lhermansjah

We arrive in Narita airport March 31, 2015 about 2.50 pm local time. Stay in Shinagawa Prince from March 31-April 4, 2015 then go to Osaka/Kyoto until April 8, 2015 then go back to Narita ( Narita Rest Airport House)(Apr.8-10) and departure back to Sacramento, CA on April 10, 2015.
I want to know what to see in Tokyo for 4 days and better to stay in Osaka or Kyoto ?. so far can't find decent hotel in Osaka but I am not trying to find in Kyoto yet.
Please help.....and also I want to know is it worth it to buy 7 days JR pass?Thanks for any helps and info... =)

mapleg

If you can't find decent accommodation in Osaka, you likely won't find any at all in Kyoto. Cherry blossom time.

Pretty hard to say what to do in Tokyo when you don't state your interests. Google is your friend for that.

abmj-jr

For the round-trip Tokyo-Osaka-Tokyo plus the train back out to the NRT area, the 7-day Rail Pass would save you some money. I assume you know you must purchase it before you arrive in Japan. The dealer will sell you an exchange order which must be exchanged for the actual Pass after you get to Japan. You can wait to exchange at Tokyo Station or just do it upon arrival at NRT. Just tell the agent the date you want your 7 days to start, which would be the day you travel from Tokyo to Osaka. Since many folks will be going to Kyoto for hanami (blossom viewing,) you might want to stop in to one of the JR stations in Tokyo a few days in advance and reserve your seats on the shinkansen (bullet train.)

The first week of April is peak cherry blossom time so you are highly unlikely to find a hotel in Kyoto at this late date. Osaka may be possible but will also be crowded. If you don't find anything there, check Nara or Kobe, which are both a reasonably short train trip of 30 to 45 minutes from Kyoto using the Rail Pass. Osaka is 20 to 30 minutes from Kyoto depending on which train you use.

As for what to do and see, those questions have been answered over and over in this forum. Please spend some time looking through existing threads and come back with more specific questions.

AlwaysAisle

Welcome and your first post at Flyertalk is Japan forum! As other have already mentioned, without giving any details of your trip, your interest, purpose of the trip, type of trip you are planning (such as pack in as many things as possible or want to relax), food important? (then what type of food), cultural experience? etc. What is your budget? Are you going to be yourself or traveling with other? Kids involved, elderly involved, etc. There will be no way to give advice which will be meaningful and useful to you by simply asking what to do in Japan. There are so many different things to do in Japan, just like anywhere else in the world depending on your interest, taste, particular situation of your trip, etc.

One thing I can comment is that you are planning to stay at Narita Airport Rest House for two nights. Wondering why you have decided to stay at Narita Airport Rest House for two nights. Narita Airport Rest House is pretty much non-descriptive hotel located within the airport property. The hotel is located pretty much at another side of the parking lot from the airport terminal. This hotel is pretty much meant for passengers in transit, passengers with early departure, or passengers with late arrival.

Narita Airport Rest House is a nice hotel, sure it is no five star hotel but it is good value for the price and do not have to worry about security, etc. But location is that it is in the middle of the airport, there really is nothing to do around the area. There is no place to go out for a night, etc.

If you want to stay at Narita for two nights to see the area before heading back to the U.S., then recommendation will be hotels in the city of Narita, not Narita Airport Rest House.

RTW1

It all depends on what you prefer seeing.... but your stays as they are now could probably use some improvement.
Better decide quickly, cherry blossom time at most places so everything will be busy.

abmj-jr

I missed this the first time through. I agree that 2 nights out at the airport is a real waste of valuable visit time. Unless the departure for back home is early in the morning, even 1 night there is a waste.

OP, most parts of Tokyo are little more than an hour from NRT by the Narita Express airport train. The interesting Ueno area is far less than an hour via the Keisei Skyliner, although you could not use your Rail Pass. If you want to stay a night or two in Narita City, it is only 10 minutes from NRT by local train. Please reconsider this part of your stay, perhaps by extending your stay in either Tokyo or the Kyoto/Osaka/Nara/Kobe area known as Kansai for another day. That airport hotel is pretty grim and only really worth a stay if you have to get to the airport early.

ksandness

Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world, with an unlimited number of things to see and do. I first lived there in the 1970s, have made 19 trips back, and while I revisit old favorites, I still have not seen everything.

There are entire guidebooks devoted Tokyo and Kyoto. I suggest that you buy one of each and decide what you want to see based on your interests, your touring style, and your budget. Then the Flyer Talk crowd can fill you in on the details of your itinerary.

That being said, I recommend staying in Nara if you can't get a hotel in Kyoto. If you have a JR Pass, you can travel back and forth from this extremely historic and comparatively quiet city in 30 minutes at no extra cost. Kobe is much farther away. In addition, two additional towns of interest lie alongside the JR Nara Line: Uji and Fushimi. See your guidebook to find out why they are interesting.

