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Uncle Turk
Joined: 03 Jul 2009
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 Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 6:13 pm Post subject: Going to Japan and getting around |
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I was looking into going to Japan for a week vacation. I am looking for some basic info I haven't had luck finding. If someone has a done a similar voyage and wants to share their experience, please share.
How easy is it to travel about Japan once I am there?
Avg cost for trains to osaka and tokyo?
Do I need to make hotel arrangements before or may I just show up?
My ideal trip would include osaka, kyoto, and tokyo (one night).
Any major sights you suggest seeing while there? |
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jcan
Joined: 08 Oct 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 6:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Your questions are way too specific. |
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JBomb
Joined: 16 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Buy a JR Pass before you go. Many travel agents sell them. It pays for itself just doing a trip to Kyoto and back from Tokyo. You can also use it on the very awesome Yamanote Line which circles Tokyo and can take you to all the major cites. Otherwise rail travel in Japan is not cheap. In order to be allowed into Japan as a tourist you must have a hotel booking for at least your first night. Do it online. wikitravel has some great recommendations. If you are in the Osaka and Kyoto area you are going to want to check out Naha. It is the older capital as in older than Kyoto and has some amazing temples in and about the city plus wild deer running around you can feed and pet. Also Himeji has an enormous well preserved castle that is also worth the trip. |
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ciccone_youth
Joined: 03 Mar 2008
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 11:00 pm Post subject: |
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Agreed with everything above ^
Yes. The JR pass is the BEST way to go. Seems expensive at first, but it's a fantastic deal.
And yes, you must reserve hotels before you arrive.
As for sights, you only have a week? Focus on Tokyo and Kyoto. Tokyo for the madness, and Kyoto for the traditional. Osaka is best for nightlife.
Nara and Himeji are short day trips, if you want to see more temples, castles, and pet deer.
Check out my blog, I've been to all those places and mention them a lot, you can get a better idea:
http://www.vivianlostinseoul.blogspot.com/ |
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shostahoosier
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 5:12 am Post subject: Re: Going to Japan and getting around |
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| Uncle Turk wrote: |
I was looking into going to Japan for a week vacation. I am looking for some basic info I haven't had luck finding. If someone has a done a similar voyage and wants to share their experience, please share.
How easy is it to travel about Japan once I am there?
Avg cost for trains to osaka and tokyo?
Do I need to make hotel arrangements before or may I just show up?
My ideal trip would include osaka, kyoto, and tokyo (one night).
Any major sights you suggest seeing while there? |
Uncle Turk, do you plan on visiting Japan again in the near future? If so, making the trip from the Kansai area (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara) to Tokyo seems expensive and out of the way if you will only be in their for one night (unless of course your flight is out of Tokyo).
I'm in the same boat as you and I'm actually looking into rail passes.
Regarding ticket prices for traveling around Japan via train, check out http://www.hyperdia.com/ ! It will tell you prices and time estimates.
Also, the JR pass is great, but if you arent traveling through all of Japan you can look at regional passes.
Each JR line has a regional rail pass (except for JR Central) and some are a lot cheaper than the nationwide JR pass.
Also areas have passes too. Here are just a few that I've come across from the Osaka/Kyoto area: JR West Pass, Kintetsu Pass, Kansai Thru Pass, Osaka Unlimited pass.
Each has their advantages and disadvantages and the prices vary. Most can be bought in Japan (you definitely need to buy a JR pass outside of Japan). With careful planning you can save a lot of money.
This site lists a some of the passages but with research you will not doubt come across more: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357.html. |
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ddeubel
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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Good tips about the JR pass.
I just got back from 5 beautiful days in Kyoto. Great city.
Just want to correct about the hotel accommodation. I had no problem with that at all. I didn't reserve ahead and just got smiles upon entering Japan. Stay at a nice Ryokan at least one night and do the hot baths.
Cheers,
DD
http://eflclassroom.com |
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JBomb
Joined: 16 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 8:56 pm Post subject: |
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| I was just repeating what I was told at the airport in Fukuoka when I was over there in Feb. I am heading back to Kyoto to explore it a little further as well in the next few days. Did you go to the baths in Kurama? I was definitely thinking of a hike and a soak in that area. |
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Kurtz
Joined: 05 Jan 2007
Location: ples bilong me
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| Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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Isn't Himeji under restoration? I'd check that first.
One week.....seriously, I'd limit myself to one or two cities. Fly into Osaka and spend a week exploring Kyoto and Nara and maybe a day in Osaka. Long day trips are doable on the shinkansen though. I love Takayama, from Osaka that's the shinkansen to Nagoya, and then the Widebview Hida train to Takayama, it takes all up about 4 hours. |
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Hotwire
Joined: 29 Aug 2010
Location: Multiverse
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| Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 9:38 pm Post subject: Re: Going to Japan and getting around |
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| Uncle Turk wrote: |
I was looking into going to Japan for a week vacation. I am looking for some basic info I haven't had luck finding. If someone has a done a similar voyage and wants to share their experience, please share.
How easy is it to travel about Japan once I am there?
Avg cost for trains to osaka and tokyo?
Do I need to make hotel arrangements before or may I just show up?
My ideal trip would include osaka, kyoto, and tokyo (one night).
Any major sights you suggest seeing while there? |
I found cheap motels with decent rooms in both Osaka and Tokyo for about 4000 Yen a night (40,000 Won) using sites like cheapmotels.com and prebooking.
Both Tokyo and Osaka very easy to travel around as they have decent subway sytems, but after mignight or around 11pm I'm not aure you're stuck with very pricey taxis, so might not want to be too far from the motel.
Osaka I think you could experience all or most of in a long weekend as everythign is centralised.
Tokyo however is very spreadout. I'd save your money and decide either
1. Osaka & Kyoto
OR
2. Tokyo only.
I stayed in Tokyo for 8 days and just about did everything I wanted to do out of the guidebooks, all the main attractions etc.
Osaka is for those wanting a more laid back, comfy trip with Kyoto not far away still adecent downtown area, and Tokyo I guess you already know is a frentic paced Jackson Pollok painting of a city. |
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JBomb
Joined: 16 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 9:39 pm Post subject: |
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| yep. Here is a live view http://www.winknet.ne.jp/ I heard this is going on until 2015 or something. |
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ddeubel
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 6:03 pm Post subject: |
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Jbomb wrote,
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| I was just repeating what I was told at the airport in Fukuoka when I was over there in Feb. I am heading back to Kyoto to explore it a little further as well in the next few days. Did you go to the baths in Kurama? I was definitely thinking of a hike and a soak in that area. |
No, didn't get there. next time! Just did some shopping, a lot of hiking. Took the side tour to see the deer. I'd also recommend the hotel I stayed at, cheap but super clean. Near the train station , called the White Hotel. Not easy to find but the people there are buddhist, super friendly. Huge morning breakfast but expensive at 850 yen. Go out of the station and go right, following the street that runs parallel to the front of the station. Turn left the first street and you'll find a Seattle's Best Coffee. go down the small side street on your right and the White Hotel is in the distance on your right. A large white building, go figure.
I recommend just taking your time and going wherever the day takes you. Get a bus /subway pass . Kyoto is a good place to get lost in...
DD
http://eflclassroom.com |
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