Going to japan in May. (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara) any recommendations on things to do, things to eat, things to buy? Thank you

All great cities! - I would also include a trip to Itsukushima Shrine during tide time.

how long does it take to get there from Kyoto?

In Tokyo, there are so many different things to see. I would recommend Harajuku, Meiji Shrine, Kabukicho and Shinjuku, Shibuya, Gotokoji Temple, Kamakura and Ueno. Ueno has a hidden shrine called Toshogu Shrine that I stumbled across and it was very beautiful. Take a day trip to Hakone if you can, they have amazing onsen (hot springs). Kyoto has a wonderful outdoor, walking market that you could probably spend all day in. There are also a ton of amazing, cheap bars and food places to check out. Osaka is famous for its Okonomiyaki which is a delicious specialty, so definitely try to have some of that if you can. Also, walking around downtown Osaka is super fun and they have my favourite "neon district" I found in Japan. I've never been to Nara, but I did a lot of planning for my trips to Japan by using this site: https://www.japan-guide.com/. Make sure you buy your Shinkanen (bullet train) JR Tourist Pass in Canada first. You can pick up the receipt locally, and then activate the JR Pass once you are in Japan on the day you want to use it. It is worth it if you travel across Japan using the JR Pass more than three times. You save a ton of money this way, and you also have unlimited travel available on all JR Lines in Japan; not just the Shinkansen. It is also very important to learn proper Japanese etiquette for temples, shrines, onsen, public transit, hotels, etc. Make sure to do your research! Try to stay in Ryokan if you can, they are traditional Japanese hotels with the matted floors and the Japanese futons. They are usually very inexpensive if you can find the right one (I suspect cheapest would be in Nara) and the staff are pretty amazing. Have a wonderful trip!

Buy everything!

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At least once get to a 7-11 there and feast on incredible meals wayyy unlike anything you get here. And though it's a chain, Coco Curry is another awesome cheap eats option found in most of those cities

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Tōdai-ji temple in Nara, and also in the Nara region the Tsubosaka temple on top of a mountain (my favorite one in Japan). There is also an abandonned (and probably haunted, let's be honnest) shinto shrine on the way up, if you're down for that kind of experience...

Near Osaka is a little town called Minoo with a beautiful hike to a waterfall and monkeys everywhere.
Near Kyoto is a city on a river with the most stunning bamboo forest called Arashiyama.
In Osaka is a great restaurant chain for okonomiyaki and yakisoba called Fugestu. Also try some takoyaki from a street vendor. Near the Dotomburi bridge is a store called Don Quixote, that’s like the best dollar store you’ve ever visited that’s fun to browse. It’s near a popular shopping concourse.
Try some fugu when you’re in Japan. It’s a unique and delicious experience.
On the bottom floor of any large department store (Takashimaya ie) is the food section. Seek and find a popular sweet from Ise Prefecture called Akafuku. I’d say it’s worth visiting Ise just to go. Ise is also home to Mikimoto pearl island, the meoto-Iwa and one of three very significant Shinto shrines of the country.
If you have time, visit Koyasan. It’s the home of esoteric Buddhism and a popular pilgrimage. Stay at a temple for delicious food and an onsen experience.

When in May are you going? The first few days of May are part of Golden Week, a string of holidays in Japan where many people will be travelling for their vacation, and businesses will be closed. Travelling then will be busier than normal. Most of the tourist attractions should remain open though. Also this year is extra special because starting May 1, it is literally the dawn of a new era. A new Emperor is crowned and the start of the Reiwa era begins. This won’t affect you as a tourist but know that you’ll be in Japan in a very historic moment for the country.

I'm going there on may 7, on purpose to avoid most of the golden week... very excited also for the historic moment of old emperor passing the throne to the new emperor!

Here are some suggestions, I mostly had a bicycle in Kyoto wherever I went, which made it quick to get around, but also flexible enough to stop if you saw something interesting off the path. Kyoto is amazing and peaceful. I’d say do the crazy, heavy traffic, touristy stuff in Tokyo, but Kyoto affords you the time to truly enjoy the temples and all the work, spirituality and history that has gone into them.
Not on your list of cities:
***** Oku-no-in Temple, Koya (Top highlight of my trip, overnight trip to stay at a temple and then visit the burial forest all day)
***** Mt. Fujisan Station/Lake Kawaguchi (awesome overnight trip to relax and hang around the lake with Mt. Fuji in the background)
Kyoto
***** Kiyomizu-dera Temple
***** Nanzen-ji Temple
***** Kinkaku-ji Temple
**** Ginkaku-ji Temple
**** Konchi-in Temple
**** National Museum of Western Art
**** Chion-in Temple (pay to go upstairs)
*** Ryōan-ji Temple
*** Daitoku-ji
*** Tenryū-ji Temple
*** Honen-in Temple
** Shōren-in Temple
** Tenjuan Garden
* Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (way over rated)
Tokyo
***** Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
***** Sensō-ji Temple (beautiful at night)
**** Yushukan War Museum
**** Kabuki-za theatre
**** Robot Restaurant Show (weird, expensive)
**** Shibuya Crossing (more fun at night)
**** Sumo-Ryōgoku Kokugikan
**** Tokyo national museum
*** Takeshita Dori (Harujuku)
*** Golden Gai bars
*** Mori Art Museum
*** Ueno Park (during cherry blossom much better)
** Skytree Tokyo
Nara
***** Tōdai-ji Temple
**** Isuien Garden
*** Kōfuku-ji

I’d recommend a trip to Naoshima island. From Osaka it takes about 2hrs plus a ferry to the island. I’d stay overnight (either in the island or in the port). You can rent bikes or take the shuttle bus on the island and can visit any of the art galleries or art house projects. A lot is closed on Monday but I’d highly recommend this adventure.

RETWEET. Definitely recommend.

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Sasha Lontos

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