On a short trip, don't bother with Osaka, since it will look a lot like Tokyo to the casual visitor.

lhermansjah

Thanks for all inputs. Sorry for incomplete information. We travel 3 adults( me and 2 sisters). We will stay in Tokyo, Prince Shinagawa Hotel from March 31- April 4, 2015 then we will transfer to Toyoko Inn Maibari Eki, I think in Maibari (Kyoto) from April 4-8. then we will go to Narita Tobu airport Hotel which is about 10 minute to Narita airport.
The plan in Tokyo :
TOKYO

DAY 1
Arrive late afternoon.
Explore SHINAGAWA, dinner

DAY 2

· TSUJIKI fish Market
· AKIHABARA (Yodobashi Camera, The Leisure Hive, Walk along Chuo-dori, Kanda Myojin shrine )
· ASAKUSA ( Sensoji Temple, Nakamise Dori => on the way to Sensoji Temple => Japanese Street Food, Wacky Bamboo Rake, Izakaya, Yakitori.
· KAPPA BASHI
· UENO ( Ameyoko Shoppng Street/ Ameya yokocho Market => JR Ueno-Okachimashi-Ueno Station, Nezu Shrine)

DAY 3
· SHIBUYA ( Don Quijote, Shibuya Crossing => take pictures, Izakaya, Hikarie => Newest Dept.Store, Tokyu Hands, Loft => DIY shop, Hachiko statue, Koen dori => posh shop, Marui => large chai Dept.Store, Konno Hachimangu Shrine => Shibuya family, Shibuya Mark city => Women clothes

· HARAJUKU ( TAkeshita Dori => Daiso, Yoyogi Park, Meiji Jingu shrine)
· SHINJUKU

DAY 4 : ODAIBA
GINZA /YURAKUCHO
·
Then move to Maibara on April 4, 2015

The Plan in Kyoto, Nara and Osaka
Day1 :
Central Kyoto:
Nishiki Market
Nijo Castle
Kyoto Imperial Palace
Eastern Kyoto:
Ginkakuji (Silver pavilion) -(this is closer to Kyoto Imperial Palace, so I switched the order. It would take to much time to travel down to Kiyomizudera)
Philosopher path,
Kiyomizudera Temple (walk up to the temple but it will most likely be closed. Still can wander around the grounds.)
In case you have time:
Maruyama park
Gion - can be seen at night, save it for the evening.

Day 2
Arashimaya :
Togetsukyo Bridge
Bamboo Grooves
Monkey Park Iwatayama
Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street-lunch
Fushimi Inari
Golden Pavillion

Day 3
Nara:
Nara park
Todaiji Temple
Osaka:
Osaka Castle
Namba (minami)
Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade
Dotonbori
Plan that may not get to (or not till late afternoon or evening)
Namba (minami)
Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade
Dotonbori

Day 4 : Kinkakuji and Ryoanji

Maybe the plan a bit messed up but I try to put everything we can see in at least 9 days.
Hopefully I can got inputs with this plans. The reason we stay in Narita City near airport, my sisters have to depart at 10.25 am so they need to check in 2 hours before that and they scared too tired if we straight from Kyoto.

Also I need to know...did we need to activate JR pass on the day we travel from Narita Airport to Prince Shinagawa Hotel or later when we go to Kyoto ?. I recognized some area in Tokyo maybe not cover by JR lines?

Thanks for any replies, we really appreciate it so much.

ksandness

First of all, Maibara (I assume you mean Maibara, not "Maibari") is too far away from Kyoto to be handy for sightseeing, especially if you want to go to Osaka. Look at a map. It is at the opposite end of Lake Biwa from Kyoto. If you want to stay in a Toyoko Inn (they are very basic), the one in Otsu is closer, and there are two in Nara, as well as other business hotel chains, such as Super Hotel, Comfort Inn, and Dormy Inn, along with some independently owned business hotels.

Second, your plans for Kyoto and Osaka are far too ambitious. Each of the days you have planned is two or three days' worth of activities, and you have planned activities that are not the least bit close to one another. Again, look at a map.

Third, you want to "explore Shinagawa" on your first day. However, Shinagawa is one of the most boring parts of Tokyo, and you will have to go closer to Tokyo Station to find interesting things.

You do not need to activate your JR Pass at the airport. In fact, you should probably activate it the day you leave Tokyo. It is useful on the JR commuter trains, but you cannot use it on the subways or private commuter trains. Get a Suica debit card instead. It's like the Oyster Card in London or the T-Money Card in Seoul.

I agree that two nights in Narita are too much, especially if you stay at the airport. Imagine the strip of hotels along an American freeway. That's what the immediate vicinity of NRT looks like. The town is pleasant, but you could travel from Kyoto the day before your sisters' flight leaves and just spend one night there.

abmj-jr

Ok, I'll try to address a few problems and questions.

Since your stay in Japan is longer than 7 days, you should not activate the Rail Pass until the day you will leave Tokyo for Kansai (Kyoto area.) You can do the activation at Narita Airport as soon as you arrive but tell the agent you want it to start on April 4. The agent will take it from there. Since your Rail Pass will not be effective until the 4th, you will have to pay for your trip on the Narita Express train to Shinagawa. The best deal for you and your sisters would be the Narita Express Plus Suica Card combination. March 31 is the last day you can get this package and I would suggest taking advantage of it. The Narita Express will get you to Shinagawa Station which is very near the Prince Hotel complex. The Suica card is a prepaid pass card you can use for local trains and subways to get around Tokyo.

