SQ421

The FT Juggernaut will pause for the cause in Osaka for the 4th Japan Do. As with the previous years, Easter Weekend is the Do Weekend and we'll kick things off with welcome drinks for the early arrivals on Thursday 24th March.

As in the past, we'll organise the 'do loosely around the following structure, but of course you are welcome to participate in as many or as few of the activities as you like. And if you want to grab a corner in a bar and talk miles points and travel hacking till cows come home, let me know and I'll come join you!

24 | THU - Pre Drinks (venue: TBD)
25 | FRI - Day Trip to Nara
25 | FRI - Main 'Do Dinner
26 | SAT - Day Trip to Kyoto
26 | SAT - Dinner (maybe even a boat cruise dinner!) / Trivia / Quiet (or not so quiet!) beverages
27 | SUN - Explore Osaka / impromptu lunch with those still around / early departures and post-do-ers get going on their way

There has already been some chatter about visiting an Onsen, post-do; and Seoul/DMZ is but a short flight away so I intend to look more closely into that too.

Japan Travel Guide has a handy page on things to do and see in and around Osaka. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2157.html

Getting There
A smattering of OneWorld and Star Alliance carriers fly into KIX, the international airport serving Osaka. SkyTeam... I'm sure some SkyTeam carriers fly there too

Domestic flights connecting other parts of Japan to Osaka operate to/from ITM. A quick google search suggests its about three and a half hours by train from Tokyo to Osaka, which might be a preferred option for a few. (Party Train, anyone?)

Hotels
Starwood aficionados are the clear winner here, with Sheraton, Westin and St Regis brands available for mattress runs.

Those looking to rack up IHG Nights/Stays have a Crowne Plaza and an Intercontinental to choose from, while those more loyal to Hilton and Hyatt will have to make do with the one hotel each chain has in Osaka.

A wiki should be up shortly, but in the meanwhile feel free to post a reply and put yourself down to attend!

NewbieRunner

How to get to Osaka

From KIX (Kansai International Airport)
* By JR West Kansai Airport Rapid Service to JR Osaka Station (Umeda or north of city center) - 70 minutes, 1,190 yen (4-5 trains per hour). If you are staying in Osaka (unless you are near Shin-Osaka) it's not worth travelling on Haruka.
* By Nankai Electric Railway to Namba (south of city center) - 34 to 43 minutes by Rapi:t or Airport Express, 920-1,640 yen depending on the service (~6 trains per hour)
* By Limousine bus to Osaka Station area (Umeda) - ~67 minutes, 1,550 yen (2,760 yen return), also stops at New Hankyu Hotel and some afternoon services go to Hilton Osaka and Hotel Hankyu International



From ITM (Osaka International Airport - Itami)
* By monorail to Hotarugaike (3 minutes, 200 yen) change to Hankyu Takarazuka Line to Umeda (14 minutes, 220 yen)
* By Limousine bus to Umeda or Namba, 30 minutes, 640 yen

From NRT to KIX
* This is now an LCC route served by Jetstar and Peach

From HND to ITM
* ANA and JAL operate about 30 flights daily between 6:15am and 7:20pm
* ANA Experience Japan Fare is availabile at 10,800 yen per segment and there is availability before and after the Do (as of 11 March). JAL's Japan Explorer Pass also charges the same amount but it is not straightforward to check availability.
* Other discount fares for overseas visitors (ANA and JAL) are not available during the Do due to blackout dates.
* Heavily discounted advance purchase fares may be available from both ANA and JAL and are worth considering

From NRT to ITM
* ANA and JAL operate two flights each in late afternoon/early evening convenient for passengers arriving in NRT on international flights.

From Tokyo to Shin Osaka by Tokaido Shinkansen (all prices approximate)
Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo to Shin Osaka (one stop north of Osaka) leaves Tokyo between 6am and 9:23pm and takes between 2hr 30min (Nozomi) to 3hr 15min (Hikari). There are Shinkansen trains every 10 minutes or more frequently during the day. Tokyo-Shin Osaka costs 14,650 yen one way on Nozomi (faster and more frequent – slightly cheaper in unreserved seat) or 14,340 yen on Hikari (slower and less frequent). If travelling from Tokyo to Osaka and back by train plus some side trips it might be worth getting a Japan Rail Pass for 7 days (29,110 yen or $244) but if simply going to Osaka and back it would be better to buy tickets and travel on Nozomi, or consider flying at least one way.

Osaka City Center

Japan-Guide has a useful section on the two main areas of Osaka city center, Kita (North) around Osaka/Umeda Stations and Minami (South) around Namba Station plus the following map. The day trip to Kyoto will start from JR Osaka Station and the day trip to Nara is likely to start from Kintetsu Namba Station. JR Osaka Station (Umeda) to Namba Station takes 9-10 minutes by Subway Midōsuji or Yotsubashi Line and costs 240 yen.　　


