12 nights in Kansai, how to split time?
Aug 17, 2017, 5:49 pm
#31
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You could get the JR West rail pass which makes it very affordable https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/ and would cover all your day trips as long as you stuck to JR lines.
Aug 17, 2017, 5:53 pm
#32
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If you were for example to make Osaka your base of operations there is a Shin Kaizoku train that gets you from Osaka to Kyoto in less than 40 minutes.
With everywhere in such close proximity it's perfectly possible to have 1 hotel and just day trip everywhere and save yourself the hassle.
Aug 17, 2017, 6:15 pm
#33
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One option we used when moving between hotels was Yamato Transport Co. (black cat logo). We had planned to travel from Osaka to Bunny Island to Miyajima. We didn't want to carry our luggage with us on this journey. We dropped off two suitcases to the concierge lounge at the Ritz Carlton in Osaka the evening before we checked out and our suitcases were delivered to our Ryokan in Miyajima the next day. Given that we traveled via trains, ferries and a taxi, having the luggage delivered was very helpful (and reasonable at $25).
Aug 17, 2017, 10:14 pm
#34
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Just a note. Hotels typically have a particular transport company(ies) that they do business with. Yamato is one of the largest in Japan, but may not be available at your particular hotel. The same is true at convenience stores and at airport locations. Doesn't matter, as prices are very competitive among the serveral companies and they all provide nearly identical service as far as luggage shipping.
Aug 18, 2017, 3:16 am
#35
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Over a stay of 12 days, I wouldn't mind changing hotels once or twice... but I just don't see the point of moving from one city to another in the Kobe-Osaka-Kyoto triangle. If I were moving, I'd be looking for variety. Perhaps I'd spend a couple of nights at a rural onsen in the region, or perhaps throw in a couple of nights at a Kyoto ryokan. But YMMV, as they say, and the OP has researched thoroughly and knows best what works for him.
Last edited by jib71; Aug 18, 2017 at 3:27 am
Aug 18, 2017, 7:13 am
#36
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But I didn't see anything of interest in Hiroshima. Searching online just brings up numerous WW2 monuments (which is of minimal interest to me).
Exactly, variety. Also, I don't have "luggage".
Exactly, variety. Also, I don't have "luggage".
Aug 18, 2017, 8:02 am
#37
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Well, not exactly exactly. By variety, I meant a change of environment from urban to rural or modern to traditional, rather than moving to a largely similar environment. So you and I are not on the the same wavelength, but that's to be expected. Not sure why you have luggage in quotation marks. Is it a code word for something else?
Aug 18, 2017, 8:20 am
#38
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Well, the city was blasted to smithereens in a novel way in August 1945, for which there is a very worthwhile museum and park to visit. It isn't like visiting some statue or something. And there's also Miyajima, which is pretty cool.
Aug 18, 2017, 9:50 am
#39
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Unless you have time to travel to Nagasaki, which you probably don't.
Aug 18, 2017, 10:19 am
#40
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Aug 18, 2017, 12:57 pm
#41
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Well, not exactly exactly. By variety, I meant a change of environment from urban to rural or modern to traditional, rather than moving to a largely similar environment. So you and I are not on the the same wavelength, but that's to be expected. Not sure why you have luggage in quotation marks. Is it a code word for something else?
Luggage implies suitcases and other large bags/containers. I will have one small backpack to carry around.
Looks interesting, but the train fare is prohibitive to me.
Nov 29, 2017, 8:21 am
#42
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UPDATE
Ended up doing 4 nights Kyoto, 2 nights Kobe and 6 nights Osaka. If I could do it all over again, I would have took a day off Osaka and added it to Kyoto.
The leaves changing colors ended up being a highlight of the trip.
12 nights, 2 people, we spent about $1700 excluding long haul flights. I was surprised at how affordable everything was.
Ended up doing 4 nights Kyoto, 2 nights Kobe and 6 nights Osaka. If I could do it all over again, I would have took a day off Osaka and added it to Kyoto.
The leaves changing colors ended up being a highlight of the trip.
12 nights, 2 people, we spent about $1700 excluding long haul flights. I was surprised at how affordable everything was.
Nov 29, 2017, 8:51 am
#43
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota,USA
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UPDATE
Ended up doing 4 nights Kyoto, 2 nights Kobe and 6 nights Osaka. If I could do it all over again, I would have took a day off Osaka and added it to Kyoto.
The leaves changing colors ended up being a highlight of the trip.
12 nights, 2 people, we spent about $1700 excluding long haul flights. I was surprised at how affordable everything was.
Ended up doing 4 nights Kyoto, 2 nights Kobe and 6 nights Osaka. If I could do it all over again, I would have took a day off Osaka and added it to Kyoto.
The leaves changing colors ended up being a highlight of the trip.
12 nights, 2 people, we spent about $1700 excluding long haul flights. I was surprised at how affordable everything was.
Nov 30, 2017, 9:38 pm
#44
Join Date: Mar 2005
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Posts: 1,659
Japan has basically had 25 years of no inflation (I have been here 10+ years and prices have barely changed) but yes, in general Japan is very affordable. However, if you want to blow a ton of cash that is also entirely possible.