If for some reason you are unable to buy the package deal above, the next best would be the discounted one-way Narita Express ticket for 1,500 yen and buy a Suica Card separately. You put money into the Suica and use it like a pass. Any money left on it can be refunded, minus a service fee.

Maibara is not in Kyoto city, although it is in Kyoto Prefecture. It is a 20 minute ride on the bullet train to Kyoto Station and over an hour on local line trains. You can use the Rail Pass to get to Kyoto more quickly.

I think you are trying to do too much in Kyoto on your first 2 days. The Path of Philosophy is kind of a waste of time unless you want to see some of the little art galleries along the way. It is quicker and less tiring to take a bus or cab from Ginkaku-ji to Kiyomizu-dera.

The Narita Airport Rest Hotel is NOT in Narita City, it is actually inside Narita Airport. If you must spend 2 nights there, you could take the local train from NRT to Narita City in about 15 minutes each way. I'd prefer to spend 1 more night near Kyoto and Osaka, going to the Narita hotel on day 9. That would still put you there in the morning for your sister's early flight. Either way, understand that the hotel is not in Narita City.

lmalvarez07

hermansjah i am sorry for hijacking your thread

My wife and I also arrive the 31st of March .. It will be our first time. I have no clue where to stay, what to do, where to go. We like to see iconic places, yes I konw they most likely will be full of tourists.

Accommodations are filling up fast i am considering staying in HOTEL MYSTAYS Asakusabashi does anyone have first hand experience TA seems to really like it. I will be checking in on the 1st. My flight arrives at 7pm on the 31st of March. I feel it will be easier to stay near the airport at the Radisson Narita. Then head out in the morning.

I had planned to visit Osaka and had booked a Hotel .. but i have free Cancellation .. and it seems it will be to tight and expensive to go for just 2 days

hermansjah i may cancel the reservation it was in the Best Western Fino Osaka Apr 1st -3rd in case you are interested.

ksandness

March 31? This means you have a month to buy a guidebook and do some online research.

lmalvarez07

Yes, in a month i will be in Tokyo; but we leave on March 15th we are doing quite a trip. Before we leave I have a lot of work to do. I will start a new thread with all the locations we are going to be in.(God willing)

lhermansjah

Thanks for replies from abmj-jr and ksandness. We try to find place near to Kyoto itself but so far, all hotels are sold out. That's the reason we only get one in Maibara. Otsu all sold out.Nara and Osaka all sold out. With this season, its hard to get a room for 3 adults.
I will skip some places in Kyoto like Nishiki Market, Philosopher Path also maybe Ryoanji (?).

In Arashimaya, maybe I will skip Monkey Park.
Any idea what else we can see in Kyoto, Nara and Osaka ?.

I am not sure about Shinagawa, maybe we will look around, maybe not, but we need to get dinner for sure...lol.
Actually we change the hotel from Narita Rest Airport to Narita Tobu Hotel, have shuttle bus to downtown Narita and shopping mall.
Any ideas about the tokyo plan ?.

Any ideas will really appreciate....thanks.

lmalvarez207.....Not sure we can use your BW Hotel, we need 4 nites...and for 3 adults.

abmj-jr

I wouldn't skip Ryoan-ji. It is very near Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion) and has both the interesting Zen rock garden and a nice display of plum and cherry blossom trees along the path that circles the lake. One of my personal favorites. If you are using the local bus to get around it is 2 stops from Kinkaku-ji, about 5 minutes. You can also walk it in about 20 minutes.

In Kyoto, you will be time limited but if you have some left, some of my favorites include the Sanjusangendo Hall, which is right across the street from the Kyoto National Museum and roughly half-way between Kyoto Station and Kiyomizu-dera; The Heian Jingu Shrine, which is a 5/8 scale reproduction of the Imperial Palace of over 1,000 years ago and located near Gion; Nazen-ji Temple - only if you are going to Kiyomizu-dera, it is about 1/2 mile north. If you go, don't just follow the path to the main temple. Look to the right as you enter and follow the path under what looks like a Roman aqueduct for a different view.

In Nara, the huge park that surrounds Todai-ji has many other temples and treasure storehouses to visit. The important Kasuga-Taisha temple is located on the opposite side of the park from Todai-ji and is quite beautiful. The hike up to the temple is rather steep and long so don't go if any in your party are not ready for a moderate hike. Also located in the park near the walk to Todai-ji and across from the restaurant, snack and souvenir stands you will find the herd of famous "bowing deer," begging for handouts. Aside from the sites in the park, there are numerous other temples and shrines along the street/sidewalk from the train stations to the park. In early April, they will be awash in cherry blossoms.

Nara side street, April 2012.



Tame deer.



Path near Kasuga-Taisha (in fall.)