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Japan 2016 7D6N Osaka Kyoto Nara Kobe Trip Itinerary Overview

Japan 2016 7D6N Osaka Kyoto Nara Kobe Trip Itinerary Overview

Photo By: Elin Chow

Japan has always been on the top of our travel bucket list for years. But my husband and I have been postponing our travel plans to Japan due to the high cost of traveling. For years, we have been pushing back our plans to visit Japan just because people told us that it is crazily expensive.

We visited Japan for the first time this autumn and fell in love with the country the moment our plane landed. Japan has become my favorite country to visit and I could not find a reason not to love the country. We have high expectations before our trip, which is not a good thing because usually, it can lead to greater disappointments. But Japan did not disappoint. In fact, it went way beyond our expectations!
Japan is amazing in every way - the genuinely friendly people, impeccably clean streets, consistently delicious food, incredibly punctual transportation systems and breathtakingly stunning landscapes. Even though Japan is really not a cheap destination to visit, it is not a prohibitively expensive country as everyone thinks. With some careful research and planning, I believe anyone can travel in Japan without breaking the bank. For anyone planning your first trip to Japan but have no idea where to start, you should read my "How To Plan A Trip To Japan" post.

While most foreign visitors head straight for Tokyo, we decided to focus our trip on the Kansai region instead. The Kansai region (also known as the Kinki region) consists of seven prefectures - Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo and Shiga. For this trip, we will be visiting the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Kobe.

Transportation

Malaysia Airlines + Japan Airlines

I booked our flight from Kuala Lumpur to Osaka 8 months before our. trip. After searching and comparing flights with Skyscanner, we decide to fly with Japan Airlines this time.


We intended to book our flight with Air Asia initially because we assumed that it was always the cheapest. But surprisingly, it was not.  After adding in the charges for extra baggage, seat selection and in-flight meals and beverages, the cheapest flight on Air Asia actually end up costing more than the cheapest flight on Japan Airlines. 

From Kuala Lumpur to Osaka, we travelled on Japan Airlines code share flight operated by Malaysia Airlines. But unfortunately, that was a very disappointing experience. Seats were cramped and uncomfortable with limited leg room. Service was lacklustre and food was awful. They ran out of one of the meal choices and I was "forced" to accept the only choice that was left.




We finally get to fly with Japan Airlines on our way back home and I must say that we are highly impressed. Seating was spacious and comfortable with sufficient leg room for one to stretch out and relax. Unlike other aircrafts, the one that we flew with Japan Airlines has no window shades which you can pull up and down. Instead, the window are designed to tint at a push of a button - either by the passenger sitting at the window seat or the flight attendants control panel.

But the windows will never go completely dark. It was great to be able to still see out the window even when the window is at its darkest setting. This is probably the only flight that I can fly without having the sun shining directly in my eyes during take-off and landing. Other than that, we are surprised that the toilet is equipped with a Washlet!

From Tokyo to Kuala Lumpur, it was a 7 hours flight. Immediately after take off, warm towel, light snacks, bread and drinks were offered. About an hour after take off, we were served lunch. Food was acceptable and are served hot and nice. We get to choose between two options - beef rice or chicken spaghetti. Between the two, I chose beef rice, which comes with a piece of fish, potato salad, fruits and a bottled water. After our meal, we were served Haagen-Dazs ice cream for dessert.

Generally, we found the flight attendants very friendly, attentive and professional. In-flight entertainment was also adequate with a great selection of latest movies. Overall, we have a very wonderful and pleasant experience flying with Japan Airlines. I really look forward to my next flight with Japan Airlines!
Cost Breakdown

Below shows the breakdown of the expenses for our week-long trip to Japan. I have recorded and tracked every of our expenses in a little notebook, so putting together a detailed cost breakdown of our trip was not too difficult. Hopefully this will give you a rough idea how much money you will need for your trip to Japan.

Total Cost Breakdown For 2 Persons
Expenses	Japanese Yen	Malaysia Ringgit (100 Yen = RM 4.03)
Flight		RM 3,011.80
Kyoto Airbnb * 2 Nights		RM 660.00
Osaka Airbnb * 3 Nights		RM 1,225.00
Osaka AirTerminal Hotel  * 1 Night	11,500.00 JPY	RM 463.45
Transportation	18,420.00 JPY	RM 742.33
Food & Beverages	47,889.00 JPY	RM 1929.93
Entrance Fees	950 JPY	RM 38.29
Misc (Pocket Wifi Rental)		RM 104.00
Misc (Baggage Service)	2,500.00 JPY	RM 100.70
Shopping / Souvenirs	35,382.00 JPY	RM 1,425.80
TOTAL		RM 9,701.30

For our week-long trip to Japan, we have spent a total of RM 9,701.30. If you exclude shopping, that will be RM 8,275.50, which works out an average of RM 4,100 per pax. Well, obviously, Japan is not a budget travel destination, but it is also not really that expensive to travel around, especially considering the fact that we actually made very little attempt to travel on a budget. Although slightly over our initial budget

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