Japan-Guide

Getting around Osaka

Osaka Subway map

NewbieRunner

Thursday - March 24
14:50-16:10 Suntory Yamazaki Distillery Tour (one place left as of 22.03.16)
19:00-21:00 Welcome Drinks - The In Place, Osaka Hilton (1st Floor, Lobby Level)

Friday - March 25
09:00-17:00 Day Trip to Nara
10:30-11:50 Suntory Yamazaki Distillery Tour (see post #226)
19:00-22:00 Official Do Dinner - Okonomiyaki Tsuruya
22:00~ Craft beer pub crawl

Saturday - March 26
09:00~ Day Trip to Kyoto
19:30~ Dinner in Pontochō, Kyōto (fully booked)
Evening Another Craft beer pub crawl!

Sunday - March 27
Final day of Grand Sumo Tournament - Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium
Baseball game Hanshin Tigers vs Chunichi Dragons - Kyocera Dome Osaka 14:00~

NewbieRunner

List of Confirmed Attendees

1. Arcanum
2. armagebedar
3. Awesom Andy
4. Awesom Andy+1
5. becoa
6. BigRedBears
7. BigRedBears+1
8. BigRedBears+2
9. Bundy Bear
10. EI147
11. greendx
12. jemmazee (Thurs evening only)
13. jemmazee+1 (Thurs evening only)
14. kirkwoodj
15. matthandy
16. Moomba
17. NewbieRunner
18. nme7
19. nme7+1
20. nomadic.relief
21. O Sora
22. pudgym29
23. restlessinRNO
24. restlessinRNO+1
25. serfty
26. Shikasan
27. Sykes
28. Taiwaned (Thurs evening only)
29. The_Wrath_of_Khan
30. The_Wrath_of_Khan+1
31. timid_trnchcoat
32. TravelKane
33. UncleJed
34. upup&away

Interested

1. *A Flyer
2. Antonio8069
3. ellyse
4. fumitani
5. headinclouds
6. KPT
7. lowjhg
8. pmdg7444
9. PV_Premier
10. QPProletarian
11. skye1
12. tkey75
13. whkento

Can't make it

1. chchkiwi
2. DENchick
3. gvdIAD
4. JY1024
5. kpc
6. kpc+1
7. Middle_Seat
8. penegal
9. SQ421

SQ421

Reserved for Flight Information

SQ421

Reserved for Hotel Information

NewbieRunner

Thanks SQ421 for starting the thread. ^ Let's hope you will be able to attend the Do in 2016!

Easter 2016 is early and likely to be the start of the cherry blossom season as well as during one of the most popular tourist seasons in Japan. An early hotel reservation is recommended but don't worry if you don't find any availability for these dates. Other than international chain hotels, many Japanese hotels don't accept bookings more than six months in advance.

I'm planning another post-do onsen trip for a small group and still on the lookout for a suitable destination. So watch this space!

Calchas

The Crowne Plaza is quite pleasant, although a bit of a walk from the central station. as I remember there are shuttle buses for most major hotels from the station if you have bags or are lazy

Both KIX and ITM get domestic service. ITM gets a 777 from TYO every thirty minutes or something ridiculous. KIX is a bit out of the way unless you need to use it.

beckoa

Well not as exciting of an airport code as last year, KIX has an exotic history and is an engineering marvel. Will need to take a peek to see about award space, but this far out I'm sure I can muster something in the pointy end. And there is a certain store to visit that looks like even more of a challenge to visit then last year Thanks!

~beckoa

NewbieRunner

Let's just say Itami is the main domestic airport for Osaka. KIX or Kansai International Airport has some domestic flights originally for passengers connecting from NRT but the number is on the increase due to the restriction on flights to/from Itami which is still called Osaka International Airport in English despite not having any international flights for some time.

Calchas

We can certainly agree on that. I would not use KIX on a domestic sector.

beckoa

Alright I have the Sheraton Miyako Hotel Osaka held on points Thurs-Sun and booked on CX in F LAX-HKG-KIX. Not sure about a return yet- but feels good to have something secured Now back to sleep I go

kpc

Unfortunately, it's my turn to work over Easter next year so I'm out for this Do I'll be in Osaka in January next year as a consolation....I should be free to attend Japan Do #5 in 2017, maybe in Sapporo (which i think was the other place in consideration)

serfty

Booked flights some time ago - Hilton astronomical in price currently (even on points for Diamond) ...

NewbieRunner

Sorry you won't be able to make it in 2016. . There's always 2017.