Ok let's say I want to add Arima Onsen, which part of my itinerary below can be changed to allow for that?

Day 01: Arrive into Osaka (17th Nov) around 12pm from Okinawa. Purchase a HARUKA/ICOCA package and head off to Kyoto. Hotel for the next 5 nights will be Sotetsu Fresa Shijo-Karasuma. Any suggestions on what to do after checking in for the rest of the day/night? Was thinking of taking a leisurely stroll around Southern Higashiyama.

Day 02: Ginkakuji - Honen-in - Philosopher's Path - Yojiya Cafe - Shinnyodo - Eikando - Nanzenji then free & easy for the rest of the day, maybe some shopping at night?

Day 03: Fushimi Inari - Tofukuji - Sanjusangendo - Kiyomizudera - Sannenzaka/Ninenzaka/Ishibei Koji - Kodaiji then free & easy for the rest of the day

Day 04: Visit the Arashiyama bamboo grove early morning then the plan is to do the route between Otagi Nebutsuji and Tenryuji, stopping at the various temples in between. Not sure which route to take yet, can do either directions. Finish off a long day at Fufu no yu before going back to hotel.

Day 05: Kinkakuji - Ryoanji - Ninnaji - Kitano Tenmangu - Nijo Castle then free & easy for the rest of the day

Day 06: Check out from hotel then visit Nishiki Market before heading off to Osaka around noon. Rest of the day free & easy at Osaka. Hotel for the next 5 nights will be The Bridge Hotel Shinsaibashi

Day 07: Full day at Osaka for shopping, eating and the castle maybe

Day 08: Day trip to Himeji Castle & the garden then stop by Kobe on the way back to Osaka, using Kansai Area Pass for this one I believe

Day 09: Day trip to Nara

Day 10: Day trip to Minoo Park

Day 11: Leave for Tokyo

Day 12: Free & easy in Tokyo

Day 13: Leave for KL

Hey guys, is it cheaper to buy strawberries/grapes in Kuromon Ichiba/Nishiki market or in supermarkets such as Takashimaya/Isetan/Daimaru? Any other places to recommend?

Point 4&5. About the bus service, I believe cluster distances have same rate and this rate increase as you move to another cluster (ie Stop 1,2,3 - 120yen, Stop 4,5,6 - 170yen).

Point 8. Even Japan beginning to have work life balance compared to us. Lol!

Point # 4, does it not take longer with the Kyoto traffic and are the buses packed?
What are some of the tourist traps that you mentioned for Osaka/Kyoto/Nara?
Thanks!

haruka takes u to kyoto, nankai takes u to osaka...2 different place
and from osaka to KIX, u got 2 choices
nankai that takes u straight to airport without stop or u can take the normal train that stop in a few stop....cheaper by 500 yen and it's only 10 mins difference.....not that much people

Tweaked my itinerary a little bit:

Osaka
Day 1 Sat: Land at Osaka Kansai airport at night.
Day 2 Sun (OAP): Dotonburi - Hozenji Yokocho - Shinsaibashi - Osaka Castle - Sakuya Kanohona
Day 3 (OAP): Temponzan ferris wheel - Umeda sky building - Museum of Housing & Living - Tenjinbashisuji - Wonder Cruise -
Day 4: Kuromon Ichiba market - Dotonburi/Shinsaibashi - Mameshiba cafe - Shinsekai (evening/night)
Day 5: USJ

Kyoto
Day 6: Nara Deer Park - Todaiji temple - Naramachi street - Mt Wasakusa hike - brief stroll around Gion & Pontocho Alley - evening/night @ Kawaramachi/Terramachi area
Day 7: Kiyomizudera - Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka steps - Maruyama park - Yasaka shrine - afternoon/evening @ Gion Hanamikojidori/Shirakawa
Day 8 Sat: Hachiman Bori @ Saga - Kyoto Botanical Gardens - Nakaragi path walk - Nishiki market (Not sure about evening/night plans)
Day 9 Sun: Kibune/Kurama half day - Kinkakuji (Not sure about evening/night plans)
Day 10: Arashiyama whole day - Toji temple night illumination
Day 11: Tofukuji - Ginkakuji - Philosopher's Path - Eikando temple (Not sure about evening/night plans)
Day 12: Fushimi Inari - Last minute shopping at Kawaramachi/Terramachi/Gion/Kyoto station
Day 13: Depart for Malaysia

1) Is it worth spending some time at Hachiman Bori @ Saga and at Kurama/Kibune area?

2) I try not to put too many temples/shrines after discussing with SO Any other places/activities to recommend?

after doing my trip
i guess i did it right and i do suggest people do kyoto 1st
else you're gonna drag your luggage all the way to kyoto from osaka thn drag it back down to osaka again which is OMG
and when u drag the luggage there, u have to drag it until check in time
doing kyoto 1st will reduce your headache at least once

Thanks! Was thinking if I should purchase them from Nishiki market or Kuromon Ichiba market instead
Thank you but I don't understand the words. Are there any names?
Thanks! Do locals shop at Nishiki/Kuromon Ichiba market?

don't use kintetsu
use JR, straight from kyoto station to nara, can even stop by inari(fushimi inari) and uji

kintetsu way too much stop from what i search
JR from kyoto is way faster(if u take the correct train)
plus if u pair fushimi inari with nara(the timing is just perfect)...4-5PM you'll be heading back to kyoto...else if u pair with uji, you're left with nothing to do like the rest of the time(because fushimi inari need to start really early and when u reach nara, most shop just opened)
uji can skip if you're in time constraint because nara is huge

is there a place to sleep or rest in kansai airport?

depends what u ate actually
if u eat fancy stuff, thn budget need to go up higher
my meal mostly average 1000 yen except for that wagyu beef BBQ buffet which is 4k yen/pax
surprisingly the meal in kansai region quite ok the pricing, famous ramen shop also got 700-900yen
tokyo famous one usually over 1k yen

the ramen street at osaka station...all famous ramen shop...their most expensive one is like 1.2k yen
but it's a huge bowl of ramen + a bowl of fried rice + a side of gyoza = u will puke after eating that much

transportation, i initially loaded 5k yen onto every IC card...end up i needed to add 1k yen for the last day back to airport

charge also minimum 1000 yen
what about the 100, 10, 5, 1 coins
and can only find those machine in their train station

what about I bring coins worth 50k yen? is it easy to exchange or use coins in Japan? since I can get 10% discount at money changer here