To Nara, then the Aoniyoshi booked

Osaka

7:15 AM
Breakfast: Komeda Coffee Tanimachi 4-chome, 4 minutes away, opens at 7. (Jackson is closed Sundays.)
8:30 AM
Out the door with backpacks. Leave the 4 suitcases just inside the door; LuggAgent collects them by door code between 9:00 and 9:30 AM, before the 10:00 AM checkout. Tanimachi Line at 8:43 AM, one stop to Tanimachi 9-chome, then a 7-minute walk to Kintetsu Osaka-Uehommachi.
8:58 AM
Rapid express to Kintetsu-Nara, no reservation, tap Suica. Arrives 9:30 AM. Latest: the 9:08 AM, arriving 9:40 AM.
9:53 AM
BOOKED: Aoniyoshi, Kintetsu-Nara to Kyoto, Train 209, Car 3, seats 3A and 3B (twin). Reservation A02246. The train comes in from Osaka at 9:44 AM. Snacks and drinks sold on board. Into Kyoto at 10:29 AM.

Aoniyoshi · reservation A02246 · Car 3, 3A and 3B¥1,460 paid; regular fares by Suica

Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu, K36 at sunset

Kyoto

About Kyoto: where home is, how far things are

Home is an old townhouse by Tofukuji Station. Fushimi Inari is 1 stop, Kyoto Station 1 stop, Gion 3 stops. Bag drop from 11:30 AM, check-out 11:00 AM, no bag storage. The leaves will be mostly green: the 2026 forecast puts Kyoto's peak red around Dec 11.

10:29 AM
Arrive Kyoto. JR 1 stop to Tofukuji, walk 6 minutes. Uber to Tofukuji Station
11:30 AM
Drop the backpacks (the door code starts working at 11:30 AM). The suitcases arrive by LuggAgent later in the day, by 9 PM.
12:00 PM
JR 1 stop to Inari. Lunch: kitsune udon or inari sushi on the shrine street, $6 to $10.
12:45 PM
Fushimi Inari Taisha, the thousands of orange gates. Free. Walk up to the Yotsutsuji viewpoint, about 45 minutes up.
2:45 PM
Keihan train to Gion-Shijo, then walk up to Kiyomizu, about 20 minutes.
3:15 PM
Kiyomizu-dera, the wooden temple stage over the valley. $3 (¥500).
4:00 PM
Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, the old stone lanes. Matcha soft serve on the way down.
4:45 PM
K36 Rooftop Bar, Hotel Seiryu, sunset over the Yasaka Pagoda. Joey can go in (13+) and get a mocktail. Smart casual: no shorts, sandals or plain t-shirts. Drinks $13 (¥2,000) and up.
6:15 PM
Optional: Kodai-ji temple light-up, 10 minutes' walk, $5 (¥800).
7:30 PM
Dinner: Hiro, Pontocho, yakiniku from a well-known Kyoto beef shop, English menu. $32 to $51 (¥5,000 to ¥8,000).
9:00 PM
Walk Pontocho and Gion's Hanamikoji street at night. Keihan home, 10 minutes.

call K36: 075-541-3636reserve Hiro 1 to 2 weeks ahead