Speed traveling: Kansai in five days or less!

After a series of "speed traveling" posts, I thought I would attempt to (theoretically) condense our 9-day Kansai trip with toddler in tow, to a much shorter version for the solo traveler (or those traveling without little ones).

Here's how to see the best of Kansai in half the time needed compared with what we did. For the details of each sight, check out the specifics in my "Kid in Kansai" series.

Day 1: Kuromon Market (lunch), Osaka Castle, either Shitennoji or Sumiyoshi Taisha, Dotonbori (dinner). Overnight in Osaka.

Day 2: Himeji and Kobe (or replace with Universal Studios in Osaka). Overnight in Osaka. Check out of Osaka hotel the next morning.

Day 3: Nara half-day (leave luggage at the station locker), then onward to Kyoto (Arashiyama, Tenryuji, Bamboo Grove, Kinkakuji). Overnight in Kyoto.

Day 4: East Kyoto (including Kiyomizudera, Sannenzakai, Ninenzakai, Ishibe Koji, Maruyama Park, Shoren-In, Chion-In, Nanzenji, Path of Philosophy, Ginkakuji). Then Pontocho and Gion in the evening. Overnight in Kyoto.

The lovely Ishibe Koji

Day 5: Fushimi Inari, Uji (if you like green tea), then back to Nijo Castle and some shopping at the Kyoto Station area thereafter. Take a night flight out, or overnight in Kyoto.

It's possible! :)

Kid in Kansai: How to nail Kansai with a toddler in tow (Part 8)

As most of the key sights were done, Days 8 and 9 were extremely relaxed compared to the other days.

Day 8 was spent at Nijo Castle (accessibly by bus). The castle is quite different in architecture from the Osaka and Himeji castles, and the interior of the main castle has been renovated (complete with mannequins) to tell its history.

Nijo castle

Thereafter, we proceeded to the futuristic-looking Kyoto Station, which houses Isetan, Suvaco and other shops. 

The evening was spent at Takashimaya and an evening stroll at the super cool Potoncho district. (I did say it was a relaxing day).

The next day, we decided to do some geisha-spotting, though it's known to be tough.

We started off at Potoncho as we knew there was the Kamogawa Odori (geisha dance at the Pontocho theater) going on. The little one had already said he did not want to watch the dance after we showed him a poster (perhaps it is the white-painted faces?) so we could only try to wait outside for a glimpse. We were there one hour before the performance and could only see people queueing to get in, so we left.

As we walked down the street, suddenly, we saw one maiko (trainee geisha, obvious due to the colour and style of her kimono) came walking past us quickly... probably rushing to get ready for the performance!

Five minutes later, a second maiko went past us, probably also rushing to get to the theater. So we saw not one, but two maikos. Not bad. (By the way, we did not had much hopes of seeing a full-fledged geisha as they do not usually do these dances).

We went to the lovely Gion to walk around a little, and queued forever at the fabled Tokuya - a traditional dessert shop serving warabi mochi. While we were queueing up, we saw a third maiko - not sure where she was going - so we pretty much had a good day at the maiko-spotting exercise.

Gion

Tokuya serves seriously good warabi mochi, but the wait is also seriously scary. Even before it opened at 12pm, there was already a long queue snaking around. 

In the afternoon, we went for a stroll near the Kamogawa river, which was really nice with buskers singing, birds flapping and the waters rushing over huge stones.

So that wraps up our nine-day Kansai trip!

I also wanted to share a few important phrases for non-Japanese speakers. Do note that my Japanese level is conversational at best, so there could be some errors below... but I used these on this trip and the Japanese had no problem understanding me.

• Kodomo no isu ga arimasu ka? (Is there a children's chair available?)
• Eigo menu ga arimasu ka? (Is there an English menu?)
• Ichinichi kado o ichimai kudasai (One one-day card / pass please. For two, substitute "ichimai" with "nimai". Kids under three go free.)
• Omizu o-ne-gaishimasu (Water please. Warm = Atatakai. Cold = Tsumetai)
• O-kanjo o-ne-gaishimasu (Bill, please. But this usually only happens at sushi bars, as most other restaurants will already place the bill at your table and you can pick it up and proceed to the cashier to pay)
• XXX wa dochira desuka? (Where is XXX place?)
• XXX ni wa dou yatte ikeba ii desuka? (How do I get to XXX? Or a more accurate translation is, what do I do if I want to go to XXX?)

