first visit to Japan
 

My father and I are visiting Japan this coming April. We will be there 7 nights and are looking for some itinerary suggestions. Our flights are in and out of Tokyo on American Airlines. Initial thoughts would be to split the trip mainly between Tokyo and Kyoto. Also we want to try and do 1 day at Tokyo Disneyland. Any suggested itineraries or how to split our time would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Welcome to the Japan Forum.

Now, at the risk of sounding unwelcoming, have you looked around the forum before asking such a general question? Just in the first 2 pages, I see at least 7 existing threads that address your question, including the thread immediately below yours. If you go back further, there are literally dozens of threads. Folks here are very knowlegeable and helpful but we do weary of constantly re-inventing the wheel. This question has been answered many times before.

After you have done a bit of research, we can advise you on how to do what you have decided you wish to do. What do you want to see? Old Japan or super-modern Japan - or both? In general, we recommend at least 2-3 days for Kyoto and surrounding area. If you are only going to be in Japan for 7 days and want to spend one of those at Tokyo Disneyland, that doesn't leave much time. Two half-days for travel, one day at Disney, 2 (or 3) days in Tokyo and 3 (or 2) days in Kyoto and that makes 7.

For the round trip Tokyo-Kyoto-Tokyo on the bullet train (shinkansen,) you will probably be money ahead purchasing Japan Rail Passes. They are good for 7 days of train travel and will cover the long distance trips as well as local trains and at least one-way between NRT and Tokyo on the Narita Express. You must purchase the Rail Pass before you arrive in Japan and exchange the voucher for the actual Pass after you arrive.

I am a notorious Kyoto-phile, but if I had the time you do, I would spend 2 days in Tokyo, 1 day at Disney, then move on to Kyoto for at least 3 days. If your flight home is late in the day, you can make the trip all the way from Kyoto to NRT, through Tokyo, on the day of departure. If your flight is earlier, you should probably come back to Tokyo the day before departure and spend another night in Tokyo.

If you haven't already, invest in a good guidebook on Japan and do some research on what you want to see and do and post back with some specific questions.

JR

What abmj-jr said, with a mention that you'll probably be better off getting a shinkansen and hotel package from somewhere like Sunrise Tours for your Kyoto visit (good value when there are two of you) rather than a JR Pass (which won't be a huge bargain with your planned itinerary)

http://www.jtbgmt.com/sunrisetour/07shinkansen.aspx

The travel company IACE has offices in Japan and the US and can sell you a sunrise tour if you prefer.

You can extend your hotel stay or book more nights independently with this plan.

Here is a place where you can buy the Japan Rail Pass voucher in OC.

http://www.jtbusa.com/enhome/branchinfo.asp

It is also possible to purchase the Pass online and not have to go into a travel agent. I've used these guys, who are fast, efficient and reliable:

http://www.ttasfo.com/pages/jr_pass_infor1.html .

Of course, if you can do it in person without having to drive too far, that is probably easier.

JR

JR Rail Pass for Sale on Line through IACE
 

I ordered them last Thursday (1/3/08)--the "exchange orders" arrived today by FedEx around noon. Excellent service.

We bought the 7 day passes for "green" (first class) cars. The price is Y37,800; we got an exchange rate of Y115.15 to $1.00, so the price for this in dollars was $328.27 each. IACE charges a $15 FedEx fee, which was worth it to us.

The only drawback to the JR pass is that their highest speed shinkansen train on the Tokyo-Nagoya-Kyoto-Osaka-Hiroshima line, the Nozomi, is excluded. The next highest speed train, the Hidaki, is about 30 minutes slower on the Tokyo-Kyoto run (2:45 for 296 miles on the Hidaki, 2:15 on the Nozomi).

Dooooop

Hidaki ,I wouldn't know......unless they changed the name of trains on the Sanyo/Tokaido lines:confused: I suspect you meant "Hikari" or it's b*stard child "Hikari Railstar"!

I think the Hidaki is slower because it makes a stop in Rappungi.

LOL

If you plan to do a "standard" Tokyo-Kyoto/Osaka run I would look into one of those sunrise tour packages which includes hotel and Shinkansen together.

Alternately, if you don't mind the extra hour or so travel time, the Kodama Economy plan, even the green car version of the plan is over 15000yen cheaper then a 7 day green pass for a Tokyo-Kyoto trip. By ordinary car it saves some 8700 yen. I recommended this to another poster before, (its also good for us who can't qualify for JR passes). Again the draw back is the use of the lesser number Kodama and slower (1hour) trains, but the savings can be big.

I'm not going into a green car debate again on the pass. Just forum search it.

Advantage is Kodama trains have large comfy seats and few people on them.

The Kodama trains on the Sanyo Shinkansen (Shin-Osaka - Hakata) are the ones with the former green car seats in coach, they are using soon to be retired original 0 series shinkansens and 100 series shinkansen.

However, the regular Kodama trains from Tokyo-Shin-Osaka use regular train sets (mainly 300 series and sometimes 700 series) that the Hikari and sometimes Nozomi services use.

You are right, I used it to go to Kurashiki and Okayama, to see the Korakuen.

That's because they stop in places like Tokuyama, Yamaguchi-Ken:D!

Do you guys reccomend any third city besides Kyoto and Tokyo that we should try to fit in. I know there is so much to see but unforturnately we only have 7 days this trip. Thanks for the info so far.