Hi guys, I am planning for family trip (7 adults 2 young children) to kansai next year on early march, it will be my 4th visit here, however it will be the 1st for the majority of other members.

we will stay for 8 nights here, few question here

1. Does early March consider low season for visitor? Had visit kansai during sakura season and peak autumn season... everywhere is people!!
Will I expect snowing during 1st week of march?

2. Have a dilemma whether to visit Arima onsen here, and stay in one of the ryokan, whether worth the hassle to travel far there for onsen experience?

3 night in kyoto
1 night in Arima onsen
4 night on osaka (as base to visit Nara / Himeji / USJ)

Vs 4 night in kyoto/4 night in osaka

I personally prefer 4 days kyoto/ 4 days osaka to save my wallet and hassle to moving the luggages, but does arima onsen really worth it? How is it compare to Hakone / Kawaguchiko area?

3. Read that early March is Ume season, any recommended Ume spot in kansai?
4. For Transportation in kyoto, i consider using taxi for transportation if the destination require long walk, does taxi in kyoto allow 3adults and 2 young children？ (3 years and 5 years old)
5. I plan to deliver my luggage from kyoto to osaka with Taqbin, usually when should i deliver my luggages so that it will be delivered to the hotel on the day i stay in osaka? 1 day ahead? 2 days?

thanks in advance

pretty excited to start planning for my 3rd visit to japan, but it will be the 1st for my mothers and other family members (group of 8adults 2 children - 5year / 3 year). We will spend 10day 9 night in kansai , 5 nights stay in hotel nearby Marutamachi Station subway, 4 nights in nearby Shinsaibashi.

Stay in Kyoto
27/3 (Wed)
Reach KIX - Take Haruka airport express to kyoto

Plan to utilise Subway/bus 2 day pass for 4 days in kyoto, the place visit may depend on the sakura blooming condition/weekend/weekday

28/3 (Thurs) - Philosopher's path, Ginkakuji, Maruyama Park
29/3 (Friday)- Kimono wearing -- Possible around Higashiyama area, i read that kiyomizudera is under reno, but i guess it's still must visit place for 1st timer..
Is it possible to squeeze 28/29 itinerary in 1 days?

30/3 (Sat) - Arashiyama / Kinkakuji
31/3 (Sun) - Fushimi Inari and Any other suggestion ? Think of either travel south to UJI or travel north to kurama/kibune (I haven't been both Uji / Kurama-Kibune), which 1 more recommended?

Stay In Osaka
1/4 (Monday) (Start using JR west Wide pass 5 day)
Kyoto -> osaka via JR rapid service (i assume included in the JR pass) - Drop luggage @ hotel, then browsing around osaka (i yet to decide whether to buy Osaka Amazing pass 1 day, not too sure if worth it)

2/4 (Tues)
Universal Studio - To do on tuesday/wednesday (usually which day less people?), we are unlikely to purchase the express pass

3/4 (Wed)
Osaka --> Shinkansen to Himeji --> Kobe --> Osaka, not too sure if able to do Kurashiki or not, is it worth to go that far?

4/4 (Thurs)
Osaka --> Nara -> Osaka

5/4 (Friday) -
Osaka
Take Haruka Express to KIX depart 2200 (included in JR west wide pass)

thanks in advance

This post has been edited by ivzh: Aug 14 2018, 01:09 PM

hi guys, usually how long it take to clear the custom / imigration in KIX?

If the plane on time, I will reached at 2140, doubt I will be ontime for last haruka express to kyoto...

This post has been edited by ivzh: Dec 29 2018, 01:37 AM