiyaki savory pancake that is famous in Hirmoshima. We should have stood in line at the popular place at the entrance to Hondori Street like all the locals, but we tried something in a big mall and it was bad. Hondori street is a good place to buy Onitsuka Tiger shoes- stores have more in stock than in bigger cities. Tram back to train station. Return train required a change in Okado to Kyoto. Dinner in Kyoto-Kyoto Gyoza enen Gion Honten. 8/10. yummy dumplings, good food.