Wanted to post a quick message of thanks for all the help I got here with my pre-Japan trip questions. I spent a week in Japan - 3.5 days in Tokyo, 3.5 in Kyoto - and had a fabulous time. My good friend who lives in Tokyo showed us around town, including lots of off-the-beaten-path restaurants... we had monja one night, yum! Something definitely not in the guidebooks (I think the monja neighborhood was Tsukishima?), and one of the most fun meals we had in Tokyo...

The language barrier was not as limiting as I first suspected, and Kyoto is beautiful, especially after the concrete jungle of Tokyo http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif We stayed at the Shinjuku Prince in Tokyo - pretty easy to find from Shinjuku station, actually, and a relatively decent-sized room.

In Kyoto, we winged the hotel -no previous reservations- and ended up getting a nice room right on a bus line thanks to the Kyoto Tourist Information Center (the one in the office under the Kyoto Tower - I definitely recommend it as a source for good maps and information!) And let me just say that the JR Rail pass ROCKS! http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif

Thanks again!
Stephanie

Stephanie, glad we could help!!

Keen to know more details on your trip to Kyoto, a trip report in the FT Trip Reports would be superb.

Curious how much you paid for the hotel in Kyoto. I'm planning to visit there this X'mas. Did you go to Osaka as well? How did you choose to travel from Tokyo to Kyoto??

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by kawoh:
Keen to know more details on your trip to Kyoto, a trip report in the FT Trip Reports would be superb.</font>

My thoughts as well.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Did you go to Osaka as well?</font>

We chose to explore Kyoto while staying in Osaka. Took the Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Kyoto.

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Sweet Willie, do they have a bullet train between both areas? I know they're pretty close to each other, but how close? Is it like how Yokohama is to Tokyo?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by kawoh:
Sweet Willie, do they have a bullet train between both areas? I know they're pretty close to each other, but how close?</font>

Yes, bullet serves both cities, I don't have access to my Shinkansen time table, but I believe 45 minutes? More info on the JP rail pass: http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/Forum30/HTML/000067.html

My Japan Trip Report (includes Kyoto): http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/Forum30/HTML/000044.html


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kawoh, Osaka-Kyoto takes 15 minutes by Shinkansen. Only thing to remember if you are based in either city is that the last Osaka-Kyoto non-Nozomi Shinkansen (Nozomi is off-limits to JR Rail Pass holders) leaves around 10pm (11:30pm going the other way).


Stephanie, hope to see you on FT in the future. Don't be scared by those requests for trip reports, I have yet to produce one myself http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

Thanks all for the interest! I'll post a little mini-summary on Kyoto area here... and a trip report later if I can find time http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif

We took the Shinkansen from Tokyo (Tokyo station -went from Shinjuku station to Tokyo station during morning hours, that was... interesting) to Kyoto in the morning. The originial plan was to get to Kyoto, Himeji, and down to Hiroshima/Miyajima Island in 2.5 days. That didn't happen once reality set in http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

The train to Kyoto was great (suggestion- buy something to drink and snack on before you get on the train, it's much easier). The JR passes were a breeze to use and well worth the money, and all the JR Rail offices are well-marked at the stations we used. I would definitely recommend the Shinkansen for travels as much as possible - it's always on time, runs frequently, is clean, plenty of legroom, and you can eat on board. Got to Kyoto around early afternoon and, after navigating the gigantic Kyoto station, hit the nearby Post Office for ATMs and walked a block or so to the Kyoto Tourist Information Center (TIC).

The TIC staff was fabulous - found us a little hotel right off one of Kyoto's main bus lines (Alpha Hotel, about $80 a night - not bad for a place to crash). I'm sure you can find cheaper places online or at the TIC, especially if you're travelling by yourself. Lots of good maps at TIC, too. By the time we got to the hotel, it was now getting late in the day, so we headed to the Kinkaku-ji temple (it's covered in gold). Fabulous, gorgeous! Kyoto is a wonderful change after Tokyo because it's a little smaller, futher into the hills - trees and parks are much closer.

The next day, we took the Shinkansen to Himeji, where the Himeji castle (Himeji-jo, I think) is - it was very, very cool. Old castle perched on a huge stone "pedestal" maybe 40 feet tall?, with the pathways well marked and lots of English explanations of exhibits. Reminded me a little of the Tower of London http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif And the gardens next door are not-to-be-missed. Definitely worth a day trip from Kyoto if you haven't seen it - it was one of the highlights of our trip. Headed back to Kyoto and walked around Gion after dinner. Definitely take some time to walk the river if you're in Kyoto, it's beautiful.