Hope you find this series of Kansai posts useful!

The complete itinerary:
Day 1: Osaka (Kuromon Market, Osaka Castle, Dotonbori)
Day 2: Osaka (Shitennoji, Sumiyoshi Taisha)
Day 3: Kobe, Himeji (Himeji Castle, Mount Rokko, Harbourland)
Day 4: Nara (Todaiji, Kohfukuji, Nara Park)
Day 5: Kyoto (Arashiyama, Tenryuji, Bamboo Grove, Kinkakuji)
Day 6: Kyoto (Kiyomizudera, Sannenzakai, Ninenzakai, Ishibe Koji, Maruyama Park, Shoren-in, Chion-in, Nanzenji, Path of Philosophy, Ginkakuji)
Day 7: Inari, Uji (Fushimi Inari Taisha, Byodoin Temple, Kaiseki)
Day 8 & 9: Kyoto (Nijo Castle, Kyoto Station, Pontocho, Gion)

Kid in Kansai: How to nail Kansai with a toddler in tow (Part 7)

After Day 6, everything else was a breeze. Day 7 was devoted to the Southern area - Fushimi Inari Taisha (shrine) and onward to Uji, the green tea capital of Japan.

Fushimi Inari Taisha is accessible via train, and just a few minutes walk away from the station. This was one of the most beautiful and memorable sights of Kyoto and definitely not to be missed, even if time is short.

Comprising hundreds of orange-red shrine posts, painstakingly mounted one after the other, it's hard to take a bad picture of this beauty. The trick of course, is having to wait for a moment where there is no one standing in the picture. A scene in Memoirs of a Geisha was filmed here too.

Fushimi Inari

Kid alert: Surprisingly, this place is not difficult with a child. Yes, it is a mountain (maybe more of a hill), and there are steps. But these are very gradual and almost hard to notice as you're busy admiring or photographing the site. You also don't need to climb all the way up unless you feel like it (since it's one orange pole after the other).

The city of Uji is a 20-minute train ride away from Inari on the JR line. The main heritage site there is Byodoin Temple, but for us, the green tea cafes were the main draw while the temple was more of a by-the-way.

Byodoin

Once in the temple compound, there is a nice flower garden and landscaped pond which makes the site worth visiting. On the road to Byodoin, you will see tons of green tea shops lining both sides of the road, with the smell of roasted tea in the air. The most famous ones are Nakamura Tokichi (there are two - both with shops and cafes - on that road) and Itoh Kyuemon (the Byodoin branch only has a shop, while the main one near the Keihan station has a shop and cafe). Be prepared to wait for long if you want to eat at the cafe!

Kid alert: Byodoin Temple is about a 15 to 20-minute walk from the JR station. It's even further if you approach from the Keihan station.

After Byodoin, we made our way to the Itoh Kyuemon main outlet (shop + cafe), which is a 15-minute walk, over the bridge near to the Keihan station.

Kid alert: Do not expect much options for mains here - there were only three when we went (hot chasoba, another hot version with some fish, and cold chasoba). The desserts are its main highlight, especially the green tea parfait. Be prepared to wait for long, once again, but you can while away the time by shopping for green tea products (Itoh Kyuemon special edition Kit Kat, daifuku / mochi, cheesecake, Swiss roll, langue de chat biscuits, puddings, and lots more). It's VAT-free for tourists. Itoh Kyuemon was in Singapore briefly for the Rakuten Japan Gourmet Festival.

By the way, there is also an Itoh Kyuemon shop (no cafe) opposite the Kyoto Station. Nakamura Tokichi (shop and cafe) is also in the Kyoto Station Suvaco shopping mall. The queues for Nakamura Tokichi cafe are not any shorter than those at Byodoin.

Itoh Kyuemon

After that, we made our way back to Kyoto to rest as we were going to have kaiseki for dinner!

