Japan (Kansai Fall Foliage) – Planning the Route

I didn’t go on this trip myself; instead, I planned it for my parents. Impressively, they managed to visit over 90% of the attractions without getting lost 🙂 It proved to be well-planned for elderly family members. It was the last trip before the pandemic broke out.

• Time of the year: November, 2019
• Vacation length: 12 days
• Major means of transportation: Public transportation (Metro/Bus/Train)

Introduction

They don’t speak any Japanese. However, the similarities between Japanese Kanji (漢字) and Mandarin characters may have helped them read signs more easily compared to non-Mandarin speaking parents or grandparents traveling alone in Japan. The trip covered the major cities of Kansai, including Osaka (大阪), Kyoto (京都), Uji (宇治), and Nara (奈良). The photos were all taken by them, so they might be even worse than the ones I took. I’ll try to select the better ones to show you.

Since they are already retired, the length of the trip is not a concern. As a result, this trip to Kansai was significantly longer than the usual organized group tours offered by travel agencies. Additionally, the aim of this trip was to immerse in Japanese culture and enjoy the natural beauty of the autumn foliage. The longer duration of the trip increases the chances of witnessing the autumn leaves. This is particularly important because bookings must be made well in advance during the foliage season, and the exact timing of the leaves turning red varies from year to year.

Routes to consider

The Kansai region is one of the most visited regions in Japan, comprising Kyoto (京都), Hyogo (兵庫), Nara (奈良), Osaka (大阪), Shiga (滋賀), and Wakayama (和歌山). There are two main international airports in the region: Kansai International Airport (KIX) and Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO). If you wish to include Nagoya in your Kansai trip, choosing NGO may be reasonable. Otherwise, KIX is typically more convenient.

Taking trains between the cities is simple, so the order of your visits may seem unimportant. However, within larger cities like Osaka or Kyoto, there are numerous attractions, and arranging your visits in a comprehensive and efficient manner requires more thought. Therefore, this section will be relatively brief.

Final itinerary

Day 1: Taipei (TPE) –(plane)–> Osaka (KIX)
Day 2: Osaka
Day 3: Osaka (day trip to Himeji)
Day 4: Osaka –(train)–> Kyoto
Day 5: Kyoto
Day 6: Kyoto
Day 7: Kyoto
Day 8: Kyoto
Day 9: Kyoto
Day 10: Kyoto –(train)–> Uji –(train)–> Nara
Day 11: Nara
Day 12: Nara –(train)–> Osaka (KIX) –(plane)–> Taipei (TPE)

Closing remarks

In the following posts, I will attempt to break down each city into blocks for efficient visiting.