We were contemplating heading to Hiroshima from Kyoto the next morning, but decided against it because we would simply have too little time once we got there before we would have had to leave (we had to be back in Tokyo for the Tokyo Giants game by 5:30pm!). Instead, we went to the Heian shrine gardens, which were also gorgeous. And I recommend the Kyoto Handicraft Center (near Heian shrine) for beautiful Japanese art - painting, caligraphy, pottery, woodblock prints - and you can watch the craftsmen work as well. There were lots of temples we didn't get to - the Zen rock garden is one, but we saw enough to be satisfied and thoroughly "sold" on Kyoto!

Although I enjoyed Tokyo, I would definitely use Kyoto as the "base" for my next trip to Japan, because now that I know the bus system it's easy to navigate, and it's centrally located for sights south of Tokyo. And, it's gorgeous. Just watch out for the people who elbow their way to the front of the buses http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif
Thanks,
Stephanie

Steph,

We're planning a similiar trip this summer.

Kyoto...1 day or 2? If we do 1 day, we can do a day in Hiroshima. It's a killer, but when will we go back.

Is your place a day trip? Or can it be added to 1 day in Kyoto?

Does the tourist office offer Ryokan's?
Do you have an e mail address for the Tourist office?

Any advice is appreciated.

Arigato goesimus.

Dan

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Kyoto...1 day or 2?</font>

If that's all your schedule allows, try 2 days, with a half-day trip squeezed in to break the overload of temples.

Himeji would be a good day trip. It is 57 minutes from Kyoto via the one hourly Hikari Shinkansen that stops in Himeji. Budget 3 hours total at Himeji, including the station-castle roundtrip. Keep in mind there isn't much to do in Kyoto in the evening when planning your day.

Hiroshima is about 2 hours from Kyoto, a possible day trip, which could be combined with Himeji. It would be most efficient to head out early in the morning for Hiroshima (Himeji-jo may not be open at dawn), having purchased an eki-ben ('station lunch box') in Kyoto, and stop at Himeji on the way back. This will most likely require a transfer at Okayama, as the faster Kyushu-bound Shinkansen do not stop at Himeji.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Does the tourist office offer Ryokan's? Do you have an e mail address for the Tourist office?</font>

Most ryokans are likely to be running full at that time of the year. I recommend booking in advance.

The Kyoto TIC is one of the few JNTO bureaus in Japan, but you may find one closer to home here:

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/JNTO/whats_jnto/index.html

Provinding a reservation service is not, to my knowledge, the purpose of those overseas outposts, but they will certainly point you the right way.

I strongly recommend getting an English copy of the JR Railway Timetable prior to departure, those are invaluable and impossible to get outside of JNTO offices.

I would avoid summer in Kyoto or Tokyo or Osaka. It's just hot and humid.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Chiangi:
I would avoid summer in Kyoto or Tokyo or Osaka. It's just hot and humid.</font>

Yes it is VERY hot and VERY humid and if we had to choose, we would not have traveled during the time we did (we went in late July/early Aug). The price/timing for us was too good to pass up, it was worthwhile IMO, one of our best trips.
BTW, I am extremely sensitive to any temps above 75F and I survived.

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Kyoto in autumn is incredibly beautiful, and late March/early April in Tokyo, with cherry blossom is quite beautiful, too. Summer in Japan, except Hokkaido and some highland areas, is not just the best time to visit. I would even think Tokyo is hotter than BKK or SIN in July/August.

Stephanie, do you remember if the Alpha Hotel in Kyoto had air conditioning in the rooms? I'm considering it for August since I'm not planning to spend much time in the room, I'll be doing day trips and sightseeing.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by fsexman:
Stephanie, do you remember if the Alpha Hotel in Kyoto had air conditioning in the rooms? I'm considering it for August since I'm not planning to spend much time in the room, I'll be doing day trips and sightseeing.</font>

I believe the Alpha Hotel did have air conditioning, so you should be OK with that. It is a bit of a dive, but if you'll be out and about all day, that's not a problem. It's got a good location on or near most of the major bus routes that go by Kyoto sights, which is helpful, and it's near a 7-11, too (convenient for late-night munchies).
I'm sure if you're looking for a place in Kyoto with A/C, the Tourist Info Center has other options, too.
Have a great trip!