We chose Kiyamachi Sakuragawa for our first taste of kaiseki in Kyoto as it was just a 3 or 5-minute walk from the hotel. We had asked the hotel concierge to make a reservation for us the day before, and also as part of a kid alert, this is what we would recommend on "how to ace a kaiseki with a toddler in tow":

1. Have the hotel call up to reserve unless you speak fluent Japanese

2. The restaurant will usually ask you to set a budget in advance. In Sakuragawa's case, they had a 10,000 yen and 15,000 yen menu to choose from

3. Ask if the restaurant can accept kids. Sakuragawa said yes, but they do not have a children's menu. They said that the child can share from the parents' meal, meaning we only had to pay for 2 adults set meal. Great!

4. There are unlikely to be high chairs. Sakuragawa has about 10 counter seats (which are high chairs, you could say) and one private room with four chairs. They kindly said they could provide cushions to elevate the child, though in the end, ours was tall enough so it was ok.

5. If your child is picky with food, go somewhere else to fill his tummy first before going to have the adults' kaiseki. Kaiseki takes about 2 hours (about 9 courses), so the kid has to eat before, or eat at the kaiseki. Thankfully, ours is not fussy with food and he liked the green tea tofu, tempura, shrimp rice, fried fish, salmon and soup.

We had a really good time at Sakuragawa. The food was very creative and delicious, and the manager and chef could speak some English to explain what the dishes were. 

Kaiseki at Kiyamachi Sakuragawa

When the hotel concierge called up for a reservation, they said they only had counter seats left, which we thought was okay. But when we got there, the nice lady manager showed us to a private room for four, which was even better considering that it was a two-hour affair and the counter seats were full with Japanese businessmen anyway.

All in all, we enjoyed our first Kyoto kaiseki very much, thanks to Sakuragawa. It's also located on a very atmospheric street, which made for a lovely pre- and post-dinner walk. Highly recommended!


The complete itinerary:
Day 1: Osaka (Kuromon Market, Osaka Castle, Dotonbori)
Day 2: Osaka (Shitennoji, Sumiyoshi Taisha)
Day 3: Kobe, Himeji (Himeji Castle, Mount Rokko, Harbourland)
Day 4: Nara (Todaiji, Kohfukuji, Nara Park)
Day 5: Kyoto (Arashiyama, Tenryuji, Bamboo Grove, Kinkakuji)
Day 6: Kyoto (Kiyomizudera, Sannenzakai, Ninenzakai, Ishibe Koji, Maruyama Park, Shoren-in, Chion-in, Nanzenji, Path of Philosophy, Ginkakuji)
Day 7: Inari, Uji (Fushimi Inari Taisha, Byodoin Temple, Kaiseki)
Day 8 & 9: Kyoto (Nijo Castle, Kyoto Station, Pontocho, Gion)

Kid in Kansai: How to nail Kansai with a toddler in tow (Part 6)

Day 6 was dedicated to the Eastern Higashiyama area. Let's start off with a kid alert right away.

Kid alert: The itinerary covers a walking tour of about four to five hours (including a stop for lunch). It covers a number of key sights and while you can "break" it up into two days, it makes more sense to cover it as one long stretch. This was probably the most tiring day of our itinerary (along with Himeji). Walking, climbing and carrying will no doubt provide a fantastic cardio-strength workout, with a positive side effect of being able to eat a lot without growing fat.

We started off with the Kiyomizudera (via bus, as usual), which has to be approached via an uphill climb from the bus stop. If needed, stop for a soft serve ice-cream (hojicha, macha, sakura... choose your flavours!)

After Kiyomizudera, we proceeded downwards to Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, picturesque flights of steps with quaint shops on both sides. Don't miss Ishibe Koji, probably one of our favourite places in Kyoto - a picture-perfect lane lined with traditional houses. This whole process should take about 30 minutes if you're fast, or more likely an hour, if you want to take lots of photos.

The atmospheric Ishibe Koji

We then made our way to Maruyama Koen (park), a little Japanese-style park which is popular for sakura-viewing, for a brief rest. The little one will be glad to be out of the carrier (if he was in it) for a little stretching of his legs.

After the park, we made our way for a quick photo stop of Chion-In and Shoren-In temples, which were on the way to Nanzenji, which is a 20 or 30 minute walk away (slopes included).

Nanzenji

At this point, mama and papa should have been thoroughly worn out by now, and perhaps the little one is asleep in his carrier. (By the way, our recommendation is to use a carrier instead of a pram - there are just too many flights of stairs and pebbled pavements at the Kyoto sights). Walk along the Path of Philosophy towards Ginkakuji, the last of today's destinations. The path is not short - about 30 minutes in total - so try to stop for lunch along the path. 

We chanced upon a signboard that said it served udon. It was a lovely find - a little "hidden" shop serving wonderful hot and cold soba. Only later did we realise that it was a place that we had shortlisted as "to go". The shop's name is O-men - they had an outlet near Sanjo station as well, but this one seemed more atmospheric. They have the traditional tatami seats, which was very good for our well-worn legs. Altogether, a fantastic respite from the walk!

The highly-recommended O-men. Pictured here is their seasonal set.

After being suitably recharged, we made our way to the final destination of the day - Ginkakuji. Do not expect a silver version of Kinkakuji - this was is wood all the way, but the design is a replica of the gold version. Take a short hike up the hill for a great view of the temple.

Where's the silver in Ginkakuji?

After this, we made our way back to the hotel for some serious resting. In the evening, you can walk around Teramachi Dori street and if you're early enough, check out the Nishiki market.

Western-style desserts can also be found at the Lipton Cafe on Sanjo Dori.

Kids will enjoy the strawberry shortcake (top) while the adults will like the matcha sponge cake with kuromame black beans.

The complete itinerary:
Day 1: Osaka (Kuromon Market, Osaka Castle, Dotonbori)
Day 2: Osaka (Shitennoji, Sumiyoshi Taisha)
Day 3: Kobe, Himeji (Himeji Castle, Mount Rokko, Harbourland)
Day 4: Nara (Todaiji, Kohfukuji, Nara Park)
Day 5: Kyoto (Arashiyama, Tenryuji, Bamboo Grove, Kinkakuji)
Day 6: Kyoto (Kiyomizudera, Sannenzakai, Ninenzakai, Ishibe Koji, Maruyama Park, Shoren-in, Chion-in, Nanzenji, Path of Philosophy, Ginkakuji)
Day 7: Inari, Uji (Fushimi Inari Taisha, Byodoin Temple, Kaiseki)
Day 8 & 9: Kyoto (Nijo Castle, Kyoto Station, Pontocho, Gion)

Kid in Kansai: How to nail Kansai with a toddler in tow (Part 5)

Onward to Kyoto!

Depending on where your hotel is, you can take a train to Kyoto Station, or Sanjo which is the City Centre. Our hotel, Kyoto Royal Hotel & Spa, was a five to ten minute walk from Sanjo station.

In Kyoto, nearly all the sights are accessible by buses, rather than subways, which makes the One-Day Bus Pass invaluable at 500 yen (unlimited rides for a day), since each bus ride, regardless of distance, is already 230 yen.

The hotel concierge had a very handy map detailing all the major sights and the buses which serve them, plus where the six bus stops around our hotel were.

Kyoto's sights can be roughly divided into Western (Arashiyama), Northern, Eastern (Higashiyama), Southern and Central.

We decided to tackle the Western Arashiyama area and Northern in one afternoon.

After a 20-minute bus ride, we reached the Arashiyama area where Tenryuji and the Giant bamboo groves were housed.

Upon embarking at Arashiyama, you will see a very picturesque sight of a river and bridge, with the mountains as a backdrop.

You can buy a ticket to enter Tenryuji, and the north exit leads directly into the giant bamboo grove - a tranquil and beautiful forest of bamboo three or four times the height of an adult.

Arashiyama: Tenryuji and the giant bamboo grove

Kid alert: This place is generally nice for kids, especially the giant bamboo grove. A lot of walking is needed though, so be prepared to carry the little one quite a bit here.

Kinkakuji (not to be confused with Ginkakuji) is a lovely gold-covered temple sitting atop of a lake amidst a landscaped garden. We reached there after taking two buses from Tenryuji (very tiring!), but the view was worth it. 

Kinkakuji, resplendent in all its golden glory

Kid alert: Nothing much for the kid to do here but ours was entertained by a series of selfies with the temple as the backdrop. The ubiquitous pebbles were once again here thankfully.

Not to forget.. the meals! A very good katsu-don place can be found at Sanjo Dori, a pedestrian-only covered shopping street. It's sort of next to the Lipton Cafe - sort of, because you can see a poster with katsu on it, and next to it is a narrow alley that leads to the restaurant itself. The sets come with free flow shredded cabbage, barley rice and miso soup. Kiddy sets are also available and come with a cute kiddy gift. Perfect for young and old!

Fantastic katsudon at very reasonable prices

The complete itinerary:
Day 1: Osaka (Kuromon Market, Osaka Castle, Dotonbori)
Day 2: Osaka (Shitennoji, Sumiyoshi Taisha)
Day 3: Kobe, Himeji (Himeji Castle, Mount Rokko, Harbourland)
Day 4: Nara (Todaiji, Kohfukuji, Nara Park)
Day 5: Kyoto (Arashiyama, Tenryuji, Bamboo Grove, Kinkakuji)
Day 6: Kyoto (Kiyomizudera, Sannenzakai, Ninenzakai, Ishibe Koji, Maruyama Park, Shoren-in, Chion-in, Nanzenji, Path of Philosophy, Ginkakuji)
Day 7: Inari, Uji (Fushimi Inari Taisha, Byodoin Temple, Kaiseki)
Day 8 & 9: Kyoto (Nijo Castle, Kyoto Station, Pontocho, Gion)

Kid in Kansai: How to nail Kansai with a toddler in tow (Part 4)

Nara was seriously a breeze after yesterday's grueling walk, climb and carry workout. For a start, the commute was far easier with a direct train from Kintetsu Namba to Kintetsu Nara. The JR Nara station is further away from the main sights so do be aware.

Upon exiting the station, you will encounter the pedestrian-only covered Higashimuki Shopping Street, where you can pick up a snack for the little one or yourself before embarking to the main sights of Nara. Try the persimmon leaf-wrapped sushi - an acquired taste - for a snack that is unique to this ancient capital.

Nara is very walkable and most people make a beeline for the UNESCO heritage sites of Kohfukuji and Todaiji. Nara Koen (Nara Park) is in between the two and wild deer roam freely anywhere between the two temples. Little ones will enjoy patting the deer or just observing them if they don't dare to touch the deer. 

Deer biscuit vendors sell the senpei (biscuit) for deers at 150 yen per pack, and its interesting that the deer, hungry as they seem to be all the time, do not harrass any of these vendors. Rather, when some kind / curious visitor purchases a pack, the deers promptly charge over to him.

Oh deer... what happened to gentle Bambi?

Kid alert: The deer are large and may seem intimidating for young ones if he / she is standing (rather than being carried) and holding the deers' coveted senpei. The deer are easily taller than a three-year-old and can be aggressive in wanting to get a bite. It is advisable to carry the toddler above the deer, unless the little one is brave. These are not Bambi!

When the little one has enough of deer-feeding, proceed back towards the station but stop for some lunch at the same shopping street before heading back. Try Udon-tei, which serves udon (hot and cold) with tempura and other things. It can be quite packed though, but that goes to show its popularity.

The complete itinerary:
Day 1: Osaka (Kuromon Market, Osaka Castle, Dotonbori)
Day 2: Osaka (Shitennoji, Sumiyoshi Taisha)
Day 3: Kobe, Himeji (Himeji Castle, Mount Rokko, Harbourland)
Day 4: Nara (Todaiji, Kohfukuji, Nara Park)
Day 5: Kyoto (Arashiyama, Tenryuji, Bamboo Grove, Kinkakuji)
Day 6: Kyoto (Kiyomizudera, Sannenzakai, Ninenzakai, Ishibe Koji, Maruyama Park, Shoren-in, Chion-in, Nanzenji, Path of Philosophy, Ginkakuji)
Day 7: Inari, Uji (Fushimi Inari Taisha, Byodoin Temple, Kaiseki)
Day 8 & 9: Kyoto (Nijo Castle, Kyoto Station, Pontocho, Gion)

Kid in Kansai: How to nail Kansai with a toddler in tow (Part 3)

This has to be one of the two most tiring days in our itinerary. Kobe is west of Osaka, and Himeji is west of Kobe and trains run via Kobe from Osaka. We didn't want to make two trips out to the west, so we decided to be brave and combine them into one day.

It didn't sound too daunting on paper, but in reality, we did enough walking and carrying (of our kid) to have enough exercise for a week (ok, I don't exercise much in the first place anyway).

From JR Namba, you need to make it to Osaka station by changing trains at Imamiya. Thereafter take the train to Himeji (but remember to wait for the Limited Express so that it's faster). Or you can take to Shin Osaka station and take the Shinkansen, which is more expensive.

Either way, upon embarking at Himeji (Junior should have complained about taking too many trains by now), Himeji castle can be seen in the distance. That's the good news. The bad news is, the walk, while one straight road down, will take a good 20 minutes. 

Himeji castle is gorgeous. Period. Sparkling white under the sun after recent renovations, its beauty dwarfs its peer in Osaka. The inside has been restored and open for visitors.

Himeji castle, also known as the White Egret castle

Kid alert: The stairs going up or down inside the castle are remarkably steep, narrow and small. Junior MUST be carried using a carrier, unless Junior is prepared to climb up and down six storeys. You cannot possibly carry him / her in your arms as you'll need them both to hold on to the railings while climbing up or down the stairs (or risk rolling down). Make sure that when being carried in the carrier, Junior's head is not anywhere higher than yours (like those carrier chairs) as the ceilings are fairly low. Prams need to be left outside.

After finishing Himeji, we stopped for a quick lunch at some place (nothing worth mentioning), and proceeded by train to Kobe.

Our first stop at Kobe was Mount Rokko. Stop at Sannomiya station and take bus 16 to Mount Rokko. There is a tram, much like Victoria's Peak in Hong Kong, but much better as the distance and duration is longer, that Junior will surely enjoy.

On the top of Mount Rokko, there is an observation deck, with telescopes and all that will be suitable for Junior's enjoyment.

Mount Rokko observatory

Kid alert: None, this place should be well-liked by the young ones.

Thereafter, we headed down the same way to Sannomiya, where we enjoyed some Kobe beef at Steakland.

Kid alert: The beef and vegetables are cooked on a hot plate before you, so be very careful not to let the young ones touch it. You might want to have this as an early dinner for the adults, then proceed elsewhere to have a more kid-friendly option for your child.

How can you say no to Kobe beef?

After Steakland, we proceeded to Harbourland for the kid's dinner, which has a lot of child-friendly restaurants, along with a ferris wheel and the Anpanman Kids Museum and Mall. Harbourland is especially pretty at night with the lit-up ferris wheel, along with atmospheric European style restaurants by the waterfront.

Harbourland

Kid alert: None for this either, as it's built to be very family-friendly.

We were seriously tired after this, but Himeji castle is well worth a visit just for its sheer beauty. But it really depends on Papa and Mama's physique and determination! (Tip: Start training now).

The complete itinerary:
Day 1: Osaka (Kuromon Market, Osaka Castle, Dotonbori)
Day 2: Osaka (Shitennoji, Sumiyoshi Taisha)
Day 3: Kobe, Himeji (Himeji Castle, Mount Rokko, Harbourland)
Day 4: Nara (Todaiji, Kohfukuji, Nara Park)
Day 5: Kyoto (Arashiyama, Tenryuji, Bamboo Grove, Kinkakuji)
Day 6: Kyoto (Kiyomizudera, Sannenzakai, Ninenzakai, Ishibe Koji, Maruyama Park, Shoren-in, Chion-in, Nanzenji, Path of Philosophy, Ginkakuji)
Day 7: Inari, Uji (Fushimi Inari Taisha, Byodoin Temple, Kaiseki)
Day 8 & 9: Kyoto (Nijo Castle, Kyoto Station, Pontocho, Gion)

Kid in Kansai: How to nail Kansai with a toddler in tow (Part 2)

The second morning, we set off for Shitennoji, a famous temple in Osaka. Wary of walking too much after yesterday's long distance between the subway station and Osaka castle, we decided to chose the station that was the absolute nearest even if it required some changing of lines.

Shitennoji temple

If you will be spending a few days in Kyoto, you will find that the temples, shrines and castles in Osaka pale in comparison to those in Kyoto. Not to put a damper on the spirits, but just for your consideration, that you might want to spend your time in Osaka doing other things (ie. eating... and eating... and eating... and maybe some shopping).

Kid alert: How do you keep your young one entertained while visiting heritage sites? Honestly, there is nothing much to attract the kid here. But for some reason, our little one enjoyed walking through the pebbles / gravel which abound in all the sites in Osaka and Kyoto. (He pretended it was the "muddy puddles" which is so often featured in one of his favourite cartoons, Peppa Pig).

The site in Osaka most worth going, in our opinion, is Sumiyoshi Taisha, which is way more beautiful than Shitennoji, though it is quite a distance out of the city centre. When taking a train out, it feels almost as though you are going into the suburbs but it is a lovely tranquil oasis which is a complete contrast to the buzz of Osaka city.

Kid alert: Junior will like it here. A pretty red bridge is there for him / her to climb, overlooking a pond with turtles, fish and ducks.

Sumiyoshi Taisha - way out, but worth the effort!

After that, it was back to the hotel for a rest, before heading out for dinner.

We didn't pack too much today as we knew it would be super tiring the next day when we went to Himeji and Kobe.

And if you're wondering why we didn't go to Universal Studios, we felt that our little one, who at the ripe old age of three, could only enjoy two or three rides, given his tendency to shy away from all things dark, big and loud. Mommy and Daddy were similarly not into heights and roller-coasters, hence could not maximise the tickets either to justify going there.

Stay tuned for more!

The complete itinerary:
Day 1: Osaka (Kuromon Market, Osaka Castle, Dotonbori)
Day 2: Osaka (Shitennoji, Sumiyoshi Taisha)
Day 3: Kobe, Himeji (Himeji Castle, Mount Rokko, Harbourland)
Day 4: Nara (Todaiji, Kohfukuji, Nara Park)
Day 5: Kyoto (Arashiyama, Tenryuji, Bamboo Grove, Kinkakuji)
Day 6: Kyoto (Kiyomizudera, Sannenzakai, Ninenzakai, Ishibe Koji, Maruyama Park, Shoren-in, Chion-in, Nanzenji, Path of Philosophy, Ginkakuji)
Day 7: Inari, Uji (Fushimi Inari Taisha, Byodoin Temple, Kaiseki)
Day 8 & 9: Kyoto (Nijo Castle, Kyoto Station, Pontocho, Gion)

Kid in Kansai: How to nail Kansai with a toddler in tow (Part 1)

It's not difficult to imagine why Japan is a popular vacation spot for families with young ones in tow. Cute cartoon characters courtesy of Mickey and friends, good hygiene levels, safety and familiar food makes it a fool-proof destination for young families looking for a great vacation.

While Tokyo and Hokkaido tend to be natural choices, the Kansai region - which includes places like Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and Nara, however, tends to be a tad challenging for those with younger children below three. On one hand, the kids are too young to truly enjoy and max out the price of a Universal Studios ticket, or appreciate the beauty of heritage and architecture. On the other hand, the Kansai area is a great place for adults who enjoy the robust, flavourful cuisine of Osaka, or the elegant, exquisite flavours of Kyoto, while taking in some truly gorgeous heritage sights that cannot be found in Tokyo or Hokkaido.

Adding on to that challenge is the mode of transport for travelers would fall mainly on subways and trains (as well as buses for Kyoto), as driving in Kansai doesn't really make much sense as most sights are served by public transport (albeit multiple changes on lines sometimes).

Here is a nine-day itinerary which we went on along with a three-year-old covering Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Himeji, Nara and Uji, and how to make it fun for you just as for your kid. Plus, some tips that will make it less tiring (and therefore more enjoyable) for the parents.

The first thing to consider is where to stay. We decided to spend four nights at an Osaka hotel and another four nights at Kyoto. Kobe, Himeji and Nara are all possible as day trips from Osaka (and Kyoto as well, though longer). Uji is very near to Kyoto and best as a day trip (or half day trip from the ancient capital).

Our hotels of choice were both in the city centre: Monterey Grasmere in Osaka (next to JR Namba station) and Kyoto Royal Hotel & Spa (near to Sanjo station).

Day 1: Osaka
There are multiple ways to get from Osaka's Kansai International Airport to the city centre. The Osaka City Air Terminal (OCAT) just outside the airport provides a comfortable 50-minute ride to the Namba station, and is a great way for the little one to take in some sights of Osaka while parents catch a snooze as they probably didn't get to sleep much on the plane. Other ways include a rapid subway or the airport express, which all stop conveniently at Namba, near the hotel.

Lunch: We visited the Kuromon Market, eager to try some fresh otoro (tuna belly) sushi and Kobe beef. Do note that the market is not huge, though sufficient, and sells mainly fish, seafood, beef, fruits as well as some local snacks like okonomiyaki (pancake) and katsu (deep-fried skewers). The otoro sushi is very fresh, generous and decently priced and there are a few shops selling Kobe beef, which you can choose in terms of cut and weight, and they will grill it on the spot for your consumption. Kuromon Market is about 10 to 15 minutes walk from the Monterey Grasmere.

Kuromon market: Pick you cut and weight of Kobe beef, and the shop owner will grill it for you on the spot.

Otoro (tuna belly) sushi: Luxurious but oh, so oily!

Kid alert: Most shops selling food do not have any tables or chairs for eating in, so be prepared to eat on the go, or to buy back to your hotel. Some stalls do have a random table where people crowd around to eat, and even fewer have a seating area upstairs. So if the little one is meant to have lunch here, be prepared to squat somewhere while holding the plate of food for him or her. 

Osaka Castle (Osaka-jyo): The icon of Osaka, this is a popular spot for visitors to Osaka. The interior of the castle now houses a museum showcasing different artefacts and videos about the history of the castle. But honestly, if you intend to go to Himeji, the castle there surpasses this by far.

Osaka Castle

Kid alert: There are two stations that are "near" to the Osaka castle - Tanimachi 4-chome or Osakajyo Koen. But to be honest, neither are "near". They are a good 20-minute walk away, assuming that you either have to walk slowly to accommodate a child's pace, or carry him / her at some point in time. The good thing is, between Osakajyo Koen and the castle, you will come across a fountain area with a few shops - one of which sells very good, rich soft-serve ice-cream at just 300 yen. The inside of the castle can also be a little bit dark at certain exhibit areas, so do take note if your little one is prone to be afraid of the dark.

Junior would probably have fallen asleep after this (not that it's boring... it's just the time of the day) so it's probably a good idea to head back to the hotel and check in if you weren't able to do so earlier (Japanese hotels are quite strict about check-in times, usually at 3pm).

Dinner: Namba Walk, Namba and Dotonbori are all walkable from the hotel and the sheer extent of food options available mean the only limit is stomach space and budget.

Here are the ones we tried over the course of our four nights in Osaka which we liked:

• Okonomiyaki: Mizuno (by far our favourite for its soft, melt in the mouth texture) and Creo-Ru (also famous for their takoyaki)
• Takoyaki: The afore-mentioned Creo-Ru, Dotonbori Konamon Museum
• Ramen: Hanamaruken (seriously, the best ramen we had so far, with its flavourful broth and slow-roasted pork belly), Ichiran Ramen
• Desserts: Head over to the nearby Takashimaya food hall and be spoilt for choice. We liked Henry Charpentier and the little one loved its strawberry shortcake especially

Takoyaki at Dotonbori Konamon Museum

Can't go hungry in Osaka!

After that (or before), take a stroll around and spot the giant 3-D octopuses, crabs, sushi and gyoza billboards, and the famous Glico Man behind. Junior will surely love it.

Glico Man, the other symbol of Osaka besides Osaka Castle

Kid alert: Most eateries in Namba and Dotonbori have kiddy chairs and they are quick to ask you if you need one. Otherwise, I asked in my basic Japanese, "Kodomo no isu ga arimasuka?" (Is there a kid's chair?).

Stay tuned for more!

The complete itinerary:
Day 1: Osaka (Kuromon Market, Osaka Castle, Dotonbori)
Day 2: Osaka (Shitennoji, Sumiyoshi Taisha)
Day 3: Kobe, Himeji (Himeji Castle, Mount Rokko, Harbourland)
Day 4: Nara (Todaiji, Kohfukuji, Nara Park)
Day 5: Kyoto (Arashiyama, Tenryuji, Bamboo Grove, Kinkakuji)
Day 6: Kyoto (Kiyomizudera, Sannenzakai, Ninenzakai, Ishibe Koji, Maruyama Park, Shoren-in, Chion-in, Nanzenji, Path of Philosophy, Ginkakuji)
Day 7: Inari, Uji (Fushimi Inari Taisha, Byodoin Temple, Kaiseki)
Day 8 & 9: Kyoto (Nijo Castle, Kyoto Station, Pontocho